nebbiezebbie Reviews

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: Secret Ad-mare-er (2023) Season 1, Episode 44

TYT at its best

[8/10 · 27 October 2023]

While the episode just seems to want to avoid any confirmed romance, its use of Izzy's imagination, Zipp's edge, and just going wild with the premise in general creates an episode that has all the best of what TYT has to offer, with wacky fun and a little drama.

The only thing holding it back is the short runtime, meaning that the resolution is as usual rather fast, and characters like Hitch are barely around (when he really should be putting Izzy behind bars after her wanton destruction of public property and borderline molestation of various ponies).

Still, things like Zipp loving the darkness of a bug-eating plant help give a feeling that this isn't holding back much.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: Sparky's Sick (2023) Season 1, Episode 46

Basically a 5-minute gag

[5/10 · 27 October 2023]

This is only halfway decent because it actually for once goes the distance in having Sparky affect other ponies, hitting them with fire from both ends in their faces instead of just hitting objects.

Still, it's rather lackluster, as everything is just built to have a sudden resolution at the end as a rather awful climax, and Misty nosing around isn't treated as a real threat at any point.

Overall, an easily-skipped episode if you'd rather not hear Pipp call burping cute (weird for her character specifically), or see ponies get humiliated by the little overpowered fire gas demon the episode is about.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: The Hunt for Eggmund Bunny (2023) Season 1, Episode 48

Entertaining in an over-the-top way

[6/10 · 27 October 2023]

While this is a lot like earlier Tell Your Tale episodes, the toilet humor is toned down in presentation in favor of just going whacky with the events going on around it, and combined with things like Hitch being exhausted and it being a hunt for an actual Easter bunny.

Zipp and Hitch are also the best characters in the show in general, as their dynamic really propels things better than Sunny and Pipp's approach of "magic and sing the problem away". If only Izzy could join them to boost the episode a little.

In general, this episode is one that gives hope for the series, establishing its own weird lore and showing what the writers can do.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: I've Seen Fire And I've Seen Rain (Bows) (2023) Season 1, Episode 54

Better then the MYM version of the Opaline confrontation

[7/10 · 27 October 2023]

By making this ep a retelling of events, they're able to show less and let us infer parts of the fight, as well as focus on making what is shown relatively good. Plus, the comedic take on it really helps avoid the problem that Opaline is a pointlessly flat villain. And at only 5 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome.

Overall, this is an improvement on what MYM did with the Opaline confrontation, although it is sad they couldn't really add any tension or drama to it.

It also makes good use of Izzy's intended purpose, adding a silly response to serious things to help lighten the mood when things get serious.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: Diva and Conquer (2023) Season 1, Episode 56

Almost like a self-parody, the worst presentations of TYT's elements.

[4/10 · 27 October 2023]

This has common TYT elements, but in their worst forms:

Excessively-intense toilet humor? Check (mud spout sounds like sharting...confirms my suspicion on previous episodes that the reason characters get covered in mud so much is for little kids to go "that looks like poo!").

Character weirdly thinking bodily functions are cute? Check (Izzy responds to the shart with saying it's "so cute!").

Plot that amounts to "the tea parties aren't working and the crowd is mad?" Check.

Quick resolution with no buildup? Check.

Characters we've never seen before and probably never will hear speak again being the focus? Check.

There are worse episodes, but this is what happens when they don't really try.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: Attack of the Bunnisus (2023) Season 1, Episode 61

Mildly entertaining in a Pony Life manner

[6/10 · 27 October 2023]

This episode more than any other feels like a recycled Pony Life script given time to actually develop into its own, and the result is somewhat charming and funny without going as hard on the social media or gross aspects like some previous episodes that leaned hard into humor.

The gags aren't really laugh-out-loud, but the energy of the pretty-decent moments elevates the episode above the common Tell Your Tale episode to make it a decently fun time.

The main problem is really just that the Bunnisus seems not allowed to even touch any pony (so there's no sense of danger), and the resolution is rather quick as well.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: Mare Family Mare Problems (2023) Season 1, Episode 51

Charming and mildly entertaining

[6/10 · 27 October 2023]

Better than usual Tell Your Tale, this has an actual development, with the family dynamics of Queen Haven and her daughters upended by a new addition in Alphabittle. The gags are okay enough for what it is, and it manages to be pretty entertaining.

