Ghost Mike's Ponyfic Review Monday Musings #12 · 5:00pm May 23rd, 2022
Well, here we are. Generation 5’s about to start in the form it will be most defined by, a Netflix CG show, kicking off with the two-parter Make Your Mark.
Off the promos, trailers and clips, I have thoughts about it. Many… conflicted thoughts, not least about the animation (hey, a ghost's gotta have his priorities). But, now is not the time or the place for that, it can wait. In the meantime, let’s celebrate with another batch of just Generation 5 Ponyfics, shall we?
Truth be told, these reviews are among my oldest I haven’t published yet (two of them even from before I started publishing reviews back in March!), and are from a point when I tended to read many Gen 5 short stories if they were quick enough to get through. Now that I apply the same selectiveness to Gen 5 fics as I do with FiM-based fics, it’s fair to say some of these wouldn’t be read and reviewed at all now. But hey, no sense in letting them mooch about further on a hard drive, no?
As mentioned before, this’ll probably be the last time Generation 5 fics are permanently segregated off in separate review weeks, and we’ll see them mixed in with the Generation 4 goodness in the future. Don’t know when, but it’s an inevitability.
M’kay, enough ramble. Let’s get to some computer-generated pastel pony goodness.
This Week’s Spectral Stories:
Consolation Prize by SockPuppet
Pipp Sandwich by Quoterific
How I Became My Mother by Halira
“Lanyard Up”, Zephyr Heights! by Pipp Petals
😍 You Paired Me with Who!? 💓 Pipp Petals Edition by Pipp Petals
Weekly Word Count: 32,890 Words
Consolation Prize by SockPuppet
Genre: Romance/Slice of Life
Zipp, Hitch, Izzy
2,118 Words
February 2022
The Equestria Winter Games are now a thing, and Zipp has naturally qualified for the Zephyr Heights team. She comes to Izzy to commission a sports outfit, having her reasons for not using official seamstresses. But she also has something else in mind.
I’ll admit, my disappointment at what the fic ended up being is on me – the genre tags and description make it quite clear its focus is just being a cute, if saucy, shipfic between Zipp and Hitch. Within that bounds, it’s agreeable, if slight.
Everypony here already knows they have a thing for each other, though it’s vague as to whether they’re a couple already or not. On reflection, this is okay. There’s some nice reflection and consoling on Zipp’s part at barely missing her target, but the fic is quick to sidestep more earnest and heartfelt consoling and keep the mood light and frivolous (which does have some benefits, namely in Pipp showing some savvy preparation chops while getting a dig in at the episode “Equestria Games”, because of course it does). A few light homages to actual Winter Games events abound, and it all wraps up with some mild sexy saucy time between Hitch and Zipp. Which, yeah, I guess it makes sense as a ship, though I am not the best judge.
It’s a cute and diverting li’l shipfic, though its focus on being frivolous puts a low ceiling on what it can do beyond in-the-moment pleasantries. Zipp/Hitch fans will get more out of it, while for the rest of us, it’s a quickly forgotten diversion.
Rating: Passable
Pipp Sandwich by Quoterific
Genre: Comedy/Random/Slice of Life
Pipp, Zipp
1,804 Words
February 2022
All Pipp wanted was to do a morning live stream for her Pipp-Squeaks, showing how she keeps herself energised all day with the proper choice of food. In this case, the perfect sandwich. It’s not as though her sister will happen to intrude and embarrass her.
Writing either of the royal pegasi sisters in ways that aren’t insufferable or tedious to read is a hard task at the best of times. This is a little unusual on that front, told from Pipp’s viewpoint and without us really seeing why Zipp chooses to interfere and make an embarrassment of her sister. This does reflect how siblings relate and interact sometimes, having blind spots where they can’t rationalise each others’ behaviour even when they know the reasoning. Though it comes across mostly as a happy accident via the same underplayed tone and choice of writing style Quoterific uses, so I’m limited in how far it can be praised.
