MLP:FIM Dungeons and Discords

This is the fifth episode written by Nick Confalone (who started writing for the show last season. Nick Confalone is quickly becoming a writer whose episodes I look forward too especially since he wrote Saddle Row Review, my personal favorite episode of this season so far. He doesn't let me down here.

Storyboarding this episode is Kat Dela Cruz (who started storyboard for the show earlier this season) and Michelle Ku (who also started storyboarding earlier this season). Since this was a Dungeons and Dragons episode naturally the visuals were important. Adding to this are great background designs by Laura Bifano. The great character cards were designed by Charmaine Verhagen. More designs were done by Matt Herring. All these people did an excellent job as the episode looked fantastic.

Adding to this the episode has a great sense of humor. Like Pinkie Pie episodes Discord episodes have some great cartoony animation (something that isn't I enough modern cartoons). Adding to this are fantastically funny facial expressions from Fluttershy, some of the best given to this character yet. Writing wise most of Discord's dialogue is very funny, and there is also a really funny reference to The Mask.

The story itself feels like it has been done before on this show, but the rest of the episode is so well done that you can easily get over this fault.

-Michael J. Ruhland

MLP:FIM The Times They Are a Changeling

This episode introduces us to two new writers. Kevin Burke and Chris Wyatt. They co-wrote this episode with Michael Vogal, who also started writing for the show this season. This episode was storyboarded by Ward Jenkins (who began boarding for the show earlier this season) and Hanna Lee (who has been storyboarding for the show since season 2).

This episode was fantastic. The story wasn't that original, yet it was done so well I didn't care. I enjoyed every moment of it. This is probably my favorite episode centering around Spike and with good reason. The characters were extremely likeable (including the new character), the animation great, the writing fantastic, the song number very good, and most of all this was just a joy to watch. Really everything about this episode was excellent, and I can't wait for what these new writers will write for the show next. Also this is the first time we have seen Starlight since we came back for the mid-season break, and it is so good to see her again. I love that character.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Mlp:FIM 28 Pranks Later

This episode marked the first written by F.M. DeMarco. DeMarco wrote the episode based off a story idea of one of the shows earliest writers Megan McCarthy(whose first episode was the 7th episode of the show).  It was storyboarded by Cory Toomey (who has been storyboarded since season 2) and Dave Wiebe.

This episode was maybe a bit too predictable, and not the most original of the show, but it still manages to be quite good. I can't wait to see DeMarco write a Pinkie Pie episode, because Pinkie Pie steals the episode. She is funny, relatable, and just very fun to watch. This is everything Pinkie should be. It is obvious that this new writer gets Pinkie's character very well. Also while Rainbow is supposed to be obnoxious in this episode, she never gets on the audiences nerves, or becomes too unlikable. Besides Pinkie what really works about this episode is the climax. This climax has a great atmosphere and even a little scary. The lighting in this scene is especially great. This scene works quite good even if it is very predictable. Overall this is a predictable and unoriginal episode but is still pulled off quite well despite this and is fun to watch.

-Michael J. Ruhland

MLP:FIM The Cart Before the Ponies

It is good to have another Cutie Mark Crusaders episode to write about, there has been to few of them lately. This episode was written by Ed Valentine and Michael Vogal. Ed Valentine started writing for the show last season with another Cutie Mark Crusaders episode. Michael Vogal started writing for the show this season, but has work on the development and production crew since the second season.

This episode is a lot of fun. The humor is fantastic (especially a brief appearance of young Derpy), the animation is great (director Jim Miller stated on twitter that it was very hard to animate the soap box derby carts), the story is nice, the lesson is quite good (and new for this show), and the characters are just as likable as ever. The designs of the carts are excellent and a joy to look at (further proof Scootaloo =Chicken).

Even when they aren't always seeing eye to eye, the relationship between Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo is very heartwarming. I love how the other ponies accept Rainbow Dash as practically Scootaloo's older sister. I now look forward to just seeing these two together.

-Michael J. Ruhland

MLP:FIM Stranger Than Fan Fiction

Welcome back everypony, it is good to be talking about new My Little Pony again. This episode was written by Josh Haber and Michael Vogal. This is the third episode Michael Vogal wrote for the other two being A Hearths Warming Tail and Spice Up Your Life. However he has worked in the development area since season 2. Josh Haber started writing for the show in season 4 and this season he became the shows story editor. This episode was storyboarded by Karine Charlebois and Thalia Tomlinson (who started on the show in Season 5). This episode also features the guest voice of Patton Oswalt. This special guest completely improvised the rant that takes place over the end credits.

This episode is just pure fun and a great return for the show. The new character is great (I'm hoping the show finds more ways to use this character in the future), the humor is spot on and the facial expressions on Rainbow Dash are fantastic. Like a Daring Do episode should be this one is full of adventure and excitement that work great here. It is also great to see Rainbow in full geek out fangirl mode again, and of course to see Daring again as well. Just a very fun episode.

This episode is also a clever parody of various conventions based off TV shows, movies and comic books, as well as lots of enthusiasts over these things. However it is done extremely respectfully and is never mean spirited about it.

-Michael J. Ruhland 

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