It doesn't matter if the concept on paper for anything is a familiar one, to me it has always been the execution in the final product that matters more. Season 2's sixteenth episode "Read it and Weep" has excellent execution in almost every aspect, making the most of its concept and being wholly successful in bringing freshness to it. Despite it being familiar ground conceptually, the execution was in my mind the opposite of old-hat.
"Read it and Weep" in my view is a great episode of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'. It is among the best Season 2 episodes (certainly a more than watchable season overall but less consistent than the first), as well as one of the most inventive with some of the season's most fascinating central-character writing. Also think that it is one of the best Rainbow Dash-centric episodes of the early seasons, and after being so let down by how she was written in "May the Best Pet Win" it was a relief to see the episode hit it on the head with her.
While almost everything works, a couple of things could have been a little better. Did find the message a bit too obvious this time around and it could have been handled with more subtlety.
The ending also seemed a touch too convenient somehow.
However, the animation is great. Especially on Rainbow and on the stunts that makes one's eyes widen in shock and awe, something you didn't see an awful lot at this early stage of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'. The music is beautifully orchestrated and cleverly used with a lot of character. Everything with Rainbow Dash and her experiences with the book and surprisingly quite insightful in how Rainbow Dash's mind worked, there were not many times where any of the Mane 6 were written this insightfully. Speaking of Rainbow Dash, "Read it and Weep" is easily one of her most compelling and relatable appearances of Season 2 and even of the show, here she was written with a lot of heart. The Daring Do writing is hugely entertaining and remarkably daring.
Story has a lot of heart that is poignant without ever being sappy, one really rooting for Rainbow Dash's overcoming adversity (have had to do that all my life so that resonated) in an eventually upbeat and heart-warming way. Have felt like her in the same situation, except back surgery in my case rather than of course a broken wing. The intro sets "Read it and Weep's" up very well. Love the Mane 6's friendship and how genuine their concern was, and it doesn't matter really this time about the concept not being new. As long as the execution is good, and it was brilliant and near-perfect here.
All in all, great and one of Season 2's best. 9/10
"Read it and Weep" in my view is a great episode of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'. It is among the best Season 2 episodes (certainly a more than watchable season overall but less consistent than the first), as well as one of the most inventive with some of the season's most fascinating central-character writing. Also think that it is one of the best Rainbow Dash-centric episodes of the early seasons, and after being so let down by how she was written in "May the Best Pet Win" it was a relief to see the episode hit it on the head with her.
While almost everything works, a couple of things could have been a little better. Did find the message a bit too obvious this time around and it could have been handled with more subtlety.
The ending also seemed a touch too convenient somehow.
However, the animation is great. Especially on Rainbow and on the stunts that makes one's eyes widen in shock and awe, something you didn't see an awful lot at this early stage of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'. The music is beautifully orchestrated and cleverly used with a lot of character. Everything with Rainbow Dash and her experiences with the book and surprisingly quite insightful in how Rainbow Dash's mind worked, there were not many times where any of the Mane 6 were written this insightfully. Speaking of Rainbow Dash, "Read it and Weep" is easily one of her most compelling and relatable appearances of Season 2 and even of the show, here she was written with a lot of heart. The Daring Do writing is hugely entertaining and remarkably daring.
Story has a lot of heart that is poignant without ever being sappy, one really rooting for Rainbow Dash's overcoming adversity (have had to do that all my life so that resonated) in an eventually upbeat and heart-warming way. Have felt like her in the same situation, except back surgery in my case rather than of course a broken wing. The intro sets "Read it and Weep's" up very well. Love the Mane 6's friendship and how genuine their concern was, and it doesn't matter really this time about the concept not being new. As long as the execution is good, and it was brilliant and near-perfect here.
All in all, great and one of Season 2's best. 9/10
