I Like this episode. I don't thank it's bad, everyone says that the other ponies are being mean and evil to rainbow dash but there not, nothing's really wrong about this episode.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (TV Series)
The Mysterious Mare Do Well (2011)
User Reviews
Review this title3 Reviews
it's a good misunderstand episode
benmorris-3148021 January 2019
The character assassination mystery
TheLittleSongbird20 February 2020
Season 2 started off great, with "Lesson Zero" being especially outstanding, also finishing just as strongly. While the season mostly is a very watchable one with a fair share of great and interesting episodes, the quality of the episodes "Luna Eclipsed" onwards varied with also some disappointments, a couple of those disappointments being sadly mediocre. A word that no fan wants to call a 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' episode, ever.
It is with sad regret to say that "The Mysterious Mare Do Well" for me was one of the mediocre episodes. Along with "Dragon Quest" and "Putting the Hoof Down" (though the latter at least had one awesome character), it is one of Season 2's worst episodes and in the bottom end when ranking the show's episodes overall too. The story just didn't engage, despite the episode starting off promisingly, and the characterisation is screwed up royally, which was one of the episode's biggest annoyances.
"The Mysterious Mare Do Well" by all means does have its moments. It is very colourfully and meticulously animated. The music is infectious and well fitting without being over-scored, syrupy or too chirpy.
Morever, the first couple of minutes are promising and there is a nice construction action sequence. The voice acting is very good across the board, then again that is not unexpected.
Unfortunately, the things that matter even more are far less successful. The story is very contrived with some choppy transitions, making one feel that the episode wasn't always feeling complete. The moral is poorly thought out, a good one on paper but sadly very heavy-handed and would have worked if the characters weren't so poorly written. Nobody is interesting. Nobody is likeable. Everybody is a jerk for reasons inexplicable and not explained, and everyone is stripped of what made them work so well as characters. Absolutely hated how Rainbow Dash was treated in the episode, and felt too that she came over as too naive. Then there are appearances that are random and too come and go.
Furthermore, nothing in the story is compelling or surprising and "The Mysterious Mare Do Well" does nothing to progress any characterisation (with the characters distorted beyond recognition). The pacing is both dull and choppy. The writing is neither clever or funny, and completely hollow emotionally. Found it near-disrespectful at worst too.
Altogether, a major disappointment and sorry if this comes over as too harsh to some. 4/10
It is with sad regret to say that "The Mysterious Mare Do Well" for me was one of the mediocre episodes. Along with "Dragon Quest" and "Putting the Hoof Down" (though the latter at least had one awesome character), it is one of Season 2's worst episodes and in the bottom end when ranking the show's episodes overall too. The story just didn't engage, despite the episode starting off promisingly, and the characterisation is screwed up royally, which was one of the episode's biggest annoyances.
"The Mysterious Mare Do Well" by all means does have its moments. It is very colourfully and meticulously animated. The music is infectious and well fitting without being over-scored, syrupy or too chirpy.
Morever, the first couple of minutes are promising and there is a nice construction action sequence. The voice acting is very good across the board, then again that is not unexpected.
Unfortunately, the things that matter even more are far less successful. The story is very contrived with some choppy transitions, making one feel that the episode wasn't always feeling complete. The moral is poorly thought out, a good one on paper but sadly very heavy-handed and would have worked if the characters weren't so poorly written. Nobody is interesting. Nobody is likeable. Everybody is a jerk for reasons inexplicable and not explained, and everyone is stripped of what made them work so well as characters. Absolutely hated how Rainbow Dash was treated in the episode, and felt too that she came over as too naive. Then there are appearances that are random and too come and go.
Furthermore, nothing in the story is compelling or surprising and "The Mysterious Mare Do Well" does nothing to progress any characterisation (with the characters distorted beyond recognition). The pacing is both dull and choppy. The writing is neither clever or funny, and completely hollow emotionally. Found it near-disrespectful at worst too.
Altogether, a major disappointment and sorry if this comes over as too harsh to some. 4/10
It's no doubt one of MLP's worst efforts
metalman5014 January 2016
Warning: Spoilers
As most people may know, The Mysterious Mare Do Well has widely been considered to be one of MLP's worst efforts. Having even more experience and criticism under my hat, I now realize more than ever that it's just sloppy, clichéd, and just plain bland. It's not THE worst I've watched in My Little Pony, but it sure is one of them and still holds up in that category today.
Despite writing great ones like Hearth's Warming Eve, Wonderbolts Academy, and even Bats!, it shouldn't be a surprise that the same writer behind Dragon Quest (Merriwether Williams) wrote The Mysterious Mare Do Well before it and it's equally terrible. It might have earned praise among some fans, but the episode undoubtedly made no real attempt to be funny, nor spectacular via the scenes of Mare Do Well (aka the other members of the Mane 6 but Rarity), or any other element of a good episode.
If that's not enough upset you, the moral was forced on Rainbow Dash whereas all of Ponyville turns on her with no true respect whatsoever due to Mare Do Well making her look like a total idiot for her obsession of fame, none of which makes it at least decent either. The message might have been trying to speak to audiences, but it was just bogged down strongly for how bad and upsetting the plot was along with a dull appearance/costume for Mare Do Well. While this wasn't one where the other 5 mane six characters were necessarily hateable, it was one where you'd wanted to give them a super hard slap in the face for how much suffering RD went through from the whole town. Safe to say for me; I have no problem calling it one of my Top Five Worst Episodes of the Show. If there are any small pros it does feature other than the animation and usual spot on voice acting, then I just do not see them clearly.
Despite writing great ones like Hearth's Warming Eve, Wonderbolts Academy, and even Bats!, it shouldn't be a surprise that the same writer behind Dragon Quest (Merriwether Williams) wrote The Mysterious Mare Do Well before it and it's equally terrible. It might have earned praise among some fans, but the episode undoubtedly made no real attempt to be funny, nor spectacular via the scenes of Mare Do Well (aka the other members of the Mane 6 but Rarity), or any other element of a good episode.
If that's not enough upset you, the moral was forced on Rainbow Dash whereas all of Ponyville turns on her with no true respect whatsoever due to Mare Do Well making her look like a total idiot for her obsession of fame, none of which makes it at least decent either. The message might have been trying to speak to audiences, but it was just bogged down strongly for how bad and upsetting the plot was along with a dull appearance/costume for Mare Do Well. While this wasn't one where the other 5 mane six characters were necessarily hateable, it was one where you'd wanted to give them a super hard slap in the face for how much suffering RD went through from the whole town. Safe to say for me; I have no problem calling it one of my Top Five Worst Episodes of the Show. If there are any small pros it does feature other than the animation and usual spot on voice acting, then I just do not see them clearly.
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