MLP:FiM S5E4 & 5 - Bloom and Gloom, & Tanks For the Memories
Two episodes which can be summarised as 'Apple Bloom plumbs whole new depths of Cutie Mark- related anxiety', and 'Rainbow Dash deals with the Inevitability of Death - badly'.
I do enjoy CMC episodes - the three fillies are so earnest. This Apple Bloom-centric episode was written by Josh Haber, which is a generally positive thing - I've enjoyed his previous episodes. And it includes a sweet little lullaby from Applejack, and she doesn't get to sing often, let alone a solo. As for the plot, it managed to simultaneously answer a number of questions about cutie marks, and troll the audience by not answering others.
Lullaby - and Reprise
It did look like Starlight Glimmer was going to be making a return in this episode, given the repeated theme of unwanted cutie marks in the episode - interesting. The way Applejack's breakfasts got more and more elaborate the deeper into the Ponyception nightmare Apple Bloom went was amusing as well. And Luna has completed the set of visiting the Cutie Mark Crusaders (maybe she wants her own team of troubleshooters in future ). Luna must take her duties as dreamwalker very seriously, given the number of doors in that later scene. I wonder who helped ponies with recurring nightmares while she was exiled to the moon?
And I was delighted to see a pest control pony make an appearance - also I'm glad I don't have to deal with anything as dangerous as Twittermites. And I'm still of the opinion that Michele Creber is a staggeringly talented young woman, given her VA and musical work.
Tanks for the Memories, on the other hand, answers some questions about the role of Cloudsdale in the Equestrian seasons, but raises some even larger ones such as how the hell haven't there been any winters between Season Two and this one - especially since the Hearth's Warming Eve episode took place AFTER Dash got her pet tortoise. Ah well - Doctor Who has the UNIT Dating Controversy, now MLP has the 'Calendars - How The Fuck Do They Work' question.
That said, I'll have to agree with Cindy Morrow, the writer for this one, that if any of the ponies are going to be irrationally upset about a thinly disguised 'death of a loved one' analogy, it's going to be Dash. She is not the most introspective of ponies. That her pet is one that requires hibernation every year must have been a gift for Morrow.
"WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT ANGER? I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ANGER! I'M NOT UPSET! AND I'M NOT ANGRY! DO I LOOK ANGRY?!?!"
And RD's demented solution to her problem gives the show opportunity for Game of Thrones AND Grinch references. And a chance for a RD song solo - Ashleigh Ball's been quite lucky these last two episodes
Why the fuck is it that LJ-cuts and YouTube embeds open the embedded video automatically, at full screen size, when I try to preview a post now? It's rather annoying.
Huh - and I've only just realised Spike has his own room now - but still sleeps in a basket. Neither episode was as strong, IMO, as the opening two parter, but I still enjoyed them. They've been strong character pieces this year, and a song in every episode - no wonder it took them a year to finish this season :)
I do enjoy CMC episodes - the three fillies are so earnest. This Apple Bloom-centric episode was written by Josh Haber, which is a generally positive thing - I've enjoyed his previous episodes. And it includes a sweet little lullaby from Applejack, and she doesn't get to sing often, let alone a solo. As for the plot, it managed to simultaneously answer a number of questions about cutie marks, and troll the audience by not answering others.
Lullaby - and Reprise
Click to viewIt did look like Starlight Glimmer was going to be making a return in this episode, given the repeated theme of unwanted cutie marks in the episode - interesting. The way Applejack's breakfasts got more and more elaborate the deeper into the Ponyception nightmare Apple Bloom went was amusing as well. And Luna has completed the set of visiting the Cutie Mark Crusaders (maybe she wants her own team of troubleshooters in future ). Luna must take her duties as dreamwalker very seriously, given the number of doors in that later scene. I wonder who helped ponies with recurring nightmares while she was exiled to the moon?
And I was delighted to see a pest control pony make an appearance - also I'm glad I don't have to deal with anything as dangerous as Twittermites. And I'm still of the opinion that Michele Creber is a staggeringly talented young woman, given her VA and musical work.
Tanks for the Memories, on the other hand, answers some questions about the role of Cloudsdale in the Equestrian seasons, but raises some even larger ones such as how the hell haven't there been any winters between Season Two and this one - especially since the Hearth's Warming Eve episode took place AFTER Dash got her pet tortoise. Ah well - Doctor Who has the UNIT Dating Controversy, now MLP has the 'Calendars - How The Fuck Do They Work' question.
That said, I'll have to agree with Cindy Morrow, the writer for this one, that if any of the ponies are going to be irrationally upset about a thinly disguised 'death of a loved one' analogy, it's going to be Dash. She is not the most introspective of ponies. That her pet is one that requires hibernation every year must have been a gift for Morrow.
"WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT ANGER? I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ANGER! I'M NOT UPSET! AND I'M NOT ANGRY! DO I LOOK ANGRY?!?!"
And RD's demented solution to her problem gives the show opportunity for Game of Thrones AND Grinch references. And a chance for a RD song solo - Ashleigh Ball's been quite lucky these last two episodes
Why the fuck is it that LJ-cuts and YouTube embeds open the embedded video automatically, at full screen size, when I try to preview a post now? It's rather annoying.
Huh - and I've only just realised Spike has his own room now - but still sleeps in a basket. Neither episode was as strong, IMO, as the opening two parter, but I still enjoyed them. They've been strong character pieces this year, and a song in every episode - no wonder it took them a year to finish this season :)