I'm kind of running out of intros for these revisits, but here's the next set of season six re-reviews!
A Hearth's Warming Tail
Written by Michael Vogel
This is going to be a controversial opinion; A Christmas Carol is quite possibly one of the most overdone stories of all time. Heck, it may just as well be the oldest most overdone story of all time. There are so many adaptations of the story tracing back to the late 19th century that you could pretty much put it in literally any franchise. Disney, Thomas and Friends, Looney Tunes, the Muppets, Blackadder, The Flintstones, Doctor Who, the Angry Video Game Nerd, and most recently, My Little Pony.
(In case you might be asking, no; The Emotions' Corner will not be doing a version of the story.)
If you do an adaptation of a well-beloved story, then it's probably best that you add your own flair to the story to make your version stand out. Blackadder is a complete subversion of the story in which he starts out one of the kindest people in England and then ends up being an archetypal Blackadder - rude, selfish, nasty to everyone he meets, and just plain unpleasant. In fact, it's probably my favorite version of the story just for how backwards it is.
But the more adaptations of a classic story there is, the less unique the original story feels. It becomes part of a trope called "Seinfeld" Is Unfunny. There are classic pieces of literature that have had as few as just one straight-forward adaptation - Harry Potter is an excellent example of this - and those adaptations feel unique, almost as if they're a world on their own. If anyone had tried to adapt the series again, then they would have to do a lot to make it stand out from the original 2000s movie series. That, for me, is the sticking point with A Christmas Carol. There are so many versions that it almost feels like writers adapt the story when they have no ideas for a Christmas-themed story.
At this point, you'll notice that I haven't talked about A Hearth's Warming Tail on its own merits. That's because... there's nothing to talk about in terms of story. They also incorporate elements of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but it doesn't work with the Scrooge-like character (Snowfall Frost) because Scrooge himself wanted nothing to do with Christmas. If this was their way of trying to make their adaptation stand out, it fell flat.
The musical format? We've already been there. The story within a story? Done that as well. Heck, the story within a story basically has Snowfall Frost go The Cutie Re-Mark route by changing her ways because without Hearth's Warming, it will result in Armageddon... somehow. It doesn't even help that Snowfall is portrayed by Starlight.
Overall, it's an adaptation that offers nothing new. Come to think of it, it even fails as an adaptation. As Mike Vogel's first script, this set the tone for future stories for him to come as a solo act; bland, uninspired scripts, sometimes poor characterization (here, Twilight and Spike seem to come off as intolerant towards Starlight's views on Hearth's Warming), and gimmicks included as a distraction from the aforementioned problems.
(In case you might be asking, no; The Emotions' Corner will not be doing a version of the story.)
If you do an adaptation of a well-beloved story, then it's probably best that you add your own flair to the story to make your version stand out. Blackadder is a complete subversion of the story in which he starts out one of the kindest people in England and then ends up being an archetypal Blackadder - rude, selfish, nasty to everyone he meets, and just plain unpleasant. In fact, it's probably my favorite version of the story just for how backwards it is.
But the more adaptations of a classic story there is, the less unique the original story feels. It becomes part of a trope called "Seinfeld" Is Unfunny. There are classic pieces of literature that have had as few as just one straight-forward adaptation - Harry Potter is an excellent example of this - and those adaptations feel unique, almost as if they're a world on their own. If anyone had tried to adapt the series again, then they would have to do a lot to make it stand out from the original 2000s movie series. That, for me, is the sticking point with A Christmas Carol. There are so many versions that it almost feels like writers adapt the story when they have no ideas for a Christmas-themed story.
At this point, you'll notice that I haven't talked about A Hearth's Warming Tail on its own merits. That's because... there's nothing to talk about in terms of story. They also incorporate elements of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but it doesn't work with the Scrooge-like character (Snowfall Frost) because Scrooge himself wanted nothing to do with Christmas. If this was their way of trying to make their adaptation stand out, it fell flat.
The musical format? We've already been there. The story within a story? Done that as well. Heck, the story within a story basically has Snowfall Frost go The Cutie Re-Mark route by changing her ways because without Hearth's Warming, it will result in Armageddon... somehow. It doesn't even help that Snowfall is portrayed by Starlight.
