The premier of season three was...it was...BAD.

Well, it isn't horrible, but it's definitely out of league with the other two-episode specials.

There was too much focus on Twilight Sparkle, and it makes the steaks feel lessened when the rest of the mane six don't have as much riding on their success. While I'm happy for Twilight, to quote her no-talent nemesis, "Was there ever any doubt?" I think it would have been better if not only the king returned, but that he not just stop at the Crystal Empire, and move on to griffons, Equestria, and the rest of the land. NO ONE SHOULD BE SAFE.

Speaking of which, the evil King who's name escapes me is probably one of the most boring villains in the series, and even the least threatening. That means a lot when you're being compared to a villain that wanted to turn the real world into YouTube Poop. He's not as powerful as Discord, he's not as imposing as Nightmare Moon, and he's not as cunning as Queen Chrysalis, he's not even bringing something new to the MLP table, like cruelty. He's just some black-magic baddie that really belongs in a Hanna Barbera cartoon, and even that's giving him too much credit. Also, why does every single thing in the show happen exactly 1000 years ago? Can't we get a more ancient evil, like from millions of years ago, or from TEN thousand years ago? Also, couldn't they have just used the elements of harmony on him? Was he always evil? There's just too many unanswered questions.

While the songs were good, they were definitely not great. Spike's duet in the first song was especially aggravating

So yeah, I really hope the rest of Season 3 is better than this.