Episode Title: "Filli Vanilli" Air Date: Feb. 15th, 2014 Summary: "When a member of the singing group, the Ponytones, has to drop out of an important performance, Fluttershy takes drastic measures to ensure that the show goes on." Live Streams: BronyState Theaters Brony Network Xyro HD Stream Worlds of Equestria REMEMBER: DO NOT POST SPOILERS UNTIL AFTER 1:00 PM EST (6 PM UTC/GMT) =- Ruminations: I don't know too much about this one, though I do know about Milli Vanilli, so I have a number of suspicions about where this might be going, and the blurb given on the HUB website tells me all I really need to know. Of course it looks interesting, and as we all know, Fluttershy is best pony (for the moment), so we shall see what happens!
Adorable little episode, Andrea did a great job this week, well, Pinkie was overboard again but the Fluttershy parts were fantastic. And Big Mac gets some better screentime again. A lot of Apple Family material this season, hmm.
I loved it! This episode had so many cute Fluttershy faces! Wiggly Fluttershy butt, cute Fluttershy squees, and the music was great! I love that the joy of music is what motivates Fluttershy to continue doing what she's doing, rather than fame or accolade. The whole episode, I had to avoid trying to hug my screen, because she was just SO ADORABLE! This episode gets an "A" from me! It is my new favorite episode of Season 4.
I loved this one. It felt like a S1 episode to me, and reminded me why I fell in love with the show. Was it just me, or did Pinkie come off not so loveable in this one? She was almost an annoyance.
Pinkie is being Pinkie. People claim character development in this show, but she's the same pony that totally annoyed Rainbow and Gilda, Cranky, and pretty much everypony else at some point or other. And in that sense, it's just fine because Pinkie Pie being nuts is part of the show's raison d'etre. As a big a cappella fan, this was a real treat for me. I really liked that Rarity was NOT the vocal lead and hogging the spotlight, though as the Soprano she couldn't be missed. Great use of continuity with the poison joke, though Fluttershy has been on stage in front of people as part of an ensemble, or as a model many times. As such suddenly being unable to sing before a crowd is weird, but still fitting with her character. Mark
And you'd think that sot of friendship (sic) would make her suck it up and do something for Rarity that she otherwise LOVED to do in the allegorical shower... Mark
In fairness, Fluttershy really is trying to get better at being more assertive, but her very nature is that of someone who is willing to be pushed into the background to help someone else. The problem here is that she has to be in the foreground, and that's what scares her. I love a capella myself, and was in a barbershop quartet when I was in high school, and it was so much fun, and I didn't mind being out in front to be seen, because I was used to performing. Still, singing leaves us vulnerable, because it's something we do out of joy. Opening oneself to criticism puts that joy in danger, and I think that's what truly scared her.