Doctor Perseus Reviews: MLP S7E4 "Rock Solid Friendship" · 8:31pm May 3rd, 2017
It's time for our early-season Maud Pie episode. At least that could be a trend the writers are wanting to start. Anyway, it's a Maud Pie episode so that's already a plus. And, overall, I really liked this one.
Maud is always a added bonus to any episode she's in. Given her monotone personality, she feels like a character who should get boring and stale rather quickly. Yet, there's this odd charm to her that keeps her likable and entertaining. And it's due to her normally emotionless delivery that it makes those quick moments where she shows emotion all the more meaningful. Whenever Maud gave a small smile, you knew that was the equivalent of Pinkie Pie exploding like a confetti cannon. Speaking of Pinkie Pie, I personally found her to be a mixed bag throughout the episode. She was funny and enjoyable half the time and kinda annoying the other half. But I can forgive that since that's what the writer was going for. Pinkie was meant to be annoying due to her insistence on finding a friend for Maud so that Maud could stay in Ponyville. Pinkie being purposefully annoying as part of the plot is a lot more understandable than Pinkie being unintentionally annoying when she's supposed to be likable and funny. *cough*Filli Vanilli*cough*
And speaking of that friend, it was quite a surprise to see Starlight have a role in this episode. A common complaint for Season 6 was how Starlight seemed to almost never make an appearance in episodes aside from those that directly involved her. It really made her presence in Ponyville seem almost hollow some of the time. But it appears they may be trying to fix that for this season. And as someone who likes Starlight overall, I'm very happy about that. Plus, Starlight and Maud have a surprisingly likable dynamic. The way they just "get" each other was really enjoyable. Which of course made it annoying whenever Pinkie broke them apart in her attempts to push them together. But that was the point so I can forgive that. I wouldn't mind seeing more of Starlight and Maud. And if we're set to see more of Trixie this season, I wouldn't mind seeing a bit with Trixie and Maud together. Or Trixie and Discord. Or Trixie, Maud, and Discord. Now that would be an interesting conversation.
Overall, Rock Solid Friendship was a pretty solid episode. 
...I'll go sit in the corner now.
What did the rest of you think of Rock Solid Friendship?
It was certainly refreshing to have Starlight appear in an episode where she isn't the main focus outside of a non-speaking cameo (Spice Up Your Life and Top Bolt). The only other episode where that happened was The Times They Are A Changeling. It should also be noted that this is the first episode she's appeared in without Twilight, so it was nice to have Starlight be part of a story that doesn't involve her mentor in some way.
According to TV Tropes' Fridge Brilliance page for Season 6, the episode Every Little Thing She Does explains that the reason why Starlight has been absent for most of last season is because, and I quote, "She would much rather learn new magic instead of making friends and interacting with others." Hopefully, the writers will now allow her to make more non-focus appearances that aren't just cameos in Season 7.
Something else to mention about this episode is that it was written by Nick Confalone, who had previously written the following episodes: Party Pooped, Hearthbreakers, No Second Prances, The Saddle Row Review, and Dungeons & Discords. I bring this up because he confirmed on his Twitter page that this is the only episode he wrote for Season 7.
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This season should hopefully give Starlight some more room to develop and branch out. So far, it's a promising start.
4518931 Nice review. It's wonderful that are giving room to developStarlight, without Twilight or the others constantly babysitting her. We get to see how she can learn and experience things on her own.
I enjoy that she connected to Maud despite the awkward start. It gets even better that when you realize that Starlight seems to attract friends that are somewhat connected or related to other ponies know, but unlike them she is able to see past their off putting qualities and bond with them.
This is true with Trixie, Thorax, Discord, and even Spike to a degree. All those characters struggled to a degree to fit in or find solace ay one point or another. Some even received predejuce that indirectly or directly their following actions. Yet Starlight doesn't judfpge them based on their quirks or race but with respect instead.
Plus I can not wait til Trixie meets Maud, since it's very possible that she was at the Pie Family's Rock Farm at some point, when she worked to there to the bits she needed for the Alicorn Amulet. Heck Maud was there at the Galaxy when she totally burned Discord's stand up routine. It's fits so well and brings up so many possiblities.
I don't know if you read my review, but I also liked this episode. As sibling who likes to encourage his sibling to do things that I'd like her to do, I know that the way Pinkie gets here is how I get. So, I didn't find it as annoying. It seemed natural to me. I liked Maud mentioning that's she now into doing stand-up comedy. I imagine it'd be a lot like Steven Wright. I really want to see that now.
Pinkie is the spinel from Steven universe for mlp minus destroying the earth over her bff leaving her in a garden for six thousand years.