SANDLESTRAW

ok one thing that annoyed me was when carnivine attacked james couldnt they have used that opportunity to attack team rocket

edit: what happened to my long post i hate it when tv.com does that

ok i liked when grotle used rock climb and saved snover even though i thought he was going to use solarbeam lol.

it wouldve been nice if ash or someone caught snover.

im surprised ash told pikachu to use iron tail in that type of situation

its been awhile since ive seen brock hit on a girl.

love the new opening way better than the old one.

all in all great episode

... Yay, according to Bulbapedia and other sources of the Pokemon anime it says Ash, Brock, and Dawn are Pokemon Trainers... SO WHY DON'T THEY ACTUALLY CATCH POKEMON! I mean, seriously, there were TWO possible Pokemon they could have caught in this episode: Cherrim and Snover. Dawn is a Coordinator who's part is mostly comprised of Pokemon that might be consider cute, Cherrim is a Pokemon is considered cute AND Dawn said they were cute... So Dawn, why not catch one since it sounds like a perfect 6th Pokemon for you! And then we had Snover who pretty much wanted to stay with Ash and co., until the very end of the episode, and would have fit in with Brocks team quite well in my opinion. But no, instead no one catches any of these Pokemon even though there was NO reason why they couldn't until the writers had to throw something in at the end for Snover. I mean for other Pokemon Ash and co. met there were reasons:

EP125 "The Little Big Horn" - Brock befriends a baby Stantler and helps it re-unite it with its herd.
AG064 "True Blue Swablu" - May befriends a Swablu which she wanted to catch however they found it's flock and re-united it with it.
DP044 "Mass Hip-Po-Sis!" - Ash and co. befriend a Hippopotas which they later re-united with its family (though meet again later with its mother).
DP071 & 72 "Pokemon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! Parts One and Two" - Ash befriends a Riolu which already had a trainer and itself was destined to guard a kingdom (or something like that).
DP109 "Leading a Stray!" - Ash befriends a Luxio who had the responsibility of guarding a sewer with a room where wild Pokemon lived.

Even in the debut episode of the Anime Jigglypuff, which sadly had vanished though I don't know why since it was one of the more funnier running gags, Misty intended on catching Jigglypuff (though what made her not wanting to every encounter she had with it since then I don't know) in EP045 "The Song of Jigglypuff". At least Max "promised" to come back for the Ralts he befriended when he begins his journey in AG109 "Do I Hear A Ralts?" (though whether he keeps his promise is up to debate, being "promises" don't seem to be worth much in Pokemon, ask Ash's Pidgeot he "promised" to retrieve after Johto). But with Snover they had to throw in a random, out-of-the-blue reason for it not to be captured by Brock and those Cherrim... Dawn needs to realize she can't keep using the same 5 Pokemon over and over again she has to eventually capture another one.

Anyhow I wasted too much time on that complaint, on with the show. I like the new opening, I remember one complaint about the previous opening was that it was all clips from the show and none from any of the Japanese openers which was odd and a bit disappointing. However this new opener is WAY better and got me more hyped then the previous one did (too bad it opened to an episode without much action -_-; ). In addition the title card too got a nice upgrade with an animation of Ash's current badges and ribbons "flying out" at us (wonder if they'll update it when Ash and Dawn get new Badges and Ribbons, probably not but here's hoping).

The episode itself was rather un-eventful but does have the few moments that deserve at least a chuckle (such as Snover's practical jokes or Brock flirting with the teacher). Overall, not a bad episode and at least Grotle learned Rock Climb and Dawn knows where the next Pokemon Contest is... now if they only had Pokeballs...:

Opening Up In A Better Way:
* For being on their way to Snowpoint City, besides from DP116 "The Drifting Snorunt" there has been a lack of snow which the route before Snowpoint is blizzarded with.
* Cherrim? HURRY DAWN, CATCH ONE! There are 4 there so you have a good chance of hitting one if you attack. Might I suggest using either Buneary of Mamoswine as they know an Ice-type attack.
* DARN IT DAWN! There was the PERFECT opportunity to get a Cherrim, a type of Pokemon you don't have already, you even stating they were cute, and yet you completely ignore my advice... WHOA, new opening!
* WOW! They really did a good job on the new opening! I guess PUSA either heard the audiance didn't like the other opening so they decided to do a new one OR they were't finised with this one and so used the other one as a filler opener.
* Not only that, they also got a new title card introduction theme! Though I was originally leaning toward my former suggestion that they changed it due to fan complaint, now I'm beginning to go a bit over to the latter that they had this planned but not finished until now.
* Chimchar VS. Grotle? Not a very equal match-up Ash, though Grotle does look to be able to handle a hit from a Fire-type attack pretty well (but I'm sure Chimchar was probably holding back).
* Forgot Grotle has Synthesis, and being it's a sunny day Synthesis heals 2/3 HP (though probably full heal in the anime)... huh? What's that white smoke?

