Top 25 Episodes of MLP: FiM Season 1 – #21 – Episode 18: The Show Stoppers
Summary
The episode opens with Applejack leading the Cutiemark Crusaders through a more woodsy part of Sweet Apple Acres to an abandoned tree house. AJ offers it to the three for them to use as their clubhouse, but they’re understandably not impressed as the tree house is literally falling apart before their eyes. Applejack points out that fixing up the old shack would probably lead to their Cutiemarks, right before she falls through one of the walls by putting to much wait on it.
After the opening, Scootaloo is drawing Twilight’s library on a map of Ponyville. When she finishes she gets onto her scooter and zooms off through town, preforming some tricks and maneuvers that catch the attention of the town’s residents. She arrives back at the clubhouse to see that Apple Bloom has given it a complete makeover and it now looks good as new. The two then start looking around for Sweetie Belle and find her cleaning up a picnic area while humming a little tune, which she says is the Cutiemark Crusader theme song. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom ask Sweetie Belle to teach it to them, and then after a visit from Applejack the three set out all over Ponyville on a series of crusades.
We’re treated to a montage of the different things the CMCs try, like taffy making, snorkeling, and trying to emulate Pinkie Sense. Eventually the three end up at the library and practically trash the place before Twilight returns with Cheerilee. Twilight tries to convince the CMCs that in order to get their Cutiemarks they need to try doing stuff that they already enjoy doing instead of trying all this randomness, then Cheerilee recommends that the three enter the school talent show. The CMCs agree to enter but still don’t get that they should try doing things in areas they like.
The three fillies start running all around town gathering supplies, then return to the tree house to start preparing. They decide that they’re going to do a dramatic song and dance routine with their theme song. Apple Bloom tells Sweetie Belle that with such a great voice, she should write the rest of the song and sing it, but Sweetie doesn’t feel comfortable singing on stage and instead wants to be like her sister, Rarity, and design the set and outfits. Next Apple Bloom suggests to Scootaloo that since she’s so great at maneuvers on her scooter, she should do the choreography. Scootaloo doesn’t feel like it though and instead wants to sing a rock ballad, and that Apple Bloom should do the choreography, to which Apple Bloom agrees to only after a bit of hesitation.
The three split off and get to work on their different tasks, but of course none of them do a very good job of it, in fact it’s actually kind of depressing how bad their attempts are. They only get as far as they do because each gets help from the pony who would be better suited to the task they’ve chosen. As the Talent show draws near, Applejack checks in on how the three are doing but when she looks through the window of the clubhouse and sees the girls’ routine, she doesn’t have high hopes for their performance. As she leaves though, the CMCs catch her and inquire what she thought of their routine, to which Applejack gives no response, which is in turn mistaken by the girls as “too amazed for words.”
The night of the talent show arrives and half of Ponyville seems to gather for it. A few groups of foals go out before the CMCs, so Twilight visits them backstage before they go out on stage. The three are understandably nervous, and when they reveal how each of them were contributing to the act, Twilight starts getting a little nervous herself. The CMCs head out on stage and do their routine, and it’s every bit as horrible as you expect it to be. I know that’s sort of the point, that it’s supposed to be awful, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s awful (As a theatre student, I’d like to point out that I would never say that directly or indirectly to anyone that age about their performance. They’re kids, of course it’s not going to be professional, but this is a professionally made show so if I’m going to review it I have to go all the way).
The trio gets laughed off stage after their performance (Would it kill you ponies to be respectful and CLAP?!), but before they’re even able to start trying to figure out what went wrong they’re shooed back on stage for the award ceremony. After a couple of other awards are given out, the CMCs are awarded for best comedy act. The three head backstage and excitedly remove their costumes to see if they got their Cutiemarks, they are depressed to find however that they did not. Twilight arrives to congratulate them, but the three say that a real award would have been getting their Cutiemarks, but they claim to have realized that they were forcing themselves to do things they weren’t good at and they should have been embracing their true talents. However it seems they haven’t learned anything as they wrongly assume that their true talents lie in comedy. As the three run off to show off their awards, Twilight ends the episode saying to herself that they’ll understand one day.
This is the first episode of this list that I don’t have any major grievances with, but that doesn’t stop me from not looking at this episode with fondness. In fact, if I were honest, I’d say this episode actually makes me more than a little depressed.
Humor
Honestly, there’s not much to laugh at here. There are a few sight gags that get a chuckle out of me, like a few scenes in the Crusading montage, but other than that the only thing that even boarders on an attempt to be funny is the CMCs switching their talents around. And, to me at least, that’s not funny, that’s sad.
Artistic Design and Animation
Nothing much to say here either, I did particularly enjoy Scootaloo’s little scooter scene at the beginning, but that’s about it.
Continuity and World Building
At first it seems like there’s not a whole lot to be said here either, I mean the CMCs get a tree house but that’s about it. However this IS the first time that we get hints to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom’s talents, and even though they completely ignore them when it matters most, it’s nice to catch glimpses of what they’re meant to achieve. Sweetie Belle’s talent was hinted to be singing in the previous episode to this one, “The Stare Master,” and I was glad to see that they continued to run with that idea, I just find it a little ironic that Sweetie Belle’s singing voice actor is Apple Bloom’s regular voice actor.
