Really liked the idea for "Friendship University", the idea did sound great. Starswirl proved himself to be a well written and interesting character in the Season 7 two part finale "Shadow Play" (a good episode but the execution didn't quite fully live up to the potential it had). Was a bit nervous at the same time though, as it featured the Flim Flam brothers, who were annoying characters in their first episode and that never changed in their appearances.
"Friendship University" was a little like "The Mean 6" (also from Season 8), the potential was big but the execution doesn't deliver enough and is not as interesting or as deep as it sounds on paper. While being very disappointed in "The Mean 6", "Friendship University" is slightly worse as at least "The Mean 6", despite the potential waste factor being bigger, didn't have as many annoyances, was more ambitious and executed its good things better. As much as wanting to agree with the previous reviewer, it is regrettable to say that the episode didn't do it for me and while not the worst episode of Season 8 or bottom 3 it's in the lesser half.
Will start with the good things about "Friendship University" and there are actually quite a number of things done right. It is beautifully animated for one thing, a lot of work and care went into making the reactions and expressions expressive and entertaining especially for Starswirl and the colours and backgrounds are very easy on the eyes and have a warmth to them. The music, on the whole, puts one in a good mood and has a lot of character. Have no qualms with the voice acting, with Chris Britton bringing complexity to Starswirl.
Starswirl is an interesting character, just as much as he was in "Shadow Play". He comes over as flawed yet likeable and thinks logically on the whole, really appreciated too that he treats Twilight on the whole with respect apart from one face palming moment and how he learned from her advice from last season. Their interaction is great as is Twilight as a character with the writers playing to her strengths as someone in charge and always willing to help. The plainity joke is amusing and the moral is an important one and well delivered, a relief after seeing some very muddled morals this season.
The Flim Flam brothers however are as annoying as one can possibly get, characters that are even hard to take in small doses. Their personalities are too overdone, their humour made me cringe on both times watched and while manipulation is never a pleasant character trait it is even more unbearable when it's exaggerated and taken too far, the case in "Friendship University". Disliked their song just as much, it is not just forgettable at best but it irritates and represents everything that makes con artists in general impossible to like.
It is amazing and difficult to fathom how characters are so easily fooled by them, characters that are blatantly untrustworthy but a logical character like Starswirl trusting them and not listening to Twilight was a face palmer (he never struck me as that naive). Too much of the already underused humorous aspects fell flat and is surprisingly childish, while the concept doesn't go into anywhere near enough depth, especially in the rushed and abrupt resolution. The character of Neighsay's hypocrisy has something to do with that too.
Concluding, while there are worse episodes of Season 8 "Friendship University" is good potential not realised enough. 5/10.
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