There's A Jokester Among Us:
* WHOA! Not white smoke, white snow! It comepletely froze Ash and co. (though for some reason Chimchar's fire tail is still "burning"). Hey, it's that Snover from before, and it has odd white circles around middle portion of its body (which, being brown, means it's male).
* Great, it looks like it was using Ash and co. as target practice... don't know for what attack (Powder Snow maybe?). However looks like Chimchar's fire burned through the ice causing the Snover to retreat.
* One flamethrower later Ash and co. are freed from the ice block and wonder what caused it (even though if they looked aroudn they might have spotted Snover not doing a very good job of hiding), but decide to take it as a sign to keep going.
* What attack is Snover trying now... oh, Grass Knot, and I was also right about the other attack being Powder Snow. Anyone looks like this Snover is just a practical jokester. Though about time Ash and co. decide to look around (and made a lucky guess where Snover was too).
* Gah! I don't know what attack that could be... oh, that's Ingrain? How's it suppose to heal exactly? At least they found out it was Snover playing the tricks on them.
* Grotle? Not exactly a good match-up as Snover is half Ice-type, I would have used Chimchar to... oh, you're cutting the Ingrain vines, okay then, I guess Grotle's Razor Leaf is a good choice then.
* *Sigh* And that's Grasswhistle, and right after Brock says not to listen to it they all fall asleep. Well that is four attacks, so if it was the game those would have been all of Snover attacks (all and all, not a very damaging moveset).
* Now Snover woke up Ash to hug him? I guess to show no hard feelings? Well Snover, unfortunetly Ash has all six of his Pokemon but Dawn and Brock have open party slots if you want to join Ash and co. on their journey. However being I want Dawn to catch a Cherrim (and chance she missed earlier in the episode), you wouldn't mind joining Brock's party would you?
* Oh, apparently those white circles are some kind of fruit and gave some to Ash and co.. Now knowing how this Snover likes plaing tricks, I wouldn't trust the fruit (or at least have Snover eat one before I would).
* Okay, so the fruit was okay, and apparently delicious, and must have been a way of Snover saying "thank you for playing along". But we passed the 5 minute mark and our favorite group of antagonists haven't yet made an appearance so...
* Right Meowth, Giovanni, a Gym Leader billionaire who runs a secret crime organization bent on stealing rare Pokemon for either battling or selling, is going to use Snover to open up an ice cream stand... that sounds like something more that you three would do. Giovanni would porbably have Snover evolve to Abomisnow and use it for battling.

Trainers Are Suppose To Catch Pokemon, Right?:
* How do they know Snover is hungry, it isn't moving its hand to its mouth, its just sitting there. Oh, looks like they are saying bye to Snover now. First Cherrim, now Snover, do Ash and co. not have empty Pokeballs or something?
* Snover has no friends? ASH, FORGET ABOUT BREAKFEST AND THINK FOR A SECOND! Actually, all three of you think for a second! Brock has 3 slots open, Dawn has 1 slot open, ONE OF YOU TWO CATCH SNOVER! Sure it made a better connection with Ash, but so did Aipom and look who's training it now!
* Well time for Team Rocket to steal Snover... or a berry from Snover. Not why'll probably catch Snover... why does extending rubber hand have a net now, why couldn't it just grab Snover like it grabbed the berry?
* Ash and co. freed Snover pretty quickly and for once Thundershock didn't send Team Rocket Blasting Off (does this mean another Pokemon will be allowded to do it in this episode? ).
* Nevermind, as it turns out Pikachu does Blast them off but uses an Iron Tail to do it instead of a Thundershock (which I guess is a nice change of pace on how Pikachu usually does the Team Rocket Blast Offs).
* Snover, if you're going to play a joke on a Pokemon, at least do it on a Pokemon who's type you aren't quad weak too... or Piplup since it goes more beserk then Chimchar when food is stolen from it. Anyway Snover does like practical jokes, which would fit in with Ash and co.'s other Pokemon strange personality quirks.
* Oh, Grotle is able to grow nuts nuts on its back *snicker*. Actually, they look more like acorns than nuts, however it looks like only Pokemon like its taste. Anyway, are any of you geniuses ready to relaize Snover might want to travel with you guys... hold on, Team Rocket again.
* Now that Grotle can also grow foodstuff on parts of it, Team Rocket decides to also steal Grotle as well as Snover. However if you attend on giving Giovanni the food I don't recommand giving him any of Grotle's acorns...
* Thundershock didn't work on Team Rocket for some reason (they didn't even explain they bought any electric-resisting armor, unless after being shocked for long they have grown a natural Eletric-type resistance ). Anyway Grotle uses Energy Ball to blast through the cage (come on Team Rocket, today is when you decide to make your cages not attack proof?) and falls out but is saved by Snover's Ingrain.
* However Team Rocket gets out rockets and speeds off with Snover too scared to jump out of the cage even though it could probably use its Ingrain to save tiself from the fall like it did with Grotle. Anyway Grotle remembers the good time they had with Snover, heals using Synthesis, and just learned Rock Climb and runs right after Snover (looks like that speed from when it was a Turtwig just came back!)
* YAY! Grotle did the Team Rocket Blast Off with a Rock Climb! And then uses Rock Climb once again to save Snover from falling by tossing it over to Happiney (though it took quite a landing but a Synthesis should heal it up).
* Snover is still travelling with them (ARE THEY OUT OF POKEBALLS OR SOMETHING?) However a group of children come running up to it followed by their female teacher... which Brock tries to flirt with. Croagunk, being the little kids shouldn't be seeing this, would you mind violently jabbing Brock with an attack that can possibly cause poisoning and drag him off? Thank you, now continue on storyline with this twist you brought us.
* Those children sure seem to enjoy that Snover... however on a more importent manner Dawn is told that in the town which is just up ahead (and where this group probably came from) is having a Pokemon Contest! So next stop is the Sandlestraw Contest! (Don't worry, I'll skip on the making fun of the town's name... it's just too easy with this one)
* Of course... being these little children enjoy playing with Snover Ash and co. let it go so that it could play with the little children anytime it wants. Anyway, as I said above, next stop: Sandlestraw Contest... the Pokemon Contest in Sandlestraw Town where people drink with their shoes... I'm sorry I know I sai I wouldn't but... I'll just be standing here in the corner thinking about what I've done.