Oh gosh, this episode was so fun to watch!

Some that may have expected to see something like Pinkie’s family in this episode might be disappointed. Plus the fact that just like with Scootaloo’s disability in Flight to the FInish the episode makes it go out of it’s way to reach a neutral position by making sure everything that would make a 100% confirmation that Pinkie is indeed related to the Apple family is smudged. The point is, the end of the episode basically had the Apples adopt Pinkie whether Pinkie was really related or not. So even if Pinkie isn’t really an apple, the Apple family basically accepted her into their family anyway. So I think for those who like the idea of Pinkie being an official part of the Apple family have something to hold on to (Now if only this episode took place before Apple Family Reunion, she would of made the episode at least a little more interesting. Heck her one part in that episode, where she covered Applejack in luster dust was one of the few entertaining moments)

The interaction between the characters were really funny. Big Mac’s angry “AY-YUP” was a top one for me. The song is still as awesome as it was in the Season 4 Comic-Con previews (It’s interesting that my favorite songs so far in this season both have Applejack play a major part, Applejack doesn’t normally get the good song treatment other then in episodes where all the Main 6 sing (Winter Wrap-Up, Best Night Ever, and Magical Mystery Cure). Apples to the Core is a much better Apple family related song then Raise the Barn was in Apple Family Reunion. I’m so sorry I even keep mentioning that episode. But this episode even if you forget all what Pinkie brought to it, had great Applejack and Apple Family moments then Apple Family Reunion and Spike at your Service combined. And probably the most fun I’ve enjoyed in an Applejack related episode since The Last Round-Up (Which interesting enough also had a fair amount of funny Pinkie moments).

I noticed we had a little bit of dark humor in this episode similar to Fluttershy thinking Angel got crushed by debris in Castle-Mania. A fish and a duck that gets an important item for the Apple Family road trip is immediately taken away by an eagle presumably to be eaten. And to a lesser extent, the dust cat in the Crazy Cat Pony’s house. (Though I suppose the duck is seen later flying at the waterfall, but we certainly don’t see the fish again). I also noticed we got a picture of at least two creatures the Family saw in that cave at the end. Will we see another of those monsters show up again later in the season? If not, oh well we have something the fandom can use their imagination on until they’re used.

This was really just a good hearted episode. And I think perhaps my favorite one outside of the opener so far. This was even done by a new writer. Once again a good showing from new people being brought in. Merriwether Williams so far is the only writer post-Season 1who had a debut episode that didn’t turn out well. That’s about 9 enjoyable episodes. Will we see 10 in a row for Season 4? We’ll have to find out next saturday! (I am a little worried about the next one though called Rainbow Falls, please don’t make most of the cloudsdale team jerks, it will just make the obvious ending of Rainbow joining with the Ponyville team too obvious, not to mention technically a repeat of Wonderbolt Academy and to a lesser extent Griffon the Brush-Off…)