Official Discussion Thread - S05E11 Party Pooped

[brianblackberry]

Everything is under control!  I'm a professional!

 

Saturday is upon us again and with it another new episode of the show we love, so sit back and watch adorable ponies do adorable things! And speaking of adorable, we have our first episode focusing on our favorite party pony!    Well exclusively focusing, as we had or PinkieDash episode. So what mind-bending shenanigans will Pinkie cause this round?  Will she break reality once again, or at least break into song? Tune in to find out! The episode airs Saturday 11:30 AM EST on June 27th.
 
This thread is dedicated to discussing the episode before, during, and afterwards. As the thread is now open it may indeed contain spoilers. I ask that potential spoilers talked about or shown before the episode airs stay within the spoiler tags please, after the episode you no longer have to use the spoiler tags, but warning, if you haven't seen the episode yet after it airs, this thread no doubt will have all sorts of spoilers in reviews, images, etc. So tread at your own risk.

[SteelEagle]

I really, really enjoyed the episode.

[Rosewind]

This episode was really nice! Speaking from heavy bias, I really enjoy episodes that expand Pinkie's character outside of the overzealous party pony sphere. The story flowed nicely -- I was a bit lost on the over-arching message of the episode, but not every episode needs to have this. I think I've just grown to expect it.

 

It's nice to have a cartoon that can the change gears and methodology of telling a story, one of FiM's great strengths.

 

9/10 - Awwwwesome!

[RarityFan1992]

This was a really good episode, a lot better than last week that's for sure.

[Lux]

It was a cute episode, a little overdone the number of scenes with the yaks destroying things and their broken English accents but still fun. 

 

I love the lore in this, not only Yak-Yakistan but also Pinkie Pie's party planning cave! I always wondered where she kept her ideas. Seeing places from the past like the Crystal Empire and Dodge Junction was a treat too. 

 

8/10

[FrankT]

It was like playing Skyrim all over again!

 

Also, Pinkie-Cave!

[RarityDash]

So, Cloudchaser still in her Wonderbolt Academy uniform.... guess I have to change that headcanon.

 

Also,Yaks. Lots of Yaks. And snow monsters, secret party caves, Beatles Ponies, randomly returning supporting characters, Pinkie defying physics more even than usual. it was a weird, weird episode, but in a good way. A strong return to form after last week.

 

Not as good as Griffonstone, but so far with Pinkie episodes this season were 2/2 on the quality as far as I'm concerned. This was great.

[rjrgmc28]

OK, before I begin this post, apologies in advance if this post is a little different than usual (and a tad late) but I just had a very bad day yesterday and I only just got around to watching the episode this morning as I didn't feel like watching it live last night due to being depressed and such.

 

So with that said, let's begin.

To sum it up as per my tweet...

"So....what is the overall verdict? That episode was A LOT better! Now that's the My Little Pony I know and trust!"

This episode for me was a huge, and I mean a huge improvement over the disaster of last weeks episode and the flat out, full blown tragedy of the 100th episode. (Personal thoughts etc) This was the classic My Little Pony that I know, trusted and loved since I started watching it four years ago.

For me, there were several scenes that I particularly liked.

I couldn't help but channel the classic Ken Bruce electrical retailer ads when Pinkie was freaking out over the party planning, minus the in bedding part of course to keep it "G" rated:

 

"Pinkie Pie has gone mad....Pinkie has gone mad...Pinkie has gone mad...PINKIE PIE HAS GONE COMPLETELY MAD!"

The Yak scenes also got me thinking as well, especially when it came to the high standards of satisfaction over every little detail that they wanted. Whether it would be the bedding, the castle, the food and even Spike's piano playing. I swear that they must have some signs of OCD because it felt like it for some odd reason.

Speaking of Spike, the piano scene also reflected my recent feelings towards the Disney-Pixar movie Inside Out (the crying bit, not Spike having 500 pounds dropped onto him and Jim Ross screaming "good gawd almighty, they killed him!"):

"Spike! Have you been playing that Inside Out movie to the Yaks? That's pretty powerful stuff that makes you sad!"

I also had a bit of a serious moment where the wagon decided to lose control during the trip to the Yak's homeland and brought up some memories of the NSW Roads & Maritime Services (RMS) campaigns of driver fatique and it's imfamous campaign message:

"Cherry has fallen asleep at the wheel! You are in one of those micro sleeps! Wake up before you crash!"

 

"Wagon crashes into pit = end of episode *Cue safety ad* When you see the signs, it's time to Stop. Revive. Survive."

Last but not least, the final scene where Pinkie Pie is overhearing the rest of the Mane 6 telling about her party planning and Applejack's mention of her parents anniversiary plans brought up again the subject of Pinkie's parents:

"Awwww....Pinkie Pie has the tears flowing! Plus she seems to care about her family more as well."

