The Cart Before the Ponies S6E14 Review · 7:37pm Aug 6th, 2016
Another CMC-Sisters ep? I think we haven't focused on these six since Sleepless in Ponyville. Cool.
Pony is at its best when its being original and creative, and often at its worst when it gets predictable and dull. This episode sorta serves as meta-commentary on that idea. The three ribbons for the derby are for best designed cart, a cart modelled after an old-fashioned cart, and the winner of the race. You'd think we'd immediately peg the CMC for each ribbon, except not - Apple Bloom is the one who wants to win, Sweetie Belle is really taken with the old cart designs, and Scootaloo wants to create a really cool design. The three even lampshade they presumed what the others would want to win and got it wrong.
And of course you know what's going on, the three sisters get involved (I appreciate that Scootaloo amends Rainbow isn't her sister actually but might as well be) and take over the project because they want to win the obvious way. I do like that they give the three different reasons; Rainbow has fond memories of winning a derby as a kid and wants to recapture them for Scoots, Rarity lost a derby as a foal and is obviously living vicariously through Sweetie Belle, and Applejack makes it about staying true to family tradition. The CMC keep trying to steer the project back how they want it, but sister knows best.
This being pony, I have more faith in them to keep it predictable. That faith isn't always vindicated, but I kept waiting for the twist. Like the CMC switch carts, or they still win the prizes they wanted regardless of the sisters. But no. There's a crash and the CMC call the sisters out and have the obvious conversation to the point you can pretty much predict each line of dialogue before it comes. Cheerilee calls a do-over without the adults, the cast somehow all build new carts in the same day, and we hold another race. The episode ends without the race ending, which I have mixed feelings about but overall like. Sure it's a cop-out that we don't see the end, but that isn't the point, is it? Who cares if the trio actually won the awards they wanted, they got the carts they wanted and are having fun.
A couple other thoughts. Cheerilee spends the episode in a cheerleader outfit, and I'm sure somewhere out there is a clopfic with her and Big Mac being written about that. DT is once again a happy well-adjusted filly, which pleases me. Three seasons ago this episode would have been about them trying to beat DT or something. We also see her racing with Randolph, not Filthy Rich, some more fanfics inspired by that perhaps? And as she is wont to do Muffins (I am attempting to no longer use the name Derpy) steals the show with her... son? I am surprised the showrunners didn't have her with Dinky, but perhaps that's too predictable. Or maybe Dinky is too young for the race and this is her older brother. We see Snips' dad, who is a barber, naturally. Finally, the showrunners give us enough Chickun jokes to last another four seasons.
Overall a fairly lackluster episode with a very predictable story, but it's not insufferable.
Honestly, this episode made me regret for the first time ever that Diamond Tiara was reformed, because if she was not she could have been like Snidely Whiplash in Whacky Races and cheated to win in hilarious ways.
4135793 Spoiled Rich probably could've filled that role.