I really liked how this ep wasn't just another TR filler with Meowth's noodling skills being used as a Chekhov's gun later on.
Not just that, he's became a full on cooking artist by the time of XY, and even more fittingly, it's almost always to help Jessie with her performance efforts. I love little hidden depths that end up going a long way like that, especially since it's something that comes from Meowth's usually pathetic Pokemon skills for once.
This was a pretty good episode in terms of dynamic and character chemistry. Another good display of the trio's off clock talents and loyalty to each other. Even Jessie is surprisingly earnest and nice concerning this part between the three. Christopher was a touching character, and a brilliant ironic echo to the trio's current situation ("There's more to life than Team Rocket"). Another play on what Team Rocket could be if not for stubborn will and loyalty. I'm starting to wonder if everyone in that organisation has an existential crisis.
I loved Jessie's Pokemon actually put up a decent fight against Metagross for a while, they might have actually won if they didn't get smug.
If there's one thing that puts me off however, it's the dialogue. I don't know if it's just the English dub since I haven't found the subbed Japanese, but everything feels so wooden and over the top from the trio, even for their usual in Sinnoh (as shown in cases like Crossing Paths, they could still turn off the goofiness in other episodes). It kinda takes out the endearing story context. Brilliant moment with dub James screaming like a little girl against the Metagross though.
I agree on Ash's interactions with TR though, even the dub acting was great ("You've lost it this time..."). If they're going to do incompetent TR this is the best way to do it, by getting funny reactions from the heroes. Reminds me a bit of Sonic Boom's handling of Sonic and Eggman, where the villain is just such a pathetic attention seeker the hero has just stopped taking him personally. "Yeaaahhhh... sorry, can I just thwart you tomorrow or something?"