MLP:FIM Spice Up Your Life

This is the second episode written by Michael Vogal. His previous episode was this season's A Hearths Warming Tail. He has however been working on the development department since season 2. This episode was storyboarded by Mincheul Park and Ed Baker. This episode also features great design work by Charmaine Verhagen, Matt Herring, Kristen Lobb, Fernanda Ribeiro, Laura Bifano and Krista Huot. Director Jim Miller has stated on his twitter that he did the voice of the male tourist pony.

This is a very good episode. Pinkie and Rarity are at their most likable. The animation and humor is fantastic. The animation of Pinkie eating is extremely funny. There is a great song number (written by Danny Ingram and Michael Vogal). It has a great lesson that has never been done before on this show. As someone who writes reviews this is one I need to remember. Don't take my opinion too seriously, it is does not decide what's good and bad but rather what I thought of something. Overall this is an excellent episode. It is simple, sweet and very entertaining.

Well we have reached the mid-season break. So far this has been the best season since seaon 2 qnd that is a great compliment. The consitinsy of great quality episodes has been fantastic, and it has brought me at least one of my new favorite episodes (Saddle Row and Rec), and plently of other excellent episodes. I am excited to see where it goes after the break. It has been a joy writing this and I'll see everypony after the break.

-Michael J. Ruhland

MLP:FIM Flutter Brutter

This is the second episode written by David Rapp. His writing for the show began earlier this season with Newbie Dash. Judging by his writing so far he likes Pegasus. This episode was storyboarded by Kat Dela Cruz and Michelle Ku (who started earlier this season with Gauntlet of Fire).

What I really like about this episode is that it shows that episodes like Putting Your Hoof Down weren't just throw away episodes. Fluttershy did not just learn a lesson at the end of the episode and then forget it in newer episodes like as happens in many TV shows. In that episode she learns how to be more assertive and here she actually is more assertive. However despite how much more assertive she is now, she is still always Fluttershy, and never loses what made her so likable in the first place. This is great writing and is very impressive.

So for the first time we get to meet Fluttershy's family. I like them. I find it interesting that Fluttershy is the most assertive of her family. Her parents are very nice, but more than a bit of pushovers, and her brother is afraid of failure to the point where he is afraid to work. This is a nice dynamic and it works well here. I really want to see her parents again, however while I like him here I am not sure how well her brother will work in more episodes. He seems to be made for this story and he works well in it, but I don't know how they can use him again. Hopefully they can find a good way to do it because again I like him here.

Overall this is a very entertaining episode that shows how well the crew understands these characters and I hope we see more development like this in the future.

-Michael J. Ruhland