Episode Re-Review: Brotherhooves Social · 7:14pm May 4th, 2021
So after three Rarity episodes in the span of four (and in terms of original airdate three back to back), it was time to give someone else the spotlight. But it wasn't going to be another mane six member, and it wasn't really going to be a Cutie Mark Crusader either. Heck, it wasn't even going to be Spike. No, it was going to be the show's earliest stand out male character in Big Macintosh. Dave Polsky was on tap to write for this episode, which was by no means a guaranteed success after "Appleloosa's Most Wanted". And considering Big Macintosh would go on to get two trilogies of focus in Seasons 6-9, this episode could be easily overlooked, especially considering the episode it was paired with was "Made in Manehattan", and that had been a dud. But maybe this episode had a chance, even considering the big developments being teased at for Season 5 that had yet to come out? Well, let's find out.
The episode begins with Granny Smith looking for a blue ribbon that used to be given out to the winner of the Sisterhooves Social. She doesn't seem to find out, but she does find an old toy that Big Macintosh used to use to entertain Apple Bloom when she was younger. However, Apple Bloom is too busy rehearsing her routines with Applejack for the upcoming social to take any notice of what Big Mac is doing. Applejack soon takes notice of how, even without saying it, Big Mac is envious of the attention and praise Applejack gets from Apple Bloom. Soon afterward, her cutie mark glows which means she's being called by the map. And we already know that she's being called away to Manehattan, meaning she'll be missing the social. Apple Bloom complains about this, claiming that Applejack's "amazingness" is now backfiring.
Apple Bloom thus falls into something of a depressed state, and nothing Big Macintosh tries to cheer her up will work. The next day, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stop by as Scootaloo mentions that she'll be competing in the social this year with Rainbow Dash. Sweetie Belle complains about them not being biologically related, but Granny Smith mentions the social has a pretty loose policy on what counts for a sister. And that gives Big Macintosh an idea.
To that end, Big Mac poses as Apple Bloom's "Cousin" Orchard Blossom with a lavish dress, a wig and high heels. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo see through it in an instant, and Apple Bloom is convinced the officials for the social will too. Even Rainbow Dash isn't fooled, though she clams up when Big Mac (as Orchard Blossom) inquires about Rainbow's connection to Scootaloo.
Much to Apple Bloom's disbelief and annoyance, the officials seem to buy the disguise and she and Big Mac are allowed to compete. The first event is a singing contest and Big Macintosh has a song already picked out, leading to the song "Sisterhood". It's a song that does the job well, ending with Big Mac forgetting he's supposed to sound like a girl and briefly exposing his deep voice. Fortunately, Apple Bloom covers for him and they leave the event. Big Macintosh insists that they'll just have to win a ribbon at another event, but Apple Bloom isn't so convinced. It doesn't help that one such event ends with Big Mac kicking her off the stage.
Eventually, the only event left is the race and Big Mac is determined to win. But he and Apple Bloom are up against Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo who have their own routine worked out. Because of the high heels and the dress, as well as his huge stature, Big Macintosh struggles to keep a good pace going and gradually sheds parts of his disguise as the race goes on. He also grows steadily impatient, tossing a haybale over the line and then jumping into the pile of grapes without realizing Apple Bloom's already trying to squish them. She actually pops out of the press while claiming she was "almost" squished as well.
From there, Big Macintosh waits impatiently for Apple Bloom to deliver the egg from the chicken coup. And as soon as she does he picks her up and runs off, plowing through fences and shoving aside all the contestants still left in the race.
After a celebratory touch down dance, Big Mac's dress rips and he's finally exposed. And right at that moment the social officials show up. However, they state that it's not because Big Macintosh was a stallion posing as a mare that he got disqualified, in fact the loose definition of what counts as a sister meant he had no need to dress up. What did get him in trouble though was using his physical strength to tear up the race track and knock other teams out of the competition. So he's disqualified on those grounds, giving the win to Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo as a nice way to resolve their own little subplot.
At sunset, Big Mac sits on a hill top underneath a tree and just silently laments about his failure. Apple Bloom tells him that he didn't get her banned from the social for life and she can always try again next year (though we'll never see such an attempt on-screen). She asks him if he wants to talk about what he did but he refuses to speak up, so Apple Bloom walks away. Then, Big Macintosh speaks up and reveals how Apple Bloom used to look up to him. But now Applejack's the big hero of the family and he can't compete with that. In fact, he doesn't even wanna talk about such a thing because he thinks Apple Bloom doesn't wanna hear it. However, Apple Bloom realizes her mistake and lets Big Mac know that even if she doesn't show it, she'll always have a place in her heat for him. Then the episode ends with Granny Smith calling out to let them both know that Applejack's come back from Manehattan.
And that's the story, so what do I think of the episode? Well, it could've very easily gone for the easy and comedic route: Playing up Big Macintosh in a dress and how no one but Apple Bloom knew it was him, and that him being a stallion was what got him disqualified. Had they gone that route the episode would've been insulting and degrading. But thankfully they took the high route instead, indicating that Big Mac didn't need to do what he did to compete with Apple Bloom. And it wasn't him being a stallion that was a problem, it was his conduct during the race. Heck, they didn't have to include the scene of him pouring out his heart and speaking up for the first time in several seasons. But they did and the episode is all the better for it. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo's subplot was nice as well, it didn't have to be in the episode and could've easily been forgotten, but they gave it time and attention as well as a satisfying resolution. If I had one complaint, it's that Apple Bloom can come across as kind of whiny and ungrateful at times in this episode, not unlike Sweetie Belle in "For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils" (which Dave Polsky also wrote). It's never to a degree that she's unlikable, but considering the lengths Big Macintosh is going to just to allow her to compete she could afford to not get on his case so much (and the same goes for his earlier efforts to cheer her up). However, this episode still easily gets an A+, chalking up another surprise hit for Season 5.
So now we come to what I'm sure is a re-review that's been both anticipated and dreaded for so many in "Crusaders of the Lost Mark", an episode originally airing on the show's five year anniversary and one that would come with a lot to unpack, not just for the CMC but also for Diamond Tiara of all characters.
This episode is definitely pretty great.
I just wish the discourse around it hadn't happened
So which pair of episodes would you say did the "Synchronous Episodes" trope better? Just for Sidekicks and Games Ponies Play or Made in Manehattan and Brotherhooves Social?
5512559 Probably "Made in Manehattan" and "Brotherhooves Social" simply by virtue of having an episode that was actually good, even if it was only loosed tied to the other half.
5512642
Yeah, I've noticed that of the four episodes, this is the only one you didn't give a C- in your re-reviews.
Probably gonna get a lot of flack for this, but that scene at sunset is pretty close to rivalling Leaves From the Vines in terms of how much it makes me wanna give Big Mac a big ol' hug.