My Overall Thoughts on MLP:FiM Season 5

So...first journal entry on my Deviant Art account. Better make it a good one.

Recently, the fans voted on Equestria Daily their personal favorites of Season Five as well as Derpy Hooves News providing their end thoughts on the season. Seeing this, I decided to give my brief thoughts on Season 5.

Now for those who follow me on YouTube, don't worry. I will continue to review each of the episodes either solo or collaborating with someone else. This is just me giving my quick thoughts on each of the episodes and how I would rank them. I will be working from the bottom up so let's start with my least favorite of Season 5...

24. Scare Master (written by Natasha Levinger)
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE THIS EPISODE! Fluttershy's character hit the reset button, the humor was Rainbow Falls levels of pathetic, while the third act was REALLY DAMN GOOD with the haunted maze, it doesn't make up for the painful first two thirds, and the moral is VERY situational. I feel if this episode's moral would apply in the real world, friendships would fade faster and you would miss out on a good time. I'll explore this more when I get to number 18 on this list. 

23. Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep? (written by Scott Sonneborn)
If you want to have an episode about not beating yourself up, fine. If you want to make an episode that’s a metaphor for dealing with depression, go for it. You have free reign. The only thing I ask is DON’T HALF-ASS IT WHEN IT COMES TO THE MORAL! Rainbow Dash in this episode saying “Stop feeling bad” doesn’t cut it. Depression is a very touchy subject and needs to be tackled delicately. It’s not something that can be hand waved so easily. Depression isn’t something that just goes away. It is a mental illness that requires additional help other than just saying “get over it.” This episode fails as an allegory for depression. Oh, and it confirms, to me at least, that Luna is an overrated character.

22. Appleoosa's Most Wanted (written by Dave Polsky)
The best way to describe this episode is been there, done that. The plot and character interactions in this episode are standard, the adults are useless trope, for some reason, keeps popping up, and yet it delivers a surprisingly adult message about misinterpreting your calling in life. Like Number 21 on my list, I put it in the meh category.

21. Made in Manehattan (written by Noelle Benvenuti)
If Boast Busters is the perfect bad episode, then Made in Manehattan is the perfect average episode. The overall tone of the episode is underwhelming from start to finish. While there's nothing inherently wrong with with the episode, sans the pacing and execution of the moral, the feeling I'm left with is just...meh.

20. Party Pooped (written by Nick Confalone)
Looking back I may have been a little harsh on this episode. I really do like the episode. Best pony gets to shine, the comedy is fantastic, and it had a great moral. Just wish the story didn't drag with the yaks, despite how funny they were.

19. Hearthbreakers (written by Nick Confalone)
Between this episode and Hearth's Warming Eve, I think I like the latter Christmas episode a little more. But in terms of families merging to celebrate a common holiday, it hit the nail on the head...minus a few "because the plot says so" moments.

18. What About Discord? (written by Neal Dusedau)
It may not be the funniest episode of the show. It may drag the "you had to have been there" gag a little too much. But after Scare Master aired, What About Discord? was NECESSARY! The moral of the episode is a top ten moral of the show. While it's okay to be introvert, there are dangerous consequences if you choose to exclude yourself and the world might pass you by. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  

17. The Hooffields and the McColts (written by Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco)
I think a lot of conflicts between warring parties should take a look at this episode. It doesn't matter if you try to prove yourself right if both parties are in the wrong. Especially if you're harming an innocent third party.

16. Castle Sweet Castle (written by Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco)
Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco demonstrated they have the potential to be the new fan favorite writers and Castle Sweet Castle was the first step. They have the comedic chops to prove it by actually making Bulk Biceps funny and the final scene with the chandelier shows they can bring on the feels when needed. Song writing...needs work but they're on their way. Butch Hartman taught them well.

15. Canterlot Boutique (written by Amy Keating Rogers)
I think I love the concept of this episode more than the episode itself, which not to knock on an already good episode. I loved the show taking a different spin on the Quality vs Quantity argument. I also admire the episode for, as Lily Peet put it, putting into perspective not continuing to do a job if it makes you feel miserable.

14. Bloom and Gloom (written by Josh Haber)
The middle episode in the CMC dream trilogy. Great dream visuals, great moral that plays into the CMC's arc for the season. I think the only bad thing in this episode, borderline nitpicking, is I could see where the episode was going to end up. Especially with Luna getting involved by the end of it.

