Sep
3rd
2014
Season 4 · 9:12am Sep 3rd, 2014
I never quite watched all of Season 3. I haven't watched any of Season 4. It occurred to me while writing for personal amusement that I won't feel comfortable posting any pony stories I happen to write until I've caught up on the episodes. At the same time, I feel a strange trepidation about watching Season 4.
So, I request help from my mysteriously large band of watchers. Which episode of Season 4 should I watch? I will watch whatever S4 episode gets the most suggestions, save that I will not start with either of the two-parters.
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Causal Quill · 592 views
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"Testing , Testing" because of an actual accurate portrayal of ADHD, all of the "Key" episodes, for the continuity, the premier and finale, "Filly Vanilli," which was probably my favorite of the season. One of them anyway. Oh, and "Power Ponies." Just because Rarity as Green Lantern WORKS.
In a more general sense, the season got better as it went on.
The most widely praised episode is probably "Pinkie Pride" (episode 12). If you're just looking for an episode to get you back into the show, it's a very good one. Beyond that, it depends on the kind of episode you like. The first several episodes, up to and including "Bats" (episode 7) are more adventure based stories. After that, the show drifts back towards more slice-of-life.
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One suggestion for "Testing, Testing", one for "Filly Vanilli", one for "Power Ponies", and one for "Pinkie Pride". Plus half a suggestion for "Bats", because if it was at least worth a verbal highlight.
If I get bored enough tonight, I may roll a die to pick one of those at random.
Even if you're not starting with the two-parters, their quality is reasonably high. Historically that's the only time we ever get to see the new villains, anyway, and they're half the fun of picking up new canon.
I've only watched half of them myself. If, like me, you are totally in it for the pony princesses, "Three's A Crowd" has badass Cadence and "For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils" continues the Luna-mentoring-the-CMC trend with some extra exploration into her dream portfolio. I enjoyed them both, though I'm going to allow myself a moment of heresy and say that "Three's A Crowd" was probably a better overall episode. Discord gets a surprisingly well-done character arc this season.
Mostly, though, Season 4 is one long string of headcanon breakers, replacing them with canon that's somewhere between implausible and stupid. I'm kind of afraid to watch the Breezy episode, which I haven't seen yet. "Somepony to Watch Over Me" did put some interesting ideas in my head though.
"Castle Mane-ia" was a low point that led to other low points. Seriously, avoid it. If I hadn't started the season with it, I might have watched more of it. I've been told by others that "Bats!" is similarly horrific, but I might watch it anyway just for the Fluttershy TF.
Edited to add: "Filli Vanilli" will be made or broken depending on your tolerance for leitmotifs. There is a single, short, not-particularly-awesome song which gets sung throughout the episode and is central to the plot. I didn't think the episode was bad but I wanted to mute it halfway through.
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I am secretly making an attempt at writing a Twilestia story whose B plot involves a struggle between Luna and Cadance, so... I think I need to weight your Three's A Crowd and For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils suggestions rather highly.
I actually feel guilty about being in it for the pony princesses.
It's funny, I'm kind of in the same boat. I, too, am a little nervous about watching season 4.
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The reason I won't take "just watch the opening two parter" as advice is that I've been trying to push myself to do that for ages. Obviously, that won't work. Soliciting recommendations from others is a tactic with better odds. So, perhaps you should take a page from my book and let peer pressure light your path. The current scores are:
S4E3 "Castle Mane-ia ia cthulhu f'taghn"; -1 Recommendations
S4E6 "Power Ponies"; 1 Recommendations
S4E7 "Bats"; 0.75 Recommendations
S4E11 "Three's a Crowd"; 1 Recommendations + Princesses
S4E12 "Pinkie Pie"; 1 Recommendations
S4E14 "Filli Vanilli"; 1.25 Recommendations
S4E17 "Somepony to Watch Over Me"; 1 Recommendations
S4E19 "For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils"; 1 Recommendations + Princesses
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What? Why? Princesspones are clearly best pones. That is why they are given pone tiaras!
Ooh ooh, you up for something?
E1. No no no, S1E1. With me, because I'm crazy behind too, and really need the motivation to get caught back up.
Yeeah, I haven't watched S4 either.
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We shall watch ALL the episodes!!
One or two at a time.
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2424911 (no wait... yeah, okay, I will)
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You want in on this?
I mean, timezones, but still.
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I hesitate to post this. I won't even blame you if you down vote it.
To be perfectly honest though, if your ultimate goal is to be able to write a Twilestia story.... If you have an idea burning a hole in the back of your head and itching to get out through your fingers, but you feel a responsibility to be up to date before you let it out, and the idea of catching up on an entire season seems too daunting.... The ONLY episodes you need to watch are exactly the ones that you're avoiding.
The season three finale, the season four premier, and the season four finale.
Outside of Equestria Girls, that's ALL of your Twilight/Celestia interaction and development. That's the vast majority of your princess lore and characterization development. And it's even most of your important, over all story development. You could watch all five of these episodes in the time it would take you to watch a movie or two episodes of a crappy reality show on television. If you're sitting here reading FiM-Fiction blog comments, you probably have the time right now.
As someone who has hit blocks like this in his own work, all be it in a different medium, my sincere advice to you is this:
Mare up, suck it up, and DO IT filly!
Then, you can start writing your story, which I think is what You, I, and everyone else here wants ;).
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Writing a Twilestia story is not my goal. It's something I'm doing whether I catch up or not. Catching up isn't the difference between doing it or not. It's already started. The story is for fun and practice. Catching up just shifts the odds that I'll show anyone from "certainly won't" to "might".
Anyways, the important thing for a Twilestia story isn't Twilight/Celestia interaction. It's also not watching Princess Celestia. She is kind of an ancient cypher. The important thing is watching Twilight Sparkle. Whenever Twilight Sparkle's character is perfectly on the nose, a Twilestia story is going to be good. That means I have to catch up on all the significant Twilight Sparkle character development, not strictly watch out for the two rubbing noses.