Redo review: Season 2

Let's continue looking back to the entire show. Remember, this review will assume you've already seen the show, so spoilers ahead. Shall we?

The Return of Harmony

The Return of Harmony is truly an MLP episode done right in every way possible in my eyes. The episode features top-notch performances along with a brilliant depth of story and interestingly iconic references. From Discord's similarities of de Lancie's other character Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation, to even the ending referencing that of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, there's no denying that they're truly some of the most fascinating connections to other media. In all honesty, this is one of My Little Pony's best episodes produced for its memorably spectacular moments, brilliantly paced plot, hilarious humor, and for debuting Discord, everyone's favorite draconequus. There's a lot more I could say and discuss about this masterpiece, but to top this all off, this is a lovely written piece of work, and if you haven't seen it yet, whether or not you're a brony (or pegasister), it's a popcorn thriller that you simply cannot miss out on. 4.5/5.

Lesson Zero

This was the first episode of the series I watched and I wouldn't have a problem calling it one of my all-time favorites if it wasn’t for the fact that it hasn’t aged that well. Twilight's freak-out moments were funny back in the day, but now some of them feel cringey and they’ll flanderize her over time, especially in Season 9. With an outstanding moral, performances, humor and great moments its story showed, it's yet another standout for MLP episodes to come. The chapter's moral of taking your friends' problems seriously if it doesn't turn out to be a big deal was delivered reasonably and creepy-ishly well, the acts from the other recognizable characters were both hilarious and awesome, providing even more charm to the overall narrative. The humor was great although it wasn't the funniest episode I've watched and easily two of my favorite moments have to be both Rainbow Dash destroying Applejack's old ruined barn, and Twilight's overreaction in front of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, where basically most of Ponyville afterwards fights over Twilight's favorite childhood doll which is always a good laugh. 4.5/5.

Luna Eclipsed

Princess Luna is a character I appreciate and is a good character no doubt (although I always preferred Celestia personally), but her episodes are hit-or-miss for me. What was once a good episode now feels both boring and really, really lame nowadays. First off, Pinkie's act was horrendous. Telling ponies lies about a good princess who was innocent when she was Nightmare Moon is just absolutely rude. Even despite making her statement at the very end on how fun it is to be scared on Nightmare Night, she is an extreme feeling-hurter. It's even iffier when you look at the fact that Twilight was trying help Luna fit in with Ponyville but instead just gets spoiled by Pinkie. The script was just cliché, the moral was delivered poorly and Luna's part felt a bit too sluggish, but at least an exception I can sit through, so I'd just like to forget about it. 2/5.

Sisterhooves Social

Sisterhooves Social has to be a good way of teaching audiences with younger siblings to learn to love each other and have more respect for them, with Applejack and Apple Bloom as a genuine relationship while Rarity and Sweetie Belle as a dysfunctional relationship who needs improvements and time with each other. It’s also full of charming moments that even made me cry on occasions. The final act is superb and delivers what it promises. For its plot, moral, and amazing event that Rarity secretly participated in with her sister, Sisterhooves Social is now groundbreaking and easily of the best of the season. 5/5.

The Cutie Pox

It's not necessarily terrible, but The Cutie Pox has a frail plot, moments of absolute weirdness and one of Apple Bloom's worst case scenarios of trying to earn her own cutie mark, but without Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo this time around. The plot is weak for, as I said some of the cheesy moments of Apple Bloom receiving more than one cutie mark and is hardly ever funny after it literally drags on until the moral of the plot towards the very end is finally stated... By Apple Bloom instead of a certain Mane 6 member for her poor attempt to earn her mark. I'm more neutral about the moral about good things can come to those who wait since most people like me have learned before every watching this episode. Zecora's attempt to help Apple Bloom and her advice on waiting and not rushing to a cutie mark is another pro that I have to give to this installment, but with everything else aside, this is another episode I'd choose to move on from after watching and compared to better CMC-based episodes, but admittedly is not one of the worst episodes of the show. 2.5/5.