I know there is a Pie family themed episode coming up later in the season, but I think despite Pinkie and Cloudy having their differences, I think both of them care about each other despite their different paths in life. I won't go into much more detail here, I'll save that for that episode.

Overall despite not having a specific scene to talk about in detail, this episode as I said before was a huge improvement over the last two.

I have written my full thoughts on the episode itself on my blog which can be viewed here.

[DulsetTarn]

Oh my god, that was... aaaawwwwwwwwwful. That was the stupidest episode I've seen since Leap of Faith, far worse than Princess Spike. The conflict was stupid, the resolution was stupid, the plot points and developments were stupid, the characters were stupid, it's just mind-numbing how positively idiotic this show has become. I can't take 16 more episodes of this ...

 

2.5/10

[RarityDash]

Oh my god, that was... aaaawwwwwwwwwful. That was the stupidest episode I've seen since Leap of Faith, far worse than Princess Spike. The conflict was stupid, the resolution was stupid, the plot points and developments were stupid, the characters were stupid, it's just mind-numbing how positively idiotic this show has become. I can't take 16 more episodes of this shiiiiit...

 

2.5/10

 

If you hate everything so much you could just stop watching, you know. No one's forcing you to.

[DulsetTarn]

If you hate everything so much you could just stop watching, you know. No one's forcing you to.

The irony of a moderator saying something so insulting is palpable, but regardless I'm a fan of the show so no dice.

[RarityDash]

I meant absolutely no insult there. I was just confused.  From observation you never seem to like anything the show does--if you have only negativity in you for the it at this point, I cannot understand why you would still be watching. Simple as that.

[DulsetTarn]

I admit I kind of misread what you said, I've heard similar sounding insults a bit too often, sorry.

 

Your suggestion is noted, and considered. But no. As I said, I'm a fan.

[CaptainMcDerp]

This episode was a lot of fun. A lot better than Princess Spike (which I was a little too hard on. ) I don't know why, but the way Pinkie got back to Ponyville cracked me up. It was so ridiculous and super fitting for a Pinkie episode. Over all, this was a great episode with great lines that reminded me why Pinkie Pie is my second favorite character.

[Rosewind]

I heartily agree with my Moderator. There's nothing insulting with his suggestion in least.

 

If you really don't enjoy what the series is offering anymore, you don't have to endure watching it. Without getting too off topic, I think they've butchered Game of Thrones, and I'm probably going to skip next season or watch it in passing since it has lower priority to me. Apply the same idea here and choose where you put your viewership at your discretion.

[DulsetTarn]

I heartily agree with my Moderator. There's nothing insulting with his suggestion in least.

 

If you really don't enjoy what the series is offering anymore, you don't have to endure watching it. Without getting too off topic, I think they've butchered Game of Thrones, and I'm probably going to skip next season or watch it in passing since it has lower priority to me. Apply the same idea here and choose where you put your viewership at your discretion.

I've already refused twice, and at this point it is getting a bit insulting.

 

Besides, what would this place be if literally everyone had nothing but positive things to say, especially about such terrible episodes?

[SunsetSombra]

Apparently you really do seem to be the only one saying it was bad, however...consider that perhaps the show itself beyond season 4 is just never going to appeal to you.

Many people I know are in it for the community and not the show anymore - that IS a workable option if the show no longer offers you something you would desire of it.

[DulsetTarn]

Am I not allowed to hope that the writers will someday put the effort into the show that they used to, at least for just one episode? I think it's hardly fair to conclude that the show simply has nothing more to offer me, as many seem to suggest.

[Rosewind]

I've already refused twice, and at this point it is getting a bit insulting.

 

Besides, what would this place be if literally everyone had nothing but positive things to say, especially about such terrible episodes?

 

Nobody is saying "The show has nothing more to offer you." What people are saying is that if you don't enjoy watching the show anymore, it seems asinine to keep watching it and hating it.

 

I do understand where you are coming from with the "If everyone has positive things to say, even though it's terrible..." comment. I feel that way heavily toward Nintendo as a company, but they seem to enjoy great success putting out product that I consider mediocre. My solution is to just not support them as a company, but that doesn't mean other people should not be allowed to enjoy Nintendo products, nor should they be forced to endure my vitriol or dislike of them.

 

You've made your opinions known, but I suggest you learn the difference between a friendly suggestion made in good faith and comments placed to genuinely make you feel bad about your opinions -- the latter of which is not present in any reply I have thus seen made to you.

[DulsetTarn]

Thank you for the suggestion, and I recommend you do the same.

 

And I mean no disrespect, but the suggestion to stop watching the show if I don't enjoy watching it is... kind of painfully ignorant. And it gets moreso very time it's suggested (4 times now).

