S06:E08 - A Hearth's Warming Tail

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I'll tell you, with the exception of "Bats" this show has yet to disappoint me, and it somehow continues to impress.

 

I wasn't really in the Christmas spirit, I mean it's summer for crying out loud, so I wasn't in the mood for a loose adaption of one of the most famous stories in literature. So I was actually in a position to not like this as much, but they managed to win me over. If I had any decorations in my apartment, I would've been tempted to put them up!

 

What made it so good was any number of factors but one thing that really hit it out of the park was that, accounting for the different world, it was a pretty good adaptation. I mean not even close to raw detail but more the "spirit" of the story if you'll pardon the pun. A Christmas Carol isn't about Christmas, or greed. What A Christmas Carol is about is actually happiness. No better character in the cast better represented the Scrooge levels of self-loathing like Starlight Glimmer so she was perfectly "cast." It also really delivered on all of the emotions of the story. The happy parts really did feel warm and happy, the sad parts did touch my heart, and the glimpse into the future? . . . I'm not kidding when I say Luna might be among my top three scariest versions of the Ghost of Yet to Come.

 

On that note, the music department really stepped up! It actually reminded me of "A Canterlot Wedding's" songs or even Winter Wrap Up. It had that kind of soul to it. I'm not a music guy so I couldn't tell you the similarities and differences. I will say that "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" was similar in quality but different in tone. Between AJ/Past's hymn of innocence lost, Pinke/Present's swinging tribute to loving and living in the moment . . . for the moment passes, and finally Luna's/Future's somber carol both a grim portent and an almost deceptively magical dirge of possible joy now lost. (Listen to it again, you'll know what I'm talking about.) You know what it is? All the songs build on each other. The crescendo of Snowfall's plea feels like the emotional culmination of her journey through her own life.

 

I'm astounded yet again. I love this show so much and it always holds such . . . well presents for me.

Overused Christmas Carol spoof, rehashing of Starlight Glimmer's mistake, song after song.

 

I feel like the writers are now experimenting on how bad they can make an episode that bronies would stop watching it.

 

. . . . Wow. Just . . . wow. How one could look at this and see . . . nothing?

 

It's not bad. I reject your word. This was beautiful and I will NEVER stop watching this show and I will always find something to enjoy in it.

[cider float 2,537]

I'll tell you, with the exception of "Bats" this show has yet to disappoint me, and it somehow continues to impress.

 

I wasn't really in the Christmas spirit, I mean it's summer for crying out loud, so I wasn't in the mood for a loose adaption of one of the most famous stories in literature. So I was actually in a position to not like this as much, but they managed to win me over. If I had any decorations in my apartment, I would've been tempted to put them up!

 

What made it so good was any number of factors but one thing that really hit it out of the park was that, accounting for the different world, it was a pretty good adaptation. I mean not even close to raw detail but more the "spirit" of the story if you'll pardon the pun. A Christmas Carol isn't about Christmas, or greed. What A Christmas Carol is about is actually happiness. No better character in the cast better represented the Scrooge levels of self-loathing like Starlight Glimmer so she was perfectly "cast." It also really delivered on all of the emotions of the story. The happy parts really did feel warm and happy, the sad parts did touch my heart, and the glimpse into the future? . . . I'm not kidding when I say Luna might be among my top three scariest versions of the Ghost of Yet to Come.

 

On that note, the music department really stepped up! It actually reminded me of "A Canterlot Wedding's" songs or even Winter Wrap Up. It had that kind of soul to it. I'm not a music guy so I couldn't tell you the similarities and differences. I will say that "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" was similar in quality but different in tone. Between AJ/Past's hymn of innocence lost, Pinke/Present's swinging tribute to loving and living in the moment . . . for the moment passes, and finally Luna's/Future's somber carol both a grim portent and an almost deceptively magical dirge of possible joy now lost. (Listen to it again, you'll know what I'm talking about.) You know what it is? All the songs build on each other. The crescendo of Snowfall's plea feels like the emotional culmination of her journey through her own life.

 

I'm astounded yet again. I love this show so much and it always holds such . . . well presents for me.

 

. . . . Wow. Just . . . wow. How one could look at this and see . . . nothing?

 

It's not bad. I reject your word. This was beautiful and I will NEVER stop watching this show and I will always find something to enjoy in it.

What I saw was one of the worst Christmas Carol spoofs out there. There was nothing memorable about it, even if that was aired on Christmas would have meant nothing.

[ImpctR 155]

If I were to decide its airing I would just skip the whole episode and move it to November at the very least, especially when this is the last season and they already pushed into airing it now. It felt so out of season, leaving aside that imo the other HWE episodes were better.

Edited May 21, 2016 by ImpctR

[Will Guide 21,360]

I didn't know Perry the Platypus was in this episode.       

 

[Amethyst Splash 86]

It was pretty good but pinkies spirt was kinda lame. But over all it was pretty good!

[Teavvi 627]

This was the best mlp episode ever (kinda)

[MovieLord101 140]

*sigh* And Lilly Peet's at it again.