Story Structure
The pacing was a little slow in some points but overall I felt it built up in a good progression of events, so I won’t begrudge it too much if this episode decided to take it’s time in a few scenes. I will say that the crusading montage was very well done and spent just enough time on each activity done by the CMC to tell the joke and then move on to the next one, and then tie back into the story with the library scene.
Moral
“Don’t try to force yourself into doing something you’re not particularly good at doing” is a bit of a mixed moral for me. I for one wasn’t always as adequate an artist as I am now, looking at some of my old stuff I actually kind of sucked, but I forced my self into doing it because I liked it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with doing something you’re not good at, or even trying something new, as long as you enjoy it and have every intention to get better. I could tell that Scootaloo liked singing, that Apple Bloom liked dancing, and that Sweetie Belle liked being creative with the sets and costumes, and I don’t think anyone has the right to say that they shouldn’t have tried these things at all, however I don’t think anyone doubts that they would have gotten more out of it if they had stuck with what they were good at. What I’m getting from this episode is “Don’t ever try something you’re not very good at, because people will laugh and mock you and your futile attempts.” Really I feel the moral should have been more like “Don’t be afraid of trying new things, but don’t try doing so much that you ignore the things you are truly great at.”
Overall Feeling
I said that this episode is sort of depressing, but it’s not just because the CMC missed a chance to get their Cutiemarks, that’s part of it but not the whole reason, what really got to me was how everypony treated them when they decided to do what they did. Again, no one had the right to say they shouldn’t try to do something they weren’t good at, but they also had no right not to support them all the way. Not giving support and instead ridiculing them is arguably just as bad, if not more so, then telling them what they shouldn’t do. It demoralizes children when you do that, and for a moment the town laughing at them probably made them feel so bad that they’d probably have been afraid to try anything else EVER if not for them getting awarded for at least being entertaining. And if all that wasn’t bad enough, the Cutiemark Crusaders are actually OKAY with the town ridiculing them. It’s like they don’t care what people think of them as long as they get their damn Cutiemarks. I mean if I had spent who knows how long on a dramatic performance and I had tried my very best when the time came and instead of cheers I got laughed at and awarded for being so humorously bad, I would have thrown the award in the fireplace, cried myself to sleep, and in the morning plot my murderous revenge while I waited for that day’s airing of My Little Pony. I mean that’s the usual reaction to such humiliation right?
All in All, an alright if sort of depressing episode, Cutiemark Crusaders need to stop trying so hard, and Apple Bloom is smartest and best CMC.
Summary
The episode opens with Applejack leading the Cutiemark Crusaders through a more woodsy part of Sweet Apple Acres to an abandoned tree house. AJ offers it to the three for them to use as their clubhouse, but they’re understandably not impressed as the tree house is literally falling apart before their eyes. Applejack points out that fixing up the old shack would probably lead to their Cutiemarks, right before she falls through one of the walls by putting to much wait on it.
After the opening, Scootaloo is drawing Twilight’s library on a map of Ponyville. When she finishes she gets onto her scooter and zooms off through town, preforming some tricks and maneuvers that catch the attention of the town’s residents. She arrives back at the clubhouse to see that Apple Bloom has given it a complete makeover and it now looks good as new. The two then start looking around for Sweetie Belle and find her cleaning up a picnic area while humming a little tune, which she says is the Cutiemark Crusader theme song. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom ask Sweetie Belle to teach it to them, and then after a visit from Applejack the three set out all over Ponyville on a series of crusades.
We’re treated to a montage of the different things the CMCs try, like taffy making, snorkeling, and trying to emulate Pinkie Sense. Eventually the three end up at the library and practically trash the place before Twilight returns with Cheerilee. Twilight tries to convince the CMCs that in order to get their Cutiemarks they need to try doing stuff that they already enjoy doing instead of trying all this randomness, then Cheerilee recommends that the three enter the school talent show. The CMCs agree to enter but still don’t get that they should try doing things in areas they like.
The three fillies start running all around town gathering supplies, then return to the tree house to start preparing. They decide that they’re going to do a dramatic song and dance routine with their theme song. Apple Bloom tells Sweetie Belle that with such a great voice, she should write the rest of the song and sing it, but Sweetie doesn’t feel comfortable singing on stage and instead wants to be like her sister, Rarity, and design the set and outfits. Next Apple Bloom suggests to Scootaloo that since she’s so great at maneuvers on her scooter, she should do the choreography. Scootaloo doesn’t feel like it though and instead wants to sing a rock ballad, and that Apple Bloom should do the choreography, to which Apple Bloom agrees to only after a bit of hesitation.
The three split off and get to work on their different tasks, but of course none of them do a very good job of it, in fact it’s actually kind of depressing how bad their attempts are. They only get as far as they do because each gets help from the pony who would be better suited to the task they’ve chosen. As the Talent show draws near, Applejack checks in on how the three are doing but when she looks through the window of the clubhouse and sees the girls’ routine, she doesn’t have high hopes for their performance. As she leaves though, the CMCs catch her and inquire what she thought of their routine, to which Applejack gives no response, which is in turn mistaken by the girls as “too amazed for words.”
