), I do love fussing over stats where anything of interest is concerned, Fimfic included. Happily, I’m not alone (because duh 
): Recommendsday blogger, fic writer and all-around awesome chap TCC56 does too, and in his latestMini Re-Reviews: "One Bad Apple" - Season 3 Episode 4 · 9:16pm Apr 23rd, 2020
APPLE BLOOM: "...I don't get it. Why this screenshot? It's not an especially memorable moment or image from the episode, nor does it sum up what it's about."
SWEETIE BELLE: Yeah, but have you seem my wet mane? I never get to customise it in the show! It's so goofy and floppy here, this is a rare opportunity! Doesn't have to be a meme to be funny!"
BABS: "...and here I thought it would be more quiet, calm and down-to-earth in the country compared to Manehattan..."
Frankly, even as I write this just after having rewatched "One Bad Apple", it's already fading from memory. At least, what the episode is about and the characters interactions and the intended thematic takeaway, anyway. All that is there. It's just kind of shallow, and in trying to present a nuanced lesson about bullying, it pushes the limits of what a show like this can do with that (or, at least what the writers are willing to do with it), and it turns out that level to which it goes, at least for me, only calls attention to how its not as deep nor as insightful as it should be. Anti-bullying messages are good ones to have for kids, no doubt (and from what I've read, the more impassioned reactions to this episode tends to come from those who were bullied - outside of a few isolated incidents, I guess I was lucky, I was mostly ignored rather then bullied). That's not to say the episode doesn't have memorable moments - it absolutely does, and not just the song either. But rather then such moments elevating the episode into memorability, they kind of rise there without taking the episode with it. It's very peculiar.
Another thing that's peculiar is the episode's opening - Apple Bloom has never really cared about her attire, yet here she's acting like Rarity Jr. in choosing the right getup to meet her never-before-seen cousin Babs, coming to visit from Manehattan for a couple of weeks. An odd way to show Apple Bloom's desperation to impress a cousin she's never met before that vanished promptly as soon as Applejack mention she too is a blank flank. Not the last time such an odd moment will pop up in the episode either. On a funnier note, Applejack's unamused expression of irritation at the CMC jumping around her yelling ecstatically as they all wait at the train station got a good grin out of me.
As Babs arrives, it's tellingly obvious something is amiss with her; she doesn't speak much except in short responses, and seem rather nervous, having visual tells and signs that betray a level of insecurity and self-consciousness. In an effort to get her to be more enthusiastic about joining the CMC (she's a Blank Flank too), they show her the float they plan to ride in the upcoming Summer Harvest Parade. Of course, as drama is necessary, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon choose that moment to trek all the way to Sweet Apple Acres, and after some banter with the CMC, they berate Babs for being a Blank Flank too. In a shocking moment, after pausing, Babs joins the two spoiled fillies and becomes a bully to the CMC, and upon receiving approval, kick it up to 11 and kicks the wheel out from under their pumpkin float, sending it tumbling down the hill and crashing.
The script's flip for Babs to bully rather then being a bully makes sense, but the execution of it goes too far, at least when it still has the intention of us feeling sympathetic for her later. It's not just a dialogue and action thing either; a combination of rough and mean expressions and animations on her end, as well as her thick Bronx accent accentuating the spite in her lines of dialogue, combined to make her come across, in a few moments, as worse then Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon ever did - as bad as they are, I can't see either of them wrecking the float like that, and not just because they wouldn't get their hooves dirty either. The bullied becomes a worse bully then is necessary is this episode, is my feeling. I blame this not on the character, but on the writing (and, unusually, on the DHX staff too). It's not an episode-killer, but it does make any moment with mean Babs onscreen a bit cold.
