As soon as one starts watching Surf and/or Turf, the episode already makes clear to the viewer that this episode involves the CMC as the main protagonist with Twilight as a secondary character for accompanying them. The main reason Twilight is doing this is because, not only because the CMC are still fillies for going that far, but also because of this (apparently) simple plot device: the signatures from both Silverstream´s parents.

The episode also uses Apple Bloom, while they are going to Mt.Aris by train, for explaining to the viewer the whole backstory that happened in the movie. This move serves for both as an introduction and a justification for this species ‘existence for those people who haven´t watched the movie and, in a nutshell, they get exposed to that subverted version that Apple Bloom (putting AJ as the main hero who defeated the Storm king) tells to the rest who are travelling on that wagon (with the help of the initial scene with the map of harmony). When they arrive at the station, everything that was messy in the movie has been either repaired or recovered because of the period between the movie and this episode. Unlike the movie, this episode doesn´t rely on adventures but a slice of life nature instead.

In theory, what this episode supposedly presents is the typical CMC episode where they argue between each other and cause a conflict or make matters worse until they decide to apologize and thus, things go back on track. This is nothing new and if you want to judge this episode with a simplistic manner without relying on any difficulties, you could sum it up with the average CMC formula and you would get away with it and let´s be honest, this episode doesn´t stand out when it comes to originality in terms of using orthodox formulas of writing.

So, the conflict happens because the CMC have to decide which place is better: Mt. Aris or Seaquestria. Sweetie Belle leans to the former because she is left amazed by the beauty of the Harmonizing Heights and Scootaloo leans towards the latter and of those reasons that back up her convictions is that swimming almost feels like flying. While water is denser than air and the speed might not be as high as one could move in the sky, the 3d movement and freedom of choice to go at any direction is actually the same, she isn´t technically wrong. However, for those who have watched other episodes related to Scootaloo (such as Flight to the Finish or The Washouts), that line coming from her with so much joy might not leave anyone indifferent.

I also must highlight how Sweetie Belle scorns Seaquestria during her stay and speeds up the whole visit because she cannot stand it and prefers much more the Harmonizing Heights. Apple Bloom, while she doesn´t mind visiting any of those two places, she isn´t involved in the conflict but she delivers a pretty funny moment when she has to work as the messenger for both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle when they are sitting next to each other on the beach.

Despite visiting a new place that has been unfamiliar for basically anyone except for the mane 6, the humour and the whole feel throughout this episode just resembles to the sense of a place that they have been visiting for their whole lives. It´s so welcoming from the very beginning that you wonder for a moment if this is their first visit to this faraway location.