Overall, it's an adaptation that offers nothing new. Come to think of it, it even fails as an adaptation. As Mike Vogel's first script, this set the tone for future stories for him to come as a solo act; bland, uninspired scripts, sometimes poor characterization (here, Twilight and Spike seem to come off as intolerant towards Starlight's views on Hearth's Warming), and gimmicks included as a distraction from the aforementioned problems.
Rating: Bad (1/10)
The Saddle Row Review
Written by Nick Confalone
Speaking of gimmicky plots...!
This was an episode I never understood the hype towards. It's not a holiday-themed script, it doesn't feature a returning or side character as a central focus (Coco Pommel appears briefly for one scene), there's no big Hollywood guest star involved, and it's not a mid-season finale. Out of all of season six's episodes, how did this get ranked as the best a few years back?
I would start off with the story... except the plot is way too complicated for the target audience and casual fans to understand. And I know there are going to be people complaining that "I just don't get it" or some other comment like that, but here's the thing; I'm not you. Only you are you alone.
The basic plot is that the Mane Six try to get Rarity's Manehattan boutique ready for the grand opening tonight - why nopony planned ahead, I don't know either - but it then goes off in so many directions that it's impossible to keep track of what's going on unless you watch it many times over. They try going for a non-linear structure with the Mane Six narrating the events and more flashbacks taking place, but all it does is simply add to the confusion.
And that's before I delve into the humor; it overshadows the story to the point that you're burned out by the time the credits roll; not to mention that the Mane Six constantly suffer trying to get things ready. How is that even funny?
Now don't get me wrong; I'm all for comedy plots, but at least make it work within the story and not force in jokes for the sake of a joke. The complicated plot didn't help either, making the whole episode a jumbled mess of ideas that were thrown onto the wall and then the writers picked what stuck. I complained about Best Gift Ever utilizing too many ideas in 44 minutes, but this episode did the same damn thing in half that runtime!
To those saying this was season six's best episode, I think you may need to answer to my stance towards the episode. It's nothing but a gigantic mess of "story" that doesn't even do a good job at telling a story.
This was an episode I never understood the hype towards. It's not a holiday-themed script, it doesn't feature a returning or side character as a central focus (Coco Pommel appears briefly for one scene), there's no big Hollywood guest star involved, and it's not a mid-season finale. Out of all of season six's episodes, how did this get ranked as the best a few years back?
I would start off with the story... except the plot is way too complicated for the target audience and casual fans to understand. And I know there are going to be people complaining that "I just don't get it" or some other comment like that, but here's the thing; I'm not you. Only you are you alone.
The basic plot is that the Mane Six try to get Rarity's Manehattan boutique ready for the grand opening tonight - why nopony planned ahead, I don't know either - but it then goes off in so many directions that it's impossible to keep track of what's going on unless you watch it many times over. They try going for a non-linear structure with the Mane Six narrating the events and more flashbacks taking place, but all it does is simply add to the confusion.
And that's before I delve into the humor; it overshadows the story to the point that you're burned out by the time the credits roll; not to mention that the Mane Six constantly suffer trying to get things ready. How is that even funny?
Now don't get me wrong; I'm all for comedy plots, but at least make it work within the story and not force in jokes for the sake of a joke. The complicated plot didn't help either, making the whole episode a jumbled mess of ideas that were thrown onto the wall and then the writers picked what stuck. I complained about Best Gift Ever utilizing too many ideas in 44 minutes, but this episode did the same damn thing in half that runtime!
To those saying this was season six's best episode, I think you may need to answer to my stance towards the episode. It's nothing but a gigantic mess of "story" that doesn't even do a good job at telling a story.
Rating: Bad (1/10)
Applejack's "Day" Off
Story by Neal Dusedau, Michael P. Fox and Wil Fox
Written by Michael P. Fox and Wil Fox
Written by Michael P. Fox and Wil Fox
Does anyone remember this episode? If you answered "no", then you've already picked out the biggest problem it faces. It's boring and forgettable.
The story is basically Rarity whining about Applejack not spending time with her (because we needed more shipping fuel for Worst Mane Six Couple) and the latter's chores being handled by Twilight and Spike who screw things up. It's incredibly stock with nothing interesting or new happening. You could probably skip over this episode and lose nothing in the long run.
The story is basically Rarity whining about Applejack not spending time with her (because we needed more shipping fuel for Worst Mane Six Couple) and the latter's chores being handled by Twilight and Spike who screw things up. It's incredibly stock with nothing interesting or new happening. You could probably skip over this episode and lose nothing in the long run.
