S02:E17 - Hearts and Hooves day

[Tazz 0]

Lot of Cutie Mark Crusaders!!!

[Radiance64 7,051]

Yeah... I didn't like this episode very much. Sure, it was cute and funny, but it just wasn't that great to me. It was just so... meh. I never thought I'd say that about an episode of this show, but this one was just that- meh.

[Ron Jeremy 2,032]

For me, the highlight of this episode was probably the song, and when the CMC are in the bush with their grins getting bigger.

 

And I'll say, it was interesting seeing a grave and coffin. Seeing proof of the existence of death in a show like MLP is actually kind of surprising.

[Brian589 465]

the episode was pure win for me Sweetie belle finally got a song plus it was a funny episode and we didn't have any of the main cast of characters taking the spotlight.

[Riverleaf Breeze 47]

Do you remember the scene where Mac was shopping for a wedding ring for Cherrilee? I don't know how a pony would wear such a thing,as they have no fingers. Could it have been some type of bracelet instead?

[hwrogers 168]

Do you remember the scene where Mac was shopping for a wedding ring for Cherrilee? I don't know how a pony would wear such a thing,as they have no fingers. Could it have been some type of bracelet instead?

 

interesting point, i guess it would pretty much have to be a bracelet

[Mister Jack 565]

The diamonds were pretty big so I imagine the ring was large enough to go around a hoof.

[Eenohay 318]

The diamonds were pretty big so I imagine the ring was large enough to go around a hoof.

 

then its a bracelet

[Inactive01 5,298]

Big Mac was such a boss when he pulled that house all the way to Cheerlie. That was my favourite part of the episode other than the song.

[DJ MUFF1N D3RP 322]

They need to have Sweetie Belle sing more often. Her voice is really good.

[Poker Face 4]

LOL!!! This episode was just downright HILARIOUS!!! Sure it was kinda cheesy, but I think that was the whole point of this episode. I love the song!

 

Also...is it just me, or is Sweetie Belle going through puberty? I noticed that at times she sounded a little different (not counting in the song) than usual.

[Discolt 53]

I held out until today to watch the episode in spite of the constant temptation to watch it earlier. Well, not really constant; but someone offered me a link to the episode (in HD!) while I was playing TF2 last night. And I was all like, "Get thee behind me, Brony!" In any event, I finally planted myself down this afternoon and indulged in MLP.

 

The CMC never stop being adorable---especially Sweetie Belle, whose little song was enjoyable and endearing. I do miss the Mane 6 (not to neglect Sexy Twilight, as posted by Kyronea), and I wish they had a larger role in the episode, even if it boiled down to Twilight coming in at the last moment and trying to drop down a moral for the story. I'm a bit surprised all six of them were so prominently absent; again, I thought Twilight would return toward the end. Oh, well. I still enjoy the CMC enough to follow the story closely.

 

I believe this has been jokingly mentioned before but did anyone else get the vibe that the writers were poking fun at the shipping going on inside the fandom? Perhaps that's reading a little too deeply into their motives. Yet the whole Aesop summary at the end made me wonder. As hwrogers just said, the opaque ending (wherein it's unclear whether or not Big Mac and Cheerilee are indeed interested romantically in one anoher) suggests the writers trolling (nicely; without malevolent intent) both the CMC and the Brony fandom in one fell swoop. "Wanna start pairing up characters on a whim? Well, get ready to rip your manes out over this ending!"

 

It would be so lovely if the writers of the show were making light of fan fiction and such. Once more, I doubt it given their concentration is fixed on other things; but the past few episodes have seemingly been geared toward Bronies than the target audience with subtle suggestions and shout outs (e.g., Derpy Hooves).

 

For now, get ready to debate Cheerilee x Big Mac as canonical!

 

So this is somewhat overdue, but I for one found this episode to be really great and really sweet, and I agree with some of the things said above. I totally think that some of the intention of the episode was to basically say "well, perhaps not all shipping is good" and that truthfully sometimes we should just let canon be canon and leave it at that.

