Yeah, I missed a journal for the newspaper episode, but it's given me plenty of ideas / material to work with. At least two cannon newspapers, a lot of crazy gossip, and while I don't have a favorite character, it was awesome to see and hear Big Macintosh lay down the law on the CMC. Fillies got told.

But that was over a week ago, and the latest episode is easily one of my favorites. Spoilers follow, but it's been a few days so don't blame me. I've mentioned before that I loved Pinkie's felt imagination scene, and the retro vocational film about the tornado, and wondered if the team could pull off some more epic scenes like that. Well, I was satisfied. Three completely different scenes, each with their own unique take on Pinkie's explanation of the events that lead to the cake catastrophe. (Also alliteration everywhere.) I loved that old trope of someone / somepony being tied to train tracks, and the great ninja scene. But what really got me was Double-dough agent, Mane. Con Mane. That was all sorts of amazing. The intro to it, the mares, the milk-SHAKE (see what they did there?) The gadgets, everything was so well done. And then the investigation begins...

Loved Pinkie and Twilight being Sherlock Holmes and Watson, even if it wasn't a direct reference. (Just needed Pinkie / Twilight to start playing the violin and inject heroin. Or was it smoking Opium? Either way, it was some drug.) Though the deerstalker hat was a good visual gag. With the episode taking place on the train, I was hoping that they would have an Hercule Poirot reference in there. (Ala, Murder on the Orient Express.) Though I don't think there was. It was nice to see the Cakes and Big Macintosh again, and having a Griffon and mule, instead of all ponies, provided some nice variety. And Pony / Doughnut Joe made a comeback. (Said it before, I'll say it again, I love recurring background characters.) One thing I loved though was Rarity's line "Fine, I'm guilty! I wear false eyelashes! Oh, and I took a bite of the cake." [link] The way Tabitha St. Germain goes from yelling hystericaly to perfectly normal cracks me up. And sleeping Pinkie [link]
All in all, a damn fine episode.

Cheers everypony!