May the Best Pet Win!

It's been called bad by fans... and sometimes even one of the worst episodes of all time to them, but it was a more neutral episode for me. Rainbow Dash trying to find the right pet for herself may have seemed interesting enough at first, but looking at the way she tried figuring out more clearly was a bit bizarre if you ask me. The plot and Rainbow Dash's character felt flawed to me for her acts of forced painful competitions on the other animals, especially Tank, and wasn't exactly clever enough since at times it felt a little rushed on her part while testing them. I mean watching innocent creatures go through unnecessary pain like Rainbow Dash's tests seems quite unbearable to watch sometimes if you ask me. Another problem is that the plot feels predictable, which can be a little slow at times. Looking at its message about looking at a pet's more important qualities of a certain kind of spirit and not physical competition abilities, I'd say it was just fine to say the least when Rainbow Dash reasonably accepted Tank, which felt was just heartwarming and sweet of Rainbow Dash. So with a heartwarming result of a message, (not to mention its song near the beginning was pretty catchy and awesome) and decent script, it’s an okay episode, but not one I'd highly recommend. 3/5.

The Mysterious Mare Do Well

You know, the more I think strongly about an episode's flaws, and how much some of them still grind my gears, the more I start hating on them as to taking any bits of praiseful ratings. Mare Do Well seriously deserves worse for how unwatchable it feels for how much of jerks everyone acted like and how harsh it was being on Rainbow Dash, cause while most people criticize her part more, as an equivalent, I was rooting a lot more for Rainbow Dash than I was anyone else since she's the main focus of the episode. And since it was her friends that were trying to teach her this lesson, as a result, the plot doesn’t work. There's absolutely no real reason for anyone to praise and defend this piece of trash, and I am so glad it still receives a heck of a lot of criticism from nearly everyone else. 1/5.

Sweet and Elite

Although the rest of the Mane 6 are a bit out-of-hand with their qualities of who they truly are and Rarity trying to keep a balance between her friends and the class was really cliché and didn't maintain that type of a balance between one thing and the other as a good thing for an MLP episode, the dynamics between them and watching Rarity holding an entire episode on her won are what stand above the episode's positives themselves. My biggest bright spot with this has to be the moral of learning to never forget that you're the product of both your home and your friends, and (no matter what) should be something to always be proud of, which honestly rises above everything else. 4/5.

Secret of My Excess

It's one of the few episodes I can say it's a good one for Spike, but it’s also one of my Top Ten favorites of Season 2. The birthday-themed plot of Spike going all greedy after his generosity has to be creative for one of my favorite scenes of the series: Spike's growing spurt that turns him into a full grown dragon, causing chaos all over Ponyville and stealing things with absolute greed (sadly this is a concept the show never explore furthermore). Along with its pacing, it's also backed by its superb script despite that there's not much humor to be had here. The moral on more happiness in giving than there is in receiving was delivered outstandingly. It's not exactly perfect and there's not much I can say about any of its flaws as I can look past most of them completely, but Secret of My Excess is no doubt an enjoy MLP installment from start to finish, and for being the former best Spike episode, certainly gets most of its aspects right enough to be one of the most re-watchable ones. 4.5/5.

Hearth’s Warming Eve

Reminding me of all the times I've been in a play, Hearth's Warming Eve it’s an important episode because it’s the first one since the very first opening that expands the lore of this universe. Whether or not it’s based around a holiday, it’s still one of my favorites for its performance of how the three tribes found Equestria and of course, the personalities of the various characters that the pony actors portray. Equal as impressive was Spike's narrating of the play between the three acts. The script is superb albeit a few clumsy jokes from the tribe leaders. Another delight included is eye-catching visuals of the snow and gorgeous landscapes of the mountains and the icy cave. In fact, I find the pacing and narrative so achieving that I practically sit the whole thing from beginning to end without skipping past even the bizarre parts and any small cons. Despite not being my all-time favorite of this season, this episode is one to praise and not strongly criticize. 4.5/5.