Thankfully, the episode picks up a bit after that, with a song that probably shouldn't work (starting with young girls singing "Yeah, yeah, yeah" is a major alarm bell) but scores a sizeable fandom hit due to adorableness, absurd cartoon visuals and another earwormy chorus. The Babs Seed song has the goods. After that, though, it's back to business with a scene of Babs stealing their clubhouse out from under them (complete with that adorable meme's of Sweetie Belle's waterworks at the end). It was a bit of a surprise to see a scene in what is clearly supposed to be Rarity's parents house, with Hondo Flanks fishing outside; don't think we ever see Sweetie Belle staying anywhere but Rarity's afterwards. But it's telling of how mundane a lot of the episode is that even that didn't make an impression.
The episode's second-best scene is easily the A-Team spoof of the CMC assembling a second sabotages float of have Babs Seed steal and pilot to embarrassment. Not just the montage, seeing them planning things like this, and focus on them and succeed in pulling them off, is always good. After that, the episode is just the plot proceeding as it does with gags that are funny but rarely stand-out. While it is nice the CMC instantly try and reverse their (justified - Babs knocks out their borrowed float later too, after all) revenge upon hearing from Applejack of how badly Babs was bullied back home (I do fully approve of the episode's "killing the problem with kindness" moral, no objections there), it can't help but feel shallow. That's it for details? Nothing beyond it being teasing her for not having a Cutie Mark yet (and the later mention of her having an older sister of her own she should have confided it doesn't match up with the episode prior to this point at all). From there until the denouement, the episode is more plodding stuff with amusing but unmemorable gags (even Pinkie Pie's zaniness seems subdued, and a clear reluctance to have her say more then was necessary makes her feel very shallow and light.
Having mulled over it for a while, I think I know the reason why this episode feels rather insubstantial. The episode doesn't want to be too heavy with the bullying aspect, and I get it, it can be tough, piercing material for kids, especially at that age. Hence there being barely any actual exploration of Babs beyond what others say about her, and little resolution beyond both groups apologising and her becoming a fourth CMC member - even Applejack's offhand mention of how they should have just come to her feels like more of a punchline then an actual message. But the episode still wants, on some level, for its story and character and message to be taken seriously, and for some reason, that leads to gags throughout that don't feel especially rooted or connected to what's going on. It's a gag episode a lot of the time, but an unfocused one, which I suspect is why I remember some moments but not really the context of them within the episode. It doesn't also help that much of what this episode is exploring was covered before, and better, in "Griffon the Brush-Off" (Cindy Morrow's first episode betters her work her very slightly on the whole) and in "Ponyville Confidential".
It's still a fine episode, don't get me wrong. There are plenty of fun moments I didn't mention, like a false wrench Cutie Mark, a hilarious Sight Gag of a pig replacing Diamond Tiara, and others. It's just kind of an unfocused one that's holding itself back, despite its best intentions. For landing without a whole lot of resonance, it can't really muster more then a 6.5/10.
STRAY OBSERVATIONS
- We've had episode before where some of the Mane 7 appear but don't speak. But this is an extreme case where they all appear in a crowd shot, and are focused on for a moment (with Twilight, Rarity and Spike getting gags), but other then Applejack who is in the episode plenty otherwise, only Pinkie speaks due to piloting the Salad Float, and even then only briefly. It's probably the first time you can actively sense them not speaking to avoid voice-actor fees just for a line or two, something that becomes more common later in the show's life with such an expanded cast. Not necessarily a criticism, more an observation. It is possible the Mane 7 that don't speak were added at the storyboarding stage on the grounds of it being silly for them to not be at a Parade like this. Which is fair.
The episode's 6.5/10 score is a little better then it might seem compared to my past scores; a lot of my scores need reevaluation to fit with how my evaluation criteria has changed since I started reviewing these episodes (mostly, expect some episodes, a lot of them early Season 1 ones, to drop by 0.5).
All these years later, I still don't get the "veggie salad" joke...
