Tanks for the Memories Review · 4:41am Oct 4th, 2015
So I’ve decided to start doing blog reviews of the official MLP series, which will eventually accompany my video reviews. Fair warning, this review assumes you have already seen the episode. Anyway…
So where to begin with this series?
What? Why? Why be like everyone else? I’m a positive reviewer, why should I start with what I hate?
(Sigh.)
Well maybe there is a good reason to start here. This gives me a chance to clarify what exactly it is that makes an episode completely fail in my book, when most of the espisodes of MLP, yes, including Mysterious Mare Do Well, get a pass. Do I just have low standards?
Heck what got a Star Gate lover into MLP anyway? I guess that’s a good place to start to explain things. Stargate SG1 is my favorite show of all time. To me it was the perfect demonstration of being entertaining to adults, yet not constantly trying to be “adult entertainment”. MLP does the same thing in a different direction, it concentrates on being entertaining for kids, but doesn’t constantly try to be “children’s entertainment”. It’s funny for adults as well as children and many if not most of the lessons are universally applicable. I like the idea of not isolating a story only for a certain audience, because that always seems to lead to a story being dumbed down and full of some of the worst kind of pandering. Also in a sea of worthless shows about nothing more than getting views, MLP actually tries to teach good lessons to its audience with characters that are relatable, something that was just common place when Stargate came out. Now days, it is just me getting old, or do show producers more and more just want you to watch and don’t really care if you learn anything at all?
And this is what disappointed me so much with Tanks for the Memories. Ham fisted message that no one bothered to research dumbed down for kids and pandering so much that it murders whatever good message the writers originally intended.
What’s the ham fisted message? I actually don’t know, it was so poorly delivered that I don’t understand what exactly it was trying to say. Yes, the episode is praised for presenting the five stages of grief metaphorically, but for what purpose? Were they trying to say that it’s okay to grieve? But nothing Rainbow Dash did was okay and the youngest of children will get that point. Was it that you should be understanding of others when they grieve? Then why did most of the episode follow Rainbow and not her friends? Was it trying to address how serious the issue of death is? Did anyone who watched that episode get a “serious” vibe from it? Was it just trying to be a reference for parents to teach about the grieving process… oh dear Lord I hope not because if that’s true my next point is going to destroy the entire episode in one fell swoop. Honestly, I think the message was “hey look at us, we referenced the five stages of grief! We are smart!”.
And thus, the point that destroys the episode quite thoroughly. The lack of research into its own key point and metaphor. In life, there are some things that are a matter of opinion, and some that are a matter of fact.
https://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2012/12/time-bury-five-stages-grief-myth
https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/comment/14532
Yep, that’s right. The five stages of grief do not exist. Heck they’re not even supposed to refer to people grieving the deaths of others, but to those dying themselves. Some tell me this is all a matter of opinion, but actually we’re dealing with numbers here. If studies say the majority of participants and patients or even just a significant percentage do NOT experience five succinct stages of grief, and a theory states that such an experience is the norm, those are facts, not opinions. Either it is normal for people to experience five distinct stages, or it is not. And the data says; it is not. The five stages of grief are also incredibly non-specific to the point of being applicable to anything, thus they cannot be respected as a scientific assertion as theories have to be specific and falsifiable. This means it has to be POSSIBLE for the idea to be proven wrong. If a theory is too broad or non-specific to be proven wrong, neither can it be proven right. Even ignoring that fact the data just doesn’t back up the assertion that grief is just so neat and predictable.
The problem is, all that information has been readily available to the public for years, maybe even decades. Why oh why could no one on the MLP staff have looked it up before the writing crew shot themselves in the foot? This isn’t a debatable concept, it’s like the idea that humans only use 10% of their brains. There is no opinion, it’s just plain wrong.
“Oh but Sciwriter!” I hear some people say, “Even if the message is based on a myth, can’t you still say helpful things based on it?” Um, yes, yes you can. Actually the person who came up with the five stages idea used it and other theories of his to revolutionize certain aspects of how people deal with grief. But here comes the next problem:
The dumbed down pandering delivery.
Oh my goodness, talk about pointing out your own flaws. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash kept inadvertently pointing out the absurdity of not being able to say “hibernate”, when the entire episode could have been saved if the writers could have just said the word “death”. Well… actually now that I say that, the way the episode was structured, constantly trying to make kids laugh and feel good… oh dear Lord I can just imagine if the theme were actually Scootaloo dying.
“Oh isn’t is so funny that Rainbow Dash doesn’t want to admit her adopted sister is dying?”
