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Ok, so let's just get this out of the way. OH GOD PEOPLE RECOGNIZE TWILIGHT AS A PRINCESS!! We good now? Are you fine with the fact that somepony in Ponyville, the town where everypony knows everypony, saw Twilight and knew she was a princess? Good. Because it doesn't matter either way. I mean, Twilight went to a magical plane of existence and was granted wings. She popped back into existence in Ponyville, and aside from the little celebration, I don't think anybody was even told there was a new princess. Would Cadence be recognized in Appaloosa if she wasn't wearing a crown? Probably not. So, that's it. Let's just focus on the real point of this episode, which was the Cutie Mark Crusaders...actually learning stuff? Whoa. In each episode, we see them doing anything they can think of to earn cutie marks. Finally, we see them doing something else. And maybe they aren't doing it just to earn their marks. They might actually be wanting to learn something. And Twilight is the pony to go to for learning. Though...I doubt she has much experience as a mechanic. It's good to see the CMC branching out, in a way.

It's nice to see an episode like this in season four. Too many times, we see them being part of the main story, or hinting of some kind of future setup. It seems like this whole time, they've been trying too hard. This episode was just an episode for the sake of being an episode. It felt like it fit in better. It felt like it could fit in anywhere, especially in season one.

So, the show opens, and...crap. Forget what I said. Sweetie Bell is already going for her cutie mark. Well, it was a nice idea while it lasted. I mean, all she's doing is learning how to perform the spell that every other unicorn can do. How do you get a cutie mark in that anyway? I don't even think you could. Maybe try learning magic because you're a freaking unicorn. Aren't you the mature one of the group anyway? Ugh. Well, at least that poster on the wall with the magic box and keyholes only showed up for an instant, and didn't draw attention to itself. The episode can continue being a stand-alone without forcing too much plot on us. Welp, I was right. Twilight's not a mechanic. I mean, she would have said the same either way, I guess. It's almost scary that she knows exactly where the book is that Scootaloo needs. This present a whole new question. Twilight has some form of OCD. She's not just organized, she knows where every book is and the contents of it in an entire library. Again, scary. At least Applebloom seems more genuine about actually wanting to learn, and not trying another scheme for her cutie mark. It seems...out of character. It seems reverse character based on what I've seen from Sweetie Bell too. It also seems like there's a potion that can make a plant sentient. I'd call that a success for Applebloom.

What fun is a CMC episode without the wonderful antagonists? Probably a lot, actually. But it seems the writers don't want that. As much as it's nice to see the CMC do something other than "cutiemarkcutiemarkcutiemarkcutiemarkcutiemarkcutiemark" every episode, it would be nice to see them have a conflict that isn't caused by the same two kids they already learned to ignore. I mean, talk about flanderization. Forget Pinkie. Diamond Tiara just got her butler to do acrobatics FOR HER. I don't...I can't even comprehend this. Even worse, all the ponies flock to her as if SHE was the one who did it. How stupid do you have to be? How desperate are you to be even a little bit popular? How...you know what, forget it. It's dumb. Diamond Tiara's character is dumb. Her "special talent" is being snooty and being a gross generalization of snooty people. She's not even popular for any given reason. She just is. She's Paris Hilton, minus the sex tape. I'm all for antagonists for each character on the show, but maybe try to give them a little bit more personality.

Cool, so Sweetie Bell has a little JD in her. Diamond Tiara even pokes her, and gets no response. I know, I know. Daydreams and cutaway gags aren't exclusive to Scrubs (and Family Guy), but it is pretty uncanny. It's just a little off because her daydream is too realistic. All the things that happened in it can potentially happen. You gotta get more imaginative. I guess Applebloom is the one with the crazy ideas though, not Sweetie Bell. Diamond Tiara asks Sweetie if Rarity is taking her to Manehattan. A callback? At least a reference. Either way, it's just to set up the fact that Diamond Tiara is bragging about hanging out with celebrities. Again, famous for being famous. I'm not even sure Tiara is inviting the CMC to hang out with them. I think she's just saying it so they know that she's doing it, and that they can watch her be popular. Yeah, that's the kind of bitch she is. Sweetie's reaction here is important. She says "we hang out with PRINCESS Twilight all the time". No, I'm not going back to that argument. The point here is, what would Tiara's reaction have been if Sweetie would have just said "we hang out with Twilight all the time"? Did Sweetie Bell specifically use the term "princess" to impress her, or did she just say it to shut her up? I...can't figure out where I'm going with this. But it feels important. Diamond Tiara knows Twilight, based on how she describes her, so...I guess it doesn't matter. Either way, Scootaloo emphasizes again that they actually learn skills instead of paying people to do it. At this point, I like the lesson here. But like any CMC episode, that lesson is sure to crack. And crack it does, since Applebloom states, yet again, that they just want Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon on their good side. Because...reasons? Didn't the CMC already learn to ignore them? Again, this is apparently a product of one-dimensional story ideas for the kids. The CMC do something, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon ruin it, the CMC feel bad because they were made fun of by the dumbest students in their class. Haven't we been here before? There is new motivation here, but it doesn't feel any different. And we don't even get to see the snooty fillies do anything remotely close to hard work. So, if the CMC aren't learning a new lesson, and neither is anypony else, then who is?

