Episode Review: Pinkie Pride · 10:01pm Feb 7th, 2014
Sorry for this being so late, but I have been sick all week. x.x
Have the video that served as the catalyst to this episode!
[youtube=WhOlAU4t9Hs]
To me, this series of reviews is less about what is subjective about an episode, and more me just rambling on about stuff I personally like or disliked. Normally, this is very minimal, but as we are dealing with a musical episode, I feel it fair to say the biased with be much more pronounced due to the inherant subjectivity of music in general. You might love the pieces, find them 'meh' or hate them all and that will colour your opinion of the episode no matter what else happened. This was true for Magical Mystery Cure, and it shall be for every musical episode henceforth. Also, this is the triumphant return of Amy Keeting Rogers to the FIM writing staff! Huzzah!
Is that a rubber chicken? Wow, this got weird fast. *Ba-dum-pish*
Pinkie Pride opens outside the town of Appleloosa (wow, it's been a while) with a strange figure in garb that would make Clint Eastwood (the actual guy, not Michael J. Fox) raise an eyebrow in fascination. After congratulating himself on a job well done, the strange stallion suddenly has a fit of twitches that send him flying in the air, using his poncho to parachute down, to which he exclaims there is a part in need... in Ponyville. After the theme we cut to Pinkie Pie and also our first song of the episode as she talks to the townsponies while gathering supplies for Rainbow Dash's birthday party! We even get to hear Diamond Cu- Tiara sing a couple of lines about how Pinkie was... adequate. B***h. Anyway, Pinkie starts reminding Dash of her conviction and the consequences thus as the earlier mentioned stallion appears in an alley. He steps out at the mention of a party and introduces himself as Cheese Sandwich and he is a party planner too. He then launches the second song, which is basically how he is like Pinkie, but a stallion, has an affinity for Hawaiian Shirts and has a LOT more money to blow (though it is not said outright).
Excited by the newcomer, Dash is swept off her hooves and instantly invites Cheese to help plan her party, seemingly leaving Pinkie by the wayside. Twilight realizes that Pinkie isn't there and goes to find her, only to see her watering the drain. She brings up that maybe they could use a bit of help, but Pinkie has none of it and goes inside to mope. We get our third song as Pinkie feels she has lost her purpose in life since Cheese is so much better than her, but no matter what she tires, she's a party pony through and through. Seeing pictures of her older, more memorable parties rekindles her drive and she gets suited up (in the outfit from Dragonshy no less) and ready for action. She goes to where Cheese is holding the party and challenges him to a "Goof Off" where the winner gets to headline the party and the other doesn't. Twilight finds a rulebook for Goof Offs and appoints Rainbow as the judge as it's her Birthaversary. (Seriously, who moves on their birthday? Unless she was kicked out or left the day she turned of age.)
The fourth song starts off early in the confrontation with a tit-for-tat performance both by Cheese and Pinkie as they vie for Dash's attention, including a polka version of 'Smile' that Pinkie calls Cheese out on for taking. However, into the song, Pinkie notices that Dash is rather annoyed more than laughing, and so she gets the rainbow eyes and calls the competition off, forfeiting to Cheese. Just as Pinkie is about to leave Ponyville forever, her friends come up to her and apologize for getting swept up by Cheese and that she's their PERMANENT party pony and he's just a guest. Said yellow stallion comes over and apologizes, since he never meant to run Pinkie out. Through song, he explains he lied in his first song and that he was actually very shy and quiet growing up, but one day, after leaving home, he found a party where everyone was smiling and found he wanted to make others have fun too. It turns out that party was thrown by Pinkie and Cheese just wanted to impress the pony who inspired him. The two agree to collaborate and throw the most epic party in Ponyville history. (Boy, that's not going to help Dash's ego). At the end of it all, Cheese Sandwich gives Pinkie his rubber chicken as a momento/key and trots off into the sunset where we end on a bad joke. The end.
Best face of season 4? It's in the running!
A few things I want to talk about here. First off, it seems like Celestia is rubbing off on Twilight a bit. Some might criticize her for not saying that maybe Pinkie should go ask Cheese if she could help, but I think it was the best she could have done since Pinkie obviously didn't want her help and the last time Twilight insisted, things did not go too well, so she just let it slide. Also, we get a better understanding of Pinkie Pie in this one that rings true retroactively: she has the shortest temper of the mane six, especially when somepony is questioning her parties. It is quite valid that they only have so many of them because they fear the repercussions. But that is more grim-dark fan fiction territory.
