Visiden Whines It: Applejack's Day Off · 9:24pm May 28th, 2016
I hate fanfiction sometimes. Being involved in it occasionally sucks some of the joy in watching episodes. It took only a few minutes past the intro for me to think 'yeah, this is dripping with shipping'. Once past that, however, it's a nice episode.
I like Applejack's little detective moment. A lot of ponies are getting into the detective shtick.
I actually think it's interesting that Applejack has this dichotomy in her of being the practical pony and being stuck in her ways. She reminds me of the dwarves of the Warhammer universe, constantly vacillating between technological progress and honoring their ancestors. Yeah, I know, earth ponies reminding me of dwarves again.
The mission impossible reference is a nice little touch.
Twilight and Rarity are shocked that Applejack is very busy. SHOCKED I say. It's almost as if Applejack is running a gigantic farm that not only produces raw goods but various finished products as well with only two reliable laborers. Apparently, she should be having all these days off despite the hours of backbreaking labor a farm demands.
Princess Twilight is stuck in her ways too, insisting on doing things by the letter, which Spike wisely points out again. 'course she's not called out on this.
Rarity, why do you have all these days off? Last time I checked, you have a thriving business too.
Rainbow Dash embarassed by being in a spa, because if there's a anyone who doesn't need a massage, it's an athlete.
Maybe Rarity works second shift.
Dripping with shipping? Nah. Rarity being annoyed, even bitchy at AJ being helpful (even if it was at the cost of their free time), which is pretty much core to AJ's personality... yeah, in a nutshell why they won't work
In many ways, this felt like a season one episode to me. It was very low-stakes slice of life, and the central plot took place around a girl's day out at the spa gone awry. Reminds me a bit of Look Before You Sleep, an episode centered entirely around a sleepover. The moral was also very clearly summed up, to the point where I was actually expecting Twilight to whip out a scroll and start writing a friendship report at the end there. Not to mention a noticeable lack of obvious cameos aside from Bulk (whose presence at the spa is actually continuity from a previous episode, and so entirely justifiable), and it's the first episode in a while where it feels like we learned something really new about the characters and their relationships. Before now, I never would've imagined Applejack and Rarity as having spa days, or that Rainbow had this side to her and is actually open with herself about it, if not with her other friends.
Season one was never my favourite, but I think this comparison is a point in the episode's favour. I thought it was pretty good. Five stars, ten outta ten, etc.
The funny thing is, by the end, after she learned to be more efficient, Applejack did suddenly have a whole lot of free time despite all that. And she was working the farm alone that day. Earth pony magic confirmed for OP. Studio B pls nerf.
What's the bet that Rarity is going to delegate more and more work with each new branch until she's one of those CEOs who spends all their time at the golf course and only shows up at the company occasionally for board meetings?
Actually I've found this episode way too plain, but after amazing last one maybe it should have been expected
No big deal, no advanced moral, nothing - maybe I have too high expectations after five seasons, I don't know
I did liked the RD moment tough. Yes, she was supposed to be comic relief of sorts, but it speaks about her own growth that she can get over being caught up like this - that she doesn't need to be all rough and tough all the time like she thought in "Ponyville Confidential" episode
Rainbow's voice cracked so much during when she came out of the massage I was giggling gaily to myself the whole time.
Twilight's not even good at reading lists. She should have read the whole thing first before beginning the first step.