“Isn’t it adorable how Pinkie is shirking off the imminent death of a young child while Rainbow is panicking?”
“Look at Rainbow’s funny angry face! Why would you ever get angry that a little girl is about to pass away?”
“Apple Jack cries on the inside!” Oh that’s so funny, one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders is pushing up daisies and you’re only sad because your friend is, you callous pink jack ass! 
(See episode? See what you made me do!? I just attacked Pinkie…. *sobbing can be heard* Crap I made her cry! Screw you episode!)
That would be just a tad dark wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t it be better to handle the issue of death with the somber reverence it deserves? Stop trying to be goofy if the message you’re delivering isn’t funny. It either sends the wrong message, or confuses people as to just what you’re trying to say. You want to talk about death to kids? Then talk to kids about death. Go ahead, I defy ANYONE to find a scientific study of any kind anywhere that actually backs up the assertion that discussing death with kids or showing it to them in an intelligent way, such as in a well thought out story, will in any way damage their psyche. But no, the writers had to make the kids feel good, so they had to hide the true meaning of what they were saying so much, that if you really did substitute the word “death” for “hibernation”, Rainbow Dash sounds like she had legitimate concerns and her friends sound like sadistic and callous jerks.
Beyond clunky deliveries, fan service and morals that can be misconstrued if taken too seriously, MLP is normally a series that tries with a staff that cares. This episode cared so much about making sure it’s message was “okay for kids” it looks like the writers just phoned in simple editing procedures. “Is this well researched?” no. “Is this a good metaphor?” what temporary hibernation that no one in their right mind gives two shits about as a metaphor for death, are you kidding? “Does the episode transmit a good moral?” Um… what is the moral? Throw a fit and break stuff when you aren’t getting your way and there won’t be any penalties? There was no trying here and I don’t see how anyone really cared.
You know what really gets to me? So many MLP analysts like this episode. And what do they praise it for? The five stages of grief. That’s right, the metaphor that is factually wrong. Which means what they’re saying isn’t a matter of opinion, it just wrong and stems from a lack of research. Seriously I hate saying this but, no, this episode just seems objectively horrible and honestly, the reason seems precisely because no one cared.
I do see a positive though. I know, that comes out of nowhere doesn’t it? I really had to wrack my brain for it too. The MLP writers are experimenting. They’re trying to see how they can talk about darker themes without getting in trouble with Hasboro. This means the show has promise to eventually be a good tool for teaching kids about some of the more dark things in life that they will eventually have to deal with one way or another. Also I suppose this is a good teaching tool for what NOT to do when addressing dark subject matter, but that’s kind of a back handed compliment so it doesn’t really count as a positive.
I don't think this episode was intended to be about death. And I'll be honest, not everyone who goes through the five stages of grief goes through them because of death, or goes through them in the same way.
There can be any number of reasons for the stages of grief to kick in, and they always say that people can skip over certain stages, or go through them out of order.
If they really wanted it to be about death, they wouldn't have used something like hibernation, which isn't even closely related to death. Hibernation is temporary, and death is permanent.
3455165
The stages also don't exist (seriously, try to scientifically prove the existence of something that can't be defined) and from what I understand the episode really was supposed to parallel death.
3455655 I can see the similarities, but I really think that if they wanted to do an episode about death, they would've done so.
This episode was more to see if they could showcase grief, and I feel like the concept worked against itself because of what they chose to do. Cindy Morrow would've been a great pick, if the concept wasn't clearly tilted towards comedy. The emotional moments, with or without the subtext were great (as was evidenced by what Fluttershy did). But the comedy definitely felt weak outside of a few lines (the crying scene felt like it was trying to be heartfelt, but came off too cheesy. I don't think any adult would ever cry like a little kid, no matter what).
3455798
Grief and humor don't mix, that for sure. Probably why so many people see Rainbow's friends as looking callous and Rainbow as looking immature, more so than usual. I've heard one reviewer say this episode could be about death and you would only have to change a few words... which about makes me want to cry. That would be more unintentionally funny than The Room.
Honestly, to discuss grief, they would have to throw out all the BS about the five stages myth, and just have something sad happen. It doesn't even have to be death. Maybe Scootaloo is finally forced to come to terms with her disability. Maybe the Apples actually talk about what they do in reference to their parents. Any number of things could be shown, but the most important aspect would be treating grief as the serious subject that it is. If someone is honestly grieving do NOT laugh at them. Like I said, I think this episode was trying to pander to younger audiences by keeping things artificially happy, which absolutely destroyed any message it was trying to give.
Oh well, stay tuned for my next blog, I promise it will be more positive.