MLP episode review: Suited for Success · 11:17pm Jun 1st, 2014
FASHION! Turn to the left! FASHION! Turn to the right! FASHION! Because since every girl's crazy about a sharp. Dressed. Man! It's time to get...
Suited for Success
God, those intros are lame. :p
We open on Carousel Boutique. Rarity is fantasizing about the Gala and going there in a new dress. She pulls a scarf off of a ponykin, sending Opal for a tumble. She... does not land on her feet, rather her belly. Myth... BUSTED! Rarity also talks to her and does a duck face to the camera. Opal paws at a length of cloth, which is yanked out from under her paws and I have to laugh, then wonder why Angel doesn't get more treatment like that. Rarity... kinda sorta abuses Opal while working. Her using her hooves to work the sewing machine is insanely adorable, as are the glasses. Opal's got a pincushion in her mouth and is now doing an act to get on the Ed Sullivan show with spools, glue and scissors. Opal rolls her eyes, hisses and thinks, "Tomorrow, I go in your closet!"
Back from commercial, Applejack and Rarity knock and enter, whispering rather loudly behind her back while trying not to disturb her concentration. Rarity wonders if she's fast enough to stab them with scissors before pulling her temper in and asking what they need. Twilight pulls out a plain red dress and asks for a button to be fixed. It's her Gala dress and Rarity nearly dies from shock. QUICKLY! Get Steven Magnet on the scene, STAT! She tells Twilight she needs a new dress for the Gala,. and she'll make it for her! Element of Generosity, indeed! Twilight tries to turn her down, but Rarity insists! Twilight thanks her, and we have a genuine feel-good moment here. :)
Rarity suddenly looks to Applejack down her muzzle and asks if she wanted a new dress or not. She was gonna wear her work clothes. I will admit... when it comes to formal wear, I'm mostly with Applejack there. And to her it's gonna be work-related anyway. Rarity nearly has a stroke from that. She offers to spruce up her 'duds', and Applejack accepts. "Just don't make 'em too frou-frouey." Exact from the closed captions. :D
And Dash drops in. Literally. As in through the roof. Insurance, claims, paying for that damage, Dashie?! She bounces and knocks over a display. "Sorry, new trick. Didn't quite work." Gee, you think?! Rarity gets the "i-dea!" meme. She'll make an outfit for Dash, too! Dash is confused. Or concussed. Both, possibly. Rarity will make dresses for everyone! All shall be fashionable and despair! Then they'll put on a fashion show... and I love this show. I really, really do. You know why? It's not a fashion show for being a show, but being a show for a boost for her business! YES!!!! She's already got a bolt of fabric out and has begun. Applejack has doubts about Rarity able to do this. Reasonable of her. Rarity's response?
"Oh, Applejack. You make it sound as if it's going to be hard!" Ooh, that's a bit... boastful. :p
We get the song 'Art of the dress', which is magnificent. There's almost nothing more i can say about it. It's putting it Together from Sunday in the Park with George. It's like a musical number from a big-budget Hollywood musical. Also shows Rarity really knows the others. Excellent use of equine anatomical terms, fashion terms. They're not thrown in, but used correctly. Just... wonderful.
We do get the mention of 'tank'. In the Hasbroverse, the Equestrian Armed Forces has a Royal Tank Corps, using tanks with the outer appearance/function of WW I designs. Big Mac was a former member before the death of his parents forced him to take a hardship discharge.
We cut to Rarity leading the others into her workroom, blindfolded. The dresses are revealed and... they're stunning. Even Opal approves! I know I do! Each one fits their personality perfectly. The others are speechless. From delight? Sadly, no. The dresses are... something. Something spectacular? Amazing? Incredible. Dash is blunt, saying it's not as cool as she imagined. Head, meet desk. According to Twilight, they're not what they had in mind. What did you have in mind? Rarity is crushed and I wanna hug her, but she's determined to make them better! Fluttershy says she doesn't have to do that, and I agree! They're incredibly awesome as-is! They're not perfect, but perfection doesn't exist in this reality. They're damned close, though! Also to be technical, the animation where Fluttershy says they're fine isn't too good.