 

After all, Scootaloo did say "Nopony can force two ponies to be together."

 

Now, on the opposite side of the coin, I personally found Cheerilee and Big Mac to be an oddly fitting couple. I don't know why honestly, but I actually kind of like the whole idea a lot, even if they were really pulling our leg at the end there. Still, definitely one of the top 5 episodes of Season 2! Loved it! :

Edited February 26, 2012 by Discolt

[Yellow Diamond 7,561]

This may be old news but did anyone find it interesting that inasmuch as the Mane Six was conspicuously absent, the writers were going out of their way to avoid them? A friend of mine raised this point, and I wonder if the writers consciously excluded the Mane Six from the episode in order to avoid suggesting they had relationships. It's not so much because they would fear children thinking of Rarity making out with her boyfriend, but rather to keep the Mane Six relatively "neutral" in their romantic pursuits. I know Lauren Faust made it a point to avoid romantic angles and settling characters into relationships; I wonder if this had any effect on the choices made in this episode.

Edited March 5, 2012 by Thereisnospoon303

[Kazuki Fuse 534]

Wow I didn't think of it like that, but when you say it, it seems to make sense. And I also agree on Cherilee/Mac being a fitting couple.

[Eenohay 318]

This may be old news but did anyone find it interesting that inasmuch as the Mane Six was conspicuously absent, the writers were going out of their way to avoid them? A friend of mine raise this point, and I wonder if the writers consciously excluded the Mane Six from the episode in order to avoid suggesting they had relationships. It's not so much because they would fear children thinking of Rarity making out with her boyfriend, but rather to keep the Mane Six relatively "neutral" in their romantic pursuits. I know Lauren Faust made it a point to avoid romantic angles and settling characters into relationships; I wonder if this had any effect on the choices made in this episode.

 

Well you know, the fact that they weren't present actually suggest that they were busy having dates. If they didn't want to show Rarity making out with her boyfriend as you say, then they simply wouldn't have shown Rarity making out with her boyfriend! Instead, she would have been working in her boutique as she usually is. But she wasn't, and that's the beauty of it. They let us think whatever we want, instead of just telling us, no they didn't have dates

[AppIe Bloom 6]

Apple Bloom was awesome!

[Xebec 74]

Why didnt the CMC just get the love potion from Zecora?

[XUNUSEDXXX 3,459]

ive always loved sweetie belle's voice, especially in S1E17, and she amazed me even more in this episode

[Inactive01 5,298]

Ahh... I've finally come back from my extremely long slumber! Time for my next musical essay! What better way to warm up with "The Perfect Stallion"?! Now keep in mind that I analyze text painting and how the instrumentation and chordal progressions enhance the song. I also place my personal opinions now and then.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXR2usGH_Mo&feature=relmfu

 

The aim of every song is either to describe an emotion, progress the plot, or provide insight into the character's future aspirations/plans. "The Perfect Stallion" serves to progress the plot by describing how the CMC wants to find the perfect stallion for Cheerliee by scavenging the entire town. All sorts of stallions are met and crossed out until they finally find Big Mac. Now that we have the very basics down pat, let's see how the music enhances the plot and highlights Sweetie Belle's plan explanation and execution.

 

The first thing I always notice? The instrumentation. A variety of guitars both bass and acoustic start the piece. Guitars were one of the primary instruments in Spain and Italy and are great for upbeat and romantic pieces. With this piece having a romantic ring about it, it would be perfect to begin with a lively acoustic guitar; it excites the viewers and leaves us bobbing our heads like Applebloom and Scootaloo did when Sweetie Belle began to sing. Eventually the drums and tambourine are added at 0:41 to further increase the intensity, conveying the CMC's heightened search for Cheerilee's Perfect Stallion. Notice how the instrumentation just stops at a fermata all of a sudden before the drums are added at 0:39. It leaves us saying "hey this guy could be perfect... if only Scootaloo didn't notice that he already has a mare." The same fermata is used yet again at 0:59. However, instead of an anticipatory fermata, it's one of disappointment and fatigue where the CMC have practically searched the whole town. The instruments slow down at this point and support the CMC's dejected feelings after being unable to find Cheerilee's love. At 1:19, once Big Mac says he's got nothing to do, the violins fire up in swift scalar passages, highlighting the CMC's rejuvenation and delight of finally finding Cheerilee's "perfect stallion". (Too bad he got friendzoned though...)

