You know what, forget being reasonable, Maud Couple wasn't good · 10:03pm Apr 1st, 2018
Can anyone explain to me how it makes sense that Pinkie used to be the pony who was all about making ponies smile, and now in the latest episode her own sister, who in her very first appearance was so eccentric that Pinkie Pie was the only one who understood her, revealed she actually doesn't like Pinkie that much and only tolerates her antics because it makes Pinkie herself happy?
It rubs me the wrong way that Mud Briar comes off as a jerk, essentially genderbent Maud but with an extremely exaggerated personality, and yet Pinkie is expected to just... tolerate him. Not love him or like him, just tolerate his incredibly grating presence. Gosh, I thought this was a show that was supposed to promote family values. I didn't think that we went from "love covers a multitude of sins" to "yeah, doesn't it suck that your sister's relationship with this creature that doesn't even act like a human being aggravates you? Suck it up, or else you're a bitch."
My biggest beef from this episode comes from the fact that Pinkie doesn't act like Pinkie. Instead of saying hello and being excited to meet someone new, like she does with every single other creature in Ponyville ever, she immediately becomes impatient and frustrated with Mud Briar before he even speaks, and before he even says that he's in a relationship with Maud. She has no reason to dislike this guy right off the bat, so they have to give her one by having Mud Briar act like a huge jerk. Except oh, he's not a huge jerk, he's a geode! So he's actually a gem inside! Even if he never actually displays anything that even hints at a deeper personality!
In Mud's very first appearance he just stands there in silence and calls it talking. They deliberately exaggerate this guy's Maud-isms to insane levels so that Pinkie can have an exaggerated dislike for him. Have we just forgotten how Pinkie almost exploded just from the idea of getting a hint of a smile from Cranky Doodle Donkey? Who went out of her way to throw a party for Gilda who was actively sabotaging what Pinkie built? But now because she's kind of in a hurry, she forgets all that. And later on, Mud Briar is suddenly a functioning member of society who is tolerable, even though in his very first scene, he was doing something that would probably get you actually arrested. This is not "oh, well you just don't like that character." This is flat-out bad writing. This is making excuses for a story, not telling one that's actually there.
And you can't handwave this with "cartoon logic" Big Jim, because the context doesn't tell us that it's a joke. It tells us that this is how Mud Briar actually acts around everyone, all the time.
"That's stick abuse" is a line we're actually supposed to take seriously as part of his character. It wasn't a joke, because that's actually how Mud Briar is. He is a walking hyperbole. And before you tell me this is somehow supposed to be an accurate representation of autistic people... just don't. Because it's not, and it wasn't meant to be, and we all know dang well it wasn't.
Also, we already had an episode where Maud admitted she doesn't like Pinkie that much and Pinkie actually doesn't understand the first thing about Maud's deeper personality so she just has to deal with Maud being friends with other ponies. And now we're having it again. Why Maud? Why Pinkie? She has two other sisters, right? Why don't they get boyfriends? Why is Maud so popular in spite of actually being a literal one-trick pony? Why is her boyfriend herself? Why was Starlight even in this episode if Pinkie's sisters are the ones to explain the moral to her? Why did they have that godawful, cringe-worthy "mind castle" reference?
But! I will say this. I do like that Pinkie's other sisters made actual appearances. I like that Marble has facial expressions that aren't just a Fluttershy mask and her little non-verbal cues were nice. I like the fact that Limestone exists, but I didn't like that stupid geode metaphor, because duh, obviously Pinkie would know what a geode is and what Limestone's getting at. I also like the fact that they attempted to humanize Maud and Mud by having them smile once or twice, even if it was in the middle of their horrible execution of everything else.
Man, I haven't even finished part 2 of School Daze yet.
tl;dr This entire episode leaned so heavily on "ha ha look at the crazy ponies what don't talk right" it forgot to have a real story. 5/10 best episode ever.
This about sums it up. It had it's moments (limestone), but there wasn't much good about this episode.
I can't tell If you're being serious or joking, today's April 1st, It's hard to tell If this Is a fools joke.
I feel like its partially from a bunch of ne writers who dont have time to check old stories for details. Plus canon in pony has been nebulous for a while.
(Here for the blogs, because PresentPerfect has given up the ghost
)
And yeah, this was... painful to watch. A rehash of the Maudlight episode, except instead of the basically-likeable GlimGlam we get a dick.
It is okay to not like someone who anally corrects your every word. It is okay to be concerned when your sister starts picking up on her BFs shitty habits. And it is not okay for Pinkie to not "get" Maud when total strangers do, again.
Points for the basic message, I guess: you don't need to like your sister's new friend, but you should try to make nice for her sake. But this guy... bleaugh.
The GlimGlam ep was forgivable because Starlight was good for Maud. They were different people, with different interests, who could still get along. Stickhead reinforces Maud's negative traits by promoting social isolation and verbal dicketry.
Nice to see the other Pie sisters, though, but why not an ep for them? Anyone else notice Limestone say she felt awful all the time? What's that story? Did Pinkie learn to accept her sister is a possibly-depressed grump? Why not have her move to Ponyville to try and reconnect, but can't stop being a dick to Pinkie's friends (Griffin the Brushoff, if you will)? Why not have a canon male be Limestone's new boyfriend and Pinkie keeps running interference for her shit personality, then gets told it's unnecessary because he loves that part of her?
Or Marble? Subvert the Featherbangs ep and have her try to win back Macintosh. Or get frustrated that a guy never notices her and has to learn she actually has to speak with him to make a connection? Instead we get Maud, a solid two episodes after she's worn out her welcome.
But hey, new opening animation. It looks nice.
Lol I can believe it because from day 1 Pinkie has been my least favorite of the mane six. But in hind sight you bring up good points. The first appearance with Mud Briar is a very poor joke if it was even meant to be a joke at all. He says he is talking to the cashier but he just stands there...
Um...joke please?
Also why make his obsession sticks and not something at least vaugly interesting like trees? Give him an intense interest in trees, there are many types, they exist for hundreds of years, sticks come from trees, his favorite food could be maple syrup, he could have a weird tree shaping hobby. This is a real thing
And you are once again correct, Pinkie and Maud have already had this episode. Its just that instead of Maud making a friend outside of Pinkie, and Pinkie has to deal, Maud has gained a significant other, and Pinkie has to deal. Basically the same thing. And Starlight didn't need to be in this episode. Just have Limestone and Marble visit Ponyville for fucks' sake.
You do realize Mud Briar was supposed to be Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory Right?