"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Thursday, March 21, 2024

The Book of Rannells: Princess Power: Season 2, Episode 13 – “Princess Processional Professional” (2023)

This is Andrew Rannells’s last episode of Princess Power for season 2, though he isn’t in it much. Cute episode, and the conflict is believable.

Bea is going to be joining her dads in meeting with her subjects in the Blueberry “fruitdom’s” annual processional. She’s excited about it, but she gets stressed about her ability to ride in the processional when she can’t get her new horse, Bella, to cooperate. The other princesses come to help her work on strategies, especially Kira, who brims with love for/knowledge about animals.

Based on how things play out in the episode, it makes sense that Bea would struggle with riding Bella. For one, the girl is on and ready for action at all times, the opposite of a calming presence to make Bella feel safe and comfortable. For another, she approaches the task like it’s a sport to master, focusing on her own achievement and not really thinking about the fact that she has to consider this other living creature as well. Not to mention, she’s so gung ho about everything that she regularly starts diving in before Kira has even finished giving her latest piece of advice.

While this is Kira’s area of expertise and she takes point here, the other princesses pitch in as well. Penny offers up her robot as a simulated “bucking bronco” for Bea to practice on, and when Kira says the word “grooming,” Rita knows it’s her turn to shine.

It’s another episode of bookend appearances for Andrew Rannells, and most of his lines are in the opening scene. I enjoy the gusto with which he introduces Bea’s new horse as “Bella Brunhilde Blueberry!” Although really, while Bea is a prime contributor to her issues with Bella, King Barton needs to share some of the blame as well. In the scene where he gives Bella to Bea, he acknowledges that she doesn’t have a lot of experience riding horses. So he thinks the recipe for success is to put her with a brand-new horse who doesn’t know her on the day of the procession? Planning ahead is not your specialty, my guy.

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