Tag: Denny Lu

Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (Top Bolt)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 2 Comments

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

We’re back with another episode of It’s A Wonderbolt Life!  Now I haven’t had the most flattering things to say about the episodes that focus on Rainbow Dash as a Wonderbolt, and I think it’s similar to when the CMC finally got their Cutie Marks.  I agree that it would be a lot worse if they dragged out the character reaching their goal indefinitely, but the episodes since then haven’t really done a good job of expanding on what their lives are after they’ve gotten their Happily Ever After despite there being plenty of directions for them to go in.  Does this episode rectify that issue for the Wonderbolt episodes, or will Rainbow Dash episodes prove to be the low points for the series going forward?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Rainbow Dash at the Wonderbolt Academy’s locker room where, surprisingly enough, they AREN’T talking about sexually assaulting other ponies!  WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT!?

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“Did you check out Soarin’s flank today?”     “No, because I value him as a teammate and don’t feel the need to objectify him.”     “RIGHT ON, SISTER!”

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Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (Where the Apple Lies)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 1 Comment

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

We’re back with another episode of You Don’t Know Applejack!  For the first time in a while, it looks like we’re gonna get a flashback episode to the halcyon days of yore for at least one of our regulars, and maybe get some insight into how they became the pony they are now!  Will this trip down memory lane be a breath of fresh air as we get to see characters at a different point in their lives, or will we get more of the same despite the chance to change things up a bit?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with The Apple Family providing Filthy Rich with his latest delivery of Zap Apple Jam to sell in his store.  I’m surprised that the CEO has to personally transport the goods himself, but maybe there’s something more to this transaction than what we’re seeing…

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“Four cases of Zap Apple Jam, and two cases of… apples.”     “Are the… apples pure?”     “Of course they are!  We don’t cut our apples with bullshit!  You should know better by now!”     “Alright!  Be cool!”

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Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (P.P.O.V. – Pony Point of View)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 1 Comment

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

We’re back with another episode of Ponies of the Caribbean!  The post mid-season break episodes have had their ups and downs, but it seems to have leveled off somewhat with some really solid outings like Dungeons and Discords and The Times They are a Changeling, but not we also haven’t really gotten an all-time classic since Stranger than Fan Fiction.  Sadly, that probably won’t change considering we’ve got a CMC episode, a Cutie Map episode, and a Starlight episode all in a row which didn’t bring much energy back to the series, and now we’ll probably be getting less exciting episodes to build up towards the season finale.  Does this episode subvert those expectations and give us something memorable?  After all, Stranger than Fan Fiction wasn’t exactly tied to one of the bigger plot lines in the series, and that one turned out great!  Maybe this one will too!  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Twilight eagerly heading to the train station with a less eager Spike in tow.  The reason for the jubilation seems to be that Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity went together on a boat trip and are now on their way back home; presumably filled with stories of high flying adventure and pirate raids!  I bet they can’t WAIT to tell her all about it!!

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“You ever have to carve a pony’s eye out with a fishing hook?”     “What surprised ME was how good she was at it!”     “YOU WANNA GO RIGHT NOW!?”     “Both of you SHUT UP, or else I’ll do to you what that whale did to Captain Blue Mane!”     “Don’t even joke about that…”

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Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (Every Little Thing She Does)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 2 Comments

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

We’re back with another episode of the Unbearable Starlight-ness of Being!  It seems like the show kind of forgot about her for a while there despite her becoming Twilight’s student seemed to be the overarching theme of the season.  It’s probably a bit too late at this point to turn that into a reality, but it is always nice seeing her do something, especially with No Second Prances being such a high point for the season.  Can they recreate that magic here, or will this latest effort prove to be a non-starter for Starlight who will be relegated to the background like so many other ponies in this show?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Twilight and Starlight in the Friendship Doom Fortress, seemingly having pulled an all-nighter considering how tired they look and getting ready to test their spell casting prowess against each other in what I can only assume is what Unicorns refer to as a horn measuring contest.  It’s not clear if Twilight is holding back, but Starlight has no problem keeping up with her moves which is unfortunate for the library once things start to escalate.

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“What the hell, Starlight!?”     “Oh I’m sorry.  Which one of us wanted to have a wizard duel in the middle of study hall?  Don’t you have a battle arena in here?”     “I’m pretty sure that’s in the basement next to the reanimation lab.”     “What was that?”     “I MEAN IT’S RIGHT NEXT TO THE BAKERY!”

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Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (Viva Las Pegasus)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 2 Comments

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

Well it took them long enough to jump on the Hangover craze!  Every show needs their road trip to Las Vegas (worked for Homer and Flanders), so I guess we’ll have to get the kidified version here.  Personally, I would have gone with Fear and Loathing in Las Pegasus route on this, but then again I doubt that Hasbro would go for something like that, amazing as it would be.  Can the ponies’ trip to the city of gambling and substance abuse be entertaining even with all the edges smoothed out, or will this be a painful exercise in sugarcoating something to protect the kids’ (and their overprotective parents’) delicate sensibilities?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with the Cutie Map (oh hey!  That’s still a thing!) ordering Applejack and Fluttershy to go to the infamous Las Pegasus; EXACTLY the kind of place you’d want to send the two… shall we say prudish members of the group, what with Applejack’s small town farm values and Fluttershy’s inclination towards panic attacks at the slightest provocation.  Oh, it can’t be THAT bad, right?

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“Wow!  It’s so shiny!”     “Things have certainly been looking up since they kidnapped all the homeless ponies and left them in Moo-tah.”

