I’m continuing to do these, so next on the list is Applebuck Season. Whereas last week was Lauren Faust and Amy Keeting Rogers, this time, it’s just Amy Keeting Rogers. I always tended to like her episodes. She went over to Disney after mlp for a bit. She’s written for things like Care Bears, Dexter’s Laboratory, Fairly OddParents and was the Head Writer for Powerpuff Girls for a while. You can see how Lauren would have gotten to know her.

She even wrote for Samurai Jack!

Did you know that at one time, applebucking was going to be applebumping? Or course, Big Mac was once going to be Big Apple of Big Apple Orchard, and Applebloom was Appleseed (and green!). Things changed.

So, let’s get started.

Classic Applejack dialogue at the beginning. Starts out with “Boy Howdy”, and various colloquialisms. Big Mac is surprisingly talkative. We also get the line “Are you saying my mouth is making promises my legs can’t keep?”

And then “Don’t you use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue!”. It’s funny how much classic character dialogue came so near the start of the series. You really have to appreciate Amy defining what Applejack is like here early on.

And here, we see Applejack being stubborn.

I wonder how much G1 influence was still going on here. In G1, after all, Applejack was a silly pony.

Next we get the classic scene of Applejack and Winona heading off a stampede, Applejack getting to be a classic cowpony with her rope. You always do have the tricky question of exactly how sentient the cows are, of course, as the do talk, but also seem to very much act as herd animals.

Winona is a very good dog here. It’s a shame we didn’t get more of her.

And “steer clear”? Bad pun. Bad.

“Applejack was just… just…” “Appletastic!” “Exactly.” Pinkie, never change.

Twilight and the index cards. That’s very Twilight.

When Rainbow Dash interrupts Twilight, she gets her own special background music while she’s talking! So do Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, in fact, though Rainbow’s rather stood out.

It also very much builds up exactly how much Applejack has overcommitted to here. And we go on about how reliable Applejack is, then she’s not there. Spike’s “Way to go Applejack, that was awesome-” and blushing when he realises it’s just him was very cute, too.

Applejack’s state when she shows up is just the final touch on things. She’s clearly gotten no sleep and is fairly delirious, and very much being a silly pony. “It’s so bright and shiny and … heh heh… I sure do look funny. Woo! Woo!” and then Pinkie joins in, because of course she does.

And a minute later, too. “She seemed fine to me! Woo! Woo!”. I so miss Amy writing Pinkie Pie and Applejack.

And Applejack is sleepbucking. “Zzz… neigh…. Zzz…. neigh…” Wonderful.

It’s nice of them to give an explanation of why all the other Apple family members weren’t there, though Granny Smith and Apple Bloom aren’t accounted for.

And we get Applejack saying “hint hint” out loud here, too. And naturally being too stubborn to accept help from Twilight.

And it’s on to Rainbow Dash, which gives us Ashliegh Ball talking to herself.

I like the diagram being drawn in the air of the stunt Rainbow is planning.

“Maybe I wasn’t clear. You’re supposed to land on the other end.” Cue Applejack splatting into the ground a dozen times…

“Wait! Apppplejack!” “Yer welcome!”

And Rainbow crashes into Twilight’s balcony. A picture of this scene used to be up on Twilight’s Library, IIRC…

Here we go with Twilight and Applejack again, and more physical humor and the whole thing with Applejack mishearing everything. “Kelp? I don’t need kelp. I don’t even like seaweed.”

It works, though. I’m enjoying this episode.

Got to love Applejack saying in the same breath that she can do this on her own, then that she has to go help Pinkie Pie. Other ponies can get help from her, but she can’t accept help from anyone else? People are like that, though.

And on to Pinkie Pie. “Stop with the shaking, it’s time to get baking!”

Ew. Don’t eat the muffins. Trust me. This scene kinda feels like the weak spot in the episode to me, as there’s no way one of them wouldn’t have figured out that was going to be bad.

And it’s the scene where Derpy gets her stereotypical love of muffins from, even though she was only one of a dozen ponies saying it, and eating those muffins would have been enough to turn you away from muffins for life. One pony is actually drooling with anticipation of eating the muffins, but it’s not Derpy.

