Spice Up Your Life Review · 4:52pm Jun 11th, 2016
So, leading into our mid season hiatus, we have our second RariPie episode of the season and the show. Hey, I'm all for more unique pairings, it's great that the show is doing this. Mike Vogel, who wrote "A Hearth's Warming Tail" returned to write this episode, stepping into new territory since here he has to tell an actual story ("A Hearth's Warming Tail" was great, but the actual story for the episode was very bare bones. The story within the story more than made up for it, but a two parter probably could've ironed out the flaws and improved the pacing. Heck, Discord was planned to play the role of Jacob Marley, but was cut due to time constraints). So, was he able to lead us into the hiatus on a high note, or was he somehow able to throw Season 6's reputation right off the rails? Well, let's find out.
We begin with a fact that I actually hadn't noticed until they pointed it out, ever since Starlight used the map to travel back in time, it has stopped working. Fortunately, with the combined magical skills of Twilight and Starlight, that problem is easily resolved. But the map has a very shaky reboot sequence. It finally settles on Rarity and Pinkie Pie going to Canterlot.
The two set off for Canterlot, and we get a good showing of their dynamic. Rarity decides to let Pinkie Pie take the lead, but when Pinkie's stomach starts growling, she lets Rarity decide where they'll go to eat. They go to restuarant row, only to find every restuarant is exactly the same and Pinkie Pie isn't very pleased with the food. Following her nose, Pinkie Pie stumbles across an unrated Indian themed restuarant run by Coriander Curry and his daughter Saffron, who looks an awful lot like Princess Jasmine.
Curry is upset because he hasn't been able to get anypony to come to his restuarant, and it's putting a strain on his relationship with his daughter. Rarity and Pinkie Pie realize this is the friendship problem they were sent to solve, and quickly come up with a plan. Rarity manages to get the food critic responsible for restuarant row, but she's only available that night. The two split up, as we lead into the song "It's going to work out". Pinkie Pie and Jasmine work on drumming up publicity, while Rarity decides to give the critic what she wants and be like every other restuarant in Canterlot. I'll admit this is a bit OOC for Rarity given her fashion experiences, but we've seen before that she's not the best judge of character (as can be seen by her choosing to socialize with snobs like Jet Set and Upper Crust, as well as hiring Sassy Saddles).
Some of the cameos during Pinkie Pie's part don't make sense, because we see Minuette and Twinkleshine among the Canterlot ponies who take a pass on trying out the restuarant. Given how Minuette acts, this cameo makes no sense.
The reopening awaits, and Pinkie Pie is less than thrilled by what Rarity has done. It doesn't help that the critic arrives, and Rarity is insistent on trying to please her. The snobbish critic rejects the food and the restuarant, and tells Rarity she should stick to fashion. Realizing what went wrong, Rarity and Pinkie Pie swap roles, and drum up publicity for the restuarant as it was. It soon turns out that the critic has shunned individuality, but all of restuarant row is fed up with it and decides they'll give each of their resturants a make over to serve what they want to serve. Then we get the aesop about how you're entitled to your opinion, but you can't tell others what to think, do, or say, and the critic leaves in a huff. So it's mission accomplished for Pinkie Pie and Rarity, and Pinkie makes a comment about them being a "dynamic duo". Okay, you all know what's coming.
And that's the story, so what do I think of the episode? Well, although Rarity's OOCness was a glaring flaw that really hurt her considering how much overexposure she's had this season, this episode managed to do a good job of showcasing the dynamic between Pinkie Pie and Rarity, showing what they have in common and what they differ on. I could do without the anti-critic potrayal though, and the cameos needed to be more thought out (Minuette and Twinkleshine shouldn't have been in the crowd). So, it's not quite the best episode of all time like I had hoped it would be, but it's still a fairly solid episode so I'm willing to give it an A+, putting it above the overcrowded two parter that was "The Crystalling" (the plot with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack was pointless and could've been cut), but below "A Hearth's Warming Tail" (what we got was really good, but a second part would've helped it). Now it's time for the mid season hiatus, and if you're looking for something to keep you occupied while we wait come check me out over on Deviant Art. I recently did a list ranking all 16 Pixar films to date, in order to celebrate the impending release of "Finding Dory". And I've done plenty of other journals that I think you'll want to check out.
Sadly, I missed this episode as I was sleeping in, but I suspect it'll be on Netlflix soon enough along with the rest of the season's first half.
Honestly, I think that could be said of a number of episodes, even if said episodes are great as they are.
Oddly enough, neither did I.
There's only one possible explanation for Minuette's and Twinkleshine's behavior:
The ones in this episode are obviously changelings.
For me, personally, while this was a great episode (certainly the best map episode, not counting the season 5 premiere or finale), I don't think I can call it the best of the season. Or even better than A Crystalling.
I bet you were happy to finally see Starlight appear in an episode this season that doesn't focus on her, even if it may have been only for a non-speaking cameo.
4015533 It's a start.
The ep was good, but the whole thing with Rarity sucking up to Zesty just to please her so she could say she doesn't like a restaurant that doesn't serve that one dish that she likes just makes me cringe.
The moral of being who you are and not letting anyone change it stood out at the end.
Minus the OOC part with Rarity (She's still my top fave
), I enjoyed the episode as well.
So the long hiatus begins again, least that'll give me more time on my other projects for now.