Family Appreciation Day

The first time I watched it, I didn't give it a higher rating for how over-the-top Apple Bloom acted while preventing Granny Smith from attending the Family Appreciation Day event at her school with her, but the episode is honestly better than I honestly considered it to be after my first viewing. Although Apple Bloom is still a little too over-the-top enough for me to re-watch, I'm giving the episode a more generous rating for Granny Smith's backstory of her founding of Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres. So to end, it's a great episode though if you to ask me what I'd grade what with its backstory from Granny despite most of Apple Bloom's part. 4/5.

Baby Cakes

We all know babies can be annoying at times because of their crying, so it’s easy to hate an episode like this, however the message the episode portrays here about taking care of children, especially babies, is a huge responsibility and it’s fairly done. It focus too much on the moral at points, but it's still a good lesson to teach. The episode gets repetitive after a while, the comedy feels weak and Pound and Pumpkin’s behavior can be tiring to watch at times. Overall, the negatives surpass the positives and I’ll probably won’t re-watch it, but I consider this more as a guilty pleasure for me. 2.5/5.

The Last Roundup

I didn't call it a good one at first due to Applejack's attitude and people remembering Derpy’s cameo more than the story itself, but now that I think more positive about, I can consider this entry to be intensely wonderful and unforgettable, but I wouldn't say re-watchable cause I still have a hard time watching for Applejack's performance. The biggest positives for me have to be the spectacular chase near the end, and with the very beginning where Applejack trains herself for the rodeo. Despite this, I have to admit that the script at times feels a bit out of hand due to Applejack's lies. I mean I understand that it's part of the plot, but at the same time doesn't make up for the rest. The plot never feels too rushed, which is a good thing considering how Applejack herself needed her time that passed by to hide her true secrets to her friends. The moral has been delivered finely though I'm not sure I can relate to it. Derpy’s cameo still bothers me, but it’s something I can easily forgive nowadays. Overall, this a strange case where the episode is both overrated and underrated, so I’ll recommend to give it a chance. 4/5.

The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000

The plot isn't exactly bad, but The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 is an installment that I'm more neutral towards and is fairly ok for its own standards. What makes the story a bit iffy though is a few pointless moments of the contest as well as its moral of which was already learned by Applejack. One of my favorite scenes has to be Flim and Flam singing that memorable and catchy song, the plot seems out of hand, but still, fairly entertaining on the whole musical note part and some small aspects of the contest what with the Mane 6 and the Apples working together to try beat out Flim and Flam. Though they're not exactly unlikable, the brothers seem like another couple of characters that are just underdeveloped with no backstory. So in the end, this is more of an okay chapter for this season and I don't have much else to say, it is admittedly good but nothing crazy. 3/5.

Read It and Weep

For its Indiana Jones-style plot, Read It and Weep has to be one of the best episodes of the second season. This is all thanks to its fantastic adventurous story-telling of Daring Do, great "Don't knock it until you try it" moral, and pretty much spectacularly stunning visuals and voice acting along with some good humor and a well-written script with its voice acting. The other characters have demonstrated their traits wonderfully on their minor roles, even if they're nothing important to the plot, but they still a provided excellent charm, along their own humor added into the narrative. I can take my mind off its grudges for how fascinating the storybook story of Daring Do was and there's not much else I have to say here. Easily one of the best moments of the episode has to be Rainbow Dash's sneak-into-the-hospital scene and escape from the other hospital ponies, aside from the same thing Daring Do went through towards the very end of her story. All of this adds up to an enjoyable installment of Season 2, and easily one of my favorites of Equestria's greatest flier with all of its flaws strongly overlooked by pretty much all of its pros. 4.5/5.

