Episode Spoilers (Marks for Effort) · 7:43pm Jun 2nd, 2018
Well this episode happened. And no, it's not something against this episode. Nor is my opinion of it great. It's okay. It's not 'meh' or bad or really good. It's okay. It's cute but overall, still okay. Season 8 still doesn't live up to my hopes and it's half way through. Hopefully the second half will come with some really heavy hitters.
So the episode starts out with the CMC trying to look inside the school because apparently they haven't been inside it yet. Why that's the case is beyond me. I guess that no one wants them to be around it because... the CMC get into trouble? The main six cause more trouble then they do. It's a really lame excuse. The same for as to why they can't join up. They are great at friendship already? I call bullfeathers on that. They are great friends but even this bloody season shows they can have friendship trouble and I thought this school really was for everyone, no matter how good they are at friendship? You can always learn things about it but apparently, there is a finite level of friendship before you're too good at it.
GAH, this whole friendship school thing was a bad idea. It makes no sense. To top it all off, I have to say that this episode just makes me feel so bad for Cheerilee. I know the CMC aren't bad mouthing her per se, but she's making the best with what she has. Why does this show barely utilize her and when they do, barely have her do anything. It's like the show wants to make us think she's incompetent or pushing her aside to have children do everything. GAH.
Carrying on, the CMC try and fail to get into the school. All of their attempts are dumb and the adults range from annoyed and witty (AJ and Rarity) to being slightly dumb because of course an episode based on the CMC would make the adults dumb in some way. That's children media for you.
So after that we meet up with a new pony, Cozy Glow who for the life of me, I thought she was going to be the antagonist. Why? I dunno, I thought it was going to set up how she was just using the CMC to get good grades and take all of the credit. Yet as they help her, that idea is shot down because their efforts are actually genuine and she would actually improve so it wouldn't make sense to have her take all of the credit.
Side note: Cozy Glow is adorable. That needed to be said.
So the test comes and... she fails. Fails so hard that she had to be doing it on purpose, which she was, but Twilight doesn't pick up on that. WHy? Because Twilight has about as much common sense as a rock.
(This video perfectly describes Twilight Sparkle)
I honestly am not surprised she didn't see it done deliberately. I mean, does she really think that this is in the CMC's character? Come on! She's been with them for, what, 2-3 years now? (No, I do not treat each season as a year. That's honestly such a dumb thing to think that I'm honestly surprised anyone thinks it.) But then again, this is the same mare who shrugged off Gilda trying to actually harm Pinkie when she was going on a tangent about her in season 1 or the other times. (But then again, I don't think Twilight likes Pinkie Pie as much as her other friends.)
So she forbids them from ever coming near her school or students, because she can do that without the say so of their sisters and other teachers of the school. You know, I think Twilight has a bit too much power here, princess or not. Because now she's forbidden them from talking to anyone who goes to this school? So about several dozen people, some of which no doubt live in town. How are they supposed to know who is who? Gah.
So then Cozy GLow goes talk to Starlight Glimmer, who thankfully helps save this episode and calms my nerves. Best pony. So anyways, Starlight being basically the councilor of this school talks to Cozy who flunked deliberately so that the CMC would look lousy at friendship... and get into the school.
Cozy Glow is not a villain people... So basically she did this on purpose with the sole intention of helping the CMC... wow, that's actually pretty sweet.
I mean, that's something I would see DIamond Tiara doing but who cares about Diamond Tiara anymore, right guys? She's a good guy now and we don't show good guys after reformation to really flesh out their characters, oh wait we do. Where is DIAMOND TIARA?!!! She was integral to the CMC's storyline yet now that she's good, she doesn't matter? BULLFEATHERS!
That rant aside, Cozy Glow is a nice enough filly. So they bring in the CMC in such a way that I can't help but think that Twilight actually enjoys having such power over her friends and the students, or that she's a bit too dramatic. This could have been Rarity's idea...
ANyways, the CMC are now tutors and now they don't have to go back to Cheerilee's school anymore. Hooray? Hooray I guess since Cheerilee was only on screen for a few seconds and didn't have any lines. I guess she's not important anymore.
So that was Marks for Effort and despite my grievances, I thought it was alright. Pretty much another run of the mill CMC episode and isn't the worst of them. So it's passable but that seems to be season 8's tag.
We're passable now... season 9 better step up and be more akin to seasons 5-7 my favorite ones for a reason. So that was my review. Hope you all got something from this episode and possibly enjoyed it more then I did.
I bet you are really looking forward to the next episode and will be majorly disappointed if it fails your expectations!
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*sees next episodes is based on Chrysalis, tries to control agitation/anger* As long as I survive it, that is.
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Speaking of Chrysalis.....
Pssst..... Cozy Glow was just Queen Chrysalis in Disguise.
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Oh come on don't be melodramatic. Worse case scenario you just get really angry. It won't kill you unless it's coincidental! How old are you 50/80? If you are THAT old, I would say yeah, good point. Anger leads to heart problems if you get angry enough... maybe... depends on how angry you get, and what happens... It sounds like something reasonable.. I am not a doctor or claim to be a medical professional of any description.
Yes I decided to take this seriously. I knew what you meant!
Actually... Cozy Glow is apparently this season's main villain. Also, why don't you like Chrysalis?
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Would you rather I state that in a blog? Been planning to do a blog on her to really get my grief out with Chrysalis for a while and I'll try and get that done before the end of next week.