The Cart Before the Ponies review

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These reviews do contain spoilers

Ever since the Cutie Mark Crusaders got their marks, they have gotten less focus now. It's probably been for the best since they accomplished their goals and there's not much else the team can do with them anymore. There is some new arc for them in helping others find their special talents, and while On Your Marks kind of explored that, we won't really see that until later this season. So what can they do with the CMC now? Well how about a day at the races with their sisters. I'm always up for whenever one or more of the CMC spend some bonding time with their sisters. They always seem to have something heartwarming, cute, or just some good character development and interaction.

Such is the case for today's episode, The Cart Before the Ponies; a title that's somewhat similar to a proverb called the cart before the horse. In this episode, the CMC are excited to finally be able to race in the Applewood Derby. However, things turn sour for the trio as each of their sisters, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, take over and do things their own way. Now I do admit that this episode's concept is similar to Fall Weather Friends. It has a somewhat similar premise and setup to that episode. So are we in for a retread of a season one episode, or can they do a different take on it? Well, let's rev those engines up and hit the gas, folks. It's time to fill that need for speed. Or just to see what this episode has in store for us.

Well, let's get something quickly out of the way of this episode. This doesn't exactly end up being like Fall Weather Friends. While the concept seems similar, it actually ends up borrowing some elements from another season 1 episode, Suited for Success. If you think about it, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow end up changing a lot of things the Crusaders wanted; similar to when Rarity had to deal with all those outfit changes that she had to make.

Speaking of which, I have to admit that this wasn't exactly the best outing for Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow. I get that the concept of the episode had to have them being in control for the moral to work, which I'll get to later on. However, I feel that this episode made them complete jerks and rather arrogant. Aside from them taking over the competition and making the carts their own ways, they act like real jerks in the race themselves. I mean you have Rainbow running ponies off the road. Rarity blocking others with the wings on her car. Applejack just flat out ignoring Apple Bloom and being rather nasty to her too about "tradition." I get competition can bring out the worst in others, but I feel this is some really bad portrayal of them as a whole.

The plot itself is also nothing to write home about at all. It's really just a standard episode about adults taking over a competition. There's really nothing new in this episode, nor anything added to make it different at all. If you have seen any episode involving a race and the adults getting in the way, then you've seen this episode already. The pacing is also another big problem in this episode. It has a very sluggish start, then it kind of picked up in the middle, but then had to quickly wrap up everything at the end of the episode. It didn't flow well and certain scenes went on longer than they should have. It may not be the worst pacing I've seen in this episode, but it certainly isn't good at all.

One thing I will say in this episode's favor is the race itself. There are some creative carts in the race, and I do like the overall layout of the race track itself. If there's one thing I think we can always count on in this episode, it's some good eye candy. However, it's a bit of a letdown when you realize that there are absolutely no Mario Kart, F-Zero, or even a Wacky Races reference at all in this episode. I looked all over this episode, and found nothing at all. Not even a character from one of those things I mentioned like Dick Dastardly or Captain Falcon. The best episode to have any of these references, and yet they couldn't do it? Come on. Are you kidding me? What a load and a complete waste of an opportunity.

We also get ourselves a song, and while it's not a bad one, it's nothing too memorable. The music isn't bad at all. What hurts this song are they lyrics as a whole. They don't sound that great, and I feel it was kind of a lackluster song. It's not the worst song I've heard, nor is it that bad, but it is easily one of the weaker songs of the season and the series as a whole.

The moral itself is also kind of a letdown. While it's built up better than Applejack's Day Off, I feel that this moral was kind of heavy handed and just a bit out of the blue. While it is hard for the younger sibling to stand up and talk to the older one about what they want, I don't think this was handled well at all. It's not exactly helped that Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow contradict themselves by stating that older siblings don't always know best. If that was the case, then why the Hell did they allow themselves to do whatever they please? They claim they don't always know what's best, but yet they were either shrugging off the CMC's ideas or just being downright nasty and inconsiderate the whole time, and they have the audacity to claim they don't always know better despite what they've done? Give me a break.

Maybe if the moral was more about how winning something so badly that it makes you lose focus on what it's truly about, then I could buy it. However, the way the moral is handled here makes little to no sense, and combine that with how the CMC's older sisters just contradict themselves at the end makes the moral weaker as a whole. Also, nice job, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow for banning adults from being in the race with the foals. It may only be for this race, but I think it seems that now no adults are allowed to race with their kids. Way to go, you three. Way to go.

The Cart Before the Ponies is a disappointing entry and a letdown from last week. While not the worst episode of the season (That honor belongs to Newbie Dash), it's just a complete disappointment. The story is just an insufferable bore with nothing really new added to the mix. The characters weren't that great; especially Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow with how rather mean spirited they can come across. The song is rather mediocre as a whole and not that memorable. There's nothing really funny in this episode at all. The moral is a complete mess and feels kind of forced. The pacing is extremely lackluster. It just doesn't make for a good episode at all.

There are some decent moments here and there like the flashback scenes and the race itself, but they can't make up for how disappointing and boring this episode is. It's also sad to see that Rainbow once again took a major step back with her character after last week when she shined brightly, and it seems here character was dragged back again. If you really want a good episode involving a race, go watch Fall Weather Friends instead. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go buy F-Zero on the Wii U store and play that to get this episode out of my head.

FINAL SCORE: 5 out of 10 (C-)