Pinkie Apple Pie Review · 4:44am Jan 12th, 2014
Oh my gosh. I simply cannot believe it! This episode was hilarious! It's official, this is now my favourite episode of season four! Bats! is close behind!
So we knew from the get-go that the episode was about Pinkie learning what it means to be a family. She discovers that she is possibly a fourth cousin five times removed from the Apple family, therefore being a distant cousin of Applejack. This is definitely an interesting idea in the fact that, yeah, you'd be surprised who could be ancestor or a distant distant relative! It even makes for some silly moments!
This was a Pinkie episode, alongside an Applejack episode. Needless to say, it pulled off the balance of both characters so nicely. The way Pinkie played off the Apple family was both funny and very heartwarming all throughout. You might think she has rose-coloured glasses about them, but actually, she just appreciates them so much. Applejack is one of her best friends and she admires the Apple family very much, so it's no wonder. Family and friendship means a lot to Pinkie, so it makes perfect sense that she was so excited all throughout. It especially came through in the ending, no less.
All right, so Pinkie discovers through her genealogy that she might just be a very distant cousin of the the Apple family. Upon revealing this news to Applejack and the rest of the family, they decide to take a little road trip to visit their great-aunt, who has a knowledge of the Apple tree. So essentially, it plays with some tropes of a typical road trip film. Car breaks down, bringing too little or too much, tensions rising, losing the map, getting lost, it's all there! It seems to be a bit of a love letter to these kinds of films or TV show episodes to be sure. Planes, Trains and Automobiles, anyone?
Naturally, everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Leading to some comedic moments, as well as some family drama. I'm not going to lie you guys, these bits were really nicely done. They didn't feel scripted or anything of the sort. This is the exact way families fight! Tensions are rising, they're stressed and worried, so it's no wonder they would act and feel like they do.
It goes from pulling a cart to making a raft, which they sail along the river. Apple Bloom inadvertently loses the map when they end up in a fork in the river, so they're a little lost. They end up going through a cave...
Oh my god. What the hell just happened?! I mean, I know it was all off-screen, but it just sounded so BRUTAL! There were monster roars, screaming of terror, and Pinkie just... oh my god! That was actually kind of terrifying and yet funny! Whoa! I have NEVER felt this way with the show before! It has never blown my mind and given me such a mind screw! Oh my god! What was that?! I still can't get over it! What?!
Eventually they're back on dry land, making it to their destination. The pony in question comes back home, revealing to be the equivalent of a hoarding, crazy cat lady. ...Yeah. Okay, it was silly and cute. :P
So it's revealed that... even the Apple Family genealogy book is smudged! So they don't know for sure if Pinkie is really distantly related to the Apple family. But as it turns out, it actually doesn't matter. Pinkie had spent the whole journey with them, she saw them through the good and bad times, just like any family would go through. Even when it got tough, they were still a family. They still came out of it with apologies and becoming stronger. That was the lesson to learn. It didn't matter if you were related by blood or not, family was in being together through the good and bad times. Blood relatives or your friends could be your family. Your family could still be your best friends.
I think that was really touching and just very smart. Now you might wonder why it was never revealed. Well, apart from the fact that I guess the writers felt it was a smarter idea to leave it open to interpretation; I think it was still to teach that very lesson. It doesn't matter what the book said. What matters is what actually happened. The Apples love Pinkie and consider her family, just as Pinkie loves them and considers them family. What more do you need?
It was, overall, a great episode. Right up there with Apple Family Reunion. As someone who loves family and also considers non-blood people family, it was a real treat. <3 I loved it. I would definitely call it one of my favourite episodes in the series and my favourite of season four so far.
The comedy was just wonderful. Not since Keep Calm And Flutter On have I laughed this much. The funny photos, the comedic timing, the imagery, it just all came together so beautifully and hilariously.
I really enjoyed the song, too! I remember seeing it as an animated and voiced-over storyboard during the previews, so it was so cool to see it in full! :D Bravo, bravo!
So I enjoyed this episode. It was great at balancing family drama, comedy, and a couple of mind screws. X3
Pinkie in this episode was, well... Pinkie. Her role was downplayed and her own character development reduced to the point where she could have been replaced with any of the mane six. She was a fun addition, but her antics do begin to wear at a point. My slight chuckle began to grotesquely morph into a groan of sheer annoyance at a point.
I was thinking about Willy Wonka's scary tunnel when the cave part came. You seem very shocked by that scene while thinking it was funny, I don't know about you NG, but to me it was just a very funny scene, possibly the best part of the episode. XD
The Family arguing and fighting is actually something I really hoped for. Family comedies have done this, but it's usually way too dramatic that it's just unwelcome for me. The Apples aren't like that, they're only to accusing and blaming the other for the fault of being in a bad situation. They don't say things hurtful to one another they're just annoyed with each other, and your right about families acting like that. We're mostly annoyed more than anything with our families.
I missed out on commenting on your last review once again. Shame on me. Here I am for this one though so let's begin.
Interesting choice. Mine is the rather commonly chosen Flight to the Finish so far but I'll be impressed if latter episodes of season 4 prove to be even better.
The plot is a bit out there in terms of what it is but at the same time it is true that you'd never know who you could be very distantly related to (I know on my Mum's side of the family I'm distantly related to a King). It is a shame that Pinkie's side of the plot, what forms as the encompassing plot, gets overshadowed by the more detailed and explored Apple Family interactions. It would have been interesting to have a deeper motive or reasoning as to why Pinkie Pie likes the idea of being part of Applejack's family.
I disagree and yet agree. When it comes to the humour, yes, this was definitely a Pinkie Pie episode. Her humour was in full here and it went well alongside the comedy of Applejack and her family. When it comes to the plot though, as I've mentioned as my one key negative, the Applejack side of things overshadow Pinkie's. I feel that going into this episode as a Pinkie Pie episode is a bad idea and a more positive interpretation comes forth when you look at it as an Applejack episode.
It's how I love my comedy!
This episode shares this trait with Apple Family Reunion. They present family interactions truthfully, the ups and downs to it. It really does feel genuine here, they feel like family members and they feel real.
The cave scene was indeed the most hilarious moment. Certainly, I loved the falcon joke to bits, but that cave scene had me in hysterics throughout. This episode shines in comedy. My lungs could barely take it.
Ultimately, this is a funny episode. It is a great Applejack episode, presents a lot more in regards to Big Mac and Granny Smith and is an enjoyable experience. I do feel however, that being such a good Applejack episode overshadows the more mediocre Pinkie Pie episode that actually serves as the basis. Her humour is in full swing but her emotional moments lack punch and she feels cast to the side a few times with character interactions, again something you can't help but compare with how great and in-depth the Apple Families interactions are within. Still, I had a good laugh and enjoyed it which is what counts the most. I'm glad to see you love it as much as you do.
Fourth cousin, twice removed by the fifth, I believe. But nitpicking aside, the episode was pretty nice overall. My favorite part is easily the very beginning with Twilight, and Pinkie's sudden appearance behind the book
As Discord loves to say, it was prriiiccceelesss!