This series features ponies like Bright Eyes, Starlight,
Clover, Patch, Bon Bon and Sweetheart (Sweetheart might remind you at times of
Fluttershy, and even has a weak spot for animals in need). Though this series
is clearly aimed at young children, every once in a while there is a reference
for the adults who might be watching. For example, one story is titled “The
Play’s The Thing,” a reference to Hamlet.
The first story of the first episode, “Slumber Party,”
finds the young ponies having pillow fights, playing charades and telling ghost
stories. Well, actually, there is no ghost in the story, but rather a dragon
and a pony named Squire. The ponies get frightened anyway and sing a song about
how “Things are not always what they seem,” which was the theme to every
story we read in grade school. That episode’s second story, “Too Sick To
Notice,” finds Bon Bon acting sick in order to get attention from her family.
And there is a little joke on all those 1980s teen magazines.
In one episode, the ponies have a masquerade party, where
they are told to dress up as whatever they wish to be when they grow up. Patch
plans to be a circus clown while Bright Eyes wants to be an environmentalist,
but it’s the one who wants to be a model that gets the song. The second story
in that episode has pro-environmental message at one point. Plus, I love the
horror movie music cue when Clover’s unlucky teapot shows up.
The second episode has Clover singing a song about indecision:
“I find it so confusing to be faced with a decision/I even dread choosing
what to watch on television.” The series’ best song, however, comes in “The
Tea Party.” Titled, “Boys! Boys! Boys!” this song features lyrics like, “Boys!
Boys! Boys!/Most of them make such noise/Ugly grunts and nasty snorts/Some
write lovely book reports.” Wonderful. It’s interesting that several
episodes deal with girl-boy friendships. In one episode the ponies sing about
how to attract a member of the opposite sex: “When a girl is there, act like
you don’t care.” And then: “It’s a common fact/Putting on an act/Helps
you to attract.” Of course, they eventually learn to be themselves.
The series improves as it goes along, with most of the
best episodes being the later ones. The ninth and tenth episodes are two of my
personal favorites. In the ninth, the ponies want to see a UFO, and Patch sings
a song about desiring adventure in her life. The teacher takes the class to
meet a hot-air balloon enthusiast who seems more interested in flirting with
the teacher and drinking tea than in teaching the students. “I never discuss
ballooning before tea,” he says. Plus, this episode has sharks and Pegasus
ponies. And the tenth episode has the ponies searching for an endangered
species of bird. They get lost in the woods and survive on what they’ve
learned. While fishing, three fall in the river, leading Bon Bon to say, “I
guess I’d better go rescue them if we’re going to have any lunch.” This
episode has a great pro-nature message about preserving the old forests.
The final episode features two wonderful stories. The
first, “Ponies In Paradise,” finds Bright Eyes signing up to be an exchange
student for a week on an island. The other ponies warn her about sea monsters
and cannibals and hungry volcanoes. This funny, adorable story teaches the
lesson about keeping an open mind about other cultures and to not let their
differences frighten you. The second story, “Who’s Responsible,” has an
environmental message about pollution and littering and has cute lines like, “And
anyone who makes school books can’t be completely on the up-and-up.”
Special Features
The second disc contains four sing-alongs, with the
lyrics printed at the bottom of the screen so everyone can join in. These songs
include the “My Little Pony Tales Theme” from the opening credit sequence,
“Sweet Music,” “Boys! Boys! Boys!” (which is the series’ best song) and “The
Adventure.”
My Little Pony Tales: The Complete Classic TV Series
is scheduled to be released on DVD on April 28, 2015 through Shout! Factory.
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