Ranking the Mid Season Finales (From Worst to Best) Version 2 · 3:02pm Jun 23rd, 2019
Since I'm going in to work really early today, I don't have time to update the episode rankings to incorporate all the new episodes. Instead, now that "Between Dark and Dawn" has aired in the U.S. and we're in the mid season hiatus for the last time, it's time to see how the mid season finales stack up as a whole and where the newcomer lands. As always, this list is purely the result of my personal opinion so please respect it. Here's the original version, let's see what changed. Also, bear in mind that since Season 3 only got half a season, it will not be included here (meaning there's a total of eight not nine).
8. Fall Weather Friends (Season 1, Episode 13)
Why it stayed on the bottom: While it was a good episode, we're looking at how these episodes function as the midway point for their respective seasons. And if this had been the last episode we saw of the show for weeks or months, it wouldn't have served very well in that role. There's nothing really grand about it, and in fact it has Twilight in one of her more noticeable shoe horned in roles in Season 1. Plus, this episode is sandwiched between the backdoor pilot for the CMC spin-off that was rejected, and the show's breakout episode that kicked off the second half. Either of those would've sufficed for a midway point, but back then they didn't need to worry about breaks between halves.
7. The Mean Six (Season 8, Episode 13)
Why it moved down: Honestly, this feels like more of a season premiere or finale kind of plot, especially considering it was the first thing about Season 8 to be teased and promoted. I suspect that if not for Hasbro's mandate of the School of Friendship and the student six, this very well would've been our Season 8 premiere (meaning "School Daze" was a last minute substitute). And it really feels like they just forgot about this episode and then came back to it last minute without bothering to really change it to fit its place. It has nothing that at all fits into the theme of Season 8, aside from the school appearing in the pre-title scene.
6. Simple Ways (Season 4, Episode 13)
Why it stayed the same: While this episode was full of comedic highlights, it most definitely wouldn't have fit as a mid season finale if they actually needed it to serve as one. This was the last time they could truly get away with having a breather episode of any sort at the end of the first half of the season. Under Discovery Family's watch, the show couldn't always count on running nonstop through the Fall, Winter, and Spring.
5. Hearth's Warming Eve/Baby Cakes (Season 2, Episode 13 in production order/11 in airdate and Season 2, Episode 12 in production order/13 in airdate)
Why they moved down: With a new mid season finale to consider, these two had to make room by moving down. "Baby Cakes", which ended up being the thirteen episode of Season 2 to air, wouldn't have served well as a mid season finale if they needed it to be. I'm in the minority that actually likes the episode and finds it overhated, but a babysitting episode definitely isn't the best thing you'd want to end your first half on if you wanted fans to stay engaged for the second half. "Hearth's Warming Eve", which was originally meant to be the thirteen episode but then got bumped up so it could air in time for the Christmas break, would've been serviceable as a mid season finale. With some polish, it's not hard to imagine it doing better and the lore building coming across as genuine instead of confusing.
4. Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep? (Season 5, Episode 13)
Why it moved down: The very first mid season finale attempt, this one justified its status as one through Luna's presence alone. The idea of the tantabus was nice, and incorporating the mane six and embracing the idea of a dream world where you can do anything were cool concepts. It's just unfortunate that the implications hurt this episode, and that an episode that would've benefited greatly from Celestia's presence didn't include her at all. Plus, this episode just hastily reintroduced Luna's redemption arc after it had previously been more or less non-exisitent since "Luna Eclipsed".
3. The Perfect Pear (Season 7, Episode 13)
Why it moved down: Tough competition knocked this episode back from the mid season finale champion. As an episode in and of itself it's great, but since we have to consider how it functions as a mid season finale there are some problems. Namely the fact, that while family is undeniably a key theme for Season 7, it wasn't focused on as much in the second half compared to the first and even then we had only a couple of episodes that at all revolved around it. Season 7 lacked a true direction for pretty much its entire first half and into its second half, until it decided to tie in with the comics. "A Royal Problem" for better or for worse would've better fit into the mid season finale slot for Season 7, since Starlight's first solo mission since graduating would've probably worked as a "The student has become the master" type of story or theme.
2. Between Dark and Dawn (Season 9, Episode 13)
Why it's not on the top: The plot between Celestia and Luna was nice, even though it's jarring to see them fighting yet again and this time they don't have the excuse of being burdened by princess responsibilities. Heck, the episode seems to end where it could've started, and they already seemed to suggest earlier on that the two were going to compromise. It's not like there needed to be a conflict either, we have the side plot of the mane six doing Celestia and Luna's duties, that alone would've constituted plenty of drama and stakes. But in doing so, they ended up making the mane six look incompetent, further undermining the idea that Twilight and her friends are supposed to take over when the royal sisters retire. Plus, it doesn't really connect with what's going on between Celestia and Luna. If they really wanted to, they could've had the mane six get in over their head, accept help, and manage to more or less fix things when Celestia and Luna come back. Still, even considering all the fanservice we've been getting in Season 9 up to this point, I can't think of any episode that could serve as a better midway point than this. As always though, there is one that tops it. And by process of elimination, you probably know what it is.
1. Spice Up Your Life (Season 6, Episode 13 in production order/12 in airdate)
Why it stayed on the top: True, it wasn't actually the thirteen episode of the show to air, but it checked all the other boxes that are associated with a mid season finale. We have the map finally restored, a return to a familiar location for our first map mission, and even an explanation as to why Starlight's appearances had been so infrequent up to this point. Plus, while we do go back to familiar grounds with Canterlot, they do manage to show some new locations and characters with Restaurant Row. Ultimately, for all the things I mentioned above, this remains the crown holder for the best mid season finale.
And there you have it, come back tomorrow when we'll once again rank all the episodes of the show from worst to best.
Better early than late
Here's my ranking (just considering them as mid-season finales, not episodes in general):
Between Dark and Dawn
Perfect Pear
The Mean Six
Spice Up Your Life
Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep
Simple Ways
Hearth’s Warming Eve/Baby Cakes
Fall Weather Friends
Spice Up Your Life? That episode did some cool things considering it as a mid-season finale, but it had too many problems as an episode for me to consider putting it even near the top. I wouldn't really rank episodes like that in general. My list (as episodes, not as mid-season finales) is
9. Baby Cakes
8. Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep
7. The Mean 6
6. Magical Mystery Cure
5. Stranger than Fanfiction
4. Simple Ways
3. Between Dark and Dawn
2. Fall Weather Friends
1. The Perfect Pear