[Rosewind]

You're right. If you don't enjoy something, you should just go on and keep not-enjoying it. 

 

Out of curiosity, in your opinion, what defines a good, well-written episode that you would find enjoyable?

[DulsetTarn]

I suppose if you have bad relationships with a few girls, you'd just give up on girls altogether?

 

Well the most basic thing an episode needs is a coherent story, I don't think I could ever enjoy one without that. That's certainly not what makes the show special or even good, but it at least makes it acceptable. This episode unfortunately didn't have even that. I don't think it would do any good to list off what makes a great episode great if we can't even have a coherent story.

[RarityDash]

Perhaps if the story was not coherent to you, it's a personal problem and not a problem with the episode. I've yet to see anyone else say they found the episode's plot incoherent.

 

The plot of the episode was a simple progression which can be explained in the space of a single paragraph:

 

Yaks visit Equestria after Yakyakistan opens its borders. Ponies try to please them by preparing the sort of things they're used to but can't get it right, causing the yaks to become angry. Pinkie, who had showed the yaks around town and feels personally responsible for their displeasure, decides to go to Yakyakistan herself to find a way to rectify things while Twilight continues to try and see the yaks placated, but fails--war is declared. Pinkie arrives at Yakyakistan after her silly quest across Equestria but accidentally ends up returning to Ponyville before she can do what she came there for. She is distraught at this, but upon hearing encouraging words from her friends and reflecting back on her journey she realizes that they all may have been thinking about things the wrong way when it comes to how to please the yaks. The party is held then, yaks like it and decide not to wage war.

[Rosewind]

I suppose if you have bad relationships with a few girls, you'd just give up on girls altogether?

 

Well the most basic thing an episode needs is a coherent story, I don't think I could ever enjoy one without that. That's certainly not what makes the show special or even good, but it at least makes it acceptable. This episode unfortunately didn't have even that. I don't think it would do any good to list off what makes a great episode great if we can't even have a coherent story.

 

As I'm a girl, I have a limited opinion on that matter. I understand what you are saying though, but I will allude my original point: just because you don't like something, doesn't mean the writing is bad, the plot in incoherent, or the entire series itself is beyond redemption. Perhaps you feel it's unfair that people are telling you to stop watching because you don't like the writing. I sort of get this, but I think your way of communicating that isn't working very well. To wrap my mind around this, I suppose I'll use the news as an example. It's not particularly entertaining; there's usually a story on about someone getting shot, a war happening somewhere, or something bad happening. Why do people watch it? Because it's interesting in some way. It's communicating something. Maybe something interesting will come on now and then that isn't negative. So, I sort of get it, but again, I don't think the way you've countered this argument is very effective. I've even asked you for the qualities you expect from a decent episode in your opinion, and I've yet to see anything resembling this outside of bitter vitriol.

 

What I will say from here is that if you don't like something and want to throw your opinion out into a discussion thread about it, be prepared to have other opinions, suggestions, and discourse presented to you about it right back. There's no reason to get salty, inflammatory, or any reason for you to tell another user that they're ignorant for trying to communicate something to you, again, in good faith. This is a place to talk about it. I'm not sure what other communities you've visited, but if you've had bad experiences communicating with people there, I think you should look at how you're communicating yourself before pulling out the brashness.

[DulsetTarn]

Perhaps if the story was not coherent to you, it's a personal problem and not a problem with the episode. I've yet to see anyone else say they found the episode's plot incoherent.

Correction: You haven't seen anyone else care about whether or not it's coherent. I noticed your summary conspicuously failed to mention the actual conflict resolution, the simple reason being that it doesn't exist. Going from a conflict to a lack of conflict without any narrative resolution of the conflict is fundamentally incoherent.

 

 

So, I sort of get it, but again, I don't think the way you've countered this argument is very effective.

You seem to understand it quite well, so I think it's clear I countered the argument effectively.

 

 

What I will say from here is that if you don't like something and want to throw your opinion out into a discussion thread about it, be prepared to have other opinions, suggestions, and discourse presented to you about it right back.

I am glad to see you've realized this. I know when you have a forum that is essentially an echo chamber it can be startling when someone has a negative opinion, but seeing as this is a discussion board I feel we should try to learn from each other's opinions rather than simply tell people who disagree they should leave. I certainly didn't expect you to become hostile. I recommend carefully reading my posts, as the only ones suggesting that the series could be beyond redemption are, ironically, you and your staff.

 

I find it particularly interesting that despite three people suggesting that I just stop watching so I won't darken your doorsteps again, not one person thought to ask for details about why I disliked the episode. On a discussion board, it seems reasoning is totally worthless while positivity is the only thing welcome.

 

Sorry Rose, but until this subforum is renamed "MLP Hugbox" you'll just have to "be forced to endure my vitriol and dislike" of the episodes I think are ****.