We are ten episodes in and while up to this point Season 7 was generally solid none of the episodes quite make it in the classic 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' category or on the same level as the best of Seasons 1-5. The hit and miss Season 6 did have winners but the best episodes were near-classics rather than full stop classic. While there were two great episodes with "Celestial Advice" and "Rock Solid Friendship", "Honest Apple" was a big disappointment.
Season 7 hits its first outstanding episode with "A Royal Problem". It is widely considered a fan favourite and one of the season's best episodes along with "The Perfect Bear". Both more than richly deserved, being somebody who has always felt the same way on both counts. "A Royal Problem" is also the best episode in my mind since Season 5's "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" and there are so many things that make it such an outstanding and fascinating outing of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'.
"A Royal Problem" is typically beautifully animated, atmospheric, vibrantly coloured and meticulously detailed. Daybreaker's character design, both intimidating and imaginative, stands out in this regard. The music never jars stylistically and is dynamic with the action, fitting the different moods beautifully.
The dialogue shows a lot of maturity, flows very naturally and has a wide mix of emotions handled with full impact individually and expertly balanced, with no favouring, no childishness, over-sentimentality or anything too scary. Some may argue that a few of the story elements are cliched, on paper they are but they didn't to me feel so in execution. It's a story that's exciting, tense, emotionally investable and fun, with it not feeling muddled in tone.
It is great to see not only the character writing nailed but it is also insightful. It was great to see a different side to both Celestia and Luna (felt for them both), some insightful development to Celestia that avoids her being a plot and finally a fleshed out character where all the issues people had with her are addressed, investable chemistry between Celestia and Luna that answers questions and some equally insightful development to Luna seen in a way not seen before.
Other characters handled wonderfully are Starlight Glimmer, written with complexity where one sees positive traits and negative traits, and the genuinely intimidating but also wickedly entertaining Daybreaker. The voice acting is excellent, with Nicole Oliver being a scream as Daybreaker. Kelly Sheridan does pathos very movingly.
Concluding, outstanding and easily a Season 7 standout. 10/10.
Season 7 hits its first outstanding episode with "A Royal Problem". It is widely considered a fan favourite and one of the season's best episodes along with "The Perfect Bear". Both more than richly deserved, being somebody who has always felt the same way on both counts. "A Royal Problem" is also the best episode in my mind since Season 5's "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" and there are so many things that make it such an outstanding and fascinating outing of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'.
"A Royal Problem" is typically beautifully animated, atmospheric, vibrantly coloured and meticulously detailed. Daybreaker's character design, both intimidating and imaginative, stands out in this regard. The music never jars stylistically and is dynamic with the action, fitting the different moods beautifully.
The dialogue shows a lot of maturity, flows very naturally and has a wide mix of emotions handled with full impact individually and expertly balanced, with no favouring, no childishness, over-sentimentality or anything too scary. Some may argue that a few of the story elements are cliched, on paper they are but they didn't to me feel so in execution. It's a story that's exciting, tense, emotionally investable and fun, with it not feeling muddled in tone.
It is great to see not only the character writing nailed but it is also insightful. It was great to see a different side to both Celestia and Luna (felt for them both), some insightful development to Celestia that avoids her being a plot and finally a fleshed out character where all the issues people had with her are addressed, investable chemistry between Celestia and Luna that answers questions and some equally insightful development to Luna seen in a way not seen before.
Other characters handled wonderfully are Starlight Glimmer, written with complexity where one sees positive traits and negative traits, and the genuinely intimidating but also wickedly entertaining Daybreaker. The voice acting is excellent, with Nicole Oliver being a scream as Daybreaker. Kelly Sheridan does pathos very movingly.
Concluding, outstanding and easily a Season 7 standout. 10/10.