 

 

She needs to stop doing this mean-sprited crap. Just because she doesn't like Starlight as a character doesn't mean she should call good episodes like this bad just because Starlight's in them. That's not fair! At least the show's trying to make her a better character and I thing they're doing great with that! Plus, Lilly putting Family Guy audio in place of actually talking about her actually feelings on the episode is just a dick move and a middle finger to her fans. If she keeps doing stuff like this, she'll lose subscribers.

Edited May 21, 2016 by MovieLord101

[Pinky_Music 66]

I loved this episode all over, regardless of whether it came from 'A Christmas Carol'. Loved Pinkie's segment, and the short duet of Rainbow and Fluttershy. I thought that was cute with the both of them on a cloud. It doesn't seem often that Flutters lays on a cloud.

[MovieLord101 140]

And no one noticed my post. *sigh*

[Pinky_Music 66]

And no one noticed my post. *sigh*

I actually did, but felt that I didn't have anything more to add to it than what you had already typed.

[GiFTGewEhrSCHutzen-4 8,828]

The episode is okay and all, the songs were good, but the highlight of this episode for me is Princess Luna as the 'Spirit of Yet to Come'. I love her singing part in this episode, Steele did a good job of doing Luna's singing voice. The song is epic and powerful is all I have to say! 

[Lagrangian 64]

I think this is one of the best constructed episodes we've ever had, but it falls down just a little on the delivery.

The problem is that they kind of messed up the Scrooge archetype, and then they sort of gimped the final lesson.

 

First: Scrooge archetype is more apathetic than destructive to the holiday spirit. So in the episode Snow doesn't quite work as a Starlight expy because Starlight is just apathetic, not malicious, towards Hearth's Warming.

It's still pretty good despite that, but the final lesson is kind of ruined--in A Christmas Carol the final lesson serves to remind Scrooge of his mortality and how he'll die alone and unloved. So, with everything else it's better for him to embrace the holiday and be happy while he can. And while that's definitely the final result of the episode, the story's idea of "Be happy or you'll die in a pile of snow" kind of undercuts the message of being merry with family and friends.

Ironically, the Family Guy cover song is poignant here--in that same episode Chris make the observation that since he professes more selflessness than Meg, he deserves more presents, right? "I'm being happy to save Equestria from a snowy death, so I'm doing better than you."

It doesn't wreck the episode, but I feel like the episode would have gone further without it. Especially if Starlight Glimmer hadn't swapped attitudes quite so quickly and whole-heartedly.

 

 

Also, I kind of wanted to see Twilight be the Spirit of Christmas Future, though I suspected Luna and admit she works better.

Edited May 24, 2016 by Lagrangian

[SilverRose15 0]

It taught me how to have fun with your friends and family on holiday. I learned how to be care to your friends and family in life on holiday.

[PiratePony 8,475]

I just have to say: dem pipes on Starlight Glimmer! Girl can sing. So, I mentioned in another thread regarding her actress, and how skilled she is...her "good Starlight", "bad Starlight" and back again. Both distinctive and the same, both with a gamut of emotional range. I am so impressed that this made it my favorite outing of Starlight in season 6 (bad Starlight is best Starlight). Btw as a side note....she's the voice of Barbie in all the Barbie movies. Talk about range.

 

As an A Christmas Carol aficionado, this was a pleasant borrowing of the tale, although it did stray from the source material. I'm perfectly fine with it, as the framing fit into the world of Equestria. Not everything has to be, say, Mickey's Christmas Carol (Uncle Scrooge, RIP), and it served it's own lessons.

 

Hail the return of Daniel Ingram! With season 6 feeling lacking in music, except for Applebloom's song, this was a tremendous musical soundtrack, both on par with musical theatre and holiday songs alike.

 

I don't terribly mind about the timing of the episode...although my wife and daughter were both confused. "Why? Why would they do this?" Pirate Wife said. I'm not sure...I know it took the enjoyment away for some...not me though.

 

A+. Second best of season after Saddle Row Review imho.

[Sh Pie 65]

This episode filled me with Hearthswarming cheer. Twilight's story has the premise of Scrooge, the real life Christmas story, but with a Grinch type of character as the villain protagonist, portrayed by former villain Starlight. There were surprisingly good songs and the story got dark when Luna's character showed how devastating the Windigos are. Just like the Season 5 finale when Twilight showed Starlight the consequences of undoing a friendship. Another appropriate portrayal since Luna brought eternal night to Equestria as Nightmare Moon and Windigos brought eternal winter. Only friendship and selflessness can beat them. The professor pony was a tribute to Alan Rickman's character Snape from Harry Potter. As a fan of the movies, I thought that was cool.

 

Overall, an enjoyable festive episode with a moral that shows it's never too late to change your mind and celebrate the holiday!

[CT-1138 3,182]

This was a great episodes. All of the songs were fantastic, especially Luna's. And dang, does Starlight's VA got some pretty lungs on her. 