Applejack says they don't want to impose while Rarity's spirit is dying before their eyes. They thank her again and walk off, leaving her with sinking hope. "What have I gotten myself into?" More like what have they gotten you into. We come back from commercial. Rarity's mane is frazzled as Fluttershy walks in. Rarity has her new-new gown ready. She... 'loves' it. And shows about as much enthusiasm as I do for... most zombie-related media. Rarity catches her BS. Rarity pushes her, pushes her... and we get Fluttershy's freaky technical knowledge of clothing. Note she has 'technical' knowledge. As we'll see later, she doesn't have much practical knowledge of the craft. Oh, and she mentions 'French' because the kids would get that. And she does this ultra-snobby little 'muzzle in air and forleg crossed' thing at the end. Rarity's agog.
We get a reprise of Art of the Dress, Rarity a lot more frazzled. They're throwing insane demands at her that make no sense. We get the '20% cooler' meme. You can practically hear the people behind this concerning executive meddling. Each pony's demands reflect that. Twilight's wants technical accuracy above all. Pinkie Pie wants random shit. Applejack wants insane stuff for things that she probably doesn't need them for. Dash gives little input other than '20% cooler' and Fluttershy knows enough about dressmaking to sound impressive, but not really know enough to make it good.
At the end, in the mess that was once Carousel Boutique, Rarity laments these are the ugliest dresses she's ever made. Ho, boy. She's not just whistling Dixie, folks. We cut to her presenting the dresses. They're impressed while Opal wants to shred them. I say, let the kitty win. Rarity tries to be diplomatic about how much she loathes them. Suddenly, a wild Spike appears! He maybe kinda sorta mentioned the fashion show to Hoity Toity, a bigwig in the fashion industry in Canterlot. Okay, Spike? Normally, legit props to you. This time with those abominations... still legit good on you. Excuse me, five of the Mane Six. I must swat you with Sunday editions of the New York Times!!!! Applejack and the others think her business will boom! Rarity nearly has a stroke.
We cut to night. Suddenly, a shot rang out! Oh, no. Wait, Megan from Earth hasn't come back yet. False alarm, folks! They're all getting ready. And I gotta wonder how big this stage is compared to Trixie's wagon. :p And I know, but I'm still doing it. :D Hoity walks in and gets a pillow laid down. I'll admit, I actually really like the guy. Rarity tries to calm down. It works about as well as you'd expect. We get a brief shot of Vinyl Scratch and her turntable. The lights go on and Spike announces. It's a good setup, a shame what they came to see is so horrid. :(
The five strut their... stuff. Mares on film! This is the first time we see their outfits in all their hideous, gory glory. Ditzy's so shocked she's seeing straight! They all pout and do those runway looks and turns. I am still amazed at how bad these look. Dash's is the best, but that's like calling Moe the smart Stooge. Ponies in the crowd are literally sticking their tongues out at these outfits. Applejack wonders why they're looking at them so oddly, and Twilight realizes how badly they fucked up. Hoity rips into them, and he's got every right in the universe to. Rarity herself said how bad they were. He says it's a mishmash of everything but the kitchen sink! And Rarity... kicks a sink back. Okay, that's a bit too far for a joke. Hoity rips further and Rariy wants to hide... but Spike calls her out. And she does a Walk of Shame, head hung low. The others are left on that turntable at the front of the walkway, basking in humiliation.
We cut to Rarity... pulling a Susan Lucci, perhaps? Full-on drama queen mode, not that she doesn't deserve to. It's a nervous breakdown in a pink, frilly robe. Twilight tries to reassure her while Dash is an asshole. I have to punch Dash, now. *Punches Dash* Ah, much better! Rarity's so around the bend she doesn't even know what she's supposed to wallow in! Fluttershy thinks they should panic and Dash again makes me wanna smack her. God, at this point in the series I'm liking Pinkie Pie more than Dash!!!!! Pinkie says she'll become a crazy cat lady! "She only has one cat!" "Give her time..."
Twilight peeks in through the keyhole and spies Rarity's unfinished design. We cut to Rarity contemplating exile and pondering the intricacies of such an endeavor. She suddenly hears Opal, opens a window and spies the cat in a tree, clinging to a branch for dear life! Rarity shows what a good person she is and goes to rescue her. And she sees Dash there, who put her up there. Okay, good intentions... but still pretty rotten. We pan down to see the others around Rarity's finished dress! Rarity goes into mild shock. She gives it a critical eye. And no, she doesn't like it. After the wringer they put her through, she's earned this. And yeah, she loves it. Even got really freaky eyes and expression. No, Rarity! Put down the thread and needle, I'm sorry I bought your EQG doll!