Certainly better than the Make Your Mark version where the two daughters just get annoyed and hardly anything happens, and this version doesn't overstay its welcome with the short runtime.

The one big problem with it is that things are pretty obvious from the start, so if the gags aren't found entertaining, the episode will really fall apart for you.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: The Game Is Ahoof (2022) Season 1, Episode 12

Zipp at her finest

[8/10 · 19 October 2022]

This episode really impressed me, turning a mundane whodunnit into an actually interesting plot that while somewhat obvious, still has little twists and turns. Even the little gags are either meaningful for its plot, or nice and impactful with where they go.

Zipp is the star, conflicting with the others as she questions them. Izzy however is also there to prove she's got a personality of her own. Even Pipp is made use of well, with her vanity. All these characters come together well and elevate what would otherwise be fairly boring (a series of flashbacks from in one room).

A very good episode in general.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: Dumpster Diving (2022) Season 1, Episode 13

Izzy at her best

[8/10 · 19 October 2022]

This episode doesn't have a lot going on in its plot, but it makes up for it with a lot of gags and nice moments, and for once a refusal of the overly-clean setup of Maretime Bay as a whole, showing that it has dirtier parts, and that somepony has to go and deal with that. It also has music that for once actually feels new and interesting.

Izzy is of course the focus character, creating a lot of conflict as she annoys others with her antics. This really makes it feel different from other episodes, because it isn't just your generic hugs and smiles action.

A good watch for those who like Izzy.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: IT'S T.U.E.S. DAY (2022) Season 1, Episode 9

The Señor Butterscotch episode

[6/10 · 19 October 2022]

The only redeeming thing about this episode is that it features Señor Butterscotch, a goofy and fun pretend pony that Izzy carries around. Aside of that, it's your standard dumb kid show plot where there's a misunderstanding and a character feels bad while the others don't notice, eventually leading to a rapid turnaround sequence.

Izzy is of course the focus character, and that elevates it a little above other episodes, but sadly, all the other characters may as well be a single pony reacting to Izzy's shenaniganry, and they aren't very smart, even if they're good friends.

I'd say this is worth watching, but barely.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: Welcome to Mane Melody (2022) Season 1, Episode 5

Standard boring nothing-plot fare

[3/10 · 19 October 2022]

This is basically just a music video of a terrible pop song the series used, but as an episode with a pretend conflict, all taking place in a single room. Any opportunity to be interesting is completely wasted.

Pipp is already not a great character, but to have her only concern be the whether some snooty elite likes her business just devalues all of her positives for cheap drama, and Phyllis may as well be a random extra, with her not having any real character on display despite how great she was in the movie. The end result is as dull as it is eyerollworthy.

Steer clear, this is TYT at its most boring.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: A Home to Share (2022) Season 1, Episode 1

A Bore to Share

[5/10 · 19 October 2022]

You could definitely do a lot worse starting off an animated series, but you could also do a lot better. This episode skips over the interesting details of how they agreed to live together and design their house straight into it being built, and them having some chaotic fun inside.

With no focus characters and just the 5 all goofing off, it's hard to even see differences between them. What should be an establishing moment to show how each character is different really feels more instead like a 5-headed pony falling over a bunch.

Only worth watching because it introduces the premise of the Crystal Brighthouse.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: Maretime Bay Day 2.0 (2022) Season 1, Episode 11

The first decent episode of the series

[7/10 · 19 October 2022]

Up until this episode, the series was extremely boring, but this episode comes in right away with comedy with actual intensity, with some real meat on the bones. It's nothing too exceptional, but it's worth watching and fun.

This episode focuses on the Izzy-Pipp dynamic, which is a pretty good focus that is part of what elevates it, with their natural conflict between Izzy's attitude of just having fun and Pipp's obsession with technology and popularity. Unfortunately the episode still recycles the boring music, but thankfully it's at the end.

Overall, this is probably a good place to start if you want to see the good TYT episodes.