And there’s Nurse Redheart and her trademarked cutie mark that they changed in later episodes due to the red cross. Shame. I prefer the original design.

And Spike likes the muffins, proving a dragons digestion is very different from a ponies.

And the start of the “that pony is stubborn as a mule” or usually mule, later, gag, which I could have lived without, since it’s kinda speciesist.

And it’s time for Fluttershy and bunnies. Poor bunnies. Very cute, and every much stampeding all over the town. “The horror! The horror!”

And the episode finally wraps up, with Applejack accepting help, and Spike grossing everypony out. A bit of the icky gross boys stereotype here, really.

I did have a lot of fun with the episode, but I also am feeling like maybe one of the scenes of Applejack messing things up could have been removed, as it did feel like things had gone on a little long at the end.

In a way I do appreciate a whole episode on a fairly straightforward uncomplicated story, compared to how much they were trying to cram into single episodes later in the show’s run, though.

So, what does everyone else think about this episode, or anything I’ve talked about in here?

Next week, we’ll get the introduction of Gilda, of course…

--Sweetie Belle

7040777
I can't help nopony if I need help! That just ain't right.

7040781
"Yeah. I like helping the *yawn* ponyfolks... and stuff... zzz..."

--Sweetie Belle

"Applejack, why didn't you let me help? I didn't even get to be in this episode!"

7040777
"'Can bees squawk'? Ah don't think so..."

Still makes me laugh.

7040777 Now this is a classic, and probably the best Applejack episode of the bunch (not that that's saying much given the usual track record for them). It's kind of a shame that her debut focus episode was so good at fixing her biggest character flaw that the writers really had to struggle to think of things for her to do after that.

Interestingly, Applejack was originally supposed to headbutt the trees but they didn't want children imitating that. She was also supposed to help Rarity, but that scene ultimately was dropped due to time constraints. I do think they could've swapped the order around a bit, Applejack giving half the town food poisoning should've been what set Twilight off and made her decide "Enough is enough" not the bunny stampede. I get they were going for comedic effect, but the food poisoning incident gets kind of glossed over.

Looking back on this episode, and it kinda makes me think of it as a prelude to Applejack's character as opposed to actually demonstrating what her character is. A few episodes I can recall do that, actually...

Here, I think it's interesting to interpret Applejack being unwilling or outright unable to ask for help as being a symptom of a different problem she has, one that recurs pretty prominently in later episodes like Apple Family Reunion and Over a Barrel Last Roundup (I got my episodes mixed up; maximum shame!) : how she deals with other character's perception of her. It's not something I had considered that much until I sat down and analysed this episode a bit more closely.

I often interpreted this episode in the past as being a pride thing, and Applejack was too proud to accept she could need help from someone else. I think taking other episodes into account though, that this is more rooted in fear than pride: she's more afraid of appearing weak than she is of actually being weak.

We'll see if this trip down memory lane illuminates my opinion of Applejack's character further!

7040839

she's more afraid of appearing weak than she is of actually being weak.

Could be, she kinda became in charge earlier than she should have because of reasons we may never know for sure. Tough being the top apple in a family tree.

7040841 I think the theory fits more than just outright pride... Not only does it appear more consistent than pride (considering Applejack is otherwise quite humble and honest, even when she's being competitive), and also because if the writers wanted to have different flaws for each character, it strikes me as strange they'd look at Applejack and say 'yeah, pride is good for that one' when Rainbow Dash is literally standing right there?

I'm trying to pay special attention to how Applejack works since our discussion last time... : / We'll see how far this latest hypothesis takes me.

7040843
Think it's more stubbornness than pride with Applejack. which clashes with the mighty, but well earned, pride of the Rainbow One. Though think Rarity is a contender.

And well we shall see if your hypothesis can stand after The Last Round Up. The whole feeling shame over not wining prize money and deciding not to return to Ponyville until she earned enough money that she promised to bring.

7040856 Stubbornness doesn't come out of nowhere though. Most characters have demonstrated stubbornness at least once as far as I can remember because they wanted something or felt something.

