Expectations were a bit mixed watching "Going to Seed". The concept sounded quite nice if not exceptional. Season 9 was a very uneven and at times disappointing season with touches of greatness. Applejack can be funny and likeable, but some episodes go too far on her stubborness and aggression. Applebloom has always been the most interesting of the Cutie Mark Crusader characters and the sister chemistry often endears when Applejack isn't too protective.
The episodes of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' centered around the Apple family are variable in quality. Some are charming and entertaining. Others are on the bland and too safe side with the characters not always being likeable. Season 9's tenth episode "Going to Seed" is in the latter category. Not one of the very worst episodes of the season, but a long way from a winner. Would put it somewhere in the lower middling category when ranking the season's episodes.
"Going to Seed" does have good things. It is beautifully animated, as was nearly always the case with 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' (apart from sporadic iffy character designs). The vibrant colours and inventive yet nuanced expressions are especially good. The music is dynamic and nicely varied in mood and character. The voice acting all round is very good. These are the three aspects that have seldom been issues throughout 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic's' run.
Applejack mostly is at least in character and has a sweet relationship with Applebloom. The ending did warm my heart and there is a nice setting.
Was somewhat mixed on the moral though, which was a good one on paper and had good intentions but the execution felt muddled and like it had been lost amidst everything. For a moral about having fun and letting yourself go, it spent too much time with everything with getting Applejack to believe in the Great Seedling. So one is not always sure what the moral is.
It also would have helped if the characters weren't always as selfish about putting trap setting over work, despite what Applejack says about there being a lot. Really did feel sorry for Big Mac for the rather cruel way he is treated, it really is no fun doing so many jobs with so little aid, in spite of him being too much of an uncharacteristic lunatic at times for reasons unexplained (my best answer would be that that is what overwork does to some).
Did also think that "Going to Seed" was on the bland side. It takes too long to get going and when the exposition lessens it is still too thin story-wise and a bit too safe. The pacing could have been tighter in what occasionally felt like over-stretched filler. The very end felt on the abrupt side.
Overall, watchable if bland. 5/10.
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