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Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (The Fault in Our Cutie Marks)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 2 Comments

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

Oh hey!  It looks like we’re finally getting another Cutie Mark Crusaders episode that’s ACTUALLY about them being the CMC!  It’s unfortunate that they still can’t seem to carry an episode when it isn’t explicitly about cutie marks, but until the writers figure out that mystery, I guess we should take what we can get.  Does this episode bring back some of that CMC magic in a new and interesting way, or are we gonna keep dipping back into the same well until it completely runs dry?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with the CMC LLCTM doing what they do best, which I guess means assuring waspy white ponies that their kids aren’t going to grow up to be serial killers.  I’m sure this is EXACTLY what they pictured their lives would be when they got their Cutie Marks.

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“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.”     “No problem, but we can’t stay out past dark.”

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Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (Buckball Season)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 2 Comments

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

We’re back with another episode of The Bad News Mares!  Sports haven’t really come up in the show other than when it comes to the Wonderbolts, and even then it’s more akin to air shows and Top Gun stuff rather than any of the various ball based sports that other ponies can participate in.  Sure, there was the Equestrian Games, but we the focus was on setting up for the games rather than participating in them, and probably spent more time with the CMC practicing their routine than on any of the events.  Even with this episode incorporating a new sport into the series though, I get the feeling we’ll be talking about sportsmanship rather than… well sports.  Does this episode manage to take full advantage of its premise and the give us an interesting game to go along with the drama, or are the writers just throwing darts at the wall and seeing what sticks?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Applejack practicing some sort of advanced bucking technique when she’s rudely interrupted by Rainbow Dash who’s just bored and is looking for something to do.  Lucky for her, Applejack could use some help as her cousin Braeburn from Appleloosa challenged her to a game of Buckball after getting some badass partners and she needs a team for the big game… which is tomorrow… and in Appleloosa.  So Applejack is out there polishing her own skills when she hadn’t even gotten a team together!?  Eh, maybe she figured Rainbow Dash would come by to bug her at some point and she’d be an easy mark for anything competitive.  Sure enough, Rainbow Dash is ready to kick some pony ass at the upcoming game, but there is one problem.  SHE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT BUCKBALL IS!!

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Cue the eye roll and start the laugh track!

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Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (Dungeons & Discords)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 2 Comments

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

We’re back with another episode of the Discord Diaries!  Now the last season used John de Lancie’s iconic character a whole bunch, so maybe the thinking on this season is to not overload us with his presence; lest he end up overtaking the show which can happen when side characters get to popular (*cough* Jack Sparrow *cough*), so saving Discord for when the show really needs it might be the right move.  Does this new strategy pan out as we get a REALLY great Discord episode for the sixth season, or is this just another mediocre romp for the season’s mostly disappointing second half?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Discord acting all pissy (as is his nature) because Fluttershy has to go to Yakakistan (ugh…) on some sort of goodwill trip with Princess Celestia and the other protectors of Friendship.  Discord obviously can’t go because he’s not known for his tact and grace… and I’m pretty sure that brining a destructive God of chaos sends the wrong message on a peacekeeping mission.  That and I wouldn’t be surprised if he has arrest warrants all over Equestria; not just for enslaving everyone thousands of years ago, but for shit he’s done recently.

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“You know I can’t go back there after… the incident.”     “Is Celestia still made at you for that?”     “Luna thought it was funny, so she’s been keeping me at arm’s length from the Sun Butt’s wrath.”

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Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (The Times They Are a Changeling)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 2 Comments

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

Ugh… we’ve got two lousy episodes in a row following the return of the season which actually managed to kick off with a good episode, but it all went downhill from there.  Maybe it’s just me, but episodes about pranks and go kart racing just don’t hold much appeal in a fantasy world with dragons, champions of good, and colorful villains who should be the focus of every episode rather than every once in a while.  Hopefully this episode will mix things up as it has two of the best things the series has going for it; the Crystal Empire and Changelings!  Can this episode turn the tide on the post hiatus episodes, or are we doomed for mediocrity no matter what they try?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Twilight and Starlight getting the hell out of Ponyville to visit Cadence and Shining Armor in the Crystal Empire; a move I whole heartedly endorse because since we got back from our mid-season hiatus, the only episode worth a damn was decidedly OUTISDE of Ponyville.  This also gives us a chance to catch up with Starlight who’s been missing in action since we got back and is still the most interesting aspect of this new season (though only half as interesting since she’s not with Trixie).  So what’s the story for this episode?  Well… I can only guess at this point, but Twilight has a VERY specific line that, when combined with the title of the episode, gives me an idea as to what’s about to happen.  During the train ride, she offhandedly mentions that Baby Flurry Heart might have grown so much that she won’t even recognize her.  Hmm…

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“You ever stare a Changeling right in the eyes?  It’s like staring into the depths of Tartarus itself!”     “Okay… well I think you’ve read enough Edgar Allen Pony stories for now.  Let’s try to lose that attitude before you see the baby, okay?”

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Super Recaps: My Little Pony season 6 (28 Pranks Later)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 3 Comments

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Hasbro.

Episode directed by Denny Lu and Tim Stuby

We’re back with another episode of Everybody Hates Dash!  Now the episode from last week was pretty disappointing and felt like a script they had rejected three seasons ago but decided to fish out of the junk drawer to fill out this season.  Sure, the episode before that was pretty excellent, but this is still not how you want to come back from a mid-season hiatus.  Can this episode make up for that lackluster effort, or did they expend all their creative energy bringing Patton Oswalt into an episode?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins on a DARK and (not quite) STORMY night where Fluttershy is trying REALLY hard to ace that slasher movie audition by getting into character and walking through the woods at night.  Her excuse for this is that a picnic went on too long (things got WAY too crazy when they brought out the Dijon mustard!) but you’d think the ONE person who’d be looking out for that would be the one who’s already terrified of everything!

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“A whole lot of help YOU turned out to be Mr. Bear!  GO OUT THERE AND KICK THAT MONSTER’S ASS!!”

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