Really liked the concept of "Keep Calm and Flutter On" on first watch. Found it one of the more intriguing and relatable concepts of Season 3, even if not as original as something like "Too Many Pinkie Pies" and "Sleepless in Ponyville". Also like Fluttershy a lot as a character, even if she is not the most interesting of the Mane 6, and there are some great Fluttershy-centric episodes out there. Can never get enough of Discord, something apparent as soon as he was introduced and mostly it stayed that way (one especially dubious exception aside).
"Keep Calm and Flutter On" to me was a very good episode, and one of the better ones of a generally solid (in my view) Season 3. It does a great job with both Fluttershy and Discord (really do not agree with the previous two reviewers here who have been too harsh on this episode in my view), really liked the humanity and ambition of the story, the character interaction (something that most of the season excelled brilliantly in) is spot on as is most of everything else. Apart from reservations with one character and that the ending should have been a lot better than it was, which kept "Keep Calm and Flutter On" from being great.
Not everything is successful. Princess Celestia could easily have been left out, she doesn't have a lot of material, her presence is not really an interesting one and she serves little point to the episode.
My biggest problem was the ending. Which happens and is over far too quickly and is somewhat pat, undermining the impact of a climax that beforehand was actually quite powerful at first.
The animation though is colourful and meticulous in detail, compared to the previous two seasons there is more refinement in Season 3 in my view and while it is not one of the best cases "Keep Calm and Flutter On" is no exception. Really related to the moral and appreciated its sincere but not heavy delivery. One of the season's most true to life and important morals and one of the best executed. The script is well balanced and manages to never feel stilted, cheesy or schmaltzy. With a healthy balance of winning humour and affecting seriousness. The story's very human nature was admirable, it is an ambitious one but it is an example of a story that has that level of ambition without biting off more than it could chew.
As with most of the season, the Mane 6 are wonderfully characterised, never out of character and were relatable. Especially Fluttershy in by far her most interesting appearance since Season 2's "Hurricane Fluttershy". The screen time for some isn't massive, like with Rarity, but the writers don't make the mistakes that some episodes did (speaking as a fan of the show, but am not afraid to admit that it did have blips every now and again in characterisation) in exaggerating any negative character traits, instead showing them as flawed while understanding why but worth identifying with.
Discord shows why he is my personal favourite of the show's antagonists. One of the most entertaining, most formidable and coolest and one of my favourite recurring characters of the show. The voice acting is spot on, with John De Lancie especially killing it as Discord.
Summing up, very good and nearly great. 8/10
"Keep Calm and Flutter On" to me was a very good episode, and one of the better ones of a generally solid (in my view) Season 3. It does a great job with both Fluttershy and Discord (really do not agree with the previous two reviewers here who have been too harsh on this episode in my view), really liked the humanity and ambition of the story, the character interaction (something that most of the season excelled brilliantly in) is spot on as is most of everything else. Apart from reservations with one character and that the ending should have been a lot better than it was, which kept "Keep Calm and Flutter On" from being great.
Not everything is successful. Princess Celestia could easily have been left out, she doesn't have a lot of material, her presence is not really an interesting one and she serves little point to the episode.
My biggest problem was the ending. Which happens and is over far too quickly and is somewhat pat, undermining the impact of a climax that beforehand was actually quite powerful at first.
The animation though is colourful and meticulous in detail, compared to the previous two seasons there is more refinement in Season 3 in my view and while it is not one of the best cases "Keep Calm and Flutter On" is no exception. Really related to the moral and appreciated its sincere but not heavy delivery. One of the season's most true to life and important morals and one of the best executed. The script is well balanced and manages to never feel stilted, cheesy or schmaltzy. With a healthy balance of winning humour and affecting seriousness. The story's very human nature was admirable, it is an ambitious one but it is an example of a story that has that level of ambition without biting off more than it could chew.
As with most of the season, the Mane 6 are wonderfully characterised, never out of character and were relatable. Especially Fluttershy in by far her most interesting appearance since Season 2's "Hurricane Fluttershy". The screen time for some isn't massive, like with Rarity, but the writers don't make the mistakes that some episodes did (speaking as a fan of the show, but am not afraid to admit that it did have blips every now and again in characterisation) in exaggerating any negative character traits, instead showing them as flawed while understanding why but worth identifying with.
Discord shows why he is my personal favourite of the show's antagonists. One of the most entertaining, most formidable and coolest and one of my favourite recurring characters of the show. The voice acting is spot on, with John De Lancie especially killing it as Discord.
Summing up, very good and nearly great. 8/10
