Retrospective Review: A Dog and Pony Show and Green Isn't Your Color · 7:10am Mar 10th, 2021
S1E19 A Dog and Pony Show
I remember not caring for this episode, and watching it again confirms the sentiment.
This is the episode that introduces Sapphire Shores, and I'm struck by how forgettable the character is. Had you asked me earlier which episode the character first appeared in, I probably would have gotten it wrong. I didn't remember the character's voice, nor her lines. Thus, this side character had less impact than Hoity Toity or Photo Finish (next episode!).
I also forgot how annoying the Gollum-like voices of the diamond dogs were.
There are basically two things good about the episode. One is the bit of classic cartoon slapstick where the ponies are trying to get in the diamond dog holes, and the dogs are constantly thwarting them by closing up the holes. The other is the friendship lesson, saying that being ladylike doesn't make one weak.
But in the end, the Mane Six stop some annoying creatures that, if memory serves, never appear again or get mentioned again. The whole episode is forgettable.
S1E20 Green Isn't Your Color
A second Rarity-focused episode in a row, and this one is much better. It introduces Rarity and Fluttershy bonding over spa treatments, launching a thousand ships. It's the first appearance of the Pinkie Promise, and Pinkie Pie displaying her terrible eldritch powers.
Photo Finish is a fun one-off character (if she appears again, it's not in as significant a role). We even get a second appearance of Hoity Toity.
The characters of Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle feel right in this episode. Rarity's jealousy fits her character, Fluttershy still can't put her hoof down, and Twilight Sparkle doesn't understand friendship enough to, without actually revealing any secrets, encourage Rarity and Fluttershy to honestly discuss their feelings. The better approach: "Try talking about what you really want and don't want. You might be surprised." But it's nice how generous they both are, in trying to benefit the other.
Spike, your crush on Rarity is not a secret.
But what I really want to know is how a hoof gets pruny after soaking in water too long.
In the epilogue Spoke mentions how hard it was to make peace between Capper’s race and the Diamond Dogs and Photo Finish and Booth Toity do have speaking roles in An Honest Apple even though I skip that episode when watching other reactions to it.
As noted, the Diamond Dogs do get one more mention in "The Last Problem." They show up a lot more in the comics; the annual coming out in a few weeks focuses on a diplomatic outreach mission to their home nation.
The same way a horn droops after spending too long in the sauna: Rarity really is a marshmallow.
Wow. :O I feel like Dog and Pony Show is one of the most important episodes in season one if not the entire show, because of how well it communicates just why Rarity is part of the main cast of this show. I was too used to reading characters like her as "the mean girl" and discounting them out of hand because of it, up until that episode, which proved her worth, and not a moment too soon.
Also, I thought Sapphire Shores was great, and spent the rest of the show being disappointed when the show forgot she existed and kept introducing newer and bigger musical stars. Also also, Diamond Dogs remain one of those big black boxes, filled with potential yet never addressed by the show again. I don't understand them, nor do I understand why they were never given any further detail in canon.
5471858
They didn't forget, this is just how the music industry works.
5471874
In our world, maybe.
A pretty poor excuse to forget a character exists.
5471888
I doubt they'd have passed up the chance to reuse assets if they weren't doing so on purpose.
5471858
I never saw Rarity that way. Arguably Twilight Sparkle was raised to be a hero, but the rest of the cast are local kids done good, with different interests and different personalities.
She's more like the D&D character with a high Charisma and ranks in all the social skills. A very helpful character to have in some adventures.
5471962
For sure.
She just comes off as very self-centered in early episodes that aren't about her (not to mention me watching the show through a lifetime of being surrounded by rampant misogyny). Finally seeing that she was in control of who she is, strong and capable not despite liking girly things, but because of it, that was a powerful moment of clarity.