Category Archives: Season 2

Wedding of the Dead

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This week featured a very special episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: The last episode…of the season!!! It was the last episode of the season and the one we’ve all been waiting for: A Canterlot Wedding!

I’d like to open by giving a few first impressions. I wasn’t expecting much. In fact, I was expecting it to suck. It’s a wedding! What could possibly be that amazing at a wedding!? Plus, I didn’t have that great a week, so my cynicism was in overdrive, and if you know me you probably also know that it should have killed me.

But an hour later, I had a smile on my face that just wouldn’t go away! I was happy, and I wasn’t exactly sure why. Probably because I’m a hopeless romantic!

Though, that is not to say the episode didn’t have its problems. It certainly did. Let’s run through them! Continue reading →

C.S.I.: Train to Canterlot

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This week on My Little Pony, we witness an interesting phenomenon: The application of critical thinking.

Remember back in season one? The episode Feeling Pinkie Keen was all about Pinkie’s precognitive abilities, and Twilight being extremely skeptical, and continually searching for a more logical explanation, but in the end just accepts it without another thought.

This pissed off a lot of skeptics. She should not have just accepted that Pinkie had superpowers, she should have vehemently denied their existence. Well, I disagree, primarily because the events of the entire episode verified Pinkie’s abilities. The thing about the supernatural is this: Skeptics don’t simply not believe it exists because it doesn’t fit any models of known science. We don’t believe because there’s no evidence that it’s anything more than deception.

If you can prove that you can predict the future, beyond any doubt, and can do it over and over again, I will believe you. It’s easy: just tell me what this week’s Lotto numbers are…and do it more than once to prove it’s not just a fluke. After that, we can work on modifying, adding to, or replacing the various physics models we use, so they fit this new evidence.

Prove there are ghosts, and I’ll willingly throw out the Theory of Relativity!

But still, it pissed off a lot of skeptics, and I guess I can understand. It might send the wrong message to children who wouldn’t see the big picture. But this week, it appears they’re making up for it. When we see Pinkie call up her inner Greg House and learn how to be a bit more skeptical…kinda. Continue reading →

Biased and Faulty

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The thing about journalism is that it has become kinda shitty in recent years. “If it bleeds, it leads,” is the new adage among many newsrooms, and this has caused many people to either ignore these morons, or take them seriously, and I’m not sure what’s worse.

The role of journalists is to report the truth in the most honest and even-handed way possible. To be fair and accurate, as my old journalism professor put it so many times. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really sell papers, or get ratings, or page hits. Fear, controversy and rage are what get people’s attention, and so that’s what editors tend to push to the front page.

You ever see Moonlight? It premiered a few years ago and only lasted half a season, so it’s okay if you didn’t. Anyway, one of the characters was a reporter for a website called BuzzWire, and when her editor is murdered by a vampire, her replacement says his top priority is getting the story out before anyone else. So, forget fact checking, if it’s wrong they can print a retraction later. What a cunt! This is not the way to do business! At least not ethically!

There was a time when journalism wasn’t about the money, it was about doing the right thing. A company would gain money from other sources and use the profits to fund a media outlet that wasn’t necessarily designed to make a profit. But in recent years, it’s something the shareholders frown upon.

With all that in mind, we move to the latest episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, as the Cutie Mark Crusaders try their hoof at journalism, and learn these ethical principles the hard way. Continue reading →

Fluttershy and the Waves

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Equestria is an unusual place. I mean excluding the whole ‘sentient ponies’ and ‘living mythological creatures’ thing. What I mean is, it’s unusual because of the jobs certain ponies have. Specifically, the jobs inherently connected to their race.

Now, earth ponies are in charge of managing the animal and plant life in Equestria. Which makes sense to a certain extent, I mean, here on Planet Earth, we have farmers, and pet owners. But generally they don’t bother taking care of wild animal and plant life, because those can take care of themselves.

Unicorns are in charge of raising the sun and moon every day. I wonder when the others pony races are going to clue in that the planets orbit naturally, and if they didn’t, the moon would’ve crashed into the planet long ago. But it’s a good scam they got going on, no wonder they don’t tell anypony the truth. Now, it is possible the planet is tidally locked, so they need to force it to rotate, but it would have to be a lot closer…they must have one hell of an ozone layer.