I don't think anyone would look at Applejack and disagree with you that Applejack certainly deals with whatever's going behind this big green eyes by doubling down unless something else tears it down first. It's the why she feels the need to double down (so frequently, to boot!) that is interesting to me...

And then “Don’t you use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue!”. It’s funny how much classic character dialogue came so near the start of the series. You really have to appreciate Amy defining what Applejack is like here early on.

Isn't it classic because it helped define these characters?

I wonder how much G1 influence was still going on here. In G1, after all, Applejack was a silly pony.

G1 Applejack, meanwhile, is a reskin of Megan (with a bit of an age up) just like Rainbow Dash is Firefly.

Next we get the classic scene of Applejack and Winona heading off a stampede, Applejack getting to be a classic cowpony with her rope. You always do have the tricky question of exactly how sentient the cows are, of course, as the do talk, but also seem to very much act as herd animals.

Winona is a very good dog here. It’s a shame we didn’t get more of her.

I would have liked to see more of both cows and Winona, but especially the former - sadly, many early races were forgotten as the show went on.

And the start of the “that pony is stubborn as a mule” or usually mule, later, gag, which I could have lived without, since it’s kinda speciesist.

A prelude to later more important donkey characters of AKR's?

Notably, this is the first episode not to have Twilight at the center and her friends taking turns in the spotlight. And while Applejack gets a go at the lead, Rarity (her strongest opposite) is reduced to a supporting role. Still, she at least gets lines...

This is the episode where Applejack’s character arc was established and resolved within twenty-two minutes. The problem with this episode is the fact that Applejack stubbornly refuses to receive any help from her friends. She almost kills herself from exhaustion, all because she’s too prideful to ask for help when she needs it. The other problem with this episode is the character who’s learning the moral. (This will be a common occurrence throughout this series.) Applejack is the one who learns that it’s perfectly okay to ask for help when you need it. This sounds more like a moral for a child like Apple Bloom than an adult, or a character like Rainbow Dash. I mean, if she’s just now learning this lesson, then what did she do while she was in school? The opener makes it clear that she’s not very good at mathematics. So, what, did she never bother to ask anybody for help with her math homework? No wonder she was the last one in her class to get a cutie mark.

Aside from the story and moral, this episode was kind of funny. Sleep-deprived Applejack gets a chuckle out of me every now and again, even if she’s on the brink of literally dying from exhaustion. Of course Pinkie Pie couldn’t help but join her in going, “Whoo, whoo, whoo.”

Speaking of Pinkie Pie, she’s rather stupid in this episode. (No surprise there.) You would think that she would be making sure that Applejack is putting in the right ingredients while they were making muffins, but she doesn’t. Did she not notice anything odd when she was mixing them together, like why there would be potato chips in the mixing bowl? She’s just lucky that this experience didn’t do any damage to the reputation of her family’s bakery. I’m sure everypony affected by the “baked bads” got a refund.

The only bit of the episode that I didn’t find enjoyable was Applejack helping Rainbow Dash with her trick. While most people are laughing at this, I’m cringing. Applejack falls about a dozen times, including literally falling on her ass, before she finally gets it right. What makes this worse is that she’s so deprived of sleep that apparently she doesn’t feel any pain whatsoever. Who knew that sleep deprivation could make you impervious to pain?

The character that really shines in this episode is Twilight, who refuses to give up on Applejack. She’s constantly encouraging her to get some help with the apple harvesting despite Applejack’s protests. I think my favorite line of hers in this episode is, “. . . and terrified bushels of brand new bouncing baby bunnies.” I love alliterative phrases like that. This line is a bit of a tongue twister, so I’m sure Tara Strong both had fun and a bit of trouble recording it.

Minor hiccups in the story and the moral aside, I thought this episode was good.

7155205

This is the episode where Applejack’s character arc was established and resolved within twenty-two minutes.

Pretty much, yeah. She just has the fewest issues of the cast. Or dealt with them already, perhaps.

Applejack is the one who learns that it’s perfectly okay to ask for help when you need it. This sounds more like a moral for a child like Apple Bloom than an adult, or a character like Rainbow Dash

Well first, I'm going to quote Faust at you.

