A bit of confusion on the writer didn’t we? First we know Merriwether Williams wrote it, then the title card shows Meghan McCarthy’s name, but then Meghan herself says that was an error and Williams did write it. But it doesn’t matter in this case I think, if it was a Meghan episode I’d believe it as it matches quite well with her quality episodes. But this being Merriwether “Mare-Do-Well, at your Service” Williams this is is her best episode since Wonderbolt Academy and quite possibly the 2nd best episode of the season yet.

I have to admit the first few minutes had me worried as it seemed like all the episode was going to be from that point was Applejack and Fluttershy arguing a common real political issue where at first everypony but Fluttershy is on Applejack’s side until the very end (Especially when all the others started circling around Fluttershy during the song). But thankfully it turned into something more by the start of the 2nd half. Apparently when Magic goes awry regarding vampire creatures, even a pony can gain the vampirism of the creature.

I actually thought at first it was going to be a nod to Swarm of the Century that was going to majorly effect the plot. In that episode, Twilight also casted a spell to make creatures stop eating all the food, only it started eating things. When Twilight casted the spell on the bats. I thought they were going to possibly bite Ponies or other creatures or something, turned them into vampires themselves. Heck when I noticed it looked like Fluttershy was showing the signs of being a Vampire Pony I thought that’s what happened until the grid that Twilight showed it was actually some magic redirection. Which I must say was rather more clever then simply having it the result of a bite.

I suspect that we’ll see plenty of fanart of Vampire Fluttershy in the near future. I’m kinda wondering if showing the fang at the end of an episode is teasing something in the future. But again, just like the Pony of Shadows thing at the end of Castle-Mania and quite possibly the book disappearing at the end of Power Ponies. We won’t know for sure until it actually happens. What I liked about this episode though was good use of continuity. They use the Stare again, it’s Applebucking day which I presume Applebuck Season took place around the same type of day, Rainbow Dash still has her obsession with Cider that we saw in Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, and while it didn’t go exactly the same. Twilight’s spell reminded me very much of Swarm of the Century as I mentioned before. (By the way until further notice, Fluttershy will at least have the fang still in Genie Twilight whether or not the show ever does have it come into play again)

I’m just overall glad the episode didn’t drag along with the whole issue about treating animals the right way throughout the whole episode. It just got a lot more interesting when we got to Vampire Fluttershy and saving her. I didn’t want the episode discussion just be political debate. I’m sure no matter what there will be some of it, but I hope at least that it’s Vampire Fluttershy that people remember about the episode more then political debate. We don’t need another “Feeling Pinkie Keen teaches people to accept religion” sort of controversy again.

Anyway next week should be an exciting time for Rarity fans. As we finally get our first Rarity episode since early Season 2. Though it also happened to be Episode 8 of the season… I don’t know about you guys but here always seems to be a bit of a curse on episode 8 in this show for each season. Look Before You Sleep may not be that bad but to me it just was really dull and I felt Twilight was a bit flanderized in it. Mysterious Mare-Do-Well I don’t even have to explain. And Apple Family Reunion brought an end to a streak of great Season 3 episodes (Magic Duel -> Sleepless in Ponyville -> Wonderbolt Academy) and was just overall dull, perhaps even more so then Look Before You Sleep. Can we have one good Episode 8 to the consensus? Please? I suppose then again there’s never been a bad Rarity focused episode. But either way something’s gotta give. I just hope Rarity’s quality episode trend is able to break the Episode 8 curse.