Friendship University

Friendship is Magic review by Obake

(Spoilers!)

I agree with what this episode is trying to teach. Which is why it is so frustrating that its handle of a real world issue is so clumsy.

Flim and Flam open their own school of friendship in Las Pegasus. Because it only accepts ponies as students, it receives accreditation from Chancellor Neighsay, to Twilight's chagrin. Much worse, she and Rarity find that Starswirled the Bearded is one of the school's students (yes, really.)

Twilight is positive that Flim and Flam are up to something. But because she never bothers to reasonably explain Flim and Flam's past to Starswirled or anyone else, she is set up as simply jealous of the competition. Here is the strange thing, though: from the looks of things, the school is for college age ponies, meaning it would not really be in competition with Twilight's school, as her students are elementary age (I assume.) Add to the fact that a large chunk of her students would not even be eligible (given they are not ponies), the whole jealousy argument should be easily deflated.

Instead, Twilight and Rarity don "disguises" (Twilight's is literally an eye patch and a post-it-note), to infiltrate the school. Twilight is caught by the brothers, and by Starswirled, who assumes she really is just jealous of Flim and Flam's success.

Of course, it turns out Flim and Flam are nefarious after all, making students pay for their work packets at exorbitant costs. In real life, colleges do the same thing, inflating the prices of their courses and textbooks until they are nearly non-affordable. While there are arguments that colleges need to make money back, the way they price-gouge students is ridiculous. I applaud Friendship University for tackling such a stark issue, but it is so clumsy and over simplified that it just comes off wrong.

I believe the episode would be a lot better if Flim and Flam were actually honest about their intentions to teach friendship. It would of course be revealed that they are charging students. But they could make the argument that their prices are fair, and ask what harm is there in making a little money on the side? Chancellor Neighsay could still accredit the school due to it only teaching ponies, making him the clear bad guy, and making Twilight asks tough questions. Like, is it really bad if her lessons are being used by ponies wanting financial gain, as long as the students receive the same benefit?

But instead it turns out Twilight was right all along, and proves Flim and Flam's deceit in front of Starswirled. The school is shut down, and the forlorn students wonder where else they could learn about friendship. How about Twilight's school? Of course! (I guess they will start teaching adults now?) It is all so formulaic. Which is a shame, as the premise could have made for a great venture.

Extras:

• One line of dialogue that really irks me is from Rarity, speaking to Twilight: "You're not the type of pony to let emotions cloud your judgement." Actually, that is exactly what Twilight is, even from the start of the show. Twilight is smart, but she has always had difficulties with temperament.
• Chancellor Neighsay is outright racist, even in front of Starswirled. Despite this, Starswirled does not do or say anything about it, instead commenting on how Twilight should trust Flim and Flam. Yes, Twilight does tell Starswirled the things Flim and Flam have done in the past, but does not even attempt to go into detail as to why these things matter (for example, the brothers purposely trying to take over Sweet Apple Acres by cheating in a contest.)
• The only gag I enjoyed was Rarity pulling on Starswirled's beard.
• In all honesty, a friendship college would make a lot more sense than a regular school, too. I presume the MLP universe works the same way, with all elementary aged students going to regular school, and after graduation, some choosing to go to college while others do not. Though I do not buy so many college aged ponies jumping for joy over being taught lessons on friendship.
• Twilight and Rarity's infiltration plans are so dumb. Compare them to Twilight's plans in a far better episode, season 2's It's About Time. That episode had build up, with Twilight slowly losing sanity and sleep, and eventually resorting to infiltrating the castle library, despite not needing not to. Friendship University just has Twilight put on an eye patch and sneak into Flim and Flam's office. Sure, Twilight knows how stupid the disguise is, but she keeps it on anyways, for no real reason.
• I know I am harping over and over on this episode. I feel the reason I am as annoyed with it is because I can see the potential in its ideas, and it is just frustrating that it did not use them well.

Comments

[andiduferense]

For some years I studied in my hometown, and it was all right, but then I decided to move to another city and a dilemma existed. I trained for a few months at that school, and then discovered that the school was not accredited. At first I didn't realize what it was, but after reading the material on study usa I was a graduate-not a grader-when I was not accredited, everything settled in my head and everything was well.

[Andinse]

For me the whole message of this cartoon that friendship is magic is a little strange considering the world we live in. It's a kind of dystopia where we're all not free, I've even done essays about it like this link reviewing the situation. And in this concept of the world does not fit the concept of friendship is magic, there is only us and our worries. So there can't be a university of friendship yet and only for magical friendly ponies, the world isn't ready for that.