Off track again. Back to snooty-ville, and snooty ponies jumping for joy at a princess. Because of course. Twilight doesn't act like a princess, she doesn't live in a castle. She lives in a library, and she doesn't have any kind of royal business. Basically, she is princess in title only. What is there to be giddy about? Why are all the fillies in the town going crazy over Twilight? Even better, why are they going crazy over Twilight now, when she's been there the whole time? It's not like she locks herself in that library all day. She's out about town, doing things, seeing people. She's King Graham of King's Quest, basically. Anyone can see her anytime they want. Hell, all they really have to do is have the need to check out a book. It IS a library, after all. It's not like you can have an "in" with the princess. She's just another pony.

So, this episode stopped being about learning new things, and started being about why celebrity worship is bad. I guess. I mean, "Di" is fawning over Twilight's mane color, and her books. Her. Books. And Silver Spoon called her "Di", so that sounds like a good choice. Much shorter. And now the writers are just fucking with us. Before this episode aired, before you knew anything about it other than the name, what did you think it was going to be about? "Twilight Time", could be anything. Did you think it was going to be an after-school class to learn how to build a scooter? I sure as hell didn't. I'm guessing no one did. But it is, and it's exclusive to the CMC. "Di" can't join. But she can organize a way for all the fillies to see Twilight. At this point, I'm not even sure her motivation anymore. Did she talk up the CMC just so she can pretend to be their friend, and thus be cool by association? They were already popular. They already got to see Twilight. Keep your mouth shut, continue being the popular ones. Because that's all you're good for anyway.

So, we get to see what is effectively a fast food joint, Equestria-style. I think the only other time we've seen a restaurant setting was in Ticket Master. This...is really weird. It's eery how accurate the transition is. Burgers, fries shaped like horseshoes, and...fast-food style drinks, with straws. It makes me wonder how they make this stuff. I mean, the fries gotta be fried? How do you work those fryer baskets with hooves? How do you work ANYTHING with hooves? I mean, I know magic can make pretty much anything, but one wouldn't expect technology advanced enough for things like grills and fryers. Fun thought. Unicorns are kind of seen as the high-class race, and earth ponies the lower class that does all the physical labor things. What if the fry cook needed to be a unicorn to work things like a spatula? A unicorn, working in the kitchen at a fast food joint. I think I'm on to something here...temporaryism...um, never mind. It all almost made me forget the fact that, HAHAHA look at Twilight eat! I love it. And it proves my point from earlier. She eats like a slob. Because she's NOT A PRINCESS. Don't these ponies understand that there's actually nothing that can be gained by pretending to know her? Well...they're kids. Sometimes I have to remind myself that. Still though, it's taken to great extremes in this episode about popularity and earning things yourself. Like everything is feeling shoved in your face. Like kids these days won't get the message unless...oh. I guess that IS the case. Carry on then. Oh hey look, Pinkie Pie. Not being super crazy or random. She sounds...weird. She sounds like a friend who saw her friend at a place she hasn't been to in awhile. You ok, Pinkie? Hey, I'm the first to admit the crazy stuff has been over the top. I just want to make sure she's feeling ok. That's it though. No real Pinkie Factor this week. Cameo appearance in an episode about celebrity status. Huh. Scootaloo posing for the camera in an episode about celebrity status. Paparazzi-style photographing in an...eh, you get it. I think that settles it. This episode stopped being about working to earn your skills long ago. Guess I was only kidding myself. At least Twilight handles it well. But we only see her getting swarmed once really. That must be how it feels to be a celebrity. The first few times, you're excited. People want to see you, meet you, to own a piece of paper with your name on it. After some time though, it must get annoying. You just want to eat alone, nobody bothering you. Twilight doesn't get that far. She's probably being too busy wondering how Pip can be so stupid. The CMC met Twilight at a place, so therefore the CMC decide what is popular by having Twilight be there. Ok people, moogles, ponies, dragons, and everything else. We all grew up. Tell me, really. Is this not SUPER exaggerated to the point of unbelievability when it comes to popularity? There is no "they're kids" anymore, this is beyond crazy. And remember, the idea of Twilight being a celebrity in the first place is laughable.

