MLP:FiM Season 2 Review #24 - MMMystery on the Friendship Express

We're approaching the end, you guys! As this season of Friendship is Magic draws to a close, we continue the tradition of having the final non=finale episode focus on Pinkie Pie! But yes, this is the last "normal" episode of the series until season three, since the finale is a two-parter.

Wow, hasn't it gone fast? But anyway, I suppose it's not quite time to reminisce yet - we've got a Pinkie episode to review!

~Spoilers to follow~



So to start off, "MMMystery on the Friendship Express" makes it clear that this will be a humor-centric episode. We are introduced to the Cakes' Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness cake (nicknamed the MMMM by Pinkie), which Pinkie is delivering to Canterlot to some manner of sweets competition. And we are introduced to it through a silly sequence involving Pinkie, the rest of the Mane 6, Big Mac, and the Cakes all trying to get the MMMM into the train. Why Twilight can't just teleport the thing in it never discussed, but again, setting the tone.

Then we are introduced to three other competitors from Ponyville, each with their own delightful desert. The cool thing about them is that two are brand new characters based on species we don't see often, one a mule and one a griffon, and the other is Doughnut Joe from The Best Night Ever. It's very fun seeing how these characters interact with the main cast, as all of the Mane 6 are also on the train, and its arguably even cooler to see species that are typically unused.

Then plot happens in the form of the MMMM being mutilated when Pinkie lets her guard down. Thus we begin a sequence of investigation with Pinkie and Twilight in blatant parody of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Speaking of parody, Pinkie also gets to imagine three very amusing sequences parodying three other genres and their various tropes as she accuses the other chefs. In my honest opinion, the parodies are the best part of the episode - FiM tends to be at its best when it's acting like the kind of cartoon you don't often see on TV anymore.

As it turns out, though, Twilight has to teach Pinkie a lesson on investigation as the two figure out the culprits, and the final lesson of the episode is to not jump to conclusions and accuse people. It's a good lesson to be sure, and the episode backs it nicely all while not being in-your-face about it. So it's a pretty standard FiM lesson, in other words!

My biggest issue with this episode is the same one that often occurs in the humor-based entries in FiM: worrying more about the humor and absurd situations and less about making sense. Like the opening sequence that seems to care little for reasonable solutions of even continuity (didn't Big Mac carry a house in "Hearts and Hooves Day"?), the episode as a whole plays with whimsy at the expense of making the characters seem a little... well, terrible. Spoilers are such, but I think it's kind of odd that Rainbow, Fluttershy, and especially Rarity would betray Pinkie's trust just to try a cake that they would likely get to try in a day anyway, and the chefs aren't any less excusable due to, well, being chefs. I wouldn't say its enough of an issue as to make the episode bad, but at the same time I would say that it's enough to bother me and to put a bit of a damper on future watches.

Also, seeing as this episode is based around the idea of solving a mystery, it would have been nice if it had thrown the audience more of a bone towards attempting to solve it themselves. Instead, when Twilight is investigating she collects evidence so we can't see it (frustrating Pinkie, amusingly) and leaves the audience to simply wonder. The only culprit that really had any clues for her betrayal was Rarity, honestly, and that's a shame. I feel like the episode would have been that much better had we saw the evidence alongside Twilight so we could make our own guesses.

On the plus side, I suppose, is that the actual culprits themselves aren't easy to guess. Whether that's a good thing when you consider the reasons behind that remains to be seen, but hey!

Between the fun parodies and the various amusing quirks and sequences, such as Pinkie retracing her steps by walking backwards much to Twilight's chagrin, the episode manages to be genuinely amusing and fun throughout. It's just a shame that the mystery episode didn't have a whole lot of, well, valid mystery. I'll give it a...

7.5/10

Pros:
-The parodies are brilliantly done
-Amusing sequences throughout
-Use of griffons and mules (and Doughnut Joe!) is cool

Cons:
-No real mystery for the audience
-Culprits feel somewhat strained logically
-Seems to drop logic for humor

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So that's the last normal episode! Next week (I think there's an episode next week?) we'll finally be introduced to a character I've been dreading since her leak-reveal... Princess Cadence. Hopefully she's not as terrible as she looks!

Oh, and for what its worth the episodes that make less sense are so much fun to try and make sense of through fanworks. I'm already pondering how the Element of Laughter may give Pinkie the ability to manipulate other creatures' attitudes toward things so as to best stimulate friendship and prevent loss of the Elements' connection... and I can't say I haven't been trying to explain the Cakes' kids shenanigans since it happened!

~C.O





And so it begins, Cadence. DO YOUR WORST. My headcanon will not be so easily defeated!