Finally, the pegasi, who are in charge of the weather. Which actually makes a lot of sense, I mean if we could do it, we so would. We could prevent hurricanes, tornadoes, major ice storms that can take out three provinces at once, and snowstorms during exam time. But this week it’s revealed that they don’t just control it, they need to create it. If they didn’t, the entire planet would likely become a wasteland. How the hell did life evolve on this rock!? Continue reading →

Dumbass and Dragons

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Don’t ever forget, above all else, to know thyself. It’s a very important concept to remember. Know who you are and what you are capable of. I, for instance, know I am an atheist skeptic with a chip on my shoulder. I also have a natural skill in mathematics and I love Earl Grey tea and my cat when she’s not being a pain in the ass.

As part of this, it’s also important to continually try to learn new things about yourself. As they say: you never know until you try. I, for instance, recently discovered: I like coffee. I used to think I hated it. But that was probably because, back then, I was served shit coffee. Apparently, if it’s made right, I actually kinda like it. Funnily enough, I feel the same way about tea.

It is on this note that we begin this week’s episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Spike the dragon is a unique specimen. Like a man raised by wolves (I hear there are a few movies about that), he is fully absorbed in pony culture. So much so that he gets caught in a bit of an identity crisis. He’s a dragon, who doesn’t act like a dragon. So what exactly is he? Continue reading →

Time and the Poni

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Twilight is very very smart, yet crazy and stupid. What? You’re shocked!?

Turns out you can be smart and stupid at the same time. It may be hard to understand, but it’s true. You can have the entire Encyclopedia Britannica memorized, and still manage to fuck up every social encounter you make.

Twilight Sparkle is the epitome of this concept. Hell, it’s the premise of the whole series! Twilight Sparkle, genius, goes to Ponyville to learn basic social skills. Hell of a show!

Unfortunately, Twilight’s idiocy isn’t just limited to social interactions, but…well, basic logic and reasoning.

Thus, we are led into this week’s episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, where Twilight time travels. Continue reading →

Derpy Shot First!

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Okay, okay, okay. It turns out I’m prone to making mistakes. A month ago, I wrote about the Derpy controversy on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, where Ponyville’s resident lazy-eyed pegasus, appeared to be getting retconned out of existence. In the end I determined that despite the fears of the fans, there probably wasn’t much to worry about.

Turns out I might have been wrong on that. Continue reading →

Friendship is Canon

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Last week, I mentioned how perplexing it was that Hasbro hasn’t released a White Celestia. A toy that has been requested by every member of the fan community since day one. I figured it was the same reason they haven’t released a DVD box set: A crippling fear of money and success. Turns out I’m wrong. You see, a few hours after I posted that, the news hit the community: They are releasing a white Celestia!

The background gang's all here!

WOOHOO!!! I’m excited! Not just for the Celestia, but for the rest of the gang: A glow-in-the-dark Zecora; DJ Pon-3; and Nightmare Moon, which I thought was a completely unique mould, until I noticed a Celestia that they probably based it off of. There’s also everyone favourite bitch: the Great and Powerful Trixie, and my personal favourite: Heartstrings…or Lyra, if you prefer. Continue reading →

Love is a Poison

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One of the biggest activities among major fan communities is “shipping.” That is, the pairing of two characters in a relationship. I remember back in the day, my first exposure to this was through Harry Potter. I loved the idea of Harry getting together with Hermione. It only made sense to me. So much so that I got pissed and stopped reading halfway through book six, because the idea of Hermione ending up with Ron sickened me.

Perhaps I got stuck in my own dogma. I’m just bothered by the fact that the supposed ‘smart girl’ ended up with the most incompetent character in the book. Seriously, what does Ron have going for him? He’s good at chess!? That’s hardly a practical skill.

Um…where was I? Oh, yes, shipping. Every fan community does it, to a certain extent, and of course the fans of My Little Pony are no different. Except for the fact that the show has a majority female cast, therefore most of the “shipping” is of a homosexual nature. Nothing wrong with that. Unless you’re a knee jerk religious fundamentalist, in which case, this kid had the right idea: Continue reading →

Derp it and Weep

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Before I talk about this week’s episode, I think I should write about the latest controversy in the My Little Pony community, because those are always fun. Actually, I wouldn’t call it controversy, but it is an issue, and I can’t help but feel a bit responsible.

