I haven't really done much reviewing of MLP episodes for the past year or so. Mainly due to a lack of interest in covering weekly reviews, but I figured considering that I've seen a lot of backlash concerning the episode, I'd give my two cents here. Applejack's "Day" Off is the tenth episode of season six and premiered May 28th of 2016.
The plot sees Rarity trying to get Applejack to find time in her busy work schedule to take an hour of spa time, while Twilight and Spike feed the pigs. While at the Spa (and a meeting with an embarrassed Rainbow Dash who gets caught in her more girly side), their hopes for a steam are dashed due to a long line and a broken steam pipe, which the Spa never dealt with due to being busy with everything else. Applejack fixes the pipe and solves the spa's steam problems. When they return to the farm they see Twilight struggling with the list given to her by Applejack, so Applejack does the job and we see that she's overdoing it on things to do. Mainly continuing to do things that have already been resolved ages ago. So, the rest of the ponies help show her that she can solve these problems without the need of added steps.
I think the things that most people have a problem with this episode is that it's not a super exciting episode. That the pace is sort of akin to a season one episode. Honestly, I'm fine with it. I've always been a fan of the slice of life story over the deeper, more adventure filled plot. Mainly because slice of life episodes usually have more freedom to breathe where even adventure stories feel like they're poorly paced even with the extra half hour. Usually these types of episodes work because they have all the time in the world to breathe and this was definitely the case.
Another thing I've noticed is that people claim this one is boring. Granted, it's not as joke-a-minute as the previous episode The Saddle Row Review. But to say the episode is lacking in fun moments is kind of a lie. Pruny Rarity, Rainbow Dash at the spa, Mr. Cake getting the massage, the Mission Impossible riff, "Appleyack", the repair montage, Rainbow Dash being caught again. All of which gave me legit laughs. In fact, this is an episode I've enjoyed more on the rewatch due to the standout moments standing out pretty well.
The biggest thing I see a lot of people claim is that Applejack is being written like an idiot. And when I see that opinion, I look at it as people who simply don't understand the moral. The moral is that having an outside eye see what you're doing can help you. it's also that you can get yourself into a routine of doing things that you don't realize you're making more work for yourself. That's a believable moral, one that I don't see many shows really covering. And it's fully believable that Applejack can see the problems with other people's methods without realizing she's in her own rut. That's not stupidity, that's just being human (or equine in this case).
I've seen a lot of reviews claiming this as one of the worst episodes ever, and I couldn't disagree more. Princess Spike was nothing but standing and talking, Mare Do Well was a painful sit, What About Discord was annoying and Spike at Your Service was just bad character writing. Applejack's Day Off is far from that. It has its dry spots, but there at least feels like there's more going on. And in the end, it's a simple slice of life episode that does its best to present a very underused moral in television, and it gets my respect for that. In the end, I'd say this was definitely not the strongest season 6 episode, but nowhere as bad as a lot of critics claim.
RATING: B