I agree that the episode had the best of intentions, and it was fun, but I really don't like how the message was conveyed. I get why Babs did what she did, but she took it way too far. I believe you mentioned this, but you said it doesn't ruin the episode. I strongly disagree because the whole episode is structured around that. It messes up the story, making it have an unsatisfactory conclusion, Babs' character was significantly worsened through the bad reasoning she had for taking things so far, and the themes especially sucked because telling that adults can solve all your problems is a mediocre lesson at best, and saying it's OK if you bully to not be bullied as long as you're sorry, with no consequences, while painting the CMC as in the wrong...Well, I think you can tell how I feel about that just from my tone. Not an unsalvageable mess, but far from a fine episode.
5248834
There was an intended joke in there? Must have slipped me by. As in, I can't remember now what part you're referring to regarding Pinkie's float. Probably a sign it wasn't much of a joke.
5248964
It's funny; of all the episodes from the first three seasons, this episode has the 5th lowest IMDb rating, at 6.6 (the only ones below it are "Dragon Quest", "Owls Well That Ends Well" and "Spike At Your Service" all tying for 2nd place with 6.4, and "The Mysterious Mare Do Well" with a 6.2). For a long time, I wasn't quite sure why; the rating are dubious in their reliability, but they are useful for at least gauging how fans reacted to episodes at the time of their release and shortly thereafter (when most ratings are given). Anyway, I was having trouble gauging why this one was so low. The reasons I cited weren't really the sort of ones that lead lots of fans to frown upon an episode. But you've basically cited the reason: I'm sure now lots of people reacted unfavourably to Babs' bullying behaviour.
That aspect was something I did touch upon, mostly in the space of mentioning why it made Bully Babs and Timid, Anxious Babs not even feel like the same characters, as well as an aside of the audience not feeling sorry for her, given all she did. And while I don't feel it outright makes it unwatchable, it does make aspects relating to her character feel cold, yes. I do agree with her actions making her largely unforgivable in the audience's eyes, you'll note I stated that sideways. As always, I didn't dwell on that because you know me, I was more interested if less discussed aspects of the show. You do prefer these reviews when I bring up things you hadn't thought of before, after all.
I'm surprised it took me so long to pinpoint this. I think the fact I've seen many people bemoan that she was never bought back after this season and vanished from the show altogether (bar one or two crowd Season 9 cameos) confused me. It gave me the impression her character was really liked.
I'm curious; you've been following my reviews for a while, occasionally commenting. How did you find me? Most who see these are people I know personally (look at my Follower count!).
5249590
I mean, I assume it was a joke? Maybe it wasn't. But then, I have no idea why Pinkie is screaming "veggie salad!" as her float crashes. That's random even for her.
5249590
I guess I understand why you didn't dwell on it much. I do enjoy realizing new things through reviews, but I also like it when important parts of an episode, even if talked about by many, are covered. I think a balance is possible.
I think it's because there is a lot of potential for her character to become great. Take Sunset for example. In her first movie, she was stereotypical and not amazing, but the writers improved her character in Rainbow Rocks vastly to take advantage of almost all the interesting things that could've been done with her. I believe a similar potential exists for Babs. I could imagine her using her experience to help others. Plus, she was pretty cute in Apple Family Reunion.
(P.S. hey, some scores changing as criteria changes is also happening to me! (high five))
5248834
Because it's mad of it I guess? I think the joke is just that she made a float of salad. Though I'm not quite sure she had to shout what it was made of. Maybe she was yelling because she knew the material was fragile so she was worried?
5249617
Pinkie is weirdly flanderized in her brief appearance in this episode for sure. It’s not severe, given she says all of a few non-sequitur phrases, but it feels like an earlier version of later-season episodes that would strip her to just a vehicle for saying the silliest things.
5249590
Oh sorry. I just realized I didn't respond to the last paragraph. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I was just searching up reviews to a certain episode and I stumbled upon one of yours. I saw that u were doing reviews regularly and I read some, was intrigued enough, and decided to follow.