Hearts and Hooves Day

Considerably one of the most over-hated episodes among some fans, this was one that I myself found to be not all that bad, and in my eyes, was more hilarious than it was flawed when I first watched it. I can see why some might despise it, mainly for how cheesy a lot of the episode's dialogue and acting was among two of the show's most loved characters, but in all honesty, sometimes corniness within' both of those aspects can be totally funny and enjoyably entertaining. The episode's not perfect due to how the lovey-dovey talk within' the episode's script can get old and a little to corny to listen to again and again towards the end of the episode, but what stands above it was how the episode's message about why some ponies must choose their very special somepony for themselves and not having others do it for them was delivered. I feel the moral of this episode was arguably delivered more maturely to adults than it was to children, but anypony of any mature age truly can learn from it as well. Despite any flaws it has within' its script, pacing, and humor, I must disagree in terms of any hatred it receives among fans and overall it's not only one of the finest episodes of the CMC’s, but also of one of finest of the entire series in general. 4/5.

A Friend in Deed

This is one of those episodes that hasn’t aged well, in fact, considering how much praise it’s given, I can easily say this is one of the most overrated episodes of the entire show. Featuring a fantastic song after the intro and a new character to have sympathy for, it does have fine pro quality... while also (sadly) giving a few cons too. Just because an episode features a new sympathetic character doesn't necessarily mean it's one to re-watch. Either for how mediocre the plot was or because the episode shows tough-to-sit-through moments. In this case, it was a mix and mash up of both. Cranky Doodle Donkey was a character I didn't understand, but in the end, he deserves sympathy for his tragic backstory. The biggest reason it fell a little too flat was Pinkie's character trait throughout most of the plot via her interactions with Cranky Doodle Donkey, because she feels creepy and annoying stalker most of the time. But oddly enough, I can relate to it's moral of how it reminded me of me throughout most of my more mature years in both middle school and high school. There wasn't much memorable humor and was rather forgettable for me, but most of the songs in the episode are what truly shine, as well as the usual good ending of how things end up becoming a little happily-ever-after thing. So in the end, it's nothing terrible but at the same time, nothing special, but A Friend in Deed is an episode at times to remember if not my typical thing. 3/5.

Putting Your Hoof Down

I've seen it top a lot of lists of the Top Ten Worst MLP Episodes of All Time, but I'm more neutral towards it now. One of the biggest positives of this episode has to be one of the most underrated characters in the show whom I thought was a little innocent for a character that pushed another character like Fluttershy too far. Iron Will might have been too aggressive on Fluttershy for this plot, but I think he was just at least TRYING to help Fluttershy stand up for herself. I also see that Fluttershy was at least trying to teach the town not to mess with her, though she did go too far with moments like the camera pony and pushing ponies aside when they got in her way. So while I still have major grudges with it like Fluttershy's bad attitude bunny Angel and how a little too upsetting it still can be, I'll give it a break because I don't blame Fluttershy entirely for her minor mean self in this episode. I may be alone with this, but the public has speak. 2.5/5.

It’s About Time

Time travel is honestly an interesting mechanic in both film and television, but it’s difficult to apply without having a ton of plot holes or conveniences (Avengers: Endgame). It's About Time's averageness come from its cons on how the pros don't entirely make up for it. For one, Twilight's overreacting acts felt more a dumbed down and less hilarious version of herself. Two, Pinkie's clichéd *Pinkie Sense* returns which I also find equally as pointless as her whole fortune-telling crystal ball scene. Three, Twilight doesn't quite show even enough true concern for Spike dieting himself on Ice Cream, and rather focuses on her obvious future and what terrible things await her for this episode only. Some pros I'll give it though would have to be Twilight will to seal every disastrous thing up that could prevent her future injuries (but it still seems pointless at times) and her interesting idea of *sneaking* into Celestia's castle to travel back in time briefly to warn herself of what awaits herself, but there's not much else to be said here. And while the moral about solving problems as they came and no longer worrying about the smaller things was fair enough, everything else makes it a decent experience and only worth watching once. 3/5.

