Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
I wanted to like it more than I did.
Ultimately, it was more or less what I had feared since I saw the first promo. The Crystal Ponies themselves were clearly a toy gimmick and this episode was their PR. I'm not so naive as to not understand that MLP is ultimately a toyline and that The Hub is ultimately Hasbro 24-hour commercial channel. But, this episode was very blatant about it.
The plot was thin and little better than what one might find from the more primitive toy-cartoons of the 80s. There was no focus and plenty of filler. Mostly filler. The writing felt lazy and rushed, including the song lyrics. The villain was little more than dark cloud that laughed evilly now and again.
There were a few good bit here and there, but not enough to save the episode.
It's okay, they don't all have to be good. I write this one off as a sacrifice to appease the Hasbro toy masters.
The preview for the upcoming episodes did look much better.
Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
DEMI.
Also, Naru. You need to get those haters in line. Without previous generations of ponies Friendship is Magic would not be a thing.
What did I think about the Crystal Empire? I thought it was nice and good. Good and nice. Was King Somber the equal of Nightmare Moon or Discord? Not quite as epic as either of them. But I reason that he's meant to be more of an existential threat, at least in setting a tone for a great arc (if any) for the season and Twilight Sparkle.
I loved the crystal ponies and the crystal kingdom. I mused to myself that Hub may be a gigantic advertisement for their products but it's also very entertaining. I was making some breakfast while watching the Pound Puppies before MLP and I enjoyed it too. I realized only halfway through Crystal Empire that it was a big promotion for crystal ponies but I wasn't even mad because it was folded in nicely with the world of MLP. My favorite part though? Rarity getting better laughs than Pinkie Pie. Oh my pony her reaction to hearing crystal pony was classic and awesome and hilarious.
I'm totally looking forward to miniature mares and the plethora of Pinkie Pies.
Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
I really liked the episode. The Season Finale was so good, in a Disney Movie kind of way, but this one was really Old School Pony. Like I said about finale, those longer story lines remind me of the G1 ongoing story lines. In fact, it pretty closely mirrors a series from back in the day when they introduced the Flutter Ponies. When I saw the teasers for Crystal Empire the six year old in me went OMG WE ARE GOING TO FLUTTER VALLEY! The commercialism doesn't bother me.
OMG PINKIE PIE!!! That is seriously awesome, Bort. The haters are gonna hate but it cracks me up that those uber FiM fans will screech about "cannon" but then try to ignore the origins. Seriously, that would have been like saying Beast Wars is the only Transformers worth mentioning and G1 fans are stupid. Burn it with fire, indeed.
I will say the music was weaker for me. Typically the pony songs will, like, move me. Seriously, when Twi goes out on the cliff and does her solo at the end of Winter Wrap Up I am all . BBBF did too. Or else I am all happy, like with Smile, or Best Pet, but these were just kinda alright for me. I will say though that the exposition/montage is totally 80's so maybe that is what they were going for.
Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
I was once among them, the Haters. I was all FIM is awesome, down with other ponies! But thanks to you I see how vitriolic and unsensical that hate is. Now I'm all "Hey, man, we're all, like, ponies here. Can't we all get along?" Plus, seeing previous generation ponies in FIM animation style is p cool and you can't even be mad about it. Also, at least in this example, it's Pinkie Pie. There can be no Hatin on the Pinkie Pie. AND ALSO ALSO, WHAT HAPPENED TO LOVE AND TOLERATE.
According to the official episode description, this week's adventure kicks off with Pinkie Pie -- Equestria's most hard-partying and slightly unstable pony -- racked with Hamletesque indecision over which friend she wants to hang out with. The solution? Using the local magic pond to clone herself so that she can hang out with everyone.
Seriously. Pony Clones. Clonies. This is happening.
Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
That was a really fun episode. One of my favorite Pinkie Pie episode, along with "Party of One" and "A Friend in Deed".
I especially liked this episode because my daughter often has difficulty choosing one thing to do out of the many options. I liked that the lesson came down to sometimes you just can't do it all and there's nothing wrong with being happy with the one you do choose.
The comedy was funny in this one and everyone stayed in-character.
Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
Comixology sent me something yesterday about how that is sold out everywhere in paper but the electronic version is still available.
__________________
"freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order."
- Justice Robert Jackson, West Virginia State Board of Ed. v. Barnette
Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
Too Many Pinkie Pies was a good deal of fun. What I thought we'd get was unhinged, unbridled (no pun) Pinkie Pie fun - like A Friend in Need but multiplied. An episode where things just barely made sense because of all the non-sequiturs that all the Pinkies Pie (THE PROPER PLURAL) came at you with. To my amusement the episode wasn't that outrageous. Oh, I loved all the Pinkies Pie but the way they formed the episode around the lesson was really well done.
One Bad Apple had the best song of the season thus far. Plus, I love the CMC, as you know. ( ) And I don't think they've had a bad episode yet. Though this episode seems to cover similar ground as Griffon the Brush Off it comes at it from a different angle.
But now.
Oh, My Pony, y'all.
MAJOR SPOILER
The Great and Powerful Trixie is back! Best episode of the season so far.
Also, a new place in Equestria is named! Saddle Arabia!
Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
Bort is wise. Bort is good.
I agree with Bort.
Loved, loved, loved seeing the return of The Great and Powerful Trixie.
There was nothing wrong with this episode, not a single bit. From the rather Asian-looking store proprietor to the gorgeous Prince and Princess of Saddle Arabia, it was nice to see the wider world of Equestria.
*BTW: The Saddle Arabians were beautiful. I really liked their manes.
Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
The commercialism doesn't bother me. 
. BBBF did too. Or else I am all 
happy, like with Smile, or Best Pet, but these were just kinda alright for me. I will say though that the exposition/montage is totally 80's so maybe that is what they were going for.
Re: My Little Pony: Detractors We Will Tolerate and Love the Shit Out of You
Linear Mode
