Okay, doing these when I should be sleeping is gonna be a thing, I guess. Realised right about the point I should be getting to bed that today was rewatch day. But I don’t work Saturday, so staying up late is something I can do.

This time, we have “Green Is Your Color” up. It’s one of these ones I remember but don’t. I remember Pinkie Promises and Photo Finish, and “Picture Perfect Pony” and such, but the beats of the story are a little vague by now. Let’s fill it in.

After “Picture Perfect Pony”.

That’s sure been a long time. Haven’t watched that in forever, but it’s still good.

So, Fluttershy is sitting on a couch in the spa when we open, with Lotus behind the counter, when Rarity bursts in with a peacock on her head. Or maybe that’s a hat.

But, as she relates while they are taking in some steam, Photo Finish thinks the hat is “absolutely marvelous”.They both lay down on some pillows, and Rarity has her horn filed so she can stab people better or something. Never was too sure why you’d want to do that. Not sure why they approached Fluttershy with a file, too, and seemed to take a moment to realise she didn’t have a horn to file.

Not sure why Rarity gets all the pillows, either. Then they are getting back massages. I could use a back massage. That part I’m good with.

Then they decide to dress Rarity up as a green mummy, and have her jump in the mud. Maybe they are just inventing new spa treatments and charging Rarity for them, and seeing what she’ll go along with.

Rarity’s busy trying to convince Fluttershy that she should model for her, though.

This is for a hat, right? Couldn’t Spike have modeled it?

At least they are in bubble baths now. Fluttershy clearly doesn’t want to do this, but she’s not great at saying no.

And Rarity decides she needs to follow up the spa treatment with a spa treatment. Sheesh.

So, we change to Rarity’s, where Fluttershy is dressing up like Lady Gaga.

We also seem to have Twilight along for special effects. Pinkie Pie bounces in with feathers. Back to trying to find all six of them roles in the episode again.

And they even fit Spike in, to fetch Rarity sequins. Not sure why they are poofed in Fluttershy’s face, rather than where all the other sequins already are.

And Spike starts applying ribbons to Fluttershy, then taking them off according to Rarity's whim.

Then we get Spike sticking a bunch of pins in his back as a living pincushion for Rarity. Really, this sort of thing is how we get all the memes about Spike being abused or a servant or such. Seriously, don’t let people act as living pincushions for you. This should be a no-brainer.

Spike, of course, claims it doesn’t hurt, and that even if it did, he’d do it anyways. Why Twilight is the one asking, I’m not sure. She should be the most likely one to know.

Spike decides to tell Pinkie and Twilight the ‘secret’ that he has a crush on Rarity, something that anyone within 5 miles could tell. This is a good point to set up Pinkie Promises, though.

Pinkie Pie: Twilight! You promised Spike you wouldn't say anything. He trusts you. And losing a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend forever!
Twilight Sparkle: But-
Pinkie Pie: Forever!

Enter Photo Finish. You can tell immediately as her theme music plays in the background.Honestly, Photo Finish was awesome. I kinda wish we’d gotten more of her.

Rarity keeps trying to get Fluttershy to show pizzazz and confidence, but all the photos Photo Finish takes are when Fluttershy is being meek and nervous and such. She leaves long enough for them to think they’ve blown it, and comes back to announce she’s found her next model in Fluttershy!

“Tomorrow, a photo shoot in ze park! I go!” Tabitha St. Germain must have had so much fun playing both Rarity and Photo Finish in this episode.

Rarity, naturally, is so excited she starts squealing and jumping up and down on Spike’s tail. Seriously, it’s a good thing they didn’t end up together. Rarity plus Spike is a pretty unhealthy relationship.

So, off to the park, and Fluttershy is dressed in a white outfit with gems. Fluttershy as Elvis?

Photo Finish arrives being carried over.

Photo Finish doesn’t like any of the costumes, though, and she actually wants to make Fluttershy shine across Equestria, not Rarity’s costumes. Which is a bit of an issue, because Rarity wants publicity, but Fluttershy doesn’t, really.

