MLP Episode Review: Apple Family Reunion

Okay, due to the somewhat wonky nature the episodes are on my DVD boxed set, and that I wanna have time to rip apart 'Keep Calm and Flutter On' and 'Magical Mystery Cure', I'm gonna do four today and the other two tomorrow.

So... swing your partners round and round, but only how Applejack tells you to. It's a do-si-do or do-si-don't as we prepare for the...

Apple Family Reunion.
We open in a barn. Applejack's gotten a box of goodies down from a loft in it, and Granny Smith exposits how it's been '100 moons' since the last family reunion. Okay, quick note. I do NOT like the replacement of 'month' with 'moon' for timekeeping. Granny asks Apple Bloom about RSVPs, and it turns out EVERYONE is coming. "I think we're gonna need a bigger cider trough." And a bigger boat.

After the credits, it's evening. Big Mac is pushing in a wheelbarrow's worth of invites. Granny's worried about getting it all organized. The others offer to help, which is awesome of them, and Granny, being smart, accepts. She then pulls on her face and become Sexy Smith for a moment. It's weird. Applejackoffers to take over, almost gets a whuppin' due to a faux pas, but extracts her hoof from her mouth when she says for Granny to enjoy herself.

We cut to Granny showing Applejack and Apple Bloom a photo album of previous reunions, and we learn Sweet Apple Acres has hosted these shindigs every hundred moons. Again, not liking the 'moon' bit. We get some nice flashbacks to reunions past, such as the family quilt. Applejack also begins planning. And a diabeetus-inducing baby Applejack who loved apple fritters. :D And Granny's favorite cousin, Apple Rose. They entered the seven-legged race every time.

For the record, I'm just smiling watching this so far. :D

Granny wonders if everyone will be able to make the next reunion like this time, and Symbolic Comets of Applejack's/Apple Bloom's/Big Mac's dead parents shoot by. Or if you believe a piece of fanart I've seen, them whizzing by on jetpacks. :D Applejack vows this will be the most memorable reunion of them all!

Later that night, Applejack's pacing, and Apple Bloom wanders in. Applejack's nervous about the reunion. Natch. We even see her with a chart. She tucks Apple Bloom in and it's legit heartwarming. The next morning, we see EPIC PLANNING MONTAGE! Rarity donates some bolts of fabric. Pinkie gives honey straight from a hive... and glitter. Is that the same for Rarity's edible boots? Dash fills buckets with water. Spike plays zippo lighter and ignites some firewood to heat up some cauldrons.

they finish and it's a legit impressive spread. Just in time as an avalanche of Apples come on down! Some of them are even in an airship. Awesome! Granny meets up with Apple Rose. Aww. :) We even see a shot of Braeburn. Applejack welcomes them and announces the obstacle course and quilting. Apple Bloom meets up with Babs, and we learn Babs is in a new school. We even get a 'fugged about it!" from her. God, she is a Sweathog! Welcome back...

Applejack pushes them over to the obstacle course, which is friggin' nuts. Apple Bloom is... not impressed. We cut to Granny and the not-so-youngings, as Applejack calls them. :p They bicker and banter a bit, and we learn Granny and Apple Rose did something to Applesauce's parasol six reunions ago. Ah, breaking open a pinata, and they laugh. Applejack comes by, and reveals sewing machines so they can finally finish the quilt. Applejack... the point is not to finish a family quilt. And we get a nice gag of Applesauce's false teeth floating out of her muzzle. The old mares can't hear a thing over the friggin engines of the sweing machines.

Back to the obstacle course, Apple Bloom and Babs are going right round, right round, but not on a record, baby. We then cut to Big Mac scarfing down a fritter, and being caught by Applejack. Hah! Applejack assembly-lines the fritter-making, maybe having flashbacks to the Flimflam Brothers. :p We earn Babs has formed a Manehattan branch of the Crusaders, and their tongues go Uncomfortably Numb. We have some quick shots of the Apples, all worn out. Applejack tries to take some pictures... and decides to kick it up a notch. BAM! Apple Bloom and Babs try to sneak away, but no-go.

Applejack rounds everyone up for a hayride around Sweet Apple Acres. They go off like it's the Indy 500, and Applesauce's dentures take a bit out of Big Mac's muzzle. Turns out they're heading for the West Orchard. Granny exposits they haven't tended there since the trees got filled up with... with what?

Applejack's along the trail. She kicks a tree, and 'fruit bats' fly our, in perfect rainbow formation. Taste the rainbow! Unfortunately, a red one, possibly one of Atrocitus' new recruist, spots Applesauce's hat and the bat makes a beeline for the fruit in it. The rest follow and we get some Stuka noises! They bail out of the hayride, and the cart crashes into the barn, destroying both. Ouch...

After commercial, Applejack's beating herself up over things, about how it wasn't perfect. Granny reminds her it's not about the doin', it's about spending time with your family. Applejack has a brainstorm for a barn-raising and square dance all in one! To the tune 'f 'Raise this Barn', or 'Racist Barn' if you hear it a bit oddly. :p I love it. :D The barn's raised, they all make some great memories and it's just fun. Ohai, Fiddlesticks! And finally, the barn is raised. The picture is taken, and we even see Aunt and Uncle Orange, which is awesome. :D

We pan from the pic, and the Apple clan says their goodbyes. Apple Bloom tells Babs they have to get together before the next reunion... and i think beyond a cameo, this is the last time we see her. Harsher in hindsight, that's for sure. Granny winks at the camera, and Applejack writes a letter to Celestia as we see her leafing through the photo album. It's not about the what, it's about the who. We go outside, see the symbolic comets one more, and end episode.

Thoughts
You know, not every episode has to be mega-super-duper-important. This episode shows that slice of life works well, sometimes better than the big ones. At least for me. It's low-key, but does it well. Good lesson about family, too. I love Applejack, probably my favorite of the Mane Six. So for me, this episode hits all the right notes overall.

Time for lunch, and when I return, two episodes for the price of one post. 'Just for Sidekicks' and 'Games Ponies Play', or 'Screw Spike!'