An Overview of MLP: Season 5, Part 1 · 1:08am Jul 20th, 2015
Hard to believe Season 5 is already halfway over with. Well, it's time for me to give a summary of my thoughts over the first half of the season as well as give a score to each episode. As always, these are my opinions and you are all entitled to yours. With that said, let's get started!
Episodes 1 and 2: The Cutie Map:
I found this to be a fantastic premiere and a perfect start for the season! I like how it's a much more quiet premiere in comparison to those in the past with the stakes revolving around the Mane 6 and one town instead of the whole of Equestria. It was also refreshing to see a premiere not solely focus on Twilight. I liked seeing Fluttershy play a vital role and Pinkie Pie was hilarious throughout both episodes. I loved seeing another group of ponies aside from the Mane 6 be the ones to save the day in the end as a result of being inspired by the Mane 6. The song in the episode is okay but nothing to really write home about. Starlight Glimmer was an excellent villain and both episodes showcased a chilling depiction of ponified Communism ideals and Nazis-esque brainwashing techniques. Who expected MLP to ever do something like that?! I didn't...but I'm glad they did. It's nice to see children's cartoons go dark from time to time (or, at least, as dark as they can get away with). I give The Cutie Map a 9.5/10.
Episode 3: Castle Sweet Castle:
Isn't it weird how the third episodes of both Season 4 and Season 5 involve a castle? Anyway, I really liked this episode. I loved seeing a follow-up to the destruction of Golden Oak Library. Twilight and Spike had some great scenes together and others had some fun bickering moments. I loved the song and the ultimate decision to have the roots of Golden Oak Library be added to the castle was a perfect resolution that I didn't see coming. It's just a great episode that makes me smile whenever I watch it. I give Castle Sweet Castle a 9/10.
Episode 4: Bloom & Gloom:
I really enjoyed this episode. It was nice to get a resolution to the CMC/Luna trilogy that started back in Season 3. I also liked seeing Apple Bloom's worrying about cutie marks focus on what will happen after she and her friends earn theirs. The dream sequences were fun and more Luna is always a good thing. I give Bloom & Gloom a 7.5/10.
Episode 5: Tanks for the Memories:
My gripes about MLP's confusing chronology aside, I really liked this episode. This is probably the closest we'll ever get to seeing an MLP character deal with death, instead it's hibernation here. Rainbow Dash was a lot of fun in the episode and I liked how the episode showed her going through the five stages of grief. Add in some emotional moments and a Game of Thrones reference and you've got yourself a great episode! I give Tanks for the Memories an 8.5/10.
Episode 6: Appleloosa's Most Wanted:
I enjoyed this episode. It was nice to see Braeburn and Appleloosa again and Trouble Shoes was a likable character. Though, the episode does feel like a standard "CMC want their cutie marks" episode in some areas and is overall not one of MLP's most memorable episodes. Still, it's an entertaining episode overall with some fun moments. I give Appleloosa's Most Wanted a 6.5/10.
Episode 7: Make New Friends But Keep Discord:
I loved this episode! Of course, more Discord is always a plus but it was even more satisfying to get an episode told entirely from his point of view. The comedy was great, the friendship between Discord and Fluttershy was adorable, it was nice seeing the Grand Galloping Gala again, and it was cool seeing the G4 Smooze. The one thing I wasn't that wild about was Tree Hugger but every other aspect of the episode more than makes up for that! I give Make New Friends But Keep Discord a 10/10.
Episode 8: The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone:
This is another episode I really liked. It was about time that we saw Gilda again and her return didn't disappoint. I loved seeing Gilda redeem herself and rekindle her friendship with Rainbow Dash. I enjoyed seeing another Pinkie Pie/Rainbow Dash team-up episode and I liked officially seeing the Griffon Kingdom. I hope we get to see both Gilda and Griffonstone return in the future. Oh and that flashback was f*cking adorable! I give The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone a 9/10.
