Expectations were not high for either "Badge of Shame" or "Discord's Peak". None of the previous 'My Little Pony: Pony Life' episodes have been good, the least bad still being pretty mediocre, and the episodes after this double bill never got much better. Still watched because of seeing what My Little Pony has done with these characters in the past and loving it and due to liking all three characters focused most on on the most part in 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'.
Neither "Badge of Shame" or "Discord's Peak" work well at all in execution. Neither sounded particularly interesting conceptually, sounding too derivative and over simple, and both were both those things as well as uncomfortably bizarre. None of the three characters most focused on (Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy and Discord, Fluttershy has actually been the least problematically written of the characters up to this point but has been stuck in poor stories) are handled well, in Discord's case it's a character assassination.
Tara Strong and Andrea Libman are the best things about both episodes, both voice with a lot of enthusiasm and they are nuanced with no melodrama or over sweetness.
Unfortunately, nothing else works. There is nothing imaginative or vibrant about the animation, which is rushed and careless looking throughout. Indicative of rushed deadlines and low budget. The music is like cheesy high school quality and never fits with what goes on. The theme tune is grating. There is no imagination or energy in the writing, while "Discord's Peak" has a little more humour than usual for 'My Little Pony: Pony Life' (but still managing to be not very much) very little of it is funny and none of it is hilarious. At best it is very mildly amusing, but most of it is too juvenile and on the wrong side of strange. The moralising is simplistic and too heavy handed.
Both stories are pretty poorly done, with no charm or soul in sight. "Badge of Shame" in fact goes nowhere a lot of the time and there is not near enough content to sustain the length (which is short). The most plot it has is towards the end and the conflict lacks tension and can be forced. "Discord's Peak" is marginally better, but is also too thin, over simple and is predictable, as well as weird. Twilight, Fluttershy and Discord are not well written, Twilight fares least bad as she is the one with the most relatable situation but is bland and too melodramatic at times.
Fluttershy comes over as too needy to an excessive degree, and it's borderline creepy. Worst is Discord, anybody who hated his character writing in 'Friendship is Magic's' "What About Discord" and "A Matter of Principals" (count me in as one of those many) are going to dislike him every bit as much as he is very childish and mean spirited at times which is a waste of Fluttershy's intentions. Not bringing back John De Lancie as his voice was a mistake in my view, Peter New just doesn't have his energy or comic timing and he comes over as both affected and bland.
Overall, very poor. 2/10.
Neither "Badge of Shame" or "Discord's Peak" work well at all in execution. Neither sounded particularly interesting conceptually, sounding too derivative and over simple, and both were both those things as well as uncomfortably bizarre. None of the three characters most focused on (Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy and Discord, Fluttershy has actually been the least problematically written of the characters up to this point but has been stuck in poor stories) are handled well, in Discord's case it's a character assassination.
Tara Strong and Andrea Libman are the best things about both episodes, both voice with a lot of enthusiasm and they are nuanced with no melodrama or over sweetness.
Unfortunately, nothing else works. There is nothing imaginative or vibrant about the animation, which is rushed and careless looking throughout. Indicative of rushed deadlines and low budget. The music is like cheesy high school quality and never fits with what goes on. The theme tune is grating. There is no imagination or energy in the writing, while "Discord's Peak" has a little more humour than usual for 'My Little Pony: Pony Life' (but still managing to be not very much) very little of it is funny and none of it is hilarious. At best it is very mildly amusing, but most of it is too juvenile and on the wrong side of strange. The moralising is simplistic and too heavy handed.
Both stories are pretty poorly done, with no charm or soul in sight. "Badge of Shame" in fact goes nowhere a lot of the time and there is not near enough content to sustain the length (which is short). The most plot it has is towards the end and the conflict lacks tension and can be forced. "Discord's Peak" is marginally better, but is also too thin, over simple and is predictable, as well as weird. Twilight, Fluttershy and Discord are not well written, Twilight fares least bad as she is the one with the most relatable situation but is bland and too melodramatic at times.
Fluttershy comes over as too needy to an excessive degree, and it's borderline creepy. Worst is Discord, anybody who hated his character writing in 'Friendship is Magic's' "What About Discord" and "A Matter of Principals" (count me in as one of those many) are going to dislike him every bit as much as he is very childish and mean spirited at times which is a waste of Fluttershy's intentions. Not bringing back John De Lancie as his voice was a mistake in my view, Peter New just doesn't have his energy or comic timing and he comes over as both affected and bland.
Overall, very poor. 2/10.