Otherwise, there isn’t much change, still holding back from really leaning into the comedy or building up to what Zipp wants, instead opting for just dropping it in the reader’s lap and scarpering. For a fic so short and focused around the end joke, a good delivery there is key. But a narrower focus on just two characters and one event, rather than diverging and wandering, does make this one more compact and satisfying. Pipp/Zipp sisterhood fic fans should be moderately pleased.
Rating: Passable
How I Became My Mother by Halira
Genre: Adventure/Sad
Queen Haven, Argyle, Phyllis, Zipp
26,630 Words
December 2021-February 2022Reread
Queen Haven is always putting on a mask, maintaining a facade, keeping a calm face. She never stops playing this role, and has been playing it for many years. She learnt from the best – her own mother. Yet back then, upon learning parts of their history weren’t fully true, she set out to discover the truth, and the possibility of reunification. What happened to change her to become like the mare she swore she would never turn into?
Despite having already read a good few “what made this jaded character, formally idealistic like the movie’s leads, into the form we saw them?” G5 fics, I’m always game for more, it’s a rich concept. And I’m not just saying that for having written one myself! This one gets off to a promising start, sketching out a Haven that isn’t as we know her, but in a different direction than any of the movie’s young leads. Watching her ideals slip and get more jaded during her adventure as she crosses paths with those of other tribes, and finds only hostility (with one exception lending the fic its thematic backbone), is reasonably harrowing. It’s a bit too upfront in telling Haven’s thoughts (leaving more to implication wouldn’t go amiss), in a manner that sometimes makes it feel more like a beat-by-beat summary than the actual finished story, but it’s got the goods.
Then the second half comes along, and it’s one of those “scenes concurrent with the film” stories, a genre that’s always dicey. Sadly, this iteration falls to a lot of the common pratfalls, having Haven reflect on onscreen events the audience knows the full context of, and which thus is largely wheel-spinning for the reader. And that’s ignoring the choice to straight-up regurgitate some of the film’s scenes (the fic gets over this tendency in the last quarter, opting for smarter chapter breaks so we now only see “new” material). The end result is only the last two of the back six chapters actually feel needed – some of the bits in the rest are technically needed, as the whole point is showing how Haven is trying to discipline her daughters while seeing herself in them so much, but they’re told in a repetitive manner. Best-case scenario to fix this would be keeping a few select scenes (a lot of them really don’t do anything that affects the rest of the story) and splicing in thoughts from others. The Author has stated this was a ten-chapter fic expanded mid-writing to twelve, and it shows – the chapter of Haven’s escape and travel in particular adds literally nothing.
I read this fic while it was updating, and felt conflicted enough about my thoughts that I left it for a while before returning for the review. Really, my prior thoughts all proved true, and reading it all in one only underscored the scrappy, improvised nature of some elements and chapters, and how some connecting elements rang less true than was ideal due to the rotating nature against routine plot elements (the connecting points to Phyllis and Alphabittle being good examples to hand – the latter doesn’t even get a moment of recognition and reflecting on their first encounter that the story would absolutely have you believe should happen). It did improve some aspects – not as much time was spent regurgitating film scenes as I recalled, only the bulk of two chapters – but not enough to talk about.
That’s a lot of complaining for a fic that I’m still quite glad to have read. Keeping itself to character relationships and barely bothering with the specific of the G4 -> G5 connection, and having a sturdy thematic arc and insight into Haven that does honestly give her depth that feels accurate to her film portrayal (if one sometimes over-reliant on stock tropes in concept and execution) carries this far. And the fic being short for its content level, with its unnecessary, draggy parts coming in the back half before it rebounds at the end, means it skips by. For all that I wish for a fully realised, more efficiently compact version that was less straightforward in execution, the compromised version we got is still a take on Haven worth savouring.
