The Maud Couple

Friendship is Magic first impressions review: The Maud Couple (s08e03)
by Obake

(SPOILERS!))

Pinkie must learn to cope with Maud's new boyfriend. This episode is more interesting in premise than execution.

I spent the entirety thinking that Maud's beau, Mudbriar, was being voiced by Jim Parsons of Big Bang Theory, but it is actually actor Adam Kirschner. Briar is an oddball akin to Maud, only with an obsession on sticks rather than rocks. Having two deadpan characters share screentime would seemingly spell treacherous tedium. But while there are tedious moments, the episode is not bad.

Pinkie is devastated to learn that Maud does not really like surprise parties, and thinks Mudbriar's influence has something to do with it. However, a visit to her sisters Limestone and Marble confirms that Maud was indeed sparing her feelings. Pinkie decides to team up with Mudbriar and throw the type of party Maud really wants: something small, simple, and quiet.

Mudbriar is hard to get used to. He repeats a lot of deadpan phrases (like the word technically), and spends a lot of time awkwardly staring, but he is not insufferable. It helps that he and Maud genuinely enjoy each others company, like when they go over the technicalities of what makes petrified wood both former pieces of wood and rock. Maud even states how happy he makes her feel, smiling as she says it, which speaks a lot about their feelings.

The Maud Couple is nothing great, and has (pardon the pun) rocky moments. But it is decent.

Extras:

• Perhaps they were cut from what I saw last week, but season 8 has new opening titles. The School of Friendship is undoubtedly the season's focus.
• I wonder if the writers planned on getting Jim Parsons as Mudbriar (the character even sports a similar bowl cut.) Whatever the case, Adam Kirschner does a fine job. Briar is the right amount of indifferent, without being too robotic.
• The episode starts with Maud doing standup at a club, and it is as unfunny as one would expect. Which is the joke, presumably, but still. The one interesting tidbit is that Maud references the seeming disadvantage of earth ponies versus the other types. I thought the episode might be building to Maud wishing she were a pegasus or unicorn, but the subject is simply dropped.
• Apparently Granny Smith owns a wax museum (perhaps a museum of historical events in Ponyville?)
• Pinkie expresses joy that her sister is in love, to which Maud replies “...we're more in like.”
• The scene of Maud introducing Mudbriar is quite bad. The same jokes are repeated ad nauseum.
• I do like the gag of Briar getting dropped through the trapdoor.
• Pinkie briefly visits the rock farm. Her sister Limestone is jealous of Maud having a boyfriend (I imagine the isolation is tough on her.) Marble barely speaks a word. The scene has my favorite line of the episode, when Lime tries explaining how Briar is like a geode. Pinkie exclaims “[Then] I should crack open Mudbriar like a rock!”
• A giant party is held for Maud in Ponyville. Or rather, a giant party is held for a cardboard cutout with a picture of Maud scribbled on it. The real Maud celebrates on a hill overlooking the town, with Pinkie and Briar at her side. Should Briar be a reoccurring character? No, but the time spent with him in The Maud Couple was not too bad.