Everything Wrong with Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3 · 10:18pm Apr 7th, 2014
Hello, this is Kirb and welcome to another MLP episode review! Today I will be looking at the newest episode of the show, which immediately gives me a negative impression because the first thing I notice is that the writers were so desperate for a title that they instead named the episode after the first thing the voice actors said when doing the soundcheck for their vocal mics: "Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3". Seriously, that's the title. With a title such as that, I'm going to prepare for the worst.
So it starts out with Twilight and Rainbow Dash doing what they both do best: reading and flying around, respectively. The episode, on the other hand, does what the other episodes do worst: launching us mid-situation without any explanation of what's happening.
From what I could piece together, there's a test coming up for being in the Wonderbolt Reserves or whatever, and Rainbow Dash has to study for it. Twilight thinks that she should spend a lot of time studying but Rainbow Dash thinks she can fly well enough that she won't have to know any of that boring history stuff. Pfft, it's like me with my history class, only I do just as well when I study as when I do without studying. And that's badly.
I do admit that this setup gives Dash one of the funniest lines in season 4, though; when Twilight insists that she doesn't get all freaked out about tests, Dash retorts:
“Uh, seriously? Your freakouts are so epic, you sing whole freakout arias about freaking out.”
My god, she knows! Though this does make me wonder: is breaking out into song at random a normal occurrence in Equestria?
But Twilight comes up with a good idea: she will help Dash study! Dash is less than pleased, but Twilight insists that "this is gonna be so much fun!" Um, a little tip, Twilight. Never say anything will be "so much fun" because that will instantly make it the opposite. They said that getting my wisdom teeth removed would be "so much fun". Need I say more?
So Twilight attempts to help by reading and highlighting, giving history lectures, and with flash cards, but none of these work. Dash complains that she just wants to watch the history of the Wonderbolts movie instead. I can't tell if you're talking about Oliver Stone's history of the Wonderbolts, or Mel Brooks' History of the Wonderbolts Part 1. Either way, I wouldn't trust it.
After Dash fails a pop quiz about the Wonderbolts, Fluttershy comes in and recommends a different method of learning. This involves her putting on a play with the pets about the history of the Wonderbolts. Unfortunately, the animals weren't trained well enough and they wind up ruining it. Then Pinkie Pie does her own attempt at it and... oh god... she raps it.
That's it, I've seen everything now. Pinkie Pie is rapping. Does it suck? Hell yeah. It's like the '90s as told by the '00s. It's like Vanilla Ice combined with the rapping dog from the Titanic animated film!
Oh yeah, and Vinyl makes a cameo too.
Yep, because it wouldn't be season 4 without pointless fanservice, would it?
Even if the rap had been good, it still seems kind of anachronistic to put a rap in My Little Pony, a fantasy show about mythical creatures. And especially considering it's mostly timeless otherwise, this ruins it by making it incredibly dated. I mean, they always gave this show a lot more respect in the past, right?
Let's get one thing perfectly clear: THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
So after The Notorious P.I.N.K., apparently, Rarity tries teaching Dash via costumes and gets all the rest of the main 6 to help by dressing up as the important historical figures, but that doesn't go too well. Pfft, reminds me of that time when I saw the midnight screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show while tripping on acid, and everybody in the audience dressed as the characters. What, am I the only one who tried that? Never again...
Applejack isn't any help either, as all she wants to talk about is apples. Hey, it seems the writers are drawing inspiration from Hotdiggedydemon's MLP shorts!
Unfortunately, all of Dash's friends start arguing about what teaching method is best, with Pinkie even starting her rap again. Ugh, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm feeling nostalgic for Kazaam!
Thankfully, she's cut short as Dash flies off, convinced that she will never pass the exam. Hey, if Pinkie Smalls was trying to make My Little Pony sound "cool", I'd leave too!
Twilight goes to talk to Dash about it, but she seems to not be listening. However, it's actually because she's paying attention to everything she sees while she flies, as shown when she scans over a the obligatory background characters and manages to protect Twilight from crashing into a helicopter. Or should I say, a hoof-powered helicopter. Not very efficient, eh? And kinda stupid too. Though it would be good exercise.
Well, no time to question that, as Dash still believes that she is doomed to failing it. Don't worry, Dash, it'll probably never be mentioned again anyway, like when you got into the Wonderbolt Academy.
But Twilight thinks of a way of helping her learn, which, quite honestly doesn't make sense. They display the information to Dash below her while she's flying over it, as well as getting every other background pony available to help, and somehow she learns everything from this. Dash is overjoyed by this. Too bad she doesn't know she'll have to pay the other background ponies for helping with that.
So Twilight and Dash both learn lessons somehow, Dash aces the test, and this episode ends. And what do I think about it?
Well, it's not a terrible episode, but it does feel kind of half-assed. The method they finally use is confusing as hell, the whole idea seems rubbish, and do I even need to mention Pinkie Pie rapping? All in all, I give it a 2.5/5. I thank you all for reading and I'll see you next time.
-Kirb
*Director of historical movies such as JFK and The Doors; notorious for highly fictionalizing his films.
**Director of comedies like Young Frankenstein and Spaceballs; he's also known for his film "History of the World Part 1", hence my parody title.
I wrote two stories involving Cherry Berry's experiments in flight. Now I guess I'll have to write a third.