Fillies, Gentlecolts, and foals of all ages. Welcome once again to another edition of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Recap/review. It’s been a while since we’ve put the focus on everypony’s favorite cowpoke Applejack, as well as the rest of the Apple Family. So, this week we’re getting the whole shebang. Is this a memorable “Apple Family Reunion”? Let’s find out with this week’s review.
Planning for the family reunion
We open the episode as the Applejack, Granny Smith, and Apple Bloom are beginning their preparations for the upcoming family reunion. However, they soon learn that this reunion is going to be visited by pretty much every Apple in Equestria. Even Babs Seed will be making a visit. In fact the event might be a bit too much for Granny Smith to coordinate all by herself. So Applejack decides to take the reigns this year.
Granny Smith shows Apple Bloom a photo album containing many of the events over the years that have been held at the family reunion. Quilt making, fritter baking, a seven legged race, and most importantly the family photo. Later that night, Applejack is already stressed out in trying to ensure that the reunion is the most memorable one ever.
Oh hi Babs. It's been so long since we've seen you. Four episodes is a long time.
With the reunion set up, all of the Apples show up, including Apple Bloom’s cousin Babs Seed. But before the two cousins can get a chance to talk to each other, Applejack sets every young filly to a race that involves hurdles, running around trees, and balancing plates on their heads.
Applejack also tries to ensure that everypony gets more productivity done, including giving the older ponies sewing machines to get the quilt done faster. Not to mention increase the amount of fritters made. However, nopony seems very happy when it comes time for the family photo.
Applejack suggests that they all take a hay ride around the farm. But of course since Applejack is determined on making this reunion the most memorable, she makes the stallions pulling it go fast, while she bucks trees filled with multicolored fruit bats. This of course goes awry when the bats attack the family members in the cart, sending the cart into the barn, which immediately crashes down.
Nothing says "family" like manual labor
Applejack finally realizes the error of her ways, that she was way too occupied with trying to make it the most fun reunion, however she may have made it the worst. However, she does come up with an idea to at least ensure this reunion can still be one of the most memorable, as she has the entire family work together to raise a new barn.
With a new barn up, the family photo taken, and the reunion a major success, we end the episode with Applejack sending a letter to Princess Celestia. Remember those? She writes that she learned that when you’re with family, it doesn’t matter that you make everything memorable, and that the simplest activities can often take on a whole new meaning. And you will often find you remember the who more than you remember the what.
Well, that was quite the reunion. But was it the best ever? Let’s have a pros and cons hoedown! Yee Haw!
PRO
First off, I like that we got to see Babs Seed again. Is it a little soon? Sure. But for a character I genuinely enjoyed like her, it’s always good to have them back without a monstrous 2 season wait. Like a certain stallion in this episode, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
Another song, and this time it’s not just a country song, it’s an Applejack solo song. That’s a first. It’s not the most amazing song of the season, but still catchy for a simple little hoedown style song.
I like how they handled Applejack being too wrapped up with making things fun, and not just turn this into another “Lesson Zero” where the stress gets to her. It makes the episode just a little more fun, and in my opinion that worked out great.
CON
I really feel the biggest downside with this was that besides maybe one or two Apples, we really didn’t get much of a chance to see or hear most of them, which I do feel is a major shame. I get that we only had 22 minutes to work with, but it does feel a letdown. For example…
BRAEBURN! WHY AREN’T YOU TALKING?
The episode does feel like it goes a little too fast, which really leaves very few memorable moments. But I guess for an episode about a family reunion, you don’t want it to drag as much. But it does hurt the pacing quite a bit.
“Apple Family Reunion” was a fun and simple episode. Nothing that really incredible, but still a solid 22 minute experience. Applejack episodes have really yet to disappoint in that aspect, and this one didn’t either. The only issue is that it does feel inferior to the last few weeks of episodes that actually seem to affect the show’s evolution. But that doesn’t hurt it either. Sometimes a fun filler episode is still just as good as a major story episode, and this was definitely the case here.
RATING: 7 out of 10
Next week, Applejack’s got a dragon of a problem. When she saves Spike from hungry timberwolves, the little dragon is so grateful that he decides to live by his loyal dragon oath, and helps Applejack out at the farm. But will Spike cause more problems for the Apple family? Find out next week with “Spike at your Service”
Until next week everypony!