Episode 9: Slice of Life:
What else is there to say? This episode was amazing! Doctor Whooves! Derpy! Lyra! Bon-Bon...I mean Secret Agent Sweetie Drops! Steven Magnet! Matilda! Cranky! Vinyl! Octavia! Gummy! Gah! This was just a wonderful and heartfelt tribute to the fandom that has helped make this show as successful as it is today. I already gushed enough about this episode in my review of it so I'm just going to say here that I still find this episode to be absolutely spectacular! I give Slice of Life a 10/10.
Episode 10: Princess Spike:
This is an episode that really could have been so much more. It has some fun moments and I liked seeing Cadance again. However, Spike felt like he was treading familiar ground and, overall, this was far from one of his better episodes. It's a somewhat enjoyable episode overall but it wasted a lot of potential for a really good Spike episode. I give Princess Spike a 6/10.
Episode 11: Party Pooped:
This was a really fun Pinkie Pie episode. The yaks were an interesting addition to the MLP mythos and their antics throughout the episode were fun to watch. Pinkie Pie's journey was also incredibly funny and managed to mix together some old character returns with some fun references. Again, it's just a really fun episode overall. And, besides, any episode with a Twilight/Pinkie mental breakdown combo is a good time. I give Party Pooped an 8.5/10.
Episode 12: Amending Fences:
I loved this episode. It was just incredibly satisfying and surprising to see the show stem this interesting and sympathetic conflict from a single "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" moment from the very first episode of the entire series. It was great seeing Twilight's original home at Celestia's school again and the episode had an incredibly heartwarming conclusion. Call me crazy, but I agree with a certain follower of mine that this episode may have very well been a more appropriate 100th episode. Don't get me wrong, I still f*cking love Slice of Life but this episode was literally tied to Episode 1 and a huge part of it was showing how far Twilight has come since then. I'm happy with the episode order but I wouldn't have minded all that much if this had been Episode 100 and Slice of Life had been Episode 101. I give Amending Fences a 10/10.
Episode 13: Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?:
I really liked this episode. Of course, more Luna is always a plus and having an episode focus on her is even better. I loved seeing the show address Luna's guilt from being Nightmare Moon and we got some great character development for Luna. The pacing was a little off at times and I can see how the big Ponyville dream can be a bit too much for some people, but I still found the whole episode overall to be a blast. Some crazy dream antics mixed together with some wonderful character moments. What better way to end the first half of the season and kick off a hiatus? I give Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep an 8.5/10.
Conclusion:
In my opinion, this first half of Season 5 is the strongest string of episodes we've had in the show thus far. Season 5 has yet to give us an episode that has received a strong negative reaction. Season 1 had Boast Busters, Season 2 had The Mysterious Mare Do Well, Season 3 had Spike at Your Service, and Season 4 had Rainbow Falls. So far, Season 5's lesser episodes have received okay responses and, even then, they still have fun moments in them. To concur with a certain follower of mine, Season 5 is indeed the season of the callback. References to the past and character returns galore. This first half of the season has been incredibly satisfying on many different levels. I eagerly look forward to seeing what the second half of the season will bring.
So what did the rest of you think of the first half of Season 5? Do you agree with my opinions? Disagree with them? I look forward to hearing what the rest of you have to say. See you later!
I disagree with your score for Amending Fences. Should be 11/10.
If the benchmark was set with Slice of Life maxing out the scale, then Amending Fences surely broke it.
Also, while I liked it, Make New Friends but Keep Discord felt a bit...overplayed, would it be? I think I liked The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone better than that one.
Other than that, this reflects my opinions nicely, though Bloom & Gloom would get at least an 8 even.
Why do I sense these are references to my reviews?
I wonder who that could be. Wait, isn't that me?
Oh yeah. 
It was me!
We are almost completely in agreement... Except for "Appleloosa's Most Wanted". I still feel it isn't technically a typical "CMC want their cutie marks" episode as you put it.
After quite the showing in just the first half of the season, I too look forward to what they will have for us in the second.