I’m a huge fan of the show’s later seasons, and I feel that S7 and even the oft-maligned S6 are near the top of my favorites (though Starlight being in those seasons helps a lot) but I’ll have to be honest in saying that S8 is probably on one of the lower tiers thus far. That isn’t saying much since I love every season, but there have been a larger percentage of relatively weak episodes early on than in many previous ones. That’s just my opinion of course, though, and I’ve loved much of the season. I’m just not quite as enthusiastic about the season overarching plot, maybe.
The opener… I’m not really that big on. The concept is interesting but I’m not a fan of school settings in any context. Some of the students are interesting, and it’s awesome that Maurice LaMarche is on the show now, but other than changing the intro and the dynamic of the show plot, it just wasn’t that strong for me.
The Maud Couple made me mad because Mudbriar is awful at identifying oak leaves. And I know both characters are meant to be comically bland, but having twice the deadpan characters in one episode was a bit overbearing, and I’m not a huge fan. Getting to see Pinkie’s awesome other two sisters again was great though.
Fake It Til You Make It, I loved it until the end when she got just way too carried away, which I feel was done better back in S2. Overall a good episode but the ending really hurt my enjoyment. FS is my fave of the mane six though, so I will still probably re-watch it for the amusing outfits.
Grannies Gone Wild, is the first one I can say I loved. And that even though I strongly dislike Rainbow Dash! It was just so well written and fun, and even though I’m a bigger fan of the later seasons, it just seemed so old-school and nostalgic that it would have fit in well five or six seasons ago.
Surf and/or Turf was really heavy for me because it elicited a heavy emotional response from me. My parents divorced a few years back and I am absolutely in Terramar’s (great name, btw, if you break it down) place. I’ve absolutely been there. I’m kind of intrigued we didn’t have a significantly bigger fandom notice from this because, in my opinion, it’s as close as the writers may get to giving us an actual divorce episode in MLP. I mean, we got the dead parents one last year, but still. Also, dat worldbuilding. It was enjoyable; not one of my very top favorites, but it was done so well. There are things I think could’ve been improved on but it was a great issue to tackle and any excuse to see the hippogriffs, is a good one.
Horse Play was really fun. I love seeing Celestia in a more casual role and seeing her and Twilight have a falling out is an interesting thing to see. Not one of my very favorites but it was good.
Parent Map, I enjoyed, being a big fan of Glimmer and Sunburst. More good world-building, and I think parent issues are good moral issues to tackle in kids shows. I see myself re-watching this one.
Non-Complete Clause is one of my least favorite episodes of the entire show. I’m not that a big fan of S1, but Fall Weather Friends did the exact same thing much better. And I’m not much of a fan of either RD or AJ, so yeah.
The Break Up Break Down, oof, important lesson in communication; I enjoyed it and think it’s a bit underrated, but isn’t one I see myself re-watching too often. I love Sugar Belle though, so any time we get to see her is great.
Molt Down is obviously an important milestone and a major episode, but as a whole it was entirely forgettable for me and weirdly paced. I thought it was weak. Like most, not objectively bad, but I only saw it once and don’t plan on rewatching it.
Marks for Effort is another of my favorites for the season so far. Some of the CMC episodes have actually been really good in the last few seasons; I remember kind of dreading them in the past with a few very serious exceptions (Crusaders of the Lost Mark, Sleepless in Ponyville to be specific, among my all time favorite episodes)
Aaaaaand The Mean Six would have really been better as a two parter or a season opener/closer. The concept was good but I felt it was super forced and rushed and the pacing really suffered. Gotta work with the constraints they’re given I guess.
I don’t dislike the season, but I have been less excited to watch the new episodes as they come out than I have been in previous ones. Maybe I’m just trying to lessen the blow of the show eventually ending by becoming a bit more distant with new official content, but unlike last season’s massive midseason wallop of top-level incredible episodes, there hasn’t been a ton of standout stuff. I wanna see the pillars again (and I assume we will) and I don’t dislike the students (Silverstream is friggin’ adorable) but all I ask is that the show entertain me at some basic level, which it certainly still does. I’ll happily watch til the end.
