), I do love fussing over stats where anything of interest is concerned, Fimfic included. Happily, I’m not alone (because duh Mini Re-Reviews: "Stare Master" & "The Show Stoppers" - Season 1 Episodes 17 & 18 · 11:11pm Dec 21st, 2019
FLUTTERSHY: "You know what they say, my poultry friends. It's always the quiet ones. You don't want to know what I'll do when I get really angry. Let's just say a dragon made me angry, and he didn't like what I did."
One of the curious things about Season 1 of Friendship Is Magic is that, though only a few episodes relate in any way to the loose seasonal arc (that of the gala - the episodes include the two-parter Premiere, 'Ticket Master', 'Suited for Success' and 'Best Night Ever') and thus it certainly can't be called a serialised show, almost all the episodes have a point. In other words, even in this early season that trades far more in the logic and direction of classical cartooning, even the fun, wacky episodes have a point to them. However people feel about the moral or lesson of episodes like 'Feeling Pinkie Keen' or 'Bridle Gossip', they made for quite the talking point.
Yet in 'Stare Master', there's a lot of fumbling around in terms of finding an adequate theme and focus for the episode. This episode is both a Fluttershy episode and a Cutie Mark Crusaders episode, and though it does lean more towards the former, there are lengthy stretches where it doesn't seem to know who is the main focus (the alternative, of them being equally focused, doesn't really come to pass, as the lesson is only really learnt on Fluttershy's end and the CMC are very much de-emphasised during the episode's last few minutes). The odd end result, I find, it an episode with some peculiar structural deficiencies that call attention to themselves, not helped by some mild padding to most sequences throughout to reach 21 animated minutes (as in, most scenes go on from anywhere between a few seconds to 20 seconds long, notable most clearly in an overlong "setting-up-the-story" sequence in Rarity's boutique and a slightly protracted denouement). You can tell Chris Savino was far more used to 11-minute episodes.
All of that being the case, this is still a good, enjoyable episode, though one that works better once one is used to the antics of the CMC - 'Stare Master' is frequently cited as a somewhat grating experience for many viewers the first time through. Some of that is still present even after the rewatching - the curious thing about the CMC is that, unusually for a kids show, they are often written as how actual kids act around adults, more akin to a primetime sitcom, then as kids are usually portrayed in kids' shows, as all-knowing little guys. A side effect of this show not normally having children as its main characters, but adults who act like, well, adults. This episode seems to still be figuring out the kinks in balancing that approach, so as to not annoy an adult viewer that is far more likely to sympathise with Fluttershy being in way over her head. Thus, even when we have such great moments that capture how kids act so well (the 3-part gag of the Scootaloo passing hammers to the others, and pausing before grabbing her own, is perfect), it sometimes gets to be a bit too much, in ways that don't quite apply to most of their future appearances. The episode's padded nature has something to do with that: thus, the sequence in Fluttershy's cottage before she ropes them off to bed seem to go on even though there is an escalating spine to the conflict.
Let there be no confusion, much of the charm of the CMC is seeing them fumble their way through life as only a child can, and it's something I am normally fully onboard with. It's just usually a bit more balanced in dosage amount then it ends up being here.
Ah, but when it's a Fluttershy episode, then the episode works really well. It's an interesting case of her having a small ego, assuming that since she's great with small animals that she'll be great with kids. The episode kind of tapers off having the CMC engage with the plot directly at times (all the problems get solved for them, from Fluttershy minding their sleepover to solving the cockatrice threat), which is why is feels like more of a Fluttershy episode that also features the Crusaders. The episode still has plenty of Season 1 strengths along the way, and even if the structure is loose during the Everfree section, I'll never say no to more lore, between the cockatrice (though one wonders how Twilight got caught unawares and petrified so easily) and Fluttershy's Stare. It's an odd element of her character, explaining how she's able to control animals so easily when necessary but also seeming a bit contrarian to her kind nature. Then again, they do say you have to watch out for the quiet ones. Regardless, even if it's mostly incidental to the episode's conflict (mentioned early on in dialogue and then see briefly so it doesn't come out of nowhere), it adds colour to the episode. And the fan fuel - nearly half this episode is nothing but on the surface, and whatever the episode itself remains a little too lose, it's never not a riot in the moment. It's a curious case of the episode's parts being a lot more then the sum of them, which still serves to make it memorable, if nothing else.
Even if 'Stare Master' is a bit more rickety, loose and padded then a usual Season 1 episode, and a good-but-not-great showcase for the CMC, it's a really good Fluttershy episode, and still a fun, hilarious, cute and engaging time. 7/10, and it only seems weaker after several weeks worth of really good to top tier episodes, it should be noted.
STRAY OBSERVATIONS
- Though it wouldn't be seen in full until Sisterhooves Social, this episode has a lot of great groundwork for Rarity's relationship with Sweetie Belle, between the younger sister wanting to help out and the older one just wanting her out of her hair. Given how much Sweetie Belle idolises Rarity, the dynamic is adorable rather then irritating, and that it serves as a good tease for one of the show's best episode (oops, spoiler) is even better.
- The usual level of attention-to-detail applies, with Rarity being framed at the end so we never see the side Opal is clinging to in full being an especially stellar example. Bravo, layout artists.
- The camera focus on Scootaloo's cloak getting torn and leaving a fragment behind is odd - normally such a thing would be the clue by which Fluttershy would realise where they've gone, but not only does the camera not focus directly on it, the footprints give the clue away anyway.