The night of the talent show arrives and half of Ponyville seems to gather for it. A few groups of foals go out before the CMCs, so Twilight visits them backstage before they go out on stage. The three are understandably nervous, and when they reveal how each of them were contributing to the act, Twilight starts getting a little nervous herself. The CMCs head out on stage and do their routine, and it’s every bit as horrible as you expect it to be. I know that’s sort of the point, that it’s supposed to be awful, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s awful (As a theatre student, I’d like to point out that I would never say that directly or indirectly to anyone that age about their performance. They’re kids, of course it’s not going to be professional, but this is a professionally made show so if I’m going to review it I have to go all the way).
The trio gets laughed off stage after their performance (Would it kill you ponies to be respectful and CLAP?!), but before they’re even able to start trying to figure out what went wrong they’re shooed back on stage for the award ceremony. After a couple of other awards are given out, the CMCs are awarded for best comedy act. The three head backstage and excitedly remove their costumes to see if they got their Cutiemarks, they are depressed to find however that they did not. Twilight arrives to congratulate them, but the three say that a real award would have been getting their Cutiemarks, but they claim to have realized that they were forcing themselves to do things they weren’t good at and they should have been embracing their true talents. However it seems they haven’t learned anything as they wrongly assume that their true talents lie in comedy. As the three run off to show off their awards, Twilight ends the episode saying to herself that they’ll understand one day.
This is the first episode of this list that I don’t have any major grievances with, but that doesn’t stop me from not looking at this episode with fondness. In fact, if I were honest, I’d say this episode actually makes me more than a little depressed.
Humor
Honestly, there’s not much to laugh at here. There are a few sight gags that get a chuckle out of me, like a few scenes in the Crusading montage, but other than that the only thing that even boarders on an attempt to be funny is the CMCs switching their talents around. And, to me at least, that’s not funny, that’s sad.
Artistic Design and Animation
Nothing much to say here either, I did particularly enjoy Scootaloo’s little scooter scene at the beginning, but that’s about it.
Continuity and World Building
At first it seems like there’s not a whole lot to be said here either, I mean the CMCs get a tree house but that’s about it. However this IS the first time that we get hints to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom’s talents, and even though they completely ignore them when it matters most, it’s nice to catch glimpses of what they’re meant to achieve. Sweetie Belle’s talent was hinted to be singing in the previous episode to this one, “The Stare Master,” and I was glad to see that they continued to run with that idea, I just find it a little ironic that Sweetie Belle’s singing voice actor is Apple Bloom’s regular voice actor.
Story Structure
The pacing was a little slow in some points but overall I felt it built up in a good progression of events, so I won’t begrudge it too much if this episode decided to take it’s time in a few scenes. I will say that the crusading montage was very well done and spent just enough time on each activity done by the CMC to tell the joke and then move on to the next one, and then tie back into the story with the library scene.
Moral
“Don’t try to force yourself into doing something you’re not particularly good at doing” is a bit of a mixed moral for me. I for one wasn’t always as adequate an artist as I am now, looking at some of my old stuff I actually kind of sucked, but I forced my self into doing it because I liked it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with doing something you’re not good at, or even trying something new, as long as you enjoy it and have every intention to get better. I could tell that Scootaloo liked singing, that Apple Bloom liked dancing, and that Sweetie Belle liked being creative with the sets and costumes, and I don’t think anyone has the right to say that they shouldn’t have tried these things at all, however I don’t think anyone doubts that they would have gotten more out of it if they had stuck with what they were good at. What I’m getting from this episode is “Don’t ever try something you’re not very good at, because people will laugh and mock you and your futile attempts.” Really I feel the moral should have been more like “Don’t be afraid of trying new things, but don’t try doing so much that you ignore the things you are truly great at.”
Overall Feeling
I said that this episode is sort of depressing, but it’s not just because the CMC missed a chance to get their Cutiemarks, that’s part of it but not the whole reason, what really got to me was how everypony treated them when they decided to do what they did. Again, no one had the right to say they shouldn’t try to do something they weren’t good at, but they also had no right not to support them all the way. Not giving support and instead ridiculing them is arguably just as bad, if not more so, then telling them what they shouldn’t do. It demoralizes children when you do that, and for a moment the town laughing at them probably made them feel so bad that they’d probably have been afraid to try anything else EVER if not for them getting awarded for at least being entertaining. And if all that wasn’t bad enough, the Cutiemark Crusaders are actually OKAY with the town ridiculing them. It’s like they don’t care what people think of them as long as they get their damn Cutiemarks. I mean if I had spent who knows how long on a dramatic performance and I had tried my very best when the time came and instead of cheers I got laughed at and awarded for being so humorously bad, I would have thrown the award in the fireplace, cried myself to sleep, and in the morning plot my murderous revenge while I waited for that day’s airing of My Little Pony. I mean that’s the usual reaction to such humiliation right?
All in All, an alright if sort of depressing episode, Cutiemark Crusaders need to stop trying so hard, and Apple Bloom is smartest and best CMC.