The others admit the dresses she made were perfect. They apologize and admit their 'suggestions' were bad. Good on them! She forgives them, but her career's still RUINED! But maybe not... as Hoity stands there. We cut to inside Carousel Boutique. "Take two!" And Rarity's horn lights up and... it's the best fashion show I've ever seen! Literally, too. We see the dresses and Hoity's amazed. The dresses fit the ponies perfectly, not much more to say. It's a great sequence all around. I will say my favorite part of the background song is the clapping done at the beginning of Fluttershy's part. Hoity claps and wants to see the designer. Rarity takes center-stage and drinks in the praise, rightfully so.
We cut to the after-party and Twilight's very appropriate letter and Aesop. Don't be overly critical, and don't try to please everybody. Because that's pretty much impossible. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, which for me implies nothing more than something for the audience to latch onto. ;) Hoity congratulates Rarity and asks if he can feature her couture in his boutique in Canterlot? He'll need a dozen of each dress by next Tuesday. Ohhai Captain Harriman! :D Rarity gets a twitchy eye and we go to black.
Thoughts
What can I say? This episode earned its rep as awesome. It's a great song, great moments, great lesson that fits the episode. You've heard it a dozen times over from people far more articulate than I am.
I mean... we have the character that screams 'prima donna' putting on a fashion show with her friends, other Technicolor horses. It should be so saccharine as to cause tooth decay, but it's pulled off wonderfully. Rarity shows her eye for detail, and that she knows her friends. The unsubtle message about meddling is great, too.
As for Hoity, I love the guy. He's pretty danged reasonable, all things considered. He came to Ponyville on Spke's invitation, saw abominations of fashion but still gave Rarity a second chance. Did he rip into the ones at the first fashion show? Yes. So did Rarity and everyone else. He praised the good ones and I just love him, and his design. Although one wonders how the heck SPike got him to go in the first place. The mind wonders, and ponders!
So, again, awesome episode. Now this time, no new picture since... I really can't take something 'new' with my toys that could be better than what I've got here. I don't have anything for my pony toys to wear, you see. ;)
Tune in tomorrow when, *Checks DVD list* Ho, boy. From a peak to a valley. Tomorrow, we're Feeling Pinkie Keen.
I think you mean "Applejack and Twilight Sparkle".
What's your obsession with head injuries?
I wonder my more authors don't write stories of ponies riding around in tanks.
I-dea!
I'll try to incorporate tanks into one of my next stories.
Is that because today's Sunday, or is the Sunday edition particularly bulky for maximum swatting?
Digibro had an interesting idea regarding that.
My personal take on this? Spike probably knows more ponies in Canterlot than Twilight does, given the difference in their attitudes towards Moondancer's party in the first episode. He seemed to actually be looking forward to going (and had a present for her), while Twilight was couldn't really be bothered. That scene gave me the feeling that even if Nightmare Moon's return hadn't been neigh, Twilight would have still been too busy studying something to go.
I also like how Spike was kinda nonchalant about it; immediately after his line, everyone is talking about how much of an impact Hoity Toity could have on Rarity's career, and he was basically, "Oh, I might have mentioned it to him, and he's on his way here. Right now." Obviously, Spike is the dragon every pony should know.
Ah can't even defend Applejack on this. She done did wrong. But ah can blame this on bad writing because ah have a hard time believin' that the five of 'em don't have a single shred of aesthetic sense ta share. Not fashion sense, mind, ah know none of 'em are fashion types, but ya don't have ta know all that much ta look at one a' Rarity's creations an' know it looks damned good (or that the modified versions are complete abominations). AJ an' Rainbow Dash ah can believe, but Twilight an' Fluttershy... not so much. Ah'd say... talkin' down ta kids? 'Cause y'know they won't get it unless they see the pretty dresses an' then the ugly ones.
Mind, ah'm not sayin' it's a bad episode, just... got one flaw there.
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Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?
Digibro's opinion an' two bits will get you a mug a' cider.