MLP: FiM Thread 423: Flurry Road

[LastCall]

I have stuff to do now, so I'll give a full review later.

For now, I'll just say it's going to be low.

[Deleted]

I'm going with a four. I'm honestly hardpressed to think of anything I actually liked about that episode. Not really anything that terrible, but really can't think of anything I'd say even reached decent.

[Deleted]

The question is now: Will this 2-parter rank lower than the current holder for "lowest ranked season opener" which is "The Crystal Empire"?

[Eunös ✈]

This seems to be a pattern.

Episodes based in the Crystal Empire are genuinely not that great.

[EoE: Workin On My Night Cheese]

Once we get back to the one-and-done episodes that aren't trying to do too much at once, we should be OK.

[GreyScaleLJH]

Oh I thought this was better than the Season 3 premier. Surprised there was no songs.

[Deleted]

Mar 26, 2016 11:08:26 GMT -5 EoE: Workin On My Night Cheese said:

Once we get back to the one-and-done episodes that aren't trying to do too much at once, we should be OK.

Yeah, even going in I thought most of the episodes coming after this one sounded more interesting than it.

[Nikki Heyman]

I missed most of the first episode, so I don't want to give it a score without seeing it in its entirety.

Not sure what I was expecting from the premiere, maybe a little more... pageantry? More gravitas to the desperation of the situation?

Also, why was Sunburst even remotely ok with everything Starlight had done?

[Deleted]

As far as FAN goes, you are right, Eunos.

[GreyScaleLJH]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[EoE: Workin On My Night Cheese]

Mar 26, 2016 11:09:33 GMT -5 Nikki Heyman said:

Also, why was Sunburst even remotely ok with everything Starlight had done?

Probably a mutual "Oh, I guess we BOTH had embarrassing secrets then" thing.

[Alyce: Old Media Enthusiast]

Only saw the latter end, so I'll rate when I see it all

[Eunös ✈]

Next week if someone could guide me to the Youtube stream that would be greatly appreciated.


Bronystate is a complete pile of shit.

[Deleted]

Hmm, curious what his embarrassing secret will be once I watch the episode.

[BorneAgain]

Well, let's get to the autopsy. Final score for the Crystalling is... 5.5/10 (5 for part one, 6 for part two). If last season's opener worked via presenting a new antagonist in Starlight and a new spin on the story with the village ponies saving the day, the Crystalling doesn't work for reusing older story concepts, an inconsistent tone, and no real sense of tension.

First off, the Crystal Empire is just not terribly interesting as a setting. It lacks the immediacy of Ponyville and importance of Canterlot. Its a crystal area in the winterlands that simply isn't that big of deal, especially given how little we typically see of it.

Secondly, it terms of character use, its the problems I had with Daring Don't, times 10. Most of the mane six barring Twilight feel extraneous and even the Royal Sisters feel like they're here to apply the Worf Effect, which at least made sense when it was an evil Queen of Changelings, old malevolent vines set up by Discord, a demon from hell as the enemy. Now its.. the weather.

Third, these are two fairly different plots shoved in, and the tone suffers because of it. Starlight's stuff needs more room to breathe in order to get insight into her and Sunburst as characters, and that's undercut by the danger plot which keeps intruding on it. And the Flurry Heart scemes seriously clash with the supposed threat of the encroaching storm, so the babysitting antics lack humor and the destructive weather lacks threat. There's a reason Baby Cakes wasn't featuring the Pony of Shadows terrorizing Pinkie while she was looking after the Cakes.

And that leads to the biggest issue, this whole thing feels like older episodes done worse. Glimmer's attempt at reconciliation with friends was arguably done a bit better by Sunset in Equestria Girls (you know its a bad sign when the high school AU is the positive example) or Twilight in Mending Fences, the aforementioned baby cakes episode was funnier, and the Crystal Empire from season 3 sold the threat of encroaching enemy much better than this one did. King Sombra was bland but I bought him as a danger at least.

All in all a disappointing start to the season. Its up to Maud Pie next week to save the day for us.

[Alyce: Old Media Enthusiast]

Babbitha

[Malcolm]

Mar 26, 2016 11:07:07 GMT -5 Eunös ✈ said:

This seems to be a pattern.

Episodes based in the Crystal Empire are genuinely not that great.

I was about to say something along the lines of the same thing.

It seems that the Crystal Empire is still cursed.

[Nikki Heyman]

Mar 26, 2016 11:11:14 GMT -5 EoE: Workin On My Night Cheese said:

Mar 26, 2016 11:09:33 GMT -5 Nikki Heyman said:

Also, why was Sunburst even remotely ok with everything Starlight had done?

Probably a mutual "Oh, I guess we BOTH had embarrassing secrets then" thing.

His "Wait, you traveled through time?" comment suggested to me he didn't even register WHY she did it. 

I will give the premiere points for showing kids that "just because someone got to go somewhere ahead of you doesn't mean they'll remain better than you". 

[Eunös ✈]

I will admit I quite enjoyed Shining Armor in this 2 Parter,

But at this point SA and Cadence kinda suck as parents.

They really need to discipline Flurry, You almost destroyed a godamn Kingdom.

Also it was good to see Shining Armors parents talk.

[GreyScaleLJH]

8/10. Pretty solid episode, lacking in a few things perhaps, but I enjoyed it the whole way through.

My rankings of the season premiers:

1. 5
2. 2
3. 4
4. 6
5. 1
6. 3