And then I'll add on top - do you know how many bronies learned lessons from the show? Assuming everyone - or everypony - picks this stuff up on their own somehow by the time they graduate is probably one of the factors which contributes to social dysfunction.

The character that really shines in this episode is Twilight, who refuses to give up on Applejack.

I'm a big backer of them as best friends, maybe even a ship - and Season 1 isn't lacking in seeds for that even if they never get an actual episode together.

7155297

She just has the fewest issues of the cast. Or dealt with them already, perhaps.

It doesn't help that she doesn't have much of a character to begin with.

Well first, I'm going to quote Faust at you.

It's not so much a question of age as it is about being stubborn.

do you know how many bronies learned lessons from the show?

No. The fact that most of these lessons are common sense things that preschoolers already know by the time they hit elementary school doesn't help matters.

Assuming everyone - or everypony - picks this stuff up on their own somehow by the time they graduate is probably one of the factors which contributes to social dysfunction.

Again, most of these lessons are things that preschoolers already know by the time they hit elementary school. If one went their whole life without knowing these things and didn't pick up on them until graduating from high school, then I feel really bad for them and really have to question how mentally capable they are to function in society.

7155373

It doesn't help that she doesn't have much of a character to begin with.

Perhaps you don't think so, but her fans would disagree. It's just a less volatile one than some ponies.

It's not so much a question of age as it is about being stubborn.

And AJ can be very stubborn. It's really not a trait exclusive to children.

Oh, and maybe cut back on the patronising? Even if people learn these lessons as kids, many forget them when they grow up - no harm in a reminder.

7155393

Perhaps you don't think so, but her fans would disagree. It's just a less volatile one than some ponies.

Her entire character revolves around her family and her farm. Literally every episode focused on her centers around these two things. This is why it's often joked that Applejack is a background pony and why she's the least popular member of the Mane Six, at least as far as the US audience is concerned. She's extremely popular over in Japan, though.

7155411
And her stubborness, diligence, honesty...

Literally every episode focused on her centers around these two things.

Look Before You Sleep
Fall Weather Friends
The Last Roundup
Spike at Your Service
Simple Ways
Made in Manehattan
Viva Las Pegasus
Honest Apple
Non-Compete Clause

Now I'm not saying those are all good eps, but I am saying your claim is overly reductive. And that's not counting her roles in group episodes.

7155428 Yes, the writers seemed to have noticed this problem and tried to rectify it in later seasons.

7155576
Seems like there's eps on that list from every season save the last.

7155591 Eeyup.

7155602
So rather, maybe the problem only emerged later on?

7155606 No, as far as I'm concerned the problem was evident in the first couple of seasons, then was corrected as the show went on.

7155611
Except that none of AJ's episodes besides this one this season are about her farm/family.

7155618 None of the ones you listed, no, but there were still plenty of episodes that involved them, such as "The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000", "Apple Family Reunion", "Going to Seed", "The Perfect Pear", etc.

7155630
Of course - it's one of her things. Like Rainbow is going to have flying/Wonderbolt eps, Flutters animal ones, Rarity fashion...

7155633 But that really limits the writers in terms of what they can actually do with these characters, though. I mean, episodes like "Fluttershy Leans In" and "Fake It Til You Make It" seem to prove that.

7155641
All of the characters have key traits, but that still leaves plenty of room for creativity. For every plot we got in the show there were probably at least 3 we could have.

7155644 This sadly didn't stop plots from getting repeated.

7155690
Unfortunate - but I don't think AJ gets many actual repeats.

7155715 She did seem to get many of the most forgettable episodes that seemed to not know what to do with her. "Apple Family Reunion" is probably a good example, they want to create a conflict for Applejack but can't really think of something that would create one so they have to bend her character in order to make it work. Her stubbornness was basically her big character flaw that could get her into conflicts, once she moved on from that there was nothing going for her.

7155750
It's a pretty basic ep, but nothing really wrong with it. I suppose you could say that about a lot of AJ - though like everypony, she has some standout hits and flops.

7155755 I can think of only two episodes of AJ's that get any real praise. Her first episode here, and "The Mane Attraction" where her as the voice of reason is properly utilized with a celebrity character and it being the farewell for Amy Keating Rogers. Every other episode that focuses on her tends to either be overshadowed by others, or has her portrayed noticeably out of character.