Careful Sweetie Bell, your Diamond Tiara is showing. Or, maybe your Rarity. Or both. Speaking of, where is Rarity? This is an episode about celebrities. She should know all about that, since she drools over them every chance we see her. Aaaand here we go. The CMC get free stuff because they're "popular", and then they go hang out with "Di". The same girls who had to fake someone being a celebrity, so they could hang out with her in order to boost their already high social status, who the CMC is annoyed by constantly and already learned to ignore. But hey, everybody loves swimming pools!

No time for swimming. Gotta amp up the unbelievability by making the kids go zombie-like over the idea of Twilight Time. At this point, I just gotta shut my brain off and pretend it's not even happening. Pinkie ain't got nothin on a group of schoolkids with a new obsession. A group who show up at Twilight's door. She's handling it pretty well. Probably because she doesn't know the real reason that the kids are so obsessed over her and how the CMC are in the middle of it. Sounds familiar. Ah, yeah, Sweet and Elite. Rarity never told her friends what was really going down and why she joined the ritzy party. Probably a bad lesson to teach, that if you hide your screw-ups, it's ok. Oop, never mind. Pip screwed everything up again. Why did the fandom want to see him again? Again, Twilight handles everything pretty well. Everything wraps up, the CMC learn not to be celebrities. "Di" learns nothing as usual. By the way, I try not to reference Silver Spoon. Because all she ever says is repeating what Diamond Tiara says. Ever. What a deep character to keep shoving into CMC episodes.

For anyone who read my review of Katamari Damacy, there's something relevant here. Just how I like to see character improvement in my games, I like to see it in my shows. Here, we get to see character progression we haven't seen from the CMC before. Sweetie Bell gets good at telekinesis. The other two learn new skills. That's more than we've seen from them. So that's cool. But here we have another issue. Remember in Show Stoppers when we learned what each character's special talent would end up being? Sweetie Bell was gonna be a singer. Scootaloo was gonna be...something with scooters, and acrobatics. Applebloom was gonna be something something construction. Design, maybe even an architect. Here, we see a little change. Sweetie Bell, well, she hasn't changed. Like I said before, I don't think you can get a cutie mark in telekinesis, since it's a basic spell every unicorn knows. Scootaloo hints at the possibility of a mechanic. Or...maybe not quite that complex. Maybe an Assembler at Wal-Mart. Or the equivalent of. Though, I guess she could end up repairing things like the train. They have those. Or maybe the grill and fryers we didn't get to see at Hay Burger. But we still saw her do something related to scooters and some kind of acrobatics. Applebloom is where it gets really different. Instead of something related to construction, or maybe art, we got potion-making. That's...actually a nice bit of continuity. At the end of Cutie Pox, they decide that Applebloom's crazy antics might pave the way for, you guessed it, potion-making. So they run off to Zecora's to get some more potion time. I actually want to see what happened after the credits then. At least they decided that learning from Twilight would be better, and a lot less out of the way. I mean, is the Everfree Forest even dangerous anymore? Yep, random thought. But I don't think Applebloom's cutie mark will be in potions. I think it's a misdirect from the writers. Besides, then, we can't have the threesome stay together. Applebloom builds the theater, runs it, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell perform at the theater. It's all planned out. It can't change. Nope, can't.

That's a lot of hating the snooty girls and wondering why the CMC still try to impress and associate with them. Must make for a bad episode. But I actually enjoyed it. Again, it felt like it went back to a classic feel episode, before everything went crazy. The pacing was good, and the show didn't try to shove too many characters at us. Plus, watch the ending. What did the episode close out on? A laugh. Remember when they did that all the time? Ok, yeah, it's a small thing, but it really helped the episode feel right. Plus, and I'm probably gonna get some hate for this, no song. Don't get me wrong, I love the music. But it seems like lately, we've seen a lot of them. An episode purely dedicated to one song that the whole plot revolves around. An episode where Pinkie Pie and Weird Al have a song-off. It kind of takes away from the pacing of the story, and gets a little, like, "eh, a song, is it over yet?". This episode worked well without one. It just need a little less "Di", and a little more uniqueness. And I wish I wasn't so confused about the CMC's differing personalities. It seems like each time we see them, they're acting in different ways separately. Sweetie Bell played the mature one, while Applebloom came up with the crazy schemes. This episode, it switched, and Scootaloo just was there like she always is. Character development for her would be a little nice. Episodes dedicated to her don't really help.