My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale: Puphunt (2022) Season 1, Episode 26

Watchable, but not by much

[5/10 · 19 October 2022]

This episode is pretty boring and really only picks up toward the end with a pretty obvious ending. It's simply not very exciting, not very funny, and not very interesting. At the very least, the episode leaves Maretime Bay for other locations, and an attempt is made at humor, but it's simply not much and comes too late.

For an episode that should be about Queen Haven and her daughters and the dog in question, it's really more about Hitch and Zipp being good detectives, while Haven and Pipp are nothing but walking pink reactions. Izzy and Sunny also serve no purpose at all.

Overall, I can't recommend this episode.

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: Have You Seen This Dragon? (2022) Season 2, Episode 8

Almost good

[6/10 · 28 September 2022]

Following on from the previous episode's mess is another "mystery" we know the answer to, but this time, ponies and even Sparky have brains, and the comedy mostly sort of lands.

The focus of the episode is Hitch, Zipp, Sparky, and Misty. This isn't a great set, but Misty really proves she can be a real semi-competent character, while Zipp actually acts intelligent, and Sparky finally proves his worth as a troublemaker and an actual force instead of just a side gag.

This episode is good for plot reasons as well as character reasons, and a must-see overall if you want to keep up with the series.

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: Hoof Done It? (2022) Season 2, Episode 7

Zipp is an idiot: The episode

[5/10 · 28 September 2022]

What should be an interesting unraveling of a mystery we know the answer to is instead a continual escalation of characters taking actions that are the opposite of what they should be doing.

The focus of the episode is Izzy, Zipp, Pipp, and Misty. This elevates things a little with character conflict and intensity, only to fall flat because Zipp is apparently the dumbest character on the show now and couldn't detective her way out of a box, while Misty and Pipp aren't much better. Izzy only shines because being absolutely weird and doing something stupid is her entire deal, and she pulls it off well.

Watch if you love Izzy, I guess. Just be ready to feel secondhand embarrassment for Zipp.

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: The Traditional Unicorn Sleep-Over (2022) Season 2, Episode 6

Mildly interesting, but falls flat

[6/10 · 28 September 2022]

Finally in the show, the villain's lackey actually tries to go there directly. It's a few episodes late, and ultimately disappointing. We get to hear stories that try to flesh out the backstory of the world, as well as some nice character interaction that for once has actual conflict.

The focus is on Misty, Izzy, and Zipp. While they're the three most interesting characters of the show, Zipp in particular just completely falls over due to being about as bright as a coal mine, after setting up conflict that worked.

This is probably a good episode to watch for both plot and character reasons, but not by much.

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: The Cutie Mark Mix-Up (2022) Season 2, Episode 5

Lots of pointless running around

[4/10 · 28 September 2022]

The premise of swapping cutie marks and personalities is interesting, but the execution is awful. The entire plot is predictable from start to finish, and the villain basically does nothing the whole episode.

Sunny and Hitch are the focus, and that really puts things down as they're the least interesting characters of the bunch. They simply can't emote more than simple frustration and worry, and drive the whole plot down, leaving animals running around more interesting.

Unless you for some reason really love the idea of cutie mark swaps, this is nothing more than a much worsely-executed version of some FiM episodes.

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: Ali-Conned (2022) Season 2, Episode 4

Lots of potential, executed poorly

[5/10 · 28 September 2022]

Both the halves of this plot unify to the same message, but fall well short of being interesting, despite their massive potential. The comedy just doesn't quite land, and the emotion just isn't there.

The focus is on Sunny's discomfort with everyone wanting to see her as an alicorn, and Pipp's jealousy of Hitch with his social media fame. Where it could've shined in making them relatable and interesting, more than just 1-note ponies, it instead made them seem even more vapid, only concerned with fleeting popularity.

If you don't like slapstick or colorful things themselves a ton, this episode will probably just bore you.

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: Portrait of a Princess (2022) Season 2, Episode 3

Only shines above because of being sappy

[6/10 · 28 September 2022]

This is the first (and in the first 8, only) episode of Make Your Mark where there's meaningful emotion besides mild panic, showing an actual range and being less silly. It almost all together works, but just comes apart in a sloppy execution due to having few really good moments in a sea of filler.