7155715 True.

7155750 Honestly, I loved "Apple Family Reunion" due to how relatable Applejack was.

7155769

Every other episode that focuses on her tends to either be overshadowed by others, or has her portrayed noticeably out of character.

Funny you should say that considering the fact that she was overshadowed by Countess Colorataura in "The Mane Attraction", to the point where the character and who voiced her are remembered more than anything related to Applejack. Personally, I can't name any episodes where she came across as out of character.

7155835

Personally, I can't name any episodes where she came across as out of character.

Applejack's "Day" Off & Somepony To Watch Over Me?

--Sweetie Belle

7155837 I would personally argue that STWOM is mostly consistent with her character, just somewhat tactlessly and heavy-handedly demonstrated.

7155838
Applejack honestly does leave Apple Bloom unsupervised a lot. If she'd been behaving like she did in that episode, the cmc would never have gotten off the ground. Not to mention the time she let Apple Bloom repair a dangerously falling apart clubhouse by herself. I don't doubt she'd fiercely protect Apple Bloom if she was in danger, but she isn't usually stiflingly overprotective like that, and she didn't seem anywhere near the cool older sister she was in Sisterhooves Social.

The fact that I really dislike STWOM, other than the song fakeout and some of the ribbon bits, might be coloring my opinions a bit, though.

--Sweetie Belle

7155842 Usually I'd agree with you, though I do get the impression that Granny Smith is typically around the house to act as a sort of safety net, so with GS removed, it might have highlighted Applejack's problem with control a lot more, causing her to overreact way more to Applebloom being on her own (compared to when she's with the CMC, or alone with GS or BM in the house, or running off to talk to Zecora). I do disagree with how the show decided to portray Applejack's need for control, though, which strikes me as rather weak.

7155837 I rather enjoyed "Applejack's 'Day' Off" (honestly, I think I'm the only one who did) and her behavior in "Somepony to Watch Over Me" made sense, seeing as how their parents are dead and her siblings are the only family she has left, especially since her other relatives live all over Equestria. Her behavior in this episode brought back memories of "Bridle Gossip." Strangely enough, nobody has a problem with her being overprotective in that episode.

7155846
7155850
Alright, now that you mention it, her behavior is consistent with Bridle Gossip, I suppose. And actually, I did have issues with Applejack in Bridle Gossip, some of which I noted in the rewatch. Though I had plenty of other issues with that episode, so annoyance with Applejack may have gotten minimized with overall annoyance with other things.

With Applejack's Day Off, I just really don't see Applejack writing up those nonsensical lists of how to do the chores around the farm with all those unnecessary steps. She's usually the one that cuts through all the fluff and does things the straightforward, no-nonsense way, and she's spent a lot of time running the farm with Big Macintosh and Granny Smith...

--Sweetie Belle

7155852 I've not actually seen Applejack's day off, so I couldn't possibly comment without that caveat, but it's my interpretation of Applejack that she relies heavily on control. If that list was for someone else, all the tiny little steps may simply have been a facet of her trying to impose control on something that ordinarily she has control over, but doesn't here?

Doesn't mean it can't make for unpleasant episodes, of course.

7155854
It was things like feeding the pigs starting with:
Step 1. Open the gate.
Step 2. Close the gate.
Step 3. Walk away.

The gate used to squeak a long time ago, and has been fixed since then. Basically she was leaving in all these steps that used to have a reason but don't any more...

--Sweetie Belle

7155855 To be fair that does sound rather weak. I guess I'd have to see the ep to form my own interpretation...

7155769
Well I don't like Mane Attraction - I even forgot to put it on my above list - but I do enjoy many of her episodes, even if they tend to good more than amazing.

7155838
I think she flirts with OOC - or at least self-parody - for most of the episode, but returns to form in the climax.

7155852 Ah, I see what you mean now.

7155855 True, but as was shown, she'd gotten stuck doing the routine. Sometimes it takes an outside observer to help you see what you're doing wrong. A lot of the things she does in this episode I found funny.