Rating: Pretty Good
This was probably the most I’ve struggled with which rating to give a fic. I do feel it’s really a Decent fic, not a Pretty Good one, but I do strongly get the feeling that some of the issues will mean just marginally enough less to most folks to inch it over the tier. Besides, it’s got more impressive to it than many Decent fics, and I feel it deserves to be read by more people. Hope that isn’t compromising my reviewer integrity!
“Lanyard Up”, Zephyr Heights! by Pipp Petals
Genre: No Genre Tags (really Slice of Life)
Pipp
1,129 Words
March 2022
Pegasi have been so excited to fly again, they have neglected to curtail their frequent phone-using habits while doing so. This has led to numerous mid-air collisions while doing so, and dropped phones. Pipp takes to social media to promote the new lanyard-wearing mandate to prevent lost mobiles, on top of encouraging not to use phones while mid-flight in the first place.
Basically a “don’t use your phone while driving” promo given a comic facelift through removing the mortal peril, this is a strange one. A quick glance at the author’s profile reveals they pretend to be are Pipp Petals in everything they post here, and that includes their two fics to date being structured as narrated livestreams. But though this fic’s concept would undoubtedly be able to do more with a normal narrative structure and viewpoint, it is a decent fit.
Not much to this. It goes down very quickly and gets some amusement via interjections from Zipp and Izzy (the former coming back in the Author’s Note to educate the masses as only she can). It’s committed enough to its viewpoint that it kind of works, or at least isn’t annoying. Not a bad place to be.
Rating: Passable
😍 You Paired Me with Who!? 💓 Pipp Petals Edition by Pipp Petals
Genre: Comedy/Random/Romance (w/Sex)
Pipp
1,209 Words
January 2022
Pipp decides, in her infinite wisdom, to react to all the ships other ponies have her with. Needless to say, it goes weird fast.
I only read this fic because it was the only other story by Pipp Petals (the author, to clarify) and it was super short. Just so you don’t get any ideas. It starts out normal, with Pipp basically using the suggested pairings as springboards saying what she thinks of the rest of the Mane 5 as ponies to know and be friends with (even the inevitable Zipp-Pipp pairing end up being mostly being used for this). It’s even a little sweet. Of course, it doesn’t last and soon goes through the crack ships (will there ever be Pipp/Alphabittle? Who knows), to joke ships with non-animate objects/concepts, to… photos of FiM characters that she points out as looking weirdly 2D.
This is such a random into-social-media fic that, truthfully, only gets mild comic mileage out of poking fun at ships and how ridiculous they get. The interested will read it anyway, but the rest needn’t fret about missing out. The lanyard fic did a better job at transcending its genre and viewpoint choices.
Rating: Weak
Spooky Summary of Scores:
Excellent: 0
Really Good: 0
Pretty Good: 1
Decent: 0
Passable: 3
Weak: 1
Bad: 0
Tell Your Tale: Commentary Corner
So… this episode’s first upload still had some storyboard drawings and shot labels present. In all 28 languages. “The Ending of the End – Part 1” gave us precedence, but come on. Plus, they only removed and reuploaded the versions with “My Little Pony” in the title. Chinese and other non-Latin languages getting neglected here. And then, the reupload still has the storyboard drawing, thumbnail and all.
EDIT: Apparently powerful companies have arrangements with YouTube to replace update video uploads without having to do a new upload, because the error vanished soon after. Lucky buggers.
Working in mobile apps for kids myself, I get malnourished QA departments, folks, I do. Doesn’t stop it from being equal parts astonishing, awkward, and funny.
If we can get onto the actual short now… the opening bird’s eye shot of Sunny flipping a pancake is one of the most visually dynamic moments in Tell Your Tale thus far. Not that there’s heavy competition. Followed by a Toon Boom variation on the ol’ “objects that won’t matter are painted, those that will are cel-shaded” visual distinction. Yeah, it is clear what my eye latches onto at times?
