S01:E08 - Look Before You Sleep

[Lord Valtasar 12,690]

a pretty fun and heartwarming episode, besides the Rarity-Applejack rivarly, which i won't analyse since it was pretty straightforward. i also really like how Twilight appears to have no clue at what's happening, but we then find out that she's not clueless, when she finaly had enough, and she was just pretending she didn't notice in hopes they could still have some fun with the next thing, her being so enthusiastic about the slumber party, and having a reference book is so adorable, and kinda sad at the same time, we have to remember, that while she's a grown mare, she's very new to the friendship thing, she was excelent throughout the whole episode
overal really enjoyable and laid back episode, with that special innocent charm than slice of life(the genre not the mlp episode) can have, 8.5/10

[Dabmanz 2,139]

This episode was awesome gotta love how Twilight looks to the book for answers.

[Phosphor 11,529]

This is definitely one of my favorite episodes. I have rewatched this one a couple times. Favorite scene is when AJ and Rarity are arguing over the bed. I laughed a lot during that, especially after AJ pounced on the bed causing Rarity to fly off. 

In the end, it was nice to see them get along despite their differences. 

[bigbertha 414]

This episode is just kinda weak. Rarity and Applejack are too one note here to support an episode based on interaction between the two of them. Their arguments are a little charming, but they're mostly annoying and repetitive. Twilight also seems off here, obsessing over slumber parties.

That said, there are things I like. I already mentioned that Rarity and Applejack's interactions are sometimes charming, but I also like the pillow fight, and the climax is at least interesting. Rarity and Applejack getting along at the end is nice to see too, even if the road getting there isn't very good.

Score: 4/10

[kazamacat 64]

I liked it when I watched it way back when. On my last re-watch, it was alright. Twilight's cute in this, and I'm glad Rarity and Applejack eventually found a way to get along and enjoy their evening. Twilight and Rarity are among my more liked characters after Rainbow Dash, and Applejack's at least alright in my book.

[Sunset Rose 254]

Rarity's character takes a relatively sharp divergence from how she's shown in this episode later on. I think this was my favorite episode for years, but looking back at it now, AJ is still relatively the same and Twilight has matured beyond the antisocial bookworm architype, but Rarity feels like she's evolved in a way instead of matured or progressed. She was very prissy and valley girl-like which felt like character traits. Not so much now.

[MuddyHooves 0]

Ground Zero for Rarijack.

[Lucky Bolt 35,063]

Come on guys, let’s get real for a moment. Applejack was why this episode was great. 9/10

[Cash In 22,310]

Another straightforward episode, but a also really a good one.

The dynamic and rivalry between Applejack and Rarity is an instant high point for me. Their relationship hadn't really been explored yet and I think they covered it here in an interesting way. The moral itself was quite good and definitely felt like it had a lot of meaning.

This is a fun episode overall. The slumber party thing was cute and of course, everyone adores Twilight here, including myself. I think this episode did a very good job of blending humour with somewhat of a more serious issue.

I'll give it an 9/10.

Edited February 26 by Cash In
Updated thoughts

[Justin_Case001 4,889]

I didn't start posting in the episode threads every week in order until... S5 I think.  I went back and retroactively posted in many of the past season threads, but not all.  I should go back and finish all of these.

I loved Look Before You Sleep.  It's always the episode I think back to as the quintessential cute, cozy episode--a warm look back at a kinder, gentler Pony world.  Many stories have an early point where things feel simple, fun, and carefree, before the sh*t gets real and hits the fan.  Most stories need to build and add higher stakes as they go on, or they just fizzle out.  In Pony, that meant giving the characters more responsibilities, going beyond Equestria, and raising the stakes with more dangerous villains.  That's not a bad thing, but I always love to return to those simple times.  Look Before You Sleep warms the figurative heart.

[qib 695]

The best part of this episode is definitely Twilight, and the fact she knew that they were secretly trying to one up each other

All she wants to do is have a fun time with her friends, and by ignoring their bickering she's just trying to push past it and have her first slumber party

But in the end, she has to make sure her new friends aren't at each others necks 

[Ixrec 86]

As everyone else said, Twilight is adorable, AJ and Rarity are great. The slice-of-life petty rivalry story is straightforward but solidly executed, and an important one to tell early in the show when Twilight is still clueless (but thankfully not oblivious).

But also, I crack up every time I get to this shot:


"Happy?"
"Very."

[Astralshy 26,633]

It's a good episode with fun moments and an adorable Twilight  This book is also referenced later with the Moondancer episode in season 5, if I'm not mistaking.

[JMTV99 1,353]

I don't care what anyone called this episode 'boring', I love Look Before You Sleep. It's so underrated. It has a lot memorable and quotable moments, Twilight was so adorable, and it's the first Rarijack episode of the series.

[Reality Check 632]

Think I'm gonna cut down a bit on telling my thoughts for Look Before You Sleep.

So this episode is about how opposites attract sometimes, or as I sometimes like to call it, the starting point of Rarijack. I can actually buy Rarity and Applejack playing both sides of the spectrum, since they are different in many ways. Applejack is more about practicality, while Rarity is more about design. Then there's Twilight, who even in slumber parties, is someone that rather do things by the book. Even when a tree branch enters the library, she still looks through the book for help.

