Generally find the 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' episodes centered around the Cutie Mark Crusaders pretty good. Some great even. One does worry from the looks of the characters that they would be too cutesy and the episodes would be shallow and overly sweet, but actually the characters are stronger than that, their character interaction between them and the other ponies were often entertaining and heartfelt and their storylines relatable. There are some episodes where the outcome on them is too unfair.
"Twilight Time" is not one of the best Cutie Mark Crusaders-centric episodes. It is not one of the worst. It's more somewhere around solid middle, a well executed and enjoyable episode with a lot to like and a lot better than expected actually (as the premise was not an exciting one). Albeit with a story that is not much special, with a concept that isn't the most original and done with not much innovation. Not one of the best episodes of Season 4, not one of the worst either.
Will start with the good things, which are many. "Twilight Time" is very nicely animated, with vibrant colours, meticulous attention to detail and character designs that are a lot more nuanced and not near as over-sweet as one fears. The facial expressions are done very well. The music has character and atmosphere, adding a lot to the mood and not being at odds with it. Did appreciate too that this aspect was not song heavy and that the tone was calmer. The voice acting is great as can be expected, Claire Corlett especially.
Quite a lot of fun and charm in the story and there are some genuinely amusing moments, the hamburger scene is hilarious (liked the fantasy scenes too), and a heartfelt and relevant moral handled sincerely and not in a beat around the head way. Most of the characters are well written, it was great to see Sweetie Belle get more development and be in the role normally filled by Applebloom and Twilight's conflict and determination is relatable. The character interaction is nailed all round.
Didn't find Diamond Tiara, have never been the biggest of fans of hers, and Silver Spoon as interesting and little more than the stereotypical bully sort of characters with no real shade or subtlety.
Story-wise, "Twilight Time" is far from disastrous and there is nothing mean-spirited (like in some Cutie Mark Crusaders-centric episodes). It is though pretty conventional and does little new with an idea not much different from what one saw in the previous Cutie Mark Crusaders-centric episodes, meaning that there was a predictability and at times a slight blandness from at times lacking energy.
Overall, pretty good and well executed if unexceptional on a story level. 7/10
"Twilight Time" is not one of the best Cutie Mark Crusaders-centric episodes. It is not one of the worst. It's more somewhere around solid middle, a well executed and enjoyable episode with a lot to like and a lot better than expected actually (as the premise was not an exciting one). Albeit with a story that is not much special, with a concept that isn't the most original and done with not much innovation. Not one of the best episodes of Season 4, not one of the worst either.
Will start with the good things, which are many. "Twilight Time" is very nicely animated, with vibrant colours, meticulous attention to detail and character designs that are a lot more nuanced and not near as over-sweet as one fears. The facial expressions are done very well. The music has character and atmosphere, adding a lot to the mood and not being at odds with it. Did appreciate too that this aspect was not song heavy and that the tone was calmer. The voice acting is great as can be expected, Claire Corlett especially.
Quite a lot of fun and charm in the story and there are some genuinely amusing moments, the hamburger scene is hilarious (liked the fantasy scenes too), and a heartfelt and relevant moral handled sincerely and not in a beat around the head way. Most of the characters are well written, it was great to see Sweetie Belle get more development and be in the role normally filled by Applebloom and Twilight's conflict and determination is relatable. The character interaction is nailed all round.
Didn't find Diamond Tiara, have never been the biggest of fans of hers, and Silver Spoon as interesting and little more than the stereotypical bully sort of characters with no real shade or subtlety.
Story-wise, "Twilight Time" is far from disastrous and there is nothing mean-spirited (like in some Cutie Mark Crusaders-centric episodes). It is though pretty conventional and does little new with an idea not much different from what one saw in the previous Cutie Mark Crusaders-centric episodes, meaning that there was a predictability and at times a slight blandness from at times lacking energy.
Overall, pretty good and well executed if unexceptional on a story level. 7/10
