S02:E11 - Hearth's Warming Eve

[Heartstrings 102]

I always hate saying bad things about FiM, because I love the show so much. But here I go:

 

This episode runs into the problem of 'not a lot of story happening'. Seriously, there's like ten minutes all together throughout where the characters are doing absolutely nothing but arguing. By the end of it I was practically screaming "Just make up and be friends already!" The episode felt like it was stuck on a loop for awhile. Something happens, arguing. Something happens, arguing. Rinse, repeat. It felt a lot like TMMDW, where we see Dash getting upstaged by Mare-Do-Well four times in a row. There were a lot of moments were it felt like they were eating up screen time because they didn't have enough to fill.

 

The best part, again, was the humor, which was very funny, but even that is wrong. The humor in this episode is expressed through a dislike of the characters. We are laughing at Pinkie Pie because she is being stupid and can't read a map, or understand anything that's going on. We are laughing at Rarity because she thinks unicorns are high class, but is treating Twilight poorly. We are laughing at these characters because they are doing awful and stupid things that we know is so blatantly bad that we find it funny. FiM has never been about laughing at the characters because we feel above them, it's been about laughing at small conflicts and goofy scenarios. All the characters in this episode fight, and hate each other up until the last minute. Now, I know they're in a play and they're suppose to be characitures but they're fighting before the play starts (the window scene) so you can't help but feel that they're really acting like this. It's not fun watching characters that we love argue and fight and hate each other. I HATED Rarity and Rainbow Dash in this episodes, they were being nothing but plotholes from beginning to end. And they're my two favorites

And then there is just plain inconsistency. Why is Fluttershy excited on the train, but nervous and doesn’t want to be there immediately after? Because they needed another joke were Fluttershy screams quiet. Setting up jokes even when they don’t make sense. All of Merriwether Williams episodes are going to be like this, aren’t they?

 

Things I did like though. The animation and voice acting was all spectacular. This episode had some of the most dynamic voice acting in the series. The moment at the beginning with Derpy was great, I had a silly grin on my face after seeing that. I love how they can give her so much personality without ever having her speak or giving her too much screen time. Pinkie coming out of the hat at the start was cool. I liked how Twilight threw in the Starswirl mention. It felt a lot like and adlib she snuck in, haha. Spike was also great. The earth joke was funny. Not really sure where Luna, Celestia and Discord fit it. But we did get a few neat little things about equestria we never knew (Regualar unicorns can move the sun and moon? Cool). Also, were those things called Wendigos? If so, they're nothing like the Wendigos I learned about...

 

Anyway, the episode overall? I had to watch my three favorite characters fight with each other for twenty minutes.

[YossarianLives 3]

Random thoughts:

-"I see someone eating a gingerbread house!" Yes Pinkie, we know you can see the future.

-I have never seen such blatant disrespect for giant hats!

-Racism!

-Fluttershy + Short skirt = weirdest boner right now

-Oh hai, Starswirl reference.

-So it's settled. Equestria is a country.

-And so, the proletariat was joined in harmony through mutual not hate for each other and hate for THE MAN.

-Brony Anthem, called it.

 

Good episode. I really liked it.

Final Score: 9.8/10 (I would give it a full 10, but Rarity would never wear that Christmas hat or mistreat that crown so.)

[Doctor XFizzle 8,669]

It felt a lot like TMMDW, where we see Dash getting upstaged by Mare-Do-Well four times in a row. There were a lot of moments were it felt like they were eating up screen time because they didn't have enough to fill.

 

Funny you mention that because today's episode was written by the guy who wrote TMMDW. Maybe it's a case of the writer needing a few episodes to get into the groove of the show.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Doctor XFizzle

[YossarianLives 3]

To everyone who is upset that the ponies are not properly characterized and all that stuff, remember: It's a play within the show. Rainbow Dash wasn't really the one to dislike, it was Commander Hurricane.

 

Now let's talk about communism!

[HomuraBL 851]

Review for Episode 11

 

Ok, its time for another RaccoonBL's review. Ok, first off I want to start out with a couple thing.

 

First thing is first. I loved Pinkie Pie in this episode. She was really funny in this episode. However her being mean in this episode kinda hurt me a bit. Wheres the nice Pinkie Pie I know and loved and that hub called the nicest nice nicey nice-pants. I also don't like how she got frozen but that was a more personal note. And, I know this is going to sound wrong but was I the only one who thought Pinkie Pie was kinda sexy in her outfit. *Weirdest wing boner.*

 

Anyway, I loved the backstory. It can easily rival The cutie mark chronicles episode for backstories.

 

Also, Thinking inside the chimney! This episode is really quotable. SHUT THE WINDOW! The new Shut the front door!

 

Also, clover being apprentice to Starswirl the bearded is canon.

 

One other thing is that the song. Its a christmas carol, Not a national anthem.

 

Animation was great as always and the windago is something new for fanfic writers to work with. Get on it!

 

Overall great episode. 4/5!

[Kodiak 431]

 

And the ending where Fluttershy (as Private Pansy) "Actually, I don't hate Commander Hurricane. I just really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really dislike her."

Geeze Fluttershy had some repressed feelings about Rainbow Dash there. I understand that they serve as character foils for one another, but damn Fluttershy I didn't think the Element of Kindness could dislike anyone so much it takes (11?) reallys to describe them!