For the activities, they're your stereotypical slumber party events that you see in most cartoons. I can easily believe mud mask, hair rollers, horror stories, truth or dare, and pillow fights are common musts in cartoon slumber parties, but making s'mores? I get if it's from a fridge, but isn't it more like an activity for a camping trip rather than a slumber party? Then again, there's no one way to do a party of any kind so who am I to judge.

Overall, I think it's an ok episode, I can certainly believe Rarity and Applejack's conflict with each other, though maybe not so much on the whole branch-through-the-window scenario. Still, not a bad episode and it kinda leaves food for thought on where they're gonna take it.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Looking back at this episode, it is the perfect example of two different people of two different lifestyles coming together. The development in this episode was very well paced and put together. I do wonder what would've happened if Twilight let Rarity and Applejack choose what they wanted to do, instead of doing things by the book. 

[Maxinorbit 11]

I love these earlier episodes, the arguments and disagreements between characters putting certain characters in situations they're not used to and makes them fave situations that put them out of their comfort zone.

Applejack and Rarity's discourse and subsequent make up in this episode really is a good example of it, just the scene where applejack brings the tree into the library and has to convince Rarity to step out of her comfort zone is great, it's great at teaching the main lesson of the episode too, I just love it.

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

welp one of the oldest ship.... too bad it got sunked.

for characters I didn't like it has.... good morals and a story..... but then again!

if it ain't rushed it ain't mlp.

 

[Hazel browny 22]

I love look before you sleep because it is just hilarious, to me the funniest part of it is rarity and AJ's bed problem.   

[Rosy Moonlight 369]

This seems to be the only episode to have some kind of offscreen "excuse" for Spike not being there.

Edited June 24, 2022 by Rosy Moonlight

[FloppyPony 1]

EPISODE SUMMARY

There is a big storm so Rarity and Applejack get trapped in Twilight's tree house for the night despite having a squabble not too long beforehand. Twilight wants to turn it into a fun sleepover but Rarity and Applejack can't stop having petty arguments at every opportunity. Applejack carelessly pulls a tree top into Twilight's house and Rarity and Applejack have to work together to fix the problem. They end up getting along despite their differences. Twilight notes that ponies which are very different can get along if you embrace the differences you have instead of fighting over them.

 

MY THOUGHTS

It feels like the moral was kinda secondary in this one and was another episode more focused on silly antics and jokes about them arguing the whole episode. There are a few good moments here but mostly it just comes off as uncomfortable to watch for me. I mean who wants to watch friends argue a lot and make their other friend sad? I just felt bad for Twilight most of the time and didn't really find it funny. That might be a more personal thing tho as I don't tend to like conflict situations like this as I have been in them A LOT before. It is a truly horrible being caught in an argument and toxic environment you can do nothing about constantly.

 

I think maybe if the ending was less rushed and was warmer and sweeter it would have made up for it but because they spent most of the episode about the arguing the resolve doesn't feel quite warranted and instead feels forced to me. What's worse is they joke about hating each other earlier afterwards which is just awkward and cliche and not charming. I hate that trope. It feels to me like the team felt the need to make this episode to shut fans up coz they were aware these personality types would never actually get on so they had to make an explanation for why they would. At least Spike isn't here to ruin this episode.

 

Also Twilight is kinda written weird in this episode. She is shown as being so obsessed with her sleepover idea that she doesn't see their arguing for most of the episode and she never even directly talks about it until the end. This doesn't feel right to me as we have seen before in this show that Twilight is very prone to wanting to fix issues directly and quickly so its out of character for her to not at least try to talk to them about it more often. She sorta comes off as more socially awkward here as if she doesn't know what to do in this situation which is ridiculous coz that is literally her job and she has clearly shown being better than this earlier. I don't know maybe its just me on that one.

 

Overall, I appreciate what they were trying to do but it doesn't feel well executed and ends up feeling more uncomfortable than anything and the resolve is too rushed. Twilight feels wrong in this episode. I didn't enjoy this one which I'm aware may be an unpopular opinion.

[Rosy Moonlight 369]

I think the climax makes Rarity seem more sympathic than AppleJack since it seems that nopony would have cut down the tree that ended up getting struck by lightning.

I found it narmish to refer to the upper half of the tree as a branch as it is clearly not a branch but I guess it was referred as a one for plot convenience.

Edited January 22, 2023 by Rosy Moonlight

[StarHeart333 1,764]

This is one of a few episodes that makes the mane six look like they're in their pre teens instead of adult ages 

[Hadrien 950]

Aaaaaah, the episode that started the whole Rari/Jack ship. It's a fine episode, I like how Twilight really just want to have a slumber party because she never did back in Canterlot. Poor little thing. Rarity and Applejack really are at odds in this one, but it's understandable as they are the diametric opposite of each other. Overall, it's a very me episode. Not bad, just forgettable.

4.5/10, Applejack in the fancy dress looks too much like Ms. Harshwhinny.

[lunarwing 69]

This episode is just...immensely comforting to me. It feels like a hug. Having said that I'm not sure I can write this without bias. Twilight's character in this episode is SO CUTE. She's so committed and wants so badly to experience this to the point that she sort of misses the entire fight Applejack and Rarity are going through. I also think it's a really smart choice to illustrate both Rarity and Applejack's characters by contrasting them and then uniting them through common ground. I like how going forward, they seem to share this connection for spas and pampering as a touchstone for the two to connect. They learn a lot from the other and are subsequently tried and tested but it's not without merit. 

7.5/10.