“Oh, but you must, Fluttershy. Photo Finish wants to make you a star. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. I know we were both hoping it would be my lifetime, but nonetheless you can't throw away this chance. You must do this for me. You must. You must! You must!” Classic Rarity.

“Floottershy! It is time to make... the magics! Oh, wunderbar! You are like a delicate flower. So much more alluring without all those sparkles und feathers.” Photo Finish is so great…

Rarity decides to make a black sulking outfit to wear, and wants to be alone. Meanwhile, Fluttershy is being subjected to modeling.

Photo Finish: Oh, yes! Even her schneezes are graceful. Now go! How do you feel? Excited? Overjoyed? Thrilled beyond your wildest dreams?
Fluttershy: N... nervous.
Photo Finish: Nervous? Dun be ridiculous. You're only facing a large crowd of ponies who will be watching your every move and silently judging you.

Photo Finish sure knows how to encourage Fluttershy…

And Fluttershy is a massively popular model overnight. It’s interesting to reflect that she’s been both a huge popular model and the lead singer for a big band by the end of the show, and hates being in crowds and publicity.

Of course, Fluttershy hates being a model and is doing it for Rarity, while Rarity is burning up inside because she wishes it could be her.

Fluttershy is getting absolutely chased by crowds, too, when you’d think everyone in Ponyville would already know her.

Fluttershy promises to meet Rarity at the spa, but then gets swept away to do some sort of thing at the ballet.

Meanwhile, Rarity’s contracted a rare hoof disease and only has months left to live.

Oh, that’s just supposed to be sitting too long in the bath.

Rarity confesses to Twilight that she’s burning up with jealousy, but asks her not to tell Fluttershy, and she agrees because “losing a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend”. Seriously, if something’s bugging you involving a friend, tell that friend. They are your friend. They’ll understand.

Rarity leaves, and Fluttershy enters, and is so frustrated she could just scream, since she hates the stardom and being popular.

Of course, she doesn’t want Rarity to know this, and Pinkie Pie is being the promise-keeping mafia.

Repeatedly. Here’s Fluttershy being mobbed. By the Apple family, I think, looking at the cutie marks.

Twilight naturally has to join in by telling secrets to Pinkie and making her promise not to tell anyone.

“They love you for being you. So all I have to do is make you not be you.” Easier said than done, Twilight.

So Twilight uses her magic to make Fluttershy trip, make rude noises, pick her nose, and generally embarrass herself. Don’t ask why Fluttershy couldn’t have done that herself without magic.

That might’ve worked, but Rarity was in the crowd and turns the crowd opinion back around. Since, you know, they didn’t tell each other how they feel or anything. The general public is pretty easily swayed, apparently.

Mind you, Fluttershy could just say “I quit.” and there’s nothing they could do. But she doesn’t want to disappoint Rarity.

Fluttershy is so frustrated she could just kick something.

Not we have both Fluttershy and Rarity in the room and Twilight having trouble not breaking her promise not to reveal either of her friends secrets. She should probably just tell both of them that they need to tell each other what they told her without being specific, of course.

Fortunately, they decide to tell each other right there anyways.

And Fluttershy just goes and quits there.

Back to the spa. Again. They sure go there a lot.

Meanwhile, Twilight is dictating letters to Princess Celestia while taking a bath.

Dear Princess Celestia,
Being a good friend means being able to keep a secret. But you should never be afraid to share your true feelings with a good friend.

Well, I’m good with that. It wasn’t a bad episode, and I enjoyed Photo Finish.

Of course, next week, we’re headed into “Over A Barrel”. It’s probably a good thing this one was in between that one and “Dog and Pony Show”. See you then!

--Sweetie Belle

I forget, did we already do that whole assertiveness business with Iron Will at this point, or am I just hopeless at maintaining chronology?

7155140
I don't think so. Iron Will was in "Putting Your Hoof Down", which … I think it might have been Season 2? Or maybe Season 3? I know it's not in Season 1.

7155129
Nice recap. I enjoy Rarity getting use of a sharper horn XD
7155140
Nah, not yet. I think they were still establishing characters in these episodes.

7155140
7155142
That one is late season 2. Within a few episodes of Hurricane Fluttershy, in fact.

7155143
Thanks. These are things I wonder about.

--Sweetie Belle

7155129 This episode is just stupidity incarnate, the typical "We could solve this if we just talked to each other" plot. And it fails to understand that secrets exist for a reason. Plus, I absolutely hate how Pinkie Pie is written here. At first isn't so bad, but when they put her in just to torment Twilight over her promise it gets old really fast. And the one scene of Pinkie biting into an apple isn't funny, the only way to interpret it is implied murder if Twilight says anything. Pinkie Pie would never threaten such a thing!

Sadly, this isn't the only time Meghan McCarthy would mess up on writing Pinkie.

7155151
I heard a head canon it was about power and could lead to trouble. So only Royal or higher up unicorns have such long horns.

But then again, that kind of goes south with gifted unicorns like Starlight, Twilight, and maybe Sunburst with a few others XD

7155168
I think every character has a list of bad episodes...maybe.

But I know Filli Vanilli was definitely one where Pinkie wasn’t at her best XD

For whatever reason, everybody says that Photo Finish is a pony version of Lady Gaga. She’s not. She doesn’t even sound like Lady Gaga, nor does she dress like her. She’s a pony version of the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, right down to the appearance and voice. Thankfully, no celebrities were hurt in the making of this episode.

The only problem that I have with this episode was Pinkie Pie. She felt shoehorned into this episode just for the sake of adding some comedy, which is fine if it’s warranted. It’s not warranted here. This is a dramatic story with a lot emotional tension and adding comedy to the mix just seems to take away the emotional investment that we’re supposed to have for these two characters. Also, she’s the one who created this problem in the first place. If she hadn’t told Twilight that breaking a promise is the worst thing you can do to a friend, then the conflict could have been solved much more quickly. Granted, Twilight did promise both Rarity and Fluttershy not to tell the other about how they were feeling. If you come to a decision of whether to tell a friend how another friend is feeling, or don’t say anything to not break your promise and risk their happiness, I think it would be a good choice to choose the former, promise be damned.

It’s episodes like this that really give Rarity and Fluttershy some much needed character depth. Rarity’s dream is to break out into the fashion world, to open up a boutique in Canterlot. Meanwhile, Fluttershy doesn’t like attention. She hates being in the spotlight. She’s much more content to be ignored than fawned over. But, because she’s doing this for Rarity, she can’t bring herself to tell her friend how she really feels about being a model. Likewise, Rarity won’t say anything about her being jealous because she thinks she’s being a bad friend by being jealous of Fluttershy’s success. In the end, the two of them learn to be honest with their feelings towards each other.

Despite her best efforts, Twilight ends up revealing that Spike has a crush on Rarity. Granted, it was only to Photo Finish, who probably didn’t care, much less knew who Spike was, but she told nonetheless. Needless to say, Spike is visibly upset about this, but he gets over it quickly. If Spike does have a crush on Rarity, she apparently isn’t aware of it. Or, if she is, then she’s merely toying with his emotions, using his feelings for her as a means of getting him to do what she wants. And that’s just sickening.

It's been a while since I've watched any of S2 besides "Hearths Warming Eve," and the only things I really remembered about this episode were Photo Finish and Pinkie's antics. I wish that either Rarity or Twilight had told Spike that if the pins hurt him, he shouldn't let Rarity stick them in his scales. I mean, he should at least wait until she goes on a date with him! Also, the horn filing is freaking weird. It's possible that it's supposed to be buffing, but those sure do look like big metal nail files.

7155251 There's a little bit of Edna Mode from The Incredibles in there too. Man, I would have loved to hear Brad Bird voice that character too, or a *competing* photographer to really tear Flutters in half.

7155413 Yeah, that would've been cool.

7155129
Quite a good one, in mi opinion.

Enter Photo Finish. You can tell immediately as her theme music plays in the background.Honestly, Photo Finish was awesome. I kinda wish we’d gotten more of her.

Awesome, or awful? I know many don't think highly of her treatment of Flutters.

Rarity, naturally, is so excited she starts squealing and jumping up and down on Spike’s tail. Seriously, it’s a good thing they didn’t end up together. Rarity plus Spike is a pretty unhealthy relationship.

He just needs to grow a bit - well, both of them do.

And Fluttershy is a massively popular model overnight. It’s interesting to reflect that she’s been both a huge popular model and the lead singer for a big band by the end of the show, and hates being in crowds and publicity.

It would have been nice if she was occasional recognised for this.

Fluttershy is getting absolutely chased by crowds, too, when you’d think everyone in Ponyville would already know her.

Probably tourists.

So Twilight uses her magic to make Fluttershy trip, make rude noises, pick her nose, and generally embarrass herself. Don’t ask why Fluttershy couldn’t have done that herself without magic.

Wau too polite.

Huh - not so much to sau todau I guess. But I still loved it - this kind of well-intentioned friendship drama, where everyone means best but still create problems, is like the opposite of a action ep like Swarm of the Century but still great.

7155140
Aired a season later - who knows which happened first, though.

7155168
As long as secrets exist, people won't be able to solve their problems bi communicating honestly. Really, it's surprising uncommon.

This is one of my favorite episodes. I wrote off all the bumbling with each other as simple cartoon antics and didn't take anything too seriously. It's also one of the first episodes where I started paying serious attention to Fluttershy, as her personality was really well developed in this take. I thought Photo Finish was a riot, and I even felt a bit sorry for her when Fluttershy simply walked out and away from her career. I seriously doubt anypony else had ever done that to her.

As an aside, I did watch the 'Picture Perfect Pony' video. Can I have my puppy back now, as you promised?

7155754

Awesome, or awful? I know many don't think highly of her treatment of Flutters.

Awesome. As regards Fluttershy, Photo Finish didn't really do anything wrong beyond be pushy.

A model was there for a photo shoot, then came to a second photo shoot she scheduled, when she told her she was going to make her shine all over Equestria. Fluttershy continued to work for her, and didn't voice anything about not wanting to do it, and from her perspective, she was doing her a big favor, helping her become a big star. And honestly, when she was clearly having stage fright, giving her as little time as possible to dwell on it was probably the right way to go.

He just needs to grow a bit - well, both of them do.

Yeah, and they both did.

It would have been nice if she was occasional recognised for this.

It would be!

Huh - not so much to sau todau I guess. But I still loved it - this kind of well-intentioned friendship drama, where everyone means best but still create problems, is like the opposite of a action ep like Swarm of the Century but still great.

Yep. Good episode. Pinkie was probably the weakest link in this one. They were still trying to shove as many of the main characters in each episode as possible at this point.

7155819

This is one of my favorite episodes. I wrote off all the bumbling with each other as simple cartoon antics and didn't take anything too seriously. It's also one of the first episodes where I started paying serious attention to Fluttershy, as her personality was really well developed in this take. I thought Photo Finish was a riot, and I even felt a bit sorry for her when Fluttershy simply walked out and away from her career. I seriously doubt anypony else had ever done that to her.

It was fun!

Fluttershy was also pretty good a few episodes before this, in Stare Master. And yeah, I loved Photo Finish in this one. She was just a lot of fun every time she walked onstage! And it was pretty rough having Fluttershy just abruptly quit like that.

Was that your puppy?

--Sweetie Belle

7155829

It would be!

Well, it would be nice if they were recognised for anything a bit more...

Pinkie was probably the weakest link in this one. They were still trying to shove as many of the main characters in each episode as possible at this point.

I don't see anything wrong with her role, save maybe pushing her ambiguous supernatural nature a bit far. If anypony is shoehorned in it's the A and RD cameoes, but they were at least amusing.