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who caught on to that lol. On my first run-through of the episode, I just sat there thinking: "Fluttershy actually said she hated something. +10 for her."

[Feather Spiral 1,892]

Derpy is now officially my favorite pony. Did you guys see her in the opening, when the train first appears?

 

Happy Heart's Warming Eve everypony.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Feather Spiral

[Doctor XFizzle 8,669]

Like the other person said a few posts back

 

Their personalities in this episode are NOT their usual personalities. They were playing roles within a play.

 

Pinkie Pie wasn't mean, Chancellor Puddinghead was mean, etc.

[Heartstrings 102]

Like the other person said a few posts back

 

Their personalities in this episode are NOT their usual personalities. They were playing roles within a play.

 

Pinkie Pie wasn't mean, Chancellor Puddinghead was mean, etc.

 

Yeah, but when they're in the dressing room before the play, they're acting the same as they do in the play. They're all still yelling at eachother There is no difference between them before the play, and during the play.

 

It would have been cool if they had swapped the characters around. Put Fluttershy in Dash's Part. AJ in Pinkies and Twi's in Rarity's. That was there would be no connection to the actual characters and it would have felt more like they were playing roles.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Seb

[HomuraBL 851]

Like the other person said a few posts back

 

Their personalities in this episode are NOT their usual personalities. They were playing roles within a play.

 

Pinkie Pie wasn't mean, Chancellor Puddinghead was mean, etc.

 

Yeah, but I still hated to see her act that way even if she was, well, acting,

[Lady Rarity Pony 4,892]

That was a neat episode, I was expecting a different story but at least we leanred that the Pegasi are in fact willing to conquer

[FLARE 952]

Yes I liked this episode, its one of my favourites actually...

I loved pinkie pie, she was so funny!

[Lady Rarity Pony 4,892]

Anypony realize Rarity was fighting over rocks again?

[Zero000 435]

2 things I simply adored from this episode.

 

1. Derpy's appearance gave me a good laugh.

2. The song at the end! It porbably wasn't the actual voice actors singing, but them singing in unity is so cute!

[Lady Rarity Pony 4,892]

2 things I simply adored from this episode.

 

1. Derpy's appearance gave me a good laugh.

2. The song at the end! It porbably wasn't the actual voice actors singing, but them singing in unity is so cute!

 

I was hoping for a Pinkie song

[Sageflare 277]

This episode was great I really enjoyed it. I thought it was funny at the end with Rainbow Dash.

[Kurtiss 205]

My new favourite episode. This episode was awesome!

 

Fluttershy, being cute as always.

[Applesmack & Brandy 121]

Overall I liked it, but far from a favorite, and i'll have bad memories since I learned my "might as well be brother" is not a brony anymore while watching it

[Shankveld 4,949]

Probably my least favourite episode of the season, just because it wasn't really real and the song was... ehh..

but it's a christmas special so I have to look at it like that ~

 

 

ANY PONY WONDERING WHY THE FLAG THEY RAISED HAVE THE PRINCESSES ON IT EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T AROUND AT THE TIME OF THE FOUNDING?? ~

[Sugar Cube 4,843]

Overall, I found this to be a pretty solid episode. It was far from my favorite as well, but it was not my least favorite either. I really thought the character interactions were fabulous even if the ponies were just playing characters in a play. The song was short, but I liked it. I was a little upset by the lack of Celestia or Luna, but it's not that big of a deal.

 

This is slightly off-topic, but has anypony else noticed the CMC's are finding their way into a lot of episodes this season? Back in season 1 they only showed up when the focus was on them, but here in season 2 they have been making cameos and small speaking roles all over the place!

 

- The beginning of Return of Harmony

- A brief part in Lesson Zero

- Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle cameos in Luna Eclipsed

- Starring role for Sweetie Belle in Sisterhooves Social with some Apple Bloom on the side.

- Cutie Pox was a CMC episode.

- Scootaloo in TMMDW

- Scootaloo and the others fighting for their scooter in Secret of My Excess

- And now, a few scenes with the crusaders in Hearth's Warming Eve

 

They only completely missed May the Best Pet Win and Sweet and Elite so far.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Sugar Cube

[RAINB0W_CRASH 3]

ANY PONY WONDERING WHY THE FLAG THEY RAISED HAVE THE PRINCESSES ON IT EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T AROUND AT THE TIME OF THE FOUNDING?? ~

actually I did wonder why. No alicorns were seen in this play. They probably didnt even exist yet, given the fact that the unicorns control the sun, not the alicorns.

 

I myself liked Derpy too, and the CMC.

[YossarianLives 3]

I knew the episode was going to be love-it-or-hate-it. I'm glad most people sided with the former. It was a dang good episode.

And due to the stand-aloneness of the episode; it could be a good episode to convert people with.

[TomokoKuroki 1,707]

I loved this episode so much! It gave a good message about the Holidays that some cartoon specials don't give. Or atleast to an extent. That it is all about harmony, getting along, and working together to live in peace, and have good times, instead of the market run theme that some cartoons represent the holidays with.

 

However this makes me think of the lack of snow in the Discord Episodes....

Edited December 18, 2011 by Hayze

[cuteycindyhoney 13,307]

I liked the episode a whole lot, but had one basic problem with it. The mane six appeared in the pageant at royal command. It was a Royal Command Performance, but neither princess bothered showing up! What's up with that?

[Jeremy 128]

So did they just leave all of their brethren behind to freeze in the storm at their old home?