 

The instrumentation combinations don't mean anything if they're not given the appropriate chords and scalar passages. In general, I'll just say it's in F major and that there's a steady chord progression of (F-Eb) for much of the piece. It's a whole tone progression, a more modern cadential progression used in many movies. It's an example of a simple alternation of chord progressions to prevent any feeling of suspense or completion that comes with a I-V-I chord progression (F-C-F). There are minor deviations to this progression to allow the song to develop, like at 0:19 where the chords are borrowed from F minor. It keeps the F-Eb feeling because the Eb chord is also found in F minor, but also provides a way to end a musical phrase at the F major chord. It coincides with Sweetie Belle completing her plans for finding Cheerilee's love to begin their search. Another example is found at 0:35 where the chord progresses to suspend itself at a C7 chord. It's a V7 chord, whose main purpose is to leave the listener waiting for its resolution. It links with Sweetie Belle saying, "There's nothing wrong with this one; he seems alright..." One final example lies in 1:13 where a similar suspension is found. Instead of a C7, it's a Edim7 chord. Diminished chords operate like a dominant chord, but it heightens the tension further because of the dissonance at the diminished 7th interval. It fits with the CMC's tension as they're down to the last stallion: Big Mac. What if he's not available this Hearts and Hooves Day? What if he is? It could go either way! Once Big Mac says he's available, the CMC are ecstatic! The F-Eb chord progression comes back once more before shifting to a confused Applebloom.

 

Now I could go on and on about the dynamics and even the cinematic features, but I guess I'll leave that for Part II...

[moongarnet77 47]

This episode made my laugh. especially with all the cupcaking!

 

For those of you who don't know, Cupcaking is when you just keep being all cutsie with each other. Things like pet names and speaking in an almost baby-talkish voice.

 

Wow I didn't think of it like that, but when you say it, it seems to make sense. And I also agree on Cherilee/Mac being a fitting couple.

 

that's true. At least Cheerilee won't be what known as a Christmas Cake (TV tropes reference.). But the cupcaking kinda grated me a bit as the episode went on, even though that's kinda the point....

[FlutteringDweamz 2,086]

This episode was always a favorite of mine. XD The "Shoopeedoo" and "Sweetums" thing always made me laugh SOOO hard. XD It was awesome.

 

*call's Riku does very words to be a bit sadistic now~*

[StaticArc 15]

Cheerilee is one of my favourite ponies, so this episode was really cool to watch.

[Virulence 254]

This is definitely on my top 5 list! Well I love Big Macintosh and for him to talk that much, it got me thinking "Dang he can actually have a conversation someday!" I want an episode with mainly him in it so bad!

 

The song in this episode was amazing and very silly. I loved the line "He's way too uptight, "I say!" " That made me laugh so much!

 

Overall I thought this episode was very cute and had lots of love. A lot a lot haha.

 

Cheerilee: Big Mac..

Big Mac: Eeyup.

Cheerilee: You have something in your teeth.

Sweetie Bell: -Afar in the bushes- OH COME ON!!

[Moon Rat 4,772]

This episode was honestly pretty funny yet quite creepy att the same time. Now I am all for a fair bit of romance and such but this was just too much :/

 

 

Still a pretty fun episode, especially when the CMC got their punishment for giving Cheerilee and Big Mac a love poison

[~Vallo~ 409]

When I turned on the TV to watch this episode, I found out that it was a CMC episode. The CMC are becoming more frequent, so that's good.

Edited October 19, 2013 by ~Vallo~