- On a related note, there are a few cases of the CMC's voices getting mixed up for incidental lines, like their promise to stay in bed before Fluttershy departs downstairs. Guess the ADR mixers were having early trouble differentiating quick lines between high-pitched tween girl voices, as this was the first episode to feature all three the whole way through.
- I love that the episode provides no explanation for the chicken being named Elizabeak. Brilliant.
SCOOTALOO: "Hey, remember the time Equestria Girls did an homage to these costumes in human form? Yeah, I try not to either; seeing them on humans tweens was off-putting whereas this is charming."
What a difference just a few changes make. Like 'Stare Master', 'The Show Stoppers' is still very much about the Crusaders being all gung-ho in search of their true purpose, and leaving behind a trail of failed go-nowhere attempts in their wake. The difference comes in the perspective; last episode only showed this as an annoyance that made the adults' lives a living hell - it was like if the DuckTales triplets didn't have clever problem-solving moments of ingenuity alongside the failures throughout their adventures. But here, we see that, lo and behold, the CMC are talented, and quite so, with Sweetie Belle being a great lyricist and singer, Apple Bloom being a renovator and decorator, and Scootaloo being dexterous and physically mobile, leading to being a good athlete and dancer. The episode shows off early on that the CMC do have these talents (perhaps a bit too forcefully for the adults, but it's not something I actively mind), and waits long enough until the talent show plotline is brought up to introduce the thread of them wanting to do other things, with them not considering those talents to be strengths at all, due to being so used to them. It's an unexpected and nuanced direction both for the characters and for the episodes, given a little extra lift by Sweetie Belle wanting to follow in her sister's footsteps, whereas the other two simply want to do things they think would be cool.
So, with the focus being on the Cutie Mark Crusaders and having more going on them simple "trying plenty of things and failing", that leaves the rest of the episode to entertain us lightly, and producing two major sequences along the way. The first is a three-minute dialogue-less montage of them trying various things, and it's a curious case of going on long enough that it comes back to being fun again after a bit of a drag. Well, that and it becomes fun to try and guess how they'll mess the next part up, though most of the things are harmless failures, just not resulting in a Cutie Mark. The mane styling exercise excepted. The montage is given a super-huge lift by one of the show's most iconic not-song pieces of music, a synthy jingle that has come to be regarded as the CMC Theme, and while it went drastically underused in the show thereafter, it struck gold as one of the few score tracks to see fandom usage alongside the show, both in original and remixed form.
The other sequence, of course, is the song at the talent show itself, a wonderful entertaining spectacle going in tandem with the obvious flaws - Apple Bloom's karate skills, Sweetie Belle's hilariously garish costumes, and Scootaloo's tone-deaf singing. Between the tune being a parody of cheesy 80's music and the vaguely hair metal band outfits, it's no wonder it remains a memorable highlight even now - to be honest, it was the only thing about the episode I remembered vividly prior to rewatching it. And hearing Michelle Creber and Madeleine Peters singing badly on purpose (which too such effort that even after several takes the final cut still required some pitch manipulation) is quite fun; double so now that an original take of them singing proper exists out there.
Even the adults are done just right throughout, with the episode not dwelling on their exasperation to the CMC's antics (Rarity's frustration at their theft of her fabric would be a problem if the episode dwindled there), and with Twilight and the others, rather then forcefully pointing out their talents, trying to gently guide them in the right direction. One of the best moments, following the CMC declaring they're going into comedy now, is Twilight gently sighing and remarking that the CMC will get it one day, after getting all fired up about having a report to send off to Celestia. It's an arc about setup for success that will happen one day, not failure.
This is a prime example of how to write children in a show that is (to Hasbro) for children. Not as tornadoes of chaos, but as fleshed-out three-dimensional people, or ponies, just beginning to play that little game called life. If this episode can inspire even an adult to stop and think about special talents and doing what you're passionate about, then hey, doubtless it can do the same for kids too. Between a much tighter and better-realised script for the CMC then the otherwise-fun 'Stare Master' and plenty of fun alongside all that, 'The Show Stoppers' gets the show back on track with another very good episode. 8/10
STRAY OBSERVATIONS
- Twilight addressing the CMC multiple times as "My Little Ponies" feels odd in a way Celestia doing the same never does.
- Even if she's no Rarity, the fact that Sweetie Belle could still make costumes that fit the trio means she's a functional seamstress, if nothing else.
Time I got back to these!
Yes, fair comment. I like this episode a good deal, but then I am somewhat biased where Fluttershy is concerned. (You may not have noticed this...
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Perhaps a reminder that, even though (as you say) the Mane Six are adults, contrasting with the CMC being kids, they are still quite young adults. Especially this early in the show's run, they do have a few moments of immaturity. Fluttershy's doesn't manifest itself in the way Rarity's does, but her assumption here is still one she wouldn't make even a season later.
Another thing that gets diluted later, with "Bats!" (an episode I generally like) being a particular culprit. I rather like how it is here, with it not being under her conscious control.
Horseshoe-prints, too -- another thing the show generally forgot about later on, with the diminution of the "these are horses" feel.
Undoubtedly. I'm racking my brain to think of any other instrumentals that approach its level, and I'm not sure there are any. I may be forgetting something, of course!
This seems to have quietened down now, but at one time it was pretty much received fandom wisdom that they were modelled on the outfits worn by Kiss.
Ah, she's just practising for the day when she'll need to do it for real.