13. The Mane Attraction (written by Amy Keating Rogers)
I'm probably the first person to say this was a very good episode, but I just don't think it's a Top 5 episode like everyone is making it out to be. It has a good story with some cliches that are overdone, such as the misunderstanding between friends and the douchebag manager that's only in it for himself. Also I wasn't a big fan Coloratura's ballad. That being said, Ra-Ra is a great character, The Spectacle is a fantastically produced pop song and the episode demonstrates Applejack's best trait in bringing out a pony's true self. 

12. The Cutie Re-Mark (written by Josh Haber)
I think I was spoiled by Twilight's Kingdom and A Canterlot Wedding when it comes to talking about The Cutie Re-Mark. 75% of me really loves the episode, great action bits, great story progression, Twilight brings out one of her best performances, and the final 10 minutes combines every single moral learned in the Cutie Map arc into a nice package. The other 25% is complaining about the time-travel issues, Starlight Glimmer being more petty and spiteful than Maleficent, and the fact she was forgiven almost instantly for causing several time-altering paradoxes just so Twilight and her friends don't get together. So, 3/4 is still passing. Good job, Mr. Haber. Hope you continue to improve over Season 6.

11. Slice of Life (written by M.A. Larson)
This episode was tons of fun and I had a blast watching it. Yes it's silly, but it's a good kind of silly. I wouldn't mind having another episode like this come episode 150.

10. Make New Friends But Keep Discord (written by Natasha Levinger)
It's a Discord/Fluttershy episode. I knew hilarity would ensue but not to the degree the episode gave us. References up the wazoo. Fluttershy shows she has deadpan reactions that could rival Maud Pie. Speaking of Maud, let's not forget to mention the sick burn she gave Discord. Finally, I completely identify with the moral presented as I mentioned in the review.

9. The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows (written by G.M. Berrow)
This was the funniest episode of the season and it didn't even have a moral. This may put a damper on my review system but if the episode kept me entertained for 22 minutes without a moral, I'd say it did its job.

8. Princess Spike (written by Neal Dusedau)
I stand by my decision here. Princess Spike is an underrated episode. This episode belongs with Inspiration Manifestation and Equestria Games as the better Spike episodes in the show. At no point in the episode did I stop and think, "I can't see that happening." Neal Dusedau got an undeserved bad rap this season and like Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco, he has the most potential become a fan favorite writer.

7. Rarity Investigates (written by Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco)
Smartest episode of the show. When Rarity tells Rainbow Dash to look at the drapes, she's telling the audience to look at the drapes. It was a clue to the mystery. Best mystery episode period.

6. Brotherhooves Social (written by Dave Polsky)
This episode makes me want to hug my sister. The fact that Big Mac would leap hurdles to make his baby sister happy is inspirational and...jeez I'm getting teary-eyed just typing my brief thoughts for this funny and heartfelt episode.

5. Tanks for the Memories (written by Cindy Morrow)
This episode could have been a complete disaster if Rainbow Dash would be portrayed unsympathetically. Thankfully, in Cindy Morrow's hands, that didn't happen. Rainbow's journey through the metaphorical 5 Stages of Grief went exceptionally well. Not only that but it produced my favorite song of the season with I'll Fly. I love it. I love it. I LOVE IT!

4. The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone (written by Amy Keating Rogers)
Yes. Most of this purely on my Gilda bias, but could you blame me? It's still a damn good episode. Every character gets to shine through. The initiative moral is great. Looking at reviews it appears people are turning a new leaf on Gilda. FOOLS! I was a Gilda fan before it was cool.

3. Amending Fences (written by M.A. Larson)
This was the second episode that brought me to tears. The first being Ponyville Confidential. To quote Foal Papers, "If Slice of Life was a love letter to the fans, Amending Fences was a love letter to Lauren Faust, the show, and how this all began."

2. The Cutie Map (written by Scott Sonneborn and M.A. Larson)
What a way to kick off the season. Brand new villain, different playing field for the Mane 6 to work on, and by far the creepiest set of episodes that are sure to give kids more nightmares than Twilight Psycho did in Lesson Zero. And while the finale has its problems, this episode sure got me psyched to see the conclusion of the story arc.

1. Crusaders of the Lost Mark (written by Amy Keating Rogers)
Didn't I say back in my Top 10 Worst Episodes list that the CMC would get their cutie marks in Season 5? Holy cow! I was not expecting to be right. Beautiful songs, great story finality for the CMC, with a new door opening, and it made me LIKE Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Amy Keating Rogers, you rocked this season. I wish you the best of luck at the House of Mouse.

And those are my thoughts on Season 5 overall. I thought Season 5 was a very good season. I'd probably rank it second to Season 4 in terms of the Good/Bad ratio. Post a comment below and tell me how you'd rank the episodes this season.