Season 8, Episode 23: Sounds of Silence

[PinkiePie97 374]

Title: Sounds of Silence

 

Synopsis: Fluttershy and Applejack journey to the edge of the map on a Friendship Quest to help a group of ponies named Kirin -- who are so afraid of hurting each other’s feelings, they've taken a potion of silence.

 

Airs: Today at 11:30 A.M. on Discovery Family

[Thrond 256]

I guess this isn't without its moments... some of what Autumn Blaze says is funny, the worldbuilding is once again surprisingly imaginative for this show, and the song is catchy. But I dunno, I just found most of it deeply unfunny. Maybe I was just set in a sour mood by the cold open, which once again called attention to the map being obeyed unquestioningly for no apparent reason, but Fluttershy and Applejack's bickering annoyed me a lot, as did Autumn Blaze's endless blathering. I kinda barely registered half of the things she was saying because I just wanted her to shut up. Fluttershy and Applejack felt kind of like decently convincing impressions of what they'd be like if their friendship was completely meaningless and Fluttershy was stupid. 

More significantly, this is simplistic even by this show's standards. It's an incredibly threadbare version of this storyline, with an aggressively simple moral which probably would have been solved if any of the Kirin had half a brain, and the only time it develops any sort of mystery or tension is when it's once again forcing in high stakes where they weren't at all necessary. Instead, what I feel this episode is mostly filled with is constant stalling. Applejack learns the problem because Autumn Blaze spends an eternity explaining it, and Fluttershy just sort of explains her version of the problem late into the episode. And then it's all solved almost immediately, because they come up with a better idea which the Kirin probably should have been able to come up with themselves. I kind of hated this. 

The Kirin are kinda cute though, I will admit. 

Score:
Entertainment: 3/10
Characters: 4/10
Themes: 6/10
Story: 4/10
Overall: 43/100

[Friendship is Horses 330]

3 hours ago, Thrond said:

and Fluttershy was stupid

Fluttershy is willing to overlook a lot of things as long as everypony is getting along. She thought Starlight's little dystopia was nice, too, at first.

I like this episode a lot! Maybe because it's just two ponies on an adventure in a new place with new characters and lore. While the Friendship School has given us the Student Six, and they're great, it's created a lot of weird role confusion with the original main cast. Like, why is Twilight her friends' boss now? And in what universe is Rainbow Dash a teacher? Anyway, Autumn Blaze was more adorable than she was annoying, and the song was good, and there were a bunch of great character moments like Applejack the Typical American Tourist trying to communicate with the locals by speaking progressively louder and slower. I haven't been this stoked about anything else in Season 8. Yay.

[bwrosas 41]

Here I review the newest (as far as North America and the U.S. is concerned), "Sounds of Silence", which is one of the best episodes of the season, if no the series.  

Highly recommend you see it. Rachel Bloom Does a great job as Autumn Blaze !

Comments are Welcomed

#AutumnBlaze #MLPFIM #MyLittlePony #Autumn_Blaze #MyLittlePony_FriendshipIsMagic #AppleJack #Fluttershy #SoundsofSilence #Sounds_Of_Silence #Review #Kirin

[bwrosas 41]

As far as the episode goes, like I said, Highly Recommended.

I mean everyone played a great role.  AppleJack's reaction to Autumn Blaze and her personality was great, especially when Fluttershy was surprised Blaze talked and AJ's response was "You have Nooo Idea", I thought was overall a great moment.   The animation was very fluid and beautiful to look at.  Especially the design of the Kirin. Their designs made each stand out.  You can defineinitly tell that AllSpark Animation had a hand in the animation here (those that worked on the movie that is).

Overall it's one of the best eps of the season, if not the series.  For me it has almost a Disney Renaissance vibe to it, I think that's due to the Song Blaze sings, the way it's presented, just has the classic Disney Renaissance feel to it.  

 

I hope Hasbro/Allspark/DHX convinced Rachel Bloom to reprise her role as Autumn Blaze next season.  Because I already have a idea of how she could return.  Have her come to Ponyville to visit AJ and FS, have her meet the rest of Mane 6 and Starlight, and of course Spike, and when she sees Spike and He sees her, well let's just say, ya all want him to get over Rarity, Right? 

But yeah, I hope she comes back in S9.

 

10/10 OVERALL!

[Thrond 256]

On 9/30/2018 at 2:25 PM, Friendship is Horses said:

Fluttershy is willing to overlook a lot of things as long as everypony is getting along. She thought Starlight's little dystopia was nice, too, at first.

 

It just bothered me that she was so easily distracted. That's one of my few complaints about "The Mean 6" as well... it's not like Fluttershy has never been distracted before, but since when does she just wander off? 

[Light Blade 20,298]

I liked it.

 

- Kirins are nice addition to the lore, and Awwtumn is extra awwdorable. LOV HER!

- Nice to see for of Flutty's assertiveness;

- Song is hooves down great;

- Maaaybe ends too quickly (the episode);

- Weird pony on the train stop gave me a giggle.

[WaterPulse 8,629]

I liked this one.

[leonbrony17 8,521]

That old pony laughing was funny.

 

"Applejack! Would you please listen to me!" It's great to see Fluttershy make a stand like that and have the reason to back it up.

 

"You'd like to talk about it? I would rather sing!" Every animated disney movie in a nutshell.

 

 

The leader of the kirins sounds way too young in my opinion. She should sound a bit more like Celesetia (the reason why i think that is probably because she looks like a recolored Celestia with a different horn and tail).

 

Boop. xD

 

 

Other than that, pretty good episode.

 

72/100

[Snide Ways 167]

Very intriguing episode. Great story and the introduction to the Kirin was really cool. Autumn Blaze is wonderful!

 

 

 

[Metemponychosis 702]

Kirin: The Episode! We exist, now buy our shit!

Back to you normal ponying.

 

Actually, it was quite fun to watch, and I think this might have been the best song in the season. I also liked the worldbuilding a lot. This is usually the best part of map episodes, but I'm usually disappointed with a couple of things. Ponies always act like they are the saviors when they go to other kingdoms. It's annoying, and the episode never call them on that. Another thing is that it seems that if people weren't stupid in the place they went to, the whole problem would've been solved. While the first is somewhat present, the second isn't. So, it was a good episode, as far as I'm concerned.

[PeeWeePhoenix 123]

On 9/30/2018 at 6:43 PM, Thrond said:

But I dunno, I just found most of it deeply unfunny

I agree.