This starts off identically to last week, with everypony too busy and rushed to appreciate what Sunny is doing for them in a hefty pancake breakfast. They barely bother with excuses. Maybe the writers know their past examples have been equally flimsy as not bothering? Zipp’s just gotta rush (and takes just an apple, healthy girl, which simplifies its artstyle now its a focal prop), Izzy snacks on a few and leaves them to drool, and Hitch shows up to what isn’t even his house to fret about critters nicking garden tools, not even noticing Sunny flipping the drooly pancakes away. At least Pipp calls to apologise for missing this, even if the reason is because the male salon is “totes slammed”. That slang… Kill me. Already tried, to no avail.
Following your atypical 5 second sadness before stock “I have an idea!” facial animation and a title card, we have Sunny making a video announcement to her friends for a day hike. I appreciate her needing to swap from rear to front camera, girl’s new to smartphones. Though I could only notice the video remaining position-locked despite Sunny holding it in a hoof and moving. Zipp is first, fits a hike would get parkour pony’s attention. Hitch has a GIF of him dancing eagerly, Pipp a heart and Izzy a voice recording of her yelling in excitement.
Okay, the cutaway to unamused Sunny a lå the film got me. And… they all forgot. Terrible webseries friends gonna terrible. And Izzy shows up with a cart of gemstones (we never find out what for), plays along with her not forgetting, then admits it. Sunny is surprisingly forgiving. Dang, girl doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.
One bland travelling montage and spinning a dislocated direction arrow to decide which path to take later, we’re in a spooky forest. Cue scary eyes, backpedalling, and then running. Honestly, were it not for the artstyle, this would be the highest threat level seen in G5. Brief ominous film moment in Bridlewood, eat your heart out.
Meanwhile, at the Legion of Terrible Friends, the other three remember. Okay, I liked Pipp shearing off one of Phyllis’ coiffured curls. Guess she never noticed the bald spot comb-over and came back. The friends quickly realise the others should have been back by now, and set out. I do appreciate Hitch being the most panicked, being the closest to Sunny, suiting up quickly, and continuing to hyperventilate despite Pipp’s reassurances. Yeah, I buy that.
Cue Pac Man visuals of the two groups running around the forest, always missing each other. Guessing this forest has magic that prevents flight above the treetops? That, or Idiot Balls the writers hope we won’t notice or care about. On top of Hitch’s hiking gear being just for one gag, we can add Sunny & Izzy’s dishevelled states, wilderness bandana rags and all, to the list.
The groups bump into each other while backstepping out of fear, because of course, and end up camping for the night. I wondered if this was the flashback from Clip Trot, but no, that’s in the same/a similar place as the film’s campfire scene. Anyway, Hitch and Zipp argue about the way back, Pipp’s enjoying being scared, and Izzy’s cracking a terrible rap. “Levitate your hooves in the air, earth ponies don’t clean their underwear.” …A unicorn bunny gives her a bit for that, and Zipp breaks the silence by suggesting it’s time for some new lyrics.
…Yeah, I don’t know what they’re trying to do either. Please tell me it’s not some internet meme. Getting flashbacks to The Powerpuff Girls 2016 going all No Me Gusta on us here.
After Sunny sees a shooting star that can only be one pony and says this quality time is all she wanted, we get the storyboard art still there, reupload and all. Pipp cracks a “Sunday dinners -> Sunny-Day dinners” joke (title drop, ugh) and unlike past cases of characters acknowledging the joke is bad, or just laughing, passes it off as Totally a Thing, Though. I continue to refuse to believe that kids actually find characters acting like that endearing. Off of that, Izzy makes a not-as-bad-but-still-terrible rhyme and liking it, the others join in, and cue credits. Okay, it’s not a meme, but given Izzy wasn’t doing the first rhyme earlier in the episode, there’s no contextual build up. Can’t be time cuts, these vary mildly in length and this one’s on the shorter side.