Dragon Quest

I don’t know what else I can say or add to one of the worst episodes of the entire series, almost everyone has said the same things at this point: Its racism implications, being just downright brutal on Spike and partially three of the Mane 6 (in which they were trying to help Spike during his quest to learn what being a true dragon is really like) and feeling mean-spirited overall. 0.

Hurricane Fluttershy

This episode just goes to show that she's capable of both standing up and making change for herself, despite that it didn't continue throughout sequel episodes. The staff gives her a better role in episode of pure epicness towards the end via the water-rising tornado. It's all thanks to not only great action towards the end, but also how great of development Fluttershy receives in this installment. The pacing has been done greatly where Fluttershy stands above the rest of the cast in the plot despite the wonderful traits that the other characters showed. Spitfire's part failed due to her lack of help and for that, I don't really think she deserved to star in this greatness... but on occasion, it's still fair enough. Fluttershy's part of helping power up the tornado with the other Pegasi and the history of how Cloudsdale requires rainwater to produce rainclouds for the skies in Equestria were hands down one of the best moments in My Little Pony with really good memorability. The moral of the episode admitted in the end was executed excellently by Fluttershy too. I've hardly heard any negative reviews on it but with that aside as well, this chapter is one to remember and one of the best (if not the best) of Season 2. 5/5.

Ponyville Confidential

Even though some people have called Diamond’s Tiara part either mature or not too bad, I can say that I forgive her part and that I can stand it a bit now that I know why she was who she was back then. But obviously we all had wait 55 episodes later just to know why. So, while this factor does make up for her personality in both this episode and all of MLP, I'll cut it some slack, but I'm afraid that does not make for Ponyville's part on falsely shunning the Crusaders just because they were being forced by a use-to-be-despicable-character and suddenly all that needs to happen is that everypony in Ponyville gives the Crusaders a heartfelt apology, and an ever nicer touch would Diamond Tiara explaining that she made them do it and that she's changed for the better thanks to the CMC’s helping her out in the future. 1.5/5.

MMMystery on the Friendship Express

If we compare this episode to Rarity Investigates! From Season 5, this one’s honestly put to shame is just... ok at best. I did think it was great at first, but this is another episode I feel has really aged whenever I thought more about it. That doesn't mean it's necessarily bad however. The James Bond moment of Donut Joe and The Perils of Pauline reference on Gustave le Grand... both of which were just fantasies Pinkie made up about solving the mystery. While it has been criticized for how logic the characters acted and Pinkie and Twilight's friends not taking Pinkie's worries too seriously, I wouldn't consider them stupid enough to call it very bad... Pinkie's cheesy acts of jumping to conclusions before figuring the mystery out can be tiring after a while. Speaking of jumping to conclusions, the moral was done more neutral to me, although I will admit that the way it was delivered while solving that cake mystery was pretty humorous. So while its story was nothing really interesting or all too amazing like most of its other categories, the end result is one that I just don't care much about, but I'll admit if this was one of the only few episodes left for me to watch that I wouldn't call horrible, I guess I could re-watch it from time to time. But then again, I'd rather just move on instead. 3/5.

A Canterlot Wedding

I can understand all fans giving this a perfect score, but like I said before, MLP trying to be “epic” doesn’t work for me. Shining Armor it’s too bland for a character (7 seasons, 7 seasons onwards and he still doesn’t have an established personality) and Cadance generates questions that nobody bothered to answer in the entire series (Why should a princess work as a babysitter? Is the princess's title just for having wings and horn? Why Cadance can have her own kingdom, yet Twilight has to rule Canterlot? Ok, I'm getting ahead, focus on this episode). The changeling attack, This Day Aria and the introduction of Chrysalis (one of the most one of the most charismatic, yet underdeveloped villains in the entire show thanks to her following appearances) save the episode for me because... Could you imagine if the entire episode focused solely on the wedding planning? Despite all this, I consider this one of the best finales of the series... something I can’t say about the rest. 3.5/5.

Overall season rating: 3.2/5.