MLP:FiM S3E4 - "One Bad Apple" - Grading & Discussion

[J. Allen]

Episode Title: "One Bad Apple"
Episode Air Date: 11/24/2012 @ 10:30 AM EST

Summary:
The Cutie Mark Crusaders are crushed when Apple Bloom’s cousin, Babs Seed, rejects their invitation to become a fellow Crusader and instead becomes a bully determined to make their lives miserable.

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Hello everypony! Yes, yes, I know people are unsure about the air date, but EqD says it's the 24th, TV Guide says it's the 24th, Zap2It says it's the 24th, and as of a few minutes ago, The HUB says it's the 24th, so I'm taking a chance and siding with the 24th as being the next episode air date!

If the episode does air today, keep in mind the rules, please! You can start grading and posting like normal, but all spoilers have to be in spoiler tags if posted before 5 PM Eastern Standard Time in the U.S. If you ever wonder why I pick that time, it's because by then, the show has usually been converted to HD quality for Youtube, and many fans have had a chance to watch it.

[Chemahkuu]

4chan did a rather disgusting hack of Bronystate knocking out the rooms so watching a small bad quality stream for now, going to have to wait and watch it properly later.

[DarkHorizon]

Eh. Middle of the road stuff, with a fairly obvious twist. Some good bits, but the "very special episode" feeling I had based on the early synopsis didn't go away.

[J. Allen]

I thoroughly enjoyed it. The message is a good one, and something young ones need to hear. The character design on the new pony was very well done, Pinkie Pie's random moments continue to be wonderfully random, and I get to see more Applejack, so it's win/win.

I gave it an "A".

[Chemahkuu]

I loved it, but then I love the CMC, Applebloom in particular.

It was nice having a slightly deeper story than it might otherwise have bee, having Bads herself be a victim of bullying, seeing more of the blank flank treatment outside of Ponyville, her not only coming to terms with it but standing up to bullies was nice. Her little tail flick was both cute and troubling, a nervous tick developed from bullying is never good.

A lot of good character moments, Sweetie Belle about to manage magic, Scootaloo's never ending catalouge of weird faces, Applebloom's wardrobe. We finally get to see Rarity's folks house, and Sweetie Belle's room. Although Gold Blindbag Sweetie Belle was weird.

The float was a nice idea, Pinkie back to her old self again, edible float and all

Although I thought it was Derpy and the Doctor in the theatre, but found a screencap and it's Cloud Kicker.

[Count Zero]

Yeah, the Doctor likes to change companions frequently.

So, Scootaloo can fly, after all! Not very high or far, yet, but still, I squeed when I saw that at the beginning of the episode, and then we even got a second moment.

I liked the episode a lot. Yeah, the story wasn't very complex but I felt with the Crusaders when they were being bullied, especially Sweetie Belle when she was crying.
Wasn't it impressive how they managed to build that awesome golden float within just a few hours? And boobytrap it as well? I chuckled at the music sounding a little like the MacGyver theme during that scene.

The animation accompanying the CMC's song "Bad Seed" was pretty great, too.

[Gep Malakai]

"Emergency edible boots."

WHAT KINKS ARE YOU UP TO, RARITY

So. I didn't get a chance to watch this one live because I was out of town, but now that I got to (finally!) sit down with it...it was pretty good. Not sure if it rises to the level of an "A" but it was probably the most solid of the season so far, as the CMC are reliably excellent in whatever they're in. The first two acts were great all around, but things went off the rails a bit by the ending. Still, it didn't go as badly WTF as, say, Luna Eclipsed, so compared with season 2, season 3 is two-for-two in the regular episode department.

DarkHorizon wrote:

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Eh. Middle of the road stuff, with a fairly obvious twist. Some good bits, but the "very special episode" feeling I had based on the early synopsis didn't go away.

Yeah, it kinda became "Very Special" there at the end, didn't it? On the other hand, I thought it turned out much better than I feared when Meghan announced were were getting a special bullying episode. It could have gone so, so wrong. As it stands, it only simplified and patronized a little bit – and everything else was so good I don't really care.

Chemahkuu wrote:

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I loved it, but then I love the CMC, Applebloom in particular.

QFT, though best CMC is Sweetie Belle. Obviously.

Chemahkuu wrote:

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Although Gold Blindbag Sweetie Belle was weird.

Oh my God, that's what that is, isn't it? They're squeezing all the absurd blindbag variations into the show.

Chemahkuu wrote:

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*heart attack*

*dies*

Count Zero wrote:

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Yeah, the Doctor likes to change companions frequently.

Apparently the Doctor was wearing a bow tie and pear costume in the parade, seemingly a reference to Eleven who thinks pears are "rubbish." We love you too, Studio B.

[TrekAlliance92]

Well, as CMC episodes go, "One Bad Apple" is not as great as "Hearts and Hooves Day," but definitely better than "Family Appreciation Day."

As always, the voice actresses for the three Crusaders do a great job!

The song was quite enjoyable, with fun animation going with a fun song.

I also loved the A-team-like music during the construction sequence. Nice touch.

The parade sequence had some great humor with Pinkie Pie (naturally). VEGGIE SALAD!! :P The initiation sequence with Sweetie Belle's reading and Scootaloo's drumming was quite funny too.

As far as the overall episode, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't quite up to the level of the first three episodes of the season. I give it a B.

[Chemahkuu]

Yeah the story was going to be straight forward no matter what, but they did introduce a good personal element to Bab's to justify it, and as I said before her little nervous tick with her tail from the bullying made it all the more believeable/emotional.

And you do have to wonder why Rarity has a secret basement with edible clothing...

The blindbag shoutout was a little blatant, but there aren't any CMC blindbags so does it count? I have a gold Applejack on my shelf so I can't say much.

Sweetie Belle can only manage a tiny magic burst when overly emotional, and Scootaloo can hover for a couple of seconds now, Applebloom is showing more signs of earth-pony level strength but all three of them are lagging behind in physical development as well as their cutie marks, coincidence?

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon getting a taste of their own medicine was good, but the threat is kind of hollow, "tell their Mums?", their Mums own half of Ponyville, basically the Malfoy's of Equestria.

And come on, how many of us expecting some kind of explosion when the timer counting down? even if it was just a can of paint or something.

[Count Zero]

Gep Malakai wrote:

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Oh my God, that's what that is, isn't it? They're squeezing all the absurd blindbag variations into the show.

Not really. There aren't any CMCs in the blindbags. Would be great if there were.

TrekAlliance92 wrote:

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The initiation sequence with Sweetie Belle's reading and Scootaloo's drumming was quite funny too.

Yeah, I thought so, too.

[J. Allen]

The nervous tic with Babs' tail covering her blank flank made me "D'aww" every time.

[Chemahkuu]

Aww, all she needed was a hug. And a little therapy.

[Gep Malakai]

Count Zero wrote:

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Not really. There aren't any CMCs in the blindbags. Would be great if there were.

There's a blindbag-scale Applebloom and Diamond Tiara in one of the 3-pack sets. It may not be too long before we start to see single-packs of them.

Still, theres a gold-painted mane 6 in the blindbags; I imagine that was the inspiration for Goldie Belle given that we already got the crystal blindbag ponies in the season opener.

[Chemahkuu]

*hides Crystal Twilight and Gold Applejack*

[Gep Malakai]

^If you had a gold Sweetie Belle, then you'd have something to be worried about.

Fantastic Babs Seed remix:



I've listened to it a good ten times today.