Despite starting off with the exact same Insensitive Friends setup as last week, I had mild hopes in the early going. But all the Plot Contrivances and the friends having terrible social skills just irked much more here than with prior cases, where I was just numb to it. There’s only so much one can take of the writers relying on this crutch to propel plots, thinking it’ll fly because the tonal disposition is so bright and sunny (
), and the characters, Sunny especially, never having a mean or angry bone in their body. Which, well, to the sugar-addled tots they’re aiming these at… Definitely not the worst short, only limited social media vomit, but yeah, not a good ‘un even for this show’s standards.
- Foal Me Once (Ep. 8)
- Mane Melody (Ep. 5)
- The Unboxing of Izzy (Ep. 6)
- Zipp's Flight School (Ep. 2)
- Sisters Take Flight (Ep. 3)
- IT’S T.U.E.S. DAY [sic] (Ep. 9) SHIFTED -1
- A Home to Share (Ep. 1) SHIFTED +1
- Sunny-Day Dinners (Ep. 10) NEW
- Nightmare Roomate [sic] (Ep. 4)
- Clip Trot (Ep. 7)
My only opinion in regards to the G5 season coming up is that they're releasing it on Netflix.
Sorry, Hasbro, I'm not about to start using Netflix just for the sake of watching new pony. I'm sure I can watch it some other way, if not right away then eventually.
5659443
Fair enough. I'd feel much the same, not having a Netflix account either, merely being in the position of having a profile on a family member's who uses it far more. Though I think a lot of folks are like that when it comes to streaming these days!
On the other hand, for those of us working off of UK television, it's honestly more accessible than G4 ever was, confined to a SD-only minor kids' cable channel and with limited reruns and digital/streaming purchasing options. So, you know, it goes both ways.
I thought I was getting used to the TYT style, but this episode hit me as particularly ugly. Pinpoint hooves and long holds on awkwardly bent limbs really stood out when I watched it.
The storyboard thing... I'm guessing they edit the episodes before the animation is finished, with the boards in place of the final art. When a scene comes in, they just swap it out for the board art in the master file. In this case, they dropped in the cut but didn't notice that the board layer (with an alpha channel) was still there. The timecode's a seperate layer as well. Way more visible, but editors are so used to staring at the damned things that I bet it didn't register as wrong.
Cheap, inexperienced labor for the win!
As for the script, it's a generic #425-B except for the literally huge set-up with the literal cartload of gray rock "gems" that had absolutely no pay off. WTF? The only purpose it served was to show that Izzy can do the same sort of strenuous physical activity that Sunny can—while also hauling a half ton of rocks. Day-um girl!
5659480
It was a disjointed one, wasn't it? All the Pac Man parodies and kind-of-nice nighttime lighting can't salvage that. That said, I might have some other words to say about the art style here after we have the CG equivalent to compare to…
My sentiments exactly on how the error happened, layer toggling slips through the cracks when these things are so rushed and impoverished. I was thinking earlier "sometimes it feels like they spent as much money animating these as they do recording the voices. That obviously isn't quite true, but it can't be too far off, surely.
Indeed. We get so numb to the lazy scripting of these, and yet an abandoned setup like that is just… what? If this were a FiM script, I would have said it was an explanation that got cut for time, but these things have mild runtime flexibility (they've ranged from 4m47s up to 5m22s thus far, omitting credits), and there's no way the proper info for that could have occupied more than ten seconds. Ditto for setting up Izzy's infuriating rap rhyming thing at the end. Nope, this just feels like pure, utter laziness.
And the unicorns and pegasi wonder why earth ponies are envious of their magic when their own earth magic's advantages are almost never present…
All of this.
Sounds like this show is half-assed from start to finish.
The main reason I wrote it, honestly.
Thanks for reading!
5659446
Agreed that it was annoying we never got FiM on an HD channel. Though as a minor corrections, Tiny Pop is a Freeview channel, no cable needed. Not sure whether that was the case at first, but it certainly was by the time S6 was showing.
Neat story collection