I'm not going to review all of the songs individually because that would take far too much time. Let me just say that I loved each and every song in this episode and they are all contenders for the best song of the season, especially the more wacky stuff like the goof off and Cheese's entry song. I can't forgot Pinkie's lament either, from how the background music with it went from sad to inspired to confidant all as smooth as silk. I also liked how we go to see a hint as to the Silver Spoon/Diamond Tiara dynamic in their relationship and how they compete for the Alpha b***h title.
Have the songs anyway!
[youtube=-slrm7JSvSQ]
Pinkie the Party Planner
[youtube=iC7JQYdjKE4]
The Super Duper Party Pony
[youtube=wdi7WXkd5Qg]
Pinkie's Lament
[youtube=6G77Z9g1_mk]
The Goof Off
[youtube=xQu8QtlvjOI]
Cheese Confesses
[youtube=VF6ncWWTeYE]
Make a Wish
All hail our new Raricorn overlord!
I'm going to come right out and say this episode was fantastic! So, with that in mind, let's do the negatives first.
Foremost, Cheese probably could have been a little more forthcoming about his intentions, especially when Pinkie demanded a Goof Off in front of the whole town, and still have had the same outcome... but then I guess we would have lost two of our six songs. I can also see why people were mad that Twilight didn't spell out that she could have helped, but I doubt that would have been accepted as Pinkie's PRIDE would have told her it was down to him or her, no compromise. I also was disappointed by the lack of Vinyl Scratch at the end, during the actual party. If there was any place for Vinyl's seasonal cameo, it was that one. =/
Now, as for the good... the rest of the whole stinking episode! Alfred "Weird Al" Yankovic did an amazing as a voice guest actor, where many other cartoon cameos have either been blatant or just plain strange. When he was speaking, he was Cheese Sandwich and when he sang, he was Weird Al, but none of it felt intrusive and flowed well with the narrative. Also, Twilight used her wings again! Two episodes in a row! Oh my f***ing god~! Eee~! (That's really sad, isn't it? Well, I'm going to keep doing it due to the track record. -.-). Also, the visuals were equally astounding! Bon-Bon in glasses and Minuette with braces and the mouse playing the tuba are just the highlights!
... It grew out and then it... white pelicans and... x__x Mustn't... make... dirty... joke... Is that a Freudian Slip, or are you just happy to see me? xD. I think I failed. v.v
So, it's time for my least favourite part of the review! If you were to drop a giant pinata cake on me, I would give this episode an unprecedented and astonishing 95/100! Now, remember, numbers don't mean jack, so just because it has the highest number rating yet (not counting retro reviews), doesn't mean it's the BEST EPISODE EVER. It nearly is, but a couple of minor things and personal preferences hold it back a tiny bit.
Next week, Rarity vies for the attention of a traveling writer to Ponyville... only to have him fall for Applejack instead! Will Best Unicorn win him over with her style, sophistication and class... or will she find that both she and the stallion involved more prefer the Simple Ways? (*Groans* If this is an episode just about boy-chasing the s**t will be flipped so fast...) Until then, this is Ciroton saying, "Been spending all my life living in an Amish Paradise!" (Not really)
Wait a tick... WHEN COULD TWILIGHT DANCE!? DX
She probably had lessons off screen, but I think I remember her cutting a decent rug at the wedding after-party. I haven't seen that episode in a while though, so I could be wrong.
I really don't think we need to worry about chasing after some dude. What we do have to worry about is Rarity doing a lame-ass impersonation of Elly Mae Clampett.
In any event, it's good to see the Grey Pony again. Given how readily she took advantage of the chocolate fountain, I should think that we're in for her turning into Chance from Being There......
I had the exact same reaction... yes it is sad.
1808226
Twilight seems to be fine when she's doing a choreographed dance with others. Put her on a dance floor without an Arthur Murray diagram, on the other hoof…
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw3362-1330546824480.gif
1808481 I love the explanation about why Twi dances like that given in RealityCheck's story Nightmare Night and Nyx. She learned her moves from Celestia.
1808578
I had forgotten about that, and I can totally see it happening. Who's going to tell the once sole Princess of Equestria that she can't dance, much less gainsay her when she teaches her student? I'm frankly amazed that formal dance progressed as far as it did during Luna's banishment.
Since Equestria Girls, I guess.
I share your sentiments on who is the best show writer, though.
You know what's been missing since S2 ended? Amy's pen, that's what. And now it's back, and gawd does it hit full force. 