Rating: Bad (3/10)
Flutter Brutter
Story by Meghan McCarthy
Written by Dave Rapp
Written by Dave Rapp
Finally! After a string of episodes ranging from mediocre to awful following Gauntlet of Fire, we're back in good episode territory.
If there was any episode I could point to as the one where Fluttershy ended being my favorite of the Mane Six, this is it. She began to come out of her shell in It Ain't Easy Being Breezies, but this episode more or less solidified it, and that made it easier for me to forget about Scare Master.
Here, Fluttershy refuses to take Zephyr's laziness and even chews him out for messing up their mother's flowers and throwing out their father's cloud collection (why the parents don't do anything about it, I'll let it slide). In the earlier seasons, she'd have been a doormat... unless this was a frequent occurrence and frustration for her. But for how much his behavior annoys her, Fluttershy deeply cares about Zephyr like all siblings should. Unless the sibling was really that bad.
Personally, I think hanging around Rainbow Dash a lot has kind rubbed off on Fluttershy, and like her friend, Rainbow refuses to tolerate Zephyr's laziness and even zaps him for doing so. We don't see it, but it must've been really funny, I bet. A nitpick, but why did Applejack and Pinkie not help Zephyr in finding a job? Time constraints and a possible lack of ideas I could understand, but they feel like they're just... there.
But the moral is where the episode really shines; be responsible and self-reliant. Yeah, you don't really need to watch TV to understand this, but it works for Zephyr's arc in this episode. And he even thanks Fluttershy for not giving up on him. Of course, he does still stay with their parents until he can find a place, but then again, character development doesn't always happen overnight. Plus, he probably understood that it would be ages before he'd get a paycheck.
It's also really funny how a writer can go from writing one of the season's worst episodes to one of the best in a short amount of time. Though given that Meghan McCarthy provided the story to Dave Rapp, that might've helped things out.
If there was any episode I could point to as the one where Fluttershy ended being my favorite of the Mane Six, this is it. She began to come out of her shell in It Ain't Easy Being Breezies, but this episode more or less solidified it, and that made it easier for me to forget about Scare Master.
Here, Fluttershy refuses to take Zephyr's laziness and even chews him out for messing up their mother's flowers and throwing out their father's cloud collection (why the parents don't do anything about it, I'll let it slide). In the earlier seasons, she'd have been a doormat... unless this was a frequent occurrence and frustration for her. But for how much his behavior annoys her, Fluttershy deeply cares about Zephyr like all siblings should. Unless the sibling was really that bad.
Personally, I think hanging around Rainbow Dash a lot has kind rubbed off on Fluttershy, and like her friend, Rainbow refuses to tolerate Zephyr's laziness and even zaps him for doing so. We don't see it, but it must've been really funny, I bet. A nitpick, but why did Applejack and Pinkie not help Zephyr in finding a job? Time constraints and a possible lack of ideas I could understand, but they feel like they're just... there.
But the moral is where the episode really shines; be responsible and self-reliant. Yeah, you don't really need to watch TV to understand this, but it works for Zephyr's arc in this episode. And he even thanks Fluttershy for not giving up on him. Of course, he does still stay with their parents until he can find a place, but then again, character development doesn't always happen overnight. Plus, he probably understood that it would be ages before he'd get a paycheck.
It's also really funny how a writer can go from writing one of the season's worst episodes to one of the best in a short amount of time. Though given that Meghan McCarthy provided the story to Dave Rapp, that might've helped things out.
Rating: Excellent (9/10)
Spice Up Your Life
Written by Michael Vogel
And it's back to mediocre territory we go...
No, it's not because of Pinkie that I don't think the episode holds up. Believe it or not, she's actually very well-written. She already knew what made the Tasty Treat stand out, and was even supportive of Saffron and her father keeping it that way. In fact, I dare say it's one of her best portrayals in the show.
Speaking of which, it's Rarity who falls flat, believe it or not. She thinks the only way to save the Tasty Treat is to be like every other restaurant. Yeah, this completely contradicts what was learned in Canterlot Boutique; if everyone followed the same trend, then you don't stand out at all. So you'd think she'd have learned from that episode about following trends, but... nope.