[greenflare 154]

I didn't like it very much.  Honestly it felt like every character was overreacting or was just being upset about something ridiculous.  In the story, Snowfall did need to learn not to be so grumpy but the way it was executed just felt..  Wrong.  If they wanted her to be bitter, great, good for you, but the reason for her negativity should be more than some teacher telling her to reject the holiday and making her sad.  No offense Snowfall but does a whole village liking this holiday and one teacher saying you need to not care about Hearth's Warming really justify making a spell to get rid of it forever?

[Soaring Symphony 372]

The episode was pretty good.  I just have one gripe though.  It would have flowed just a little bit better if it had started with Snowfall Frost actually casting the spell to end Hearths Warming.  That way, the rest of the episode could have been a direct result of her actions rather then something she almost did.  Also, it would have been great to see her scrambling to reverse the spell at the end of the episode. Who know, maybe we could have gotten something like what they did in the How The Grinch Stole Christmas, where Snowfall sees the true spirit of hearth swarming through joyful songs and smiling faces, even without pretty decorations and whatnot.  IDK, just an idea.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Soaring Symphony

[Tarnation 142]

She was warning Snowfall to not cast a spell and destroy the future, I don't really get how that's evil. I mean, she's trying to scare her into not ruining everypony's lives, creepy but not evil.

 

 Plus, just a story. Not the real Luna.

 

She was just real creepy and yeah..... Pretty scary

[Twilight Frost 271]

The songs were OK, but the pacing was extremely off for being a Christmas Carol Rip off, it didn't really showcase the lesson they were trying to teach "at all", and it really didn't give any reason for Starlight to actually join them in the end at all. So, some ponies aren't emphasizing the gifts part of it as much as she thought, so what? Still not a reason to all of the sudden join in on anything and her character and the story book character were nothing alike at that time. She just didn't want to go to a party and Twilight used a story to "guilt trip" her into doing so because Windigos 

[Moon Sugar 532]

I really loved the songs in this episode.

A little surprising that it's a Christmas episode in May--Is continuity not really a thing this season?

[Keroko 34]

I liked the differences between this story and the original Christmas Carol. It's easy to point at the original Christmas Carol and note that this one doesn't follow the original story of Scrooge all that well, but there's a key difference between our Christmas and Equestria's Hearth's Warming that tends to be overlooked when making these comparisons: Hearth's Warming serves an actual functional purpose in keeping the Wendigo's away. Whereas in the original it was truly all about Scrooge and his life, in Snowfall's case her actions would not just affect her own life, but the lives of everyone in Equestria.

 

It's an interesting story detail that easily gets lost, but it's something I really like about Hearth's Warming. It calls back to the pre-Christianity origins of Christmas, where among many other varieties it was a festivity to drive away the evil spirits of winter and herald the coming of spring.

[CrystalRarity 119]

Wah.. liked this episode a lot. Praise that Daniel Ingram, the MUSIC! The lyrics as well- Starlight's song about her spell whoa whoa.

 

"Ghost of Hearth's Warming Present" kek. kek. After one viewing, that ghost's segment might be my favorite part of an episode that had no real bad parts for me. Think? Christmas tales do tend to downplay the giving of gifts so it was refreshing and surely valuable for Pink to remind the people that gift-giving may serve a beautiful purpose. Related to that, it was also sweet how Snowfall brought iffy gifts to the party (If the tooth is something to go by.) because she wasn't prepared, but Snowdash took it so happily. is that an obvious cliche sort of thing? hmm it seemed so cute. still does. <3 OTHER THINGS THAT WERE CUTE…the Flutterdash chilling on clouds together in the beginning and Rarity decorating Shy's mane at the end. cute things best things

 

Ahum, holiday get-ups were consistently lovely too. Pinkie Pie looked especially nice in her golden bathrobe, I thought.. xD Really, though, it looked pretty.

 

Ah, overall, this is my favorite episode from the season. So solid and beautiful and managed freshness with such a done story. The biggest plus imo is that it wasn't…the dialogue wasn't suffused with nothing lines. Pink yelling about cotton candy, ponies repeating things incessantly. this has been a big problem in s6, have thought, but this episode was filled with great lines. And so many great moments, so many. Ah, would quote, but too lazy. Wonderful episode, yay, bye

Edited June 24, 2016 by CrystalRarity

[The Guy 22]

Besides the songs, this episode was really really boring. I had to put it down with some of my least enjoyed episodes of the entire show. The story didn't do anything for me since it has been parodied countless times in other shows.

I don't get it, why do so many people like this episode? Someone please explain to me what is so great about it

I don't get it, why do so many people like this episode? Someone please explain to me what is so great about it

[Thrond 3,263]

Besides the songs, this episode was really really boring. I had to put it down with some of my least enjoyed episodes of the entire show. The story didn't do anything for me since it has been parodied countless times in other shows.

I don't get it, why do so many people like this episode? Someone please explain to me what is so great about it

I don't get it, why do so many people like this episode? Someone please explain to me what is so great about it

Visuals and music largely, but also how the story has been remade to fit the world and mythology, as well as how it relates to Starlight Glimmer's character arc.