*Opens MLP wiki episode page on other screen*
Season 1:
Fall Weather Friends - The
only S1 episode that I can watch on its own outside of a season marathon. Funny and so very enjoyable.
Season 2:
Luna Eclipsed - Reintroduced Luna, ‘nough said.
The Cutie Pox - An enjoyable Apple Bloom episode that’s also funny.
Sweet and Elite - A great Rarity episode and a bitchin’ song.
A Canterlot Wedding - Despite the BS
let’s not believe our friend because plot! contrivance and the lack of apology at the end of the episode, I enjoy the fuck out of this episode. It introduced a likeable new character, a villain that was awesome, a villainous threat that was more grounded than either character-test challenge villain or
I can’t believe it’s not Q from Star Trek, and awesome songs. It gave me hope for the future of the show after a season of suckitude (I’m noted as not being a fan of S2 in general), and given that my avatar is taken from that episode, you can tell that it left an impression on me.
Season 3:
The Crystal Empire - An interesting new location to visit with cool designs and a compelling backstory, and them
outright killing the bad guy at the end of the episode equals great episode. TCE also has a special place in my heart due to it tying into what I was doing regarding Retake Mass Effect at the time, with
ebin take thats against the ending by Ryan Lohner, and helping me predict how what would become Mass Effect Andromeda handle the endings to ME3.
Season 4:
The season opener and closer - Two-parters that feel like they’re tied directly into the narrative instead of feeling like side-quests, good use of the characters (including to my shock Discord), and great songs. Truly the golden age of FiM under Meghan McCarthy.
Three’s A Crowd - The TS and Cadence comedy (half-)hour featuring Discord.
Season 5:
The Cutie Map - A two-parter where the main characters
don’t save the day!? That would be like a Paul Anderson Resident Evil movie where someone other than Alice is competent. Overall a great two-parter even if evil SG was wasted in the end.
Bloom and Gloom - Reminds me of one of my favourite Stargate Universe (fuck you it was a good show!) episodes.
Amending Fences - My
tour de force episode of that season, because not only did it shed light on Twilight’s time in Canterlot and her friends and their personalities, but was a denouement to the first episode of the entire show up to that point. I compare it to meeting Vigil in Mass Effect 1.
Season 6:
Gauntlet of Fire - Funny, self-aware, and sheds light on the dragons and Spike’s relationship to them.
Dragon Quest done right AFAIC.
To Where and Back Again - The B team saves the day. Nice to see that the competence ball getting passed to someone other than the main six when it comes to major threats.
Season 7:
All Bottled Up - A SG episode that doesn’t beat you around the head and quite funny too.
A Royal Problem -
Fucking finally an episode centred around Celestia and Luna. Only took them SEVEN SEASONS.
Season 8:
The Hearth’s Warming Club - A Christmas episode that doesn’t suck! Also gives us insight into the cultures that the non-pony student six come from, which is great.
Sounds of Silence - Much better than it sounded (get it) when reading the synopsis. New culture with a great character to fill us in on it, and an awesome song.
And that about covers all the episodes I can always go back to and watch in isolation.