I don't know how I feel about this episode. I kinda want to say underwhelmed, though. I'm never happy that there's just so much hype in episodes prior with Ash going back to his hometown, but he always spends like 12 hours there. It wouldn't kill him to stay a week or so; re-bond with all his pokemon buddies, at least wait to see if Tracy would be back before he took off again
speaking of which, why did the writers write out Tracy and Misty and prevented their actual appearance in the episode?
Also disappointed with Ms. Ketchum not bonding more with Ash before he up and left again. I get that she's not going to get in the way of his dreams and all, but I just kept waiting for her to say that she wanted him to stay a little longer, or - I dunno, frikin hugged him more while he was there...something! I also found it distasteful that Ash was focused more on visiting his old pokemon rather than his mother; thank Arceus for Pansy being there and reminding him that- hey- you have a mom who's worried sick and missed you, Ash, you blockhead! Poor Delia, all alone with Mr. Mime....
Team Rocket....hnnngh...I dunno. I just don't know. Their intro in this episode, when trying to steal from Oak's lab seemed entirely unnecessary, because they didn't do anything but make an introduction, then immediately get blasted off. Not even a chance to steal anything, and fail at it. Just - Boo ya! We're here! All together now, team Motto on three! And whoa, now we're blasting off again! And Ash's group attack was seriously overkill, when he knows he could blast all three of them off with Pikachu or some other 1 pokemon, alone. I'm also bummed that Team Rocket just tossed their pokemon partners into Giovanni's lap. No emotional detachment there, like some of their other friends they've had to let go of.
And as someone already mentioned, their inability to take a hint that Ash just doesn't want them tailing him; if 15 years of blasting off hasn't knocked some sense into them. All the people in the world to steal from, and why's it gotta be Ash, who continually- in spite of being 10- kicks their cans all over numerous regions? I like Team Rocket being in the show and all, but I really think it's time they like "The Originals" and got their own spin off series...one where they actually succeeded.