Season 3

Well, I will not lie. This is my second full-length hiatus, but I started the last one three days late, due to only being able to watch A Canterlot Wedding a couple of days later.

The time has come for me to review the season, episode by episode.

First thing's first: the premiere.

The Crystal Empire - Parts 1 & 2: I won't lie, I was a little let down by the premiere. There was nothing wrong with it; it just didn't live up to the last two double-parters. Sombra was a weak villain in terms of characterization, the plot of the story wasn't as good as the last two, and the pacing was a train-wreck. Overall, I give it a B-. Everything else was just fine with it.
Too Many Pinkie Pies: This episode was one that was superbly hyped as being an episode full of Pinkie Pies. I thought I was not going to be ready for the mayhem. But I was, and I thought at the time that it was the most hilarious episode of the series. The humor was magnificent (as evidenced), and there was a lot of characterization for Pinkie, something I had been waiting for since Mmmystery on the Friendship Express. I give it an A.
One Bad Apple: Hoo boy, bullying episode. This one was well done, and the fandom has already started to embrace the newest CMC. Her character was brilliant, and it really gave us a side of the CMC we haven't seen before to empathize with. I give it an A.
Magic Duel: The next three were the best consecutive ones ever. I mean, really. Together, they sealed in my mind that Season 3 was great. Not as good as Season 2, but still great. Where do I even start here? The return of Trixie, Trixie opening the Flash GUI to shut Pinkie up (cue the "Well I stole your face!" jokes), Star Wars Episode 5 shout-outs, Derpy's model in the crowd, and (thank goodness I'm smart) the foreshadowing where Twilight levitated the animals in a Mobius Line above her head, which mirrored the Magician Tarot card. I give it an A.
Sleepless in Ponyville: Nothing more needs to be said except that this was a spectacular Luna and a Scootaloo episode at the same time. But it wasn't perfect. It gets an A.
Wonderbolts Academy: I love how Dashie was willing to give up her dream to protect her friends. That's the kind of Loyalty we haven't seen out of her on a regular basis since Gilda. The episode was also funny, and it was a much-needed one all of us can relate to. A-.
Apple Family Reunion: Well, there wasn't much bad about it, but there wasn't anything noteworthy. I would have expected this episode to fit right in with the Season 1 roster, if that tells you anything. The song was rather banal (even though Ashleigh once again sang spectacularly), the animation derped several times, and overall, it was a rather iffy episode to say the least. I feel it earned a C+.
Spike At Your Service: The only episode of FiM that I have not liked. there have been parts of previous episodes that made me not want to watch them again (e.g. Gilda, Appleloosa, Prince Blueballs, etc.), but this is the only one I haven't been able to say that there was anything I liked about it. They took everything about Spike being a helpful Number 1 Assistant that had been such a huge part of his character from the get-go and they bucked it up badly. The episode was also poorly written and really doesn't do this show any justice. It gets an F.
Keep Calm and Flutter On: As if to make up for the last one, they gave me the best episode of the series IMO. de Lancie was brilliant, the writing was phenomenal, and it was nothing short of hilarious. The only part I didn't like was that it should have been split into two parts. DisQord turning around just like that really was a drawback. But overall, it gets an A.
Just For Sidekicks: As if to make up for the last Spike episode, they gave me the best Spike episode of the series IMO. Wiseluck was brilliant, the writing was less-phenomenal, but still good, and it was nothing short of hilarious. However, I just feel like it didn't stand up to some of the episodes earlier in the season and before. I give it a B+.
Games Ponies Play: It really seemed like they tried to give us a breather episode before all the action with Twilight. It was well-done, and I thought it was a good episode. However, they really made it ambiguous who the main pony was, and only had Dashie step up at the very end. Other than that, I thought the episode was good. It gets a B+.

And finally the finale. Before anyone says anything, let me get one thing out of the way. I do NOT hate this episode. I loved this episode, but I felt it was too short. I went into it with an open mind, and I came out glad that I kept my mind open. Also, let me clarify one more thing. I do not hate Twilicorn. I like Twilicorn. I feel like she has more than earned her Princess-hood, but I thought it would come much later.

Magical Mystery Cure: Rushed. This could have easily been a two-parter, but it wasn't. If it had been a two-parter, I would have called it the best episode of the season, but it was just so rushed. That's really my only complaint, and it's not a huge one. The songs were great (five of them are in my top ten MLP songs list), the humor was fantastic, Hasbro did Valve-level trolling with the incinerated Twilight joke, and I was reminded of a very important lesson that I learned when I first started watching the series a year ago on February 23, 2012, as a birthday present to myself for my 19th. It is a lesson that I cannot believe I have ever forgotten, and one that I will always keep close to my heart for years to come. And that lesson is that Twilight truly is the bestest Mane 6. For all of the above, this episode earns an A.

Overall, this season was good, but I feel that Season 2 was better. I give the season as a whole a B. It would have gotten much higher if it weren't for Spike At Your Service, but well, not all episodes can be fantastic. It probably would have been more awesome if it had been longer, too, since it would have had more time to get better episodes, but we'll see how the trade-off works with the TV movie this summer, Equestria Girls next spring (2014, from what I understand), and Season 4 come September-ish.

Well, until next time, readers! This is Rytex out. Have a good day!