Don't Knock Fox: MLP: S506: Most Wanted In Appaloosa

Radio Static

Hello mutants, this is JAC the flaunt and Kieral the taunt.


Now unfortunately, there are some episodes that aren't easy to talk about. There are some instances of an episode being one-note and predictable. This is one of those episodes. Appaloosa's Most Wanted is about Troubleshoes, who cause a lot of mayhem at the rodeos. The Cutie Mark Crusaders try to stop Troubleshoes, only to find out he's this awkward giant who just sucks at the rodeo. He tells them about his cutie mark and how that means bad luck, however the girls figure this just means he should be a rodeo clown. Anyway, for kidnapping three fillies, Troubleshoes is arrested and is gonna get hanged for being a horse thief, but the girls break him out, he goes out and rodeos. And he's a good rodeo clown. And also he falls a lot and that's most of that.

KIERAL

Truly the predictability is this episode's biggest flaw. The CMC is out looking for this "criminal", but then we see him as just an ordinary clumsy dude half way through the episode. As soon as you got that, you know the rest. If there's anything interesting in this episode, it's the fact that we get to visit a prettied up Appaloosa as well as a number of new locations (Like Troublehooves's home, and the nearby woods.) The scenery is detailed and there are a couple nice dramatic shots.

 

JAC

This is also one of the few episodes where the CMC get punished. Technically they usually just get shunned, however now they face hard labor.

KIERAL

I was a bit surprised to get another CMC episode after we just had one in the last two. To me this one almost feels related, because we actually meet someone who is troubled by their cutie mark. I think if you view them as being related then this episode takes on some more meaning. Being able to reframe problems actually is considered a good life skill (which Troubleshoes seemed to lack- everything's "bad luck" to him). Of course, the CMC mostly sort that out for him, though he did make the right choice to accept that.

I dig this one the most, some dramatic perspective and close foreground to frame things. All those slanted angles make it unsettling just the right way. I also like how we can see out into the windows, and although it's detailed, the colors are more close together. Nothing it overwhelming enough to take the focus off the characters.

A lil' bit more nice perspective and forest detail




Lastly I dig that wide opening shot, it establishes everything that's going on in one swing, got a real deep field of view, but it's easy to read. It brings across the pleasant mood the opening is supposed to have.

JAC

Star Ratings:

 

2/5

Generally, I walk in with the idea of 3/5. This score sometimes improves, sometimes not. While there's not much technically wrong, there is just a whole lot of predictability and one-frameness. This is certainly not a one star, one-star implies a whole lot worse.

KIERAL

3/5

I enjoyed watching the episode, even though I pretty much knew what was going to happen. In most episodes I don't, so it's a bit below average in that regard, but I enjoy the adventure and find some interest because of the previous episode I mentioned, and for me that makes up for it.

JAC

Recommendations

 If you're okay with stooge comedy, there's nothing wrong with this in particular, but fans with more sophisticated tastes, who need nuance, are likely to leave this alone.

KIERAL

It's an easy to watch, feel good story. In a way the predictability lowers the sense of anxiety a bit, and I could see this as being something in comfort episode territory. However if you're looking for what MLP has to offer at its best in terms of writing, it's simply a skip.