The only thing that really bothered me was Spike
breaking the fourth wall with the backdrops
Agreed. That's Pinkie's job. Spike shouldn't be doing that. Lauren Faust actually commented in one of her interviews that she made a point to specifically keep Pinkie's Pinkieness to Pinkie, rather than letting everyone in on zanyness. It's unfortuante that one of Jayson Thiessen's first acts as lead director was to change the rules about that. Apart from letting the ballons go and her perspective teleport at the picnic, Pinkie was pretty much forgotten this episode.
Personally, I think its a bit silly to be declaring
doom and gloom on the Season two at episode three.
This was the first episode produced by Jayson Thiessen instead of Lauren Faust. In his first episode, he's changed some basic premises of the show, ignored characterization, introduced a whole bunch of visual changes....I understand that new people like to add their personal creative touch, but like some people have pointed out, some of the things he's changing are potentially very destructive to the show if they become trends.
I personally enjoyed it, but if every episode was like this? Not so much.
I think that summarizes it. It was ok, it wasn't bad, but more of it would be.
I've heard estimations that the main 6 are at least in their teens, so he's over 10.
Personally, in humans terms, I'd estimate most of them to be in the 16-22 range, except Rarity who is probably late twenties. But then I also think Rarity is a single mother and Rainbow Dash is a boy. As to Spike, I'd say about 15.
so now it's slavery and racism in this children's cartoon?
Racism is already established canon. Zecora is an outcast. Celestia and Luna rule. A racially based caste system has been heavily implied: Only earth ponies work in food service industries, for example.
As for slavery, Spike's case could possibly be argued. Remember that Twilight's entrance exam in Cutie Mark Chronicles was to hatch Spike's egg. Obvious implication being that all unicorns at Celestia's school have baby dragon slave/familiars. State-sanctioned racially based child slavery.
what do you call those? Allicorn?
Seems to be the in-universe convention. Anywhere outside of MLP though, an alicorn is a unicorn's horn.
If they did have a zeppelin
All required technology has been demonstrated. Twilight has a hot air balloon. And in Griffon the Brush Off, Pinkie Pie uses a bicycle powered helicopter. Though, I recall reading in a Faust interview that Word of God was that the verse was officially low tech, but violations due to the Rule of Funny were allowable. So Pinkie's flying machine might be "Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie" rather than a canon demonstration of available technology. But, here it is: