Season 1 of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' cannot be raved about on the most part enough, and there was more than enough to it to make continue watching. There were episodes that didn't work and there were things that didn't quite come off as well as others in a lot of them. There were also many fantastic episodes, which vastly outweighed the disappointments, with the show starting off very promisingly and mostly getting better and better all the time with some bumps along the way.
"The Return of Harmony", both parts (which are equally great) couldn't have started Season 2 on a greater note. Again, do think that it is a better and more consistent season opener that of Season 1, another two parter called "Friendship is Magic". Which was still very good (especially Part 2 named "Elements of Harmony"), but by now 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' had properly found its feet whereas it was setting things up in that two parter. In that two parter, one part was better than the other whereas in "The Return of Harmony" one the quality is equal, although the ending was much better in the first part. As what will be said later on in the review, the ending to this second part is the only major fault with "The Return of Harmony" two parter.
Once again, like with the first part, the animation consists of brightly eye-popping colours, neatly drawn and not over-cute characters and expressions and meticulously detailed background art that never comes over as static or simplistic. Actually think this aspect has come on a good deal and it was already very good when the show first started, but it seems as though here the visuals are more inventive, more varied and took more risks. Love the expressions and the animators seemed to have a lot of fun with Discord. The music continues to be dynamic, not too noisy and never misplaced, the theme song may be take and leave for some but it has always been catchy to me.
Both parts of "The Return of Harmony" gives the impression that the writing has also advanced as time went on, and many other episodes of Season 2 did too. It's even funnier, has more of an emotional core and there is more complexity. The comedy is especially good, particularly with Discord, a character that the writers equally seemed to have fun with. The story is never dull and is emotionally investable, love the Mane 6's chemistry and their distinct personalities. There is a lot of tension and heart, more so actually than the first part, without any mean-spiritedness or over-sentimentality.
Discord is a triumph of a character in every way. Easily for me the most entertaining and most interesting non-Mane 6 character of the show up to this point. The voice acting is great, with John De Lancie sounding as though he was loving every minute of voicing Discord.
My only complaint and sadly it is a big one is the ending. Just found it far too rushed and very anti-climactic, am not a fan of characters defeated too easily and that is the case here.
That aside, a great second part to a great start for Season 2, that showed enormous potential. 9/10
"The Return of Harmony", both parts (which are equally great) couldn't have started Season 2 on a greater note. Again, do think that it is a better and more consistent season opener that of Season 1, another two parter called "Friendship is Magic". Which was still very good (especially Part 2 named "Elements of Harmony"), but by now 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' had properly found its feet whereas it was setting things up in that two parter. In that two parter, one part was better than the other whereas in "The Return of Harmony" one the quality is equal, although the ending was much better in the first part. As what will be said later on in the review, the ending to this second part is the only major fault with "The Return of Harmony" two parter.
Once again, like with the first part, the animation consists of brightly eye-popping colours, neatly drawn and not over-cute characters and expressions and meticulously detailed background art that never comes over as static or simplistic. Actually think this aspect has come on a good deal and it was already very good when the show first started, but it seems as though here the visuals are more inventive, more varied and took more risks. Love the expressions and the animators seemed to have a lot of fun with Discord. The music continues to be dynamic, not too noisy and never misplaced, the theme song may be take and leave for some but it has always been catchy to me.
Both parts of "The Return of Harmony" gives the impression that the writing has also advanced as time went on, and many other episodes of Season 2 did too. It's even funnier, has more of an emotional core and there is more complexity. The comedy is especially good, particularly with Discord, a character that the writers equally seemed to have fun with. The story is never dull and is emotionally investable, love the Mane 6's chemistry and their distinct personalities. There is a lot of tension and heart, more so actually than the first part, without any mean-spiritedness or over-sentimentality.
Discord is a triumph of a character in every way. Easily for me the most entertaining and most interesting non-Mane 6 character of the show up to this point. The voice acting is great, with John De Lancie sounding as though he was loving every minute of voicing Discord.
My only complaint and sadly it is a big one is the ending. Just found it far too rushed and very anti-climactic, am not a fan of characters defeated too easily and that is the case here.
That aside, a great second part to a great start for Season 2, that showed enormous potential. 9/10
