All the previous five episodes of Season 1 and of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' in general were very good ("Griffon the Brush Off") to great ("Elements of Harmony" and especially "Applebuck Season"). So it was always hard to not expect good things when the show started with such good promise, the odd bit of underdeveloped characterisation aside (everything else though was remarkably well settled for so early on).
But there was the worry as to whether an episode could make something funny and charming out of something as un-endearing as one can get, boasting and the consequences of it. "Boast Busters", the show's first disappointment, doesn't really achieve that. It is not a bust as such and is not a misfire, but up to this point of the season and the show it is by quite some way the weakest and to me it's a lesser episode of the first season too (a contender for my least favourite actually). Disappointing seeing as 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' had settled very well and was showing so much promise, even if it had not yet hit its stride yet.
Lets get the good things about "Boast Busters" out of the way. The animation is great and is getting better all the time. The bright colours, meticulously detailed and often elegant backgrounds and adorable but never too cute character designs still appeals. The music has presence but never over-bears what is going on. Personally don't have a problem with the theme song, am aware some find it take it or leave it. There are moments of amusement and charm and the voice acting from very talented voice actors is as dynamic as one expects.
It does do its best with a mature subject and does have a good well-intended moral, of being proud of any abilities, that thankfully is not as laid on too thick as one fears. That is what is so great about the show, its tackling of mature subjects handled maturely and having educational and relevant morals/lessons. The highlight of "Boast Busters" when it becomes to best scenes is Twilight's vanquishing of the Ursa Major, which was gripping and one could see in the animation her determination and being dragged down. Of the regular characters, she and Spike fare best and while Trixie is not a likeable character, the episode at least acknowledges that her behaviour is wrong and at least tries to develop her, that already makes her a better developed character than a previous unlikeable guest character Gilda in "Griffon the Brush Off".
However, with a few exceptions the characterisation is a major turn off and the season's weakest and most inconsistent, with Twilight and Trixie being the only characters "Boast Busters" tries to develop properly. Regardless of what people's thoughts on Trixie are, and the underwhelming character writing brings the episode down significantly. The others are either annoying (Snips and Snails, the episode introducing two of the show's most annoying characters), out of character jerks (Applejack and Rainbow Dash, so disappointing after the previous two episodes did so well making them more interesting, especially Applejack in "Applebuck Season", they are many things but hypocrites they are not) or bland (most, but especially a pointless Pinkie).
While the last portion of "Boast Busters" does redeem things, the first half felt dull and sketchily developed, not doing enough with a subject that did have some potential if executed right. The dialogue has been much funnier and has had more depth before, it's with Twilight and with the moral where it has spark.
Overall, not a bad episode but very disappointing considering the show's general standard, early on and as an overall whole. 6/10
But there was the worry as to whether an episode could make something funny and charming out of something as un-endearing as one can get, boasting and the consequences of it. "Boast Busters", the show's first disappointment, doesn't really achieve that. It is not a bust as such and is not a misfire, but up to this point of the season and the show it is by quite some way the weakest and to me it's a lesser episode of the first season too (a contender for my least favourite actually). Disappointing seeing as 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' had settled very well and was showing so much promise, even if it had not yet hit its stride yet.
Lets get the good things about "Boast Busters" out of the way. The animation is great and is getting better all the time. The bright colours, meticulously detailed and often elegant backgrounds and adorable but never too cute character designs still appeals. The music has presence but never over-bears what is going on. Personally don't have a problem with the theme song, am aware some find it take it or leave it. There are moments of amusement and charm and the voice acting from very talented voice actors is as dynamic as one expects.
It does do its best with a mature subject and does have a good well-intended moral, of being proud of any abilities, that thankfully is not as laid on too thick as one fears. That is what is so great about the show, its tackling of mature subjects handled maturely and having educational and relevant morals/lessons. The highlight of "Boast Busters" when it becomes to best scenes is Twilight's vanquishing of the Ursa Major, which was gripping and one could see in the animation her determination and being dragged down. Of the regular characters, she and Spike fare best and while Trixie is not a likeable character, the episode at least acknowledges that her behaviour is wrong and at least tries to develop her, that already makes her a better developed character than a previous unlikeable guest character Gilda in "Griffon the Brush Off".
However, with a few exceptions the characterisation is a major turn off and the season's weakest and most inconsistent, with Twilight and Trixie being the only characters "Boast Busters" tries to develop properly. Regardless of what people's thoughts on Trixie are, and the underwhelming character writing brings the episode down significantly. The others are either annoying (Snips and Snails, the episode introducing two of the show's most annoying characters), out of character jerks (Applejack and Rainbow Dash, so disappointing after the previous two episodes did so well making them more interesting, especially Applejack in "Applebuck Season", they are many things but hypocrites they are not) or bland (most, but especially a pointless Pinkie).
While the last portion of "Boast Busters" does redeem things, the first half felt dull and sketchily developed, not doing enough with a subject that did have some potential if executed right. The dialogue has been much funnier and has had more depth before, it's with Twilight and with the moral where it has spark.
Overall, not a bad episode but very disappointing considering the show's general standard, early on and as an overall whole. 6/10
