Hot Potato Seat-Scene It?

---Season 9--Episode 16---
I really felt for Twilight in that seat.

This did not follow the rest of the season's prompts of concluding character arcs or answering longtime questions, and was more likely the staff going "OK, we get one last chance for meme faces and shipping references." I can appreciate that, but there was still a teachable moment, like there should be for each episode.

I have a lot of friends on the spectrum (I guess we just tend to cluster), and some of them are super high strung. Sometimes when we're just trying to sit down to to watch an episode on our laptops, or even just having a conversation, they'll just be incessantly throwing out comments, mumbling, twitching or rocking in their seats. I'm an objective-oriented person, so if something is interrupting a plan, I get antsy. So I try dropping hints about behavior, but I can get snappish. Especially if it's happening in public, with people who don't know them. I have to debate if I'm being too self-important, or if I'm doing them a favor by making them more cognizant of their behavior.

People call this a TwiPie episode, but this is an ensemble of the Ponyville community, which besides being a delight, helps along the entire premise of whole thing. The #1 The conflict also worked just fine for me because the entire setup was so low-stakes. If Twilight had thrown Pinkie under the bus in front of her entire School of Friendship, or made a herself fool at herself at some UN summit, it would be too cringey and mean-spirited for me. Here, his is town trivia night. This is the sort of thing MY office likes to hold for employees on Sunday get-togethers. Twilight also makes her case clear to Pinkie Pie, oblivious though she is, that she came here to win, and even tried to give Pinkie Pie a chance at succeeding. It's a sentiment that the ensemble cast adds to. Before the game proper starts, the episode introduces a range of personality types from around town that all non-aggressively agree that they'll all work against each other for the title. Even Fluttershy is acting competitive.

I was really pleased with Granny's leadership role here. It reminds us that with her goofy pronunciation thanks to her accent and aged body, she's still a pretty capable (and funny) adult. She's one of the different types of 'intelligence' that this episode has on display. Granny Smith is the experienced common sense. Maude and Mudbriar are obnoxiously unflappable and composed. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were able to pull ahead probably thanks to reflexes and expertise in their given field. What impressed me the most is how they didn't make Pinkie look like a moron. I recalled one the best descriptors for her I've ever read on this website: "Pinkie blurts out the third thing that comes into her head."

Also, while Pinkie Pie is being her normal self, and not even acting depressed, Twilight is actually out-crazying her for two thirds of the whole thing!

InuHoshi-to-DarkPen

Along with surprise at Sunburst getting a role, I truly appreciate the show giving him a character flaw outside of "NEEEEEERRRRRD!" His initial character arc was his fallout of flunking out of magic school. Since then he's proven himself as a wizard by saving the Crystal Empire and all of Equestria, and he's faced down the personal shame by opening up to Starlight and his mother. The only other remaining personality flaw for him to face is how he could act oblivious to Starlight's feelings in "Uncommon Bond," and that was something that the fans would point out more than the show. But that aspect really flows into what we saw of his behavior on Team TwiBurst, including how he just fell into it and felt guilty after the fact. After so long without being relevant, it was cool to have him reappear with a new cocksure facet to him.

Then a week later we get an episode about Twilight's character growth that isn't just for making us laugh with The Summer Sun Setback...

I knew this would be weird for some people, but it's not a biggie for me. This episode was commentary on Twilight managing her anxiety from the burden placed on her by Celestia. The week before was her single-mindedness at winning, and showing off her brain-dick to everypony else. Pointless trivia is just going to have to be something that Equestria will have to accept as a facet of their newest Princess. Just like the older models had their weird fixation on the mail and scholastic sports.