MLP Review: Griffon the Brush-Off (Season 1, Episode 5)

The plot of this episode follows, mostly, Pinkie Pie (Andrea Libman), as she becomes more friendly with Rainbow Dash (Ashleigh Ball) through their love of pranks. However, an old friend of Rainbow Dash's, Gilda the griffon (voiced by Maryke Hendrikse, a voice actress from the same group of voice actors as Andrea Libman), shows up, and the saying "two is company, but three is a crowd" is very obvious, as Gilda makes it fairly clear who she thinks should be the odd one out.

This is a plot that is fairly often done. You know, the old friend comes back to visit, and the new friend feels like the odd one out? Yeah, that plot. There are a few interesting twists, however. What makes Rainbow Dash and Gilda hang out is at least partially what makes Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie hang out, their mutual enjoyment of pranks. That gives it more of a realistic feel, as well as an understanding of how jealousy could play a factor when you see your friend doing the same thing you used to do. At least, that would be the case if they actually showed Gilda and Rainbow Dash actually doing pranks, an opportunity that is sadly missed.

As for the voice acting, all of the major characters are done well. Andrea Libman doesn't seem to fully into character with Pinkie Pie at this point in the series, however. She shows emotions decently well, but she always does a super high voice that doesn't really lower or raise with emotion, save for a few scenes. Ashleigh Ball, however, does a really good job as Rainbow Dash, to the point where it is hard to believe she is also the voice of Applejack, thanks to the differences in attitude, accent, and pitch. Finally, there is Gilda. The voice actress does a pretty good job, but then again, there isn't much to do, really. She does do a decent job switching between the friend towards Rainbow Dash and the jealous rival towards Pinkie Pie.

I'll let you figure out who is who in this picture.

The characterization is another bit of an issue. You get a sense of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash both being good-natured pranksters, who know that certain things are off-limits (no pranking Fluttershy). However, the only other development that is given is reinforcing that Pinkie Pie's solutions to problems tends to involve parties, and that Rainbow Dash is loyal to a fault, both things that were established in the second episode. As for Gilda...let's just say that she is popular with some of the fandom, for reasons I cannot fathom. The characterization they show of her is the stereotypical bully/cool kid, down to calling those "beneath" her dweebs. It's so flat as far as characterization goes, it's almost cardboard. Granted, she does get some scenes showing that she is actually decent friends to Rainbow Dash, knowing how to be nice, but it is not very often.

This episode is notable in that it is the first episode since the premiere to feature an actually antagonist, rather than just dealing with a situation or character flaws. However, the villain isn't even one of the "love to hate" antagonists, the main focal character is just not really developed further, and the overall plot is too often done.

There are some nice things in the episodes, such as some great pranking humor, especially when pranks inadvertently affect a second person (Let's put it this way. Dragons can send scrolls and letters instantly via fire they breath. When dragons get the hiccups, they breath fire. Spike's fire sends scrolls to Celestia. Spike gets the hiccups while carrying a bunch of scrolls. Hilarity ensues), and it does show that while Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are pranksters, they do limit themselves to people they know can take a prank, and show concern if they think they may have upset someone in the process.

Overall: 5/10

This is unforgivable.