Fame and Misfortune

Friendship is Magic first impressions review: Fame and Misfortune (s07e14)
by Obake

Thankfully, season 7's return begins with an episode worth talking about!

Fame and Misfortune is the most meta episode the series has ever done, and that is saying a lot. Whether you like the episode will boil down to how easily you can ignore or laugh at the dumb moments, and sympathize with the good.

The Mane 6 publish the friendship journal, not realizing it will become an instant phenomenon. The townsfolk become fanatics, representing the show's real life fans, the journal being the show, each lesson individual episodes. The townsfolk create all sorts of havoc; arguing that certain lessons are better than others, that Fluttershy learned the same things over and over, that Rarity never truly learned anything, etc.

Writers addressing real life criticism is most often bad, but it can be done in ways that put the writers on level with the audience instead of trying to be above them. This episode? It's about half and half.

I'll be honest, I do sympathize with the writers, as much as they justifiably deserve criticism. They have a lot on their plate, working under the umbrella of a conglomerate, trying to reach deadlines on salaries that are far less than the most experienced in their field. Being a writer for a show of this caliber means working under strict rules, with little room to expand creative potential. It is a job enviable to those outside of the industry, not so much on the inside. Only the higher ups really get to make the most creative decisions, and their ideas are often the least risky and most bleh.

That said, Fame and Misfortune has many flaws. Like any episode of MLP, there are awful lines of dialogue. Take when Twilight says "Poor Rarity. She overheard all the mean things they were saying. She must feel devastated." This comes right after witnessing Rarity run off crying because of criticisms. The line conveys what was just shown, but it is also a perfect opportunity for the writers to jab at their own misgivings. Imagine one of the townsfolk turning to Twilight and saying "No duh. Why do you always explain things that just happened?" It would be poking fun at the show gracefully. But no such luck.

There is also an impromptu song number, which thankfully ends with the townsfolk still bickering (an example of the writers admitting their use of songs to fix situations has become silly.) The song itself is the best the show has had in years, in part due to how catchy it is, and also because of its terribly misguided lyrics. "We're not perfect" the Mane 6 sing. I don't think many fans have criticized the Mane 6 for being flawless (that's a criticism that goes towards Starlight). The entire song is the Mane 6 lamenting how everyone perceives them wrong. Like everyone thinking Pinkie is a non stop joke machine, even though in many an episode that is exactly what she's been (for good and for bad). It is the same for each character. Honestly the song is so upbeat and fun to listen to. It's so-bad-it's-good.

I do also appreciate the episode not ending with the townsfolk being satisfied, but instead the Mane 6 learning that two little fillies (Toola Roola and Coconut Cream, voiced by Alyssa Swales and Aine Sunderland, respectively), have learned friendship lessons from the journals, making it all worthwhile. This may seem like a middle finger to the older fans who made the show the success it has become, but I'd argue the show's greatest strength was being able to charm people of any demographic, regardless of age. As the show's gone on, it has lost this focus, and I fear its youngest fans may view episodes and not get anything out of them.

(It is more of a middle finger that Starlight is the one to introduce the two fillies to the Mane 6, another problem she has solved out of nowhere. The episode never addresses this or any issue with her, which is strange.)

With all of this said, do I like this episode? Yes. There is not an ounce of subtlety to the parallels the writers are making, and despite how out of touch elements of it are, it is nonetheless entertaining. The things that happen, like townsfolk laughing at every line Pinkie says, make for refreshingly surreal setups. It does not matter if the townsfolk are in character or not, because the episode is its own entity. I know for sure this episode will be hated by quite a few people, and that is understandable. I found it enjoyable (and often laughably bad) enough that it worked, and I feel younger fans will be just as entertained by its strangeness.

Extra notes:
*It may be a criticism the writers are giving to their own work, or perhaps just sloppy writing. None of Twilight's friends instantly recognize the friendship journal, which has collected dust and rot over a span of just a few years.
*The Cutie Mark summer camp is mentioned by the Crusader's. That is already set to be a future episode.
*Some of the criticisms the townsfolk give? "I only wish they kept Rarity out." "Why does Fluttershy learn the same lesson over and over? Be assertive already!" "I liked Twilight better before she had wings!" (real subtle) There is also an icky line from Dash, which may be the writers criticizing the fetish side of the fandom: "I can't even go the bathroom without somepony telling me how cool I am." The show would be better off not including that line at all.