Season Six Episode Review: A Hearth's Warming Tail · 4:41pm May 14th, 2016
Hello? Can anyone hear me?
It's bloody carnage out here. Christmas...it came out of nowhere. We knew its thirst for conquest was insatiable. We stood idly by as it devoured Thanksgiving. Halloween fell next, and we did nothing. It was not until Labor Day was taken over that we realized its horrible intentions. We thought we were safe. It's May, after all. There was no way Christmas could reach us!
We were fools. Christmas launched a surprise attack in the form of an episode of Friendship is Magic. Those thirty minutes was the window it needed to launch a surprise attack, bypassing Memorial Day entirely. Sleighs have filled the sky, and are bombarding the streets with coal and candy canes and shoes for some reason. People's banks accounts have been drained, leaving them so in debt that retailers have pressed them into eternal servitude. And worst of all, the music...the music is everywhere! When you hear it, your will is drained, and you are brainwashed into thinking the holidays are something wonderful and magical!
I can hear the carolers coming! I'll be next! SAVE YOURSELVES!
Let's celebrate the wonderful, magical holiday season with a look at “A Hearth's Warming Tail.” All glory to the Eternal Yuletide!
TECHNICAL SPECS:
Season: 6
Episode: 8
Written By: Mike Vogel
First Aired: May 14, 2016
REVIEW:
It was inevitable. Any show that goes long enough will, at some point, do a Christmas Carol parody. Some curmudgeon hates Christmas because they're actively opposed to happiness, gets a visit from supernatural beings that show them how much they suck for being so grumpy, and they wake up embracing the holiday. While Hearth's Warming Eve has a different history than the real-world holiday, it's very blatantly trying to be Christmas, which is perfect for making certain miniature plastic equines are gift-wrapped under the trees for the little ones.
Even worse, it's a Starlight episode...kind of. Starlight is the catalyst for the plot, as her cynical whining about the commercialism of the holiday is treated like an affront to all things Equestrian. The actual episode, much like the original holiday episode, is a reenactment of a story Twilight reads to Starlight, including some aside gags to comment on the absurd plot, Twilight's gushing over Star Swirl the Bearded (who, if you remember, was an idiot that stole all his ideas), and even referencing a commercial break. So characters could technically be forgiven for acting a bit unusual this time.
But most of all, it's a musical episode...and it's not bad. The opening song runs a bit long for me, but overall they were pretty decent. Pinkie's song is definitely the standout of the bunch. And I will say no more because I am not qualified to talk about music...which also means I'm not qualified to talk about this episode.
Most of the connections between the ponies and the characters they play are straightforward. Snowfall hates the holidays not because she's a greedy jerk, but because she sees such frivolity as a waste of time. Her plan to erase the holiday was ostensibly so ponies would give up such stupid things like fun and lollygagging in order to work and “better Equestria.” Kind of like how Starlight was making ponies give up their cutie marks in the hopes of “bettering” Equestria by making everypony equal. Also like Starlight, Snowfall's plan ends up destroying the world...which makes the lesson less, “Be good to one another because it's right,” and more, “Be good to one another, or the evil horse spirits will cover your land in eternal winter.”
The spirits are also very simple. Applejack is about honesty, tradition, and family, so she's the perfect pick for showing Snowfall her past. Pinkie Pie is all about celebrations, gifts, and the here-and-now, so she's naturally the spirit of the present. (Which also means she has two starving foals under her coat...well, had, but she felt sorry for them, gave them a bunch of cupcakes, and set them up with a good home.) And of course, Luna is the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Eve Future, which doesn't exist because of the previously-mentioned apocalypse.
Also, Twilight does Pinkie's voice. We will eventually have all the ponies doing each other's voices. And it will be glorious.
CONCLUSION:
I'm sorry, but I really have nothing to say about this episode. It's definitely less packed than the previous musical episodes, as nothing series-changing happens here. This allows the episode to stand as a fun little bit of fluff. There are some good jokes, some good songs, and the story, while cliché, does its job. And it's an enjoyable Starlight Glimmer episode without a suicide attempt, so that counts for something.
I'm sorry I wasted your time.
Luna once again proved that she's the best waifu
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I'll tell you one thing, those songs could rival Muppet Christmas Carol in terms of catchiness.
This is easily the best introduction you've ever done. Worth the whole post.
I thought the volume on the music was a little high and drowned out the singing voices, but really liked it anyway. I doubled over laughing during the commercial break. One thing that I had to notice is the number of new backgrounds and Flash objects they had to create for this episode will probably mean a few more "Just around Ponyville" episodes to keep the budget balanced. (Insert pithy Last Action Hero quote here.)
Pretty much. The episode is harmlessly frivolous. Nothing all that inspiring, but nothing offensive either.
Although I do feel a little bit let down by the fact that once against it's another Starlight episode that highlights how much more suited she is as a villain. Her reformed persona continues to be generically bland, while Snowfall's song about erasing Hearth's Warming was just dripping and oozing with charismatic presence. Also the fictional flash back into Snowfalls start of darkness as a young filly was 10x better than the what Starlight actually got at the end of last season.
Overall, I just cant help but feel this episode could have been so much better if it could have been repurposed for use last season. Allowing Starlight to actually make a name for herself as a recurrent antagonist, rather than only appearing in the premier and finale.
Was I the only one who caught the Severus Snape pony? Or was that just me missing Alan Rickman again?
Which officially makes Pinkie a better spirit than the classic one.
You didn't waste my time - this blog post is worth it for the opening alone.
Christmas?! Bloody hell, it blinking well snowed today. Thanks a load Hasbro.
*Reads actual posting*
Okay, maybe I won't watch this episode ... cliche ... either.
Thanks for the heads up.
This is needed here.
It was 'aight.
Nothing will ever top the Muppets Christmas Carol for me ever, so I generally react to Christmas Carol shows with a general meh. The gags were funny though, and Twilight doing Pinkie's voice had me giggling.
The fact that our Scrooge was really more of a Grinch was a bit of a twist tho. Though to be fair, Scrooge actually started out having a disdain for Christmas because it interfered with studying and work, so I guess it adds up. The greed part arguably came as a result of him losing what he loved by being so far absorbed in working and money making, that he simply transferred his feelings of love to what he had, which was money.
Okay, these ponies are melodramatic. It takes just a little emotional push for them to do something drastic and makes them lose any foresight? Geez, Rainbow Dash now this...
Invader Zim for the win.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the intro to this blog post. I didn't read the review, because I'm still trying to finish season 4 (cough 
cough).
Am I the only one who wishes something like that happened? Christmas in summer would honestly be the greatest thing of all time.
It be like the Christmas in July episode of Ed, Edd n Eddy except in live action. And I would finally meet my favorite lovable lumpy Oaf.....Ed with his tub of gravy!
Sorry I'm a bit of an EEnE fan.
And yes Heart's warming Tail was heartwarming(*cue rim shot*) despite being Christmas Carol but with ponies.
When was this?