You see, two weeks ago, I wrote about the recent characterization of Derpy the Pony. As a clumsy idiot with Down Syndrome. Turns out I might need to take that back. Continue reading →

Applejack Earns a Point

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So, in case you didn’t know, I’m not a big fan of Applejack. She’s kinda boring, and typically doesn’t do much, and she’s also very stubborn. I’m sure she’s fine as an individual, but on a show where you have such big personalities, her lack of one is a problem.

However this week, that all changes. As Applejack’s greatest quality, her integrity, takes centre stage. It’s an aspect that hasn’t seen a lot of screen time, but I’m certainly glad it did. Continue reading →

Applejack on the Rocks

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I’d like to begin this week by saying something I’ve probably said before: The fans are not always right. In fact the fans are most usually wrong. Yes, I include myself in that statement.

Fans don’t know dick. If they did, they wouldn’t simply be fans. But they would be…I don’t know what the word is…opposite of fans… They’d be creating things that people are fans of, not merely consuming it, is what I’m saying.

The wisdom of the crowd is an oxymoron, and I can prove it. The crowd will always do the same thing, for instance, they will always take what little information they may have on a minor fictional character, and extrapolate it to the most obvious result. Booooooring!!! It’s why the phrase, “design by committee” is often used as an insult. Continue reading →

Adventures in Ponysitting

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Well, it’s finally happened. I’ve run out of ways to open a My Little Pony episode review. It was bound to happen, I mean there’s only so many combinations of words in the English language that are pony-related.

This week, Pinkie Pie babysits two newborn foals. Not realizing that it’s more than fun and games, you actually have to change a few diapers. Continue reading →

Crazy Grandma Day!

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Once again, it’s time for another episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and since I’ve reviewed every episode thus far, I figure I’m required by law to review this one.

It’s a crucial time for the Apple Family, as they begin the Zap Apple harvest. Zap Apple trees are magic, they grow very quickly, and must be harvested even faster. So everyone needs to be well prepared. The timetable is tight, and there is no margin for error. Continue reading →

Equestria Day in December!

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It’s Christmas Hearth’s Warming Eve this week on My Little Pony, when our heroes tell the story of the founding of Equestria. It’s a crucial moment in their history, and I for one am glad we heard it. It’s good to know that the writers thought of these things, I mean, imagine if they didn’t. To establish a universe and not have any clue regarding its history or mythology!? You’d have to be a complete hack to even try something like that…Abrams! Continue reading →

Hoarders: Ponyville Edition

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I’m loving the new season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It has been a great source of comedy and catharsis. By that I mean the continual subversion of fan-created ideas. I love it when people are taken down a peg, myself included.

This week, we discover the details of the dragon aging process. Specifically that their physical age is directly proportional to their wealth, and the older they get, the greedier they get. It’s quite a vicious cycle, which I assume peaks at a certain point. So this means all those fan writers who portrayed Spike in the future as a big-ass dragon, got it wrong. Continue reading →

Friendship is Meme

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I recently had a revelation about My Little Pony. That while the show is excellent, and I will always continue to watch it, it has one of the most annoying fan communities in the world. I don’t know why I associate with them, I really need to stop it.

Okay, maybe I’m being a bit harsh, that comment is mostly inspired by a comment I heard regarding one of my favourite games of all time: “Portal is the only game I’ve been unable to fault in…[but] In the time since then and the release of Portal 2, you’ll be pleased to hear that I eventually did come up with a criticism for Portal 1: it’s got the worst fucking fans in the world. Nothing ruins a good thing quite like knowing you share your opinions with mindless little tits who bray like mules if you so much as mention the word ‘cake,’ and the good thing in question can never be the same again. This is technically known as the ‘Knights Who Say ‘Ni’ Effect.’”

I’m getting the same feeling with regards to My Little Pony. How so? Continue reading →

Darkwing Pony

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Who doesn’t love superheroes!? Well, apparently, Rainbow Dash. Yes, it’s another pony-sode, and it’s all about Rainbow Dash…again…for the second week in a row. I’m not saying I have anything against Rainbow, I’m just saying, spread those episodes out a bit. Continue reading →

Fear and Loneliness in Las Ponyville

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Owning a pet is a big responsibility, you have to feed it; give it water; and clean up after it when it pisses, shits, and vomits on your rug, or laundry pile. So why have one? Because they are also a great source of joy. Short of having a kid, you can’t get that kind of love elsewhere, and having a friend who is okay with listening to the bullshit you rant about can be really cathartic. Even though they don’t understand a word you say. Also…kitty’s fur is so soft. Purrr.