Zipp and Pipp's relationship, and the sappy sisterly love within, are the focus, elevating it above the norm. Pipp also for once is in the light of being too much into social media.

Ultimately, it ends up just being rather mediocre. It's really only a must-see if you absolutely love Zipp or Pipp.

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: Growing Pains (2022) Season 2, Episode 2

Descriptive in a meta way

[5/10 · 28 September 2022]

Make Your Mark continues to stumble as it tries to find a mix of comedy and character that works, with a villain in the mix. Ultimately, it's a little awkward and other than a few minor sight gags, not very interesting to watch.

The episode focuses on Hitch, and really makes a good case for him not being a complete character.

At the very least, this episode sets up things for the season-long plot, so you'll need to watch it for that, but unless you just love oversaturated blobs of color, or really like seeing ponies splattered in goop or freaked about plants, this episode really won't do much for you.

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: Izzy Does It (2022) Season 2, Episode 1

More Like Bland Goes It

[4/10 · 28 September 2022]

While not as boring as the show's previous special, this episode kicks things off with a shrug, not a bang. The driving conflict is something any 5-year-old would already know the answer to (should I make the exact same weird jewelry for everyone else after giving one to my friend for their birthday?).

Jokes just don't quite land, and the only reason there's anything interesting going on is that Izzy is a little on the crazy side and the episode focuses on her.

An especial bleh is when we find out there is no reason behind naming the dragon "Sparky Sparkeroni".

If you want anything more than cuteness with oversaturated colors on the screen, this episode won't be your cup of tea.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: A Quality of Mercy (2022) Season 1, Episode 10

Rather Insulting

[4/10 · 16 July 2022]

So we finally get the answer to why Pike can't just change his destiny and it's because...he'll screw up the future.

This sends the message that you should just accept what fate chose for you blindly because the timeline you're in is some "golden path".

It's fundamentally against the optimistic values of Star Trek, as is the very idea that Pike is a screwup because he's too diplomatic.

But beyond that, this is just an excuse to take a well-regarded TOS episode and redress it with CGI messes and overacting that's plagued Discovery for the sake of milking it and getting easy marketing.

In fact, it seems all characters who aren't white and male are suddenly sidelined, quite obviously for mass appeal. This show has no shame.

My Little Pony: Pony Life: One Last Wish/Wild Heart Beats (2021) Season 2, Episode 14

The same mediocrity as usual

[5/10 · 25 May 2021]

While this double episode tries to pile on craziness for fun, it mostly falls flat, as things just kind of happen. Arguably the best part is a musical number, but it's all pretty vapid and only mildly entertaining.

My Little Pony: The Movie (2017)

Very interesting but very flawed

[7/10 · 18 May 2021]

This movie is incredibly divisive. To start with, it has a very adventurous story with the Mane 6 going farther than they ever have before, and meeting a lot of interesting characters in interesting locations that flesh out the world, with a pretty threatening villain to push things along, and good characterization all throughout.

The problems come in mainly with how the movie is overloaded on characters and tries to walk a tightrope of keeping up tension with scares about the fates of the protagonists while also staying lighthearted.

The former problem means that new viewers will be extremely confused, with there being extra characters among the heroes that don't matter to the story, despite screentime being devoted to Grubber, the annoying comic relief.

As for the latter, most family-targeted narratives have to grapple with this tightrope walk, but usually succeed by having the heroes hit real setbacks and take some casualties, then chill out and later use comic relief to reel things in. This movie instead prefers to fake the audience out with potential death, but in a way that older viewers will be able to easily tell it won't happen, then immediately jam in comic relief after the moment...or even during.

Thus, younger viewers (below 7) will feel overly scared and get a sort of emotional whiplash, while older viewers (over 10) will feel the tension in the narrative just sputter out like the air from Pinkie's tail in what should be a serious situation.

Finally, there's a weird sort of pervasive casual darkness of the things added to the setting which really clash with the lightheartedness in a kind of disturbing way. Overall, it's very easy as an older viewer to just feel disturbed yet bored in many parts, despite the promise and spectacle of most of the movie.