Anyway, this week on My Little Pony, Rainbow learns the value of having a pet, the best friend you will ever have, by getting one. Continue reading →

Patience is a Cutie Mark

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Ah, youth! Always trying to act older than they are. I remember doing that when I was young. It might be part of the reason I hate coffee…don’t ask.

Of course this leads to some kids biting off more than they could chew. Know any teenage parents out there? It’s called condoms people!!! How about someones my-parents-are-out-of-town party? Alcohol, weed and vomiting are the order of the day at those things. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but please people, learn to pace yourselves.

So this week on My Little Pony, Apple Bloom learns you shouldn’t try to rush growing up! Or, at least, she learns she shouldn’t take a magic potion for that purpose. I believe there was an episode of Star Trek of a similar nature. Continue reading →

She’s Tugging at My Heartstrings

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Another fortnight, another pony episode. I find it funny that I have so much to write about this. It might have something to do with the fact that I’m actively writing a My Little Pony FanFiction, and I’m following so many My Little Pony fanartists on DeviantArt. So I constantly have ponies on the brain.

Before I begin to talk about this week’s episode, I’d like to talk about one of my favourite background characters. She’s a mint green unicorn who likes cake, and hates it when a bug eats her cake.

Awwww. Continue reading →

BCAWK at the Moon!

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Yes, another week, another pony episode. I never thought I would end up doing a review of every episode this season, but here we are. The show’s fantastic as I’ve already attested to, the first season was simply amazing, and so far, the second season has surpassed it in quality. Though I’m really waiting for the sub-par phoned-in episodes to air any week now.

This week featured an event fans have been waiting for, for about a year: The reappearance of Princess Luna after her debut a year ago, to the day no less! The most amazing thing about this episode, was that someone apparently gave her a makeover!

Luna Before! Luna After!
Before using Herbal Essences After using Herbal Essences

What the fuck is this!? What happened to her hair!? Okay, I’m not going to complain about the darker colour of her coat. We can say it’s due to a change in lighting and I really don’t care, but her hair!? Luna’s hair was what made her so hot! Now it’s nebulous and weird! She looks just like Celestia, and Celestia’s the not-hot sister! I liked how she looked before. Beside that, the fact is that it’s inconsistent! Why did her hair change in corporeality between then and now?

Of course, there is a possible explanation. Considering her last appearance was during the daytime, we can easily say she looks different depending on whether it’s day or night, and the same might be true of Celestia. When it’s night, Luna has her nebulous hair because it’s her time, and during the day, it’s Celestia’s time, so she gets the nebulous hair. The only hole in this theory is in the last episode, Lesson Zero, Celestia made an appearance in Ponyville immediately after sunset. But considering it was still dusk when she left, we can call that a wash. I’m sticking with this theory! It might also explain why the Celestia toys are pink! It’s Celestia at night! Continue reading →

Friendship is Panic

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So, once again, another episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic has aired, and so I decided to review it.

It's impossible for Fluttershy to not look cute.

Season 2, Episode 3: Lesson Zero. Technically, this is the real season premiere, The Return of Harmony was produced during last season’s production cycle. So it’s only now we get a feel for the future of the show without Lauren Faust’s direct involvement…and that feel is, the show might be better off without her. Continue reading →

My Little Sequel

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So, it’s a new season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. As you may or may not know, I am a huge fan of the show, and for good reason. The characters are well developed, the episodes are well written, the music is well composed, and the show itself is well animated. It really has everything going for it.

So now a new season has begun, something I for one, have been waiting for, for months. Originally, the only word regarding the new season was that production would end in December. A lot of people (myself included) interpreted that as being the premiere. The actual premiere was on the 17th of September. Much earlier, and I certainly appreciated that. I hate waiting too long.

So the new season has begun, and the question is: Did it begin with a bang or a whimper? It’s difficult to say. The premiere, The Return of Harmony, was a two-parter and a direct follow-up to the very first episode. It featured the return of the Elements of Harmony, and a new bad guy, the former ruler of Equestria, Discord. Overall, there’s a lot to talk about. Continue reading →