Yes, granted, she's not a chef, but still. And even though she does call out Zesty Gourmand for being hypocritical at the end, that doesn't Rarity any less of an idiot in this episode. It's disappointing for her character, and it hurts the message slightly.
Other than that, it's typical Vogel. A plot that isn't interesting (though at least this time, he didn't try retelling a story that had been done to death in media) and a character being rewritten just to allow the story to happen. Surprisingly, no gimmicks are involved, which is kind of ironic since the Tasty Treat had its own gimmick. It's not Vogel's worst episode as there are interesting elements here and there, but it still doesn't stick out in terms of theme or story.
No, it's not because of Pinkie that I don't think the episode holds up. Believe it or not, she's actually very well-written. She already knew what made the Tasty Treat stand out, and was even supportive of Saffron and her father keeping it that way. In fact, I dare say it's one of her best portrayals in the show.
Speaking of which, it's Rarity who falls flat, believe it or not. She thinks the only way to save the Tasty Treat is to be like every other restaurant. Yeah, this completely contradicts what was learned in Canterlot Boutique; if everyone followed the same trend, then you don't stand out at all. So you'd think she'd have learned from that episode about following trends, but... nope.
Yes, granted, she's not a chef, but still. And even though she does call out Zesty Gourmand for being hypocritical at the end, that doesn't Rarity any less of an idiot in this episode. It's disappointing for her character, and it hurts the message slightly.
Other than that, it's typical Vogel. A plot that isn't interesting (though at least this time, he didn't try retelling a story that had been done to death in media) and a character being rewritten just to allow the story to happen. Surprisingly, no gimmicks are involved, which is kind of ironic since the Tasty Treat had its own gimmick. It's not Vogel's worst episode as there are interesting elements here and there, but it still doesn't stick out in terms of theme or story.
Rating: Bad (3/10)
Stranger Than Fan Fiction
Written by Josh Haber and Michael Vogel
Speaking of Vogel, when it comes down to solo scripts, they're pretty bland and insipid. But when it comes to collaborations, his problems seem to disappear. A similar thing, I think, can be said for Josh Haber (who also co-wrote this episode) and Nicole Dubuc (unless it's a gimmicky piece of dreck like Sparkle's Seven), but they do at least have their own individual styles of writing which, for me, makes them stand out more.
But getting back to this episode; you know how Fame and Misfortune received hate for having a black and white perspective on the fanbase when it comes to discussions and how characters should be perceived? Well, this episode is that except infinitely more entertaining, and the perspective on the fanbase is more of a shade of gray.
Not only that, the satire is far more subtle; the first act shows how sometimes, a small disagreement can lead to the breaking of friendships, sometimes for good, which I know all too well myself. Especially if it involves something regarding a popular franchise... (I could make the comparisons all day!)
But in fairness to Quibble Pants, I don't think he means to be condescending when it comes to his stance on the later Daring Do books. In any case, it was likely poor communication and how he presented it that got Rainbow Dash upset with him. She prefers it when she does cool stunts and he prefers the titular character solving puzzles. Both of which they present to the other really well.
It's also really funny how oblivious Quibble was to the danger he and Rainbow were in when kidnapped; he couldn't tell the line from fantasy and reality until much later in the adventure. Just listen to how casual he is about being captured. It's hilarious!
When I first reviewed it, I called it the best of season six, and three years later? I still think it's the best of season six. It's funny as hell, the story is gripping, and the character interactions were some of the best of the entire series. Oh, and did I mention that Patton Oswalt killed it with his performance?
Not only that, the satire is far more subtle; the first act shows how sometimes, a small disagreement can lead to the breaking of friendships, sometimes for good, which I know all too well myself. Especially if it involves something regarding a popular franchise... (I could make the comparisons all day!)
But in fairness to Quibble Pants, I don't think he means to be condescending when it comes to his stance on the later Daring Do books. In any case, it was likely poor communication and how he presented it that got Rainbow Dash upset with him. She prefers it when she does cool stunts and he prefers the titular character solving puzzles. Both of which they present to the other really well.
It's also really funny how oblivious Quibble was to the danger he and Rainbow were in when kidnapped; he couldn't tell the line from fantasy and reality until much later in the adventure. Just listen to how casual he is about being captured. It's hilarious!
When I first reviewed it, I called it the best of season six, and three years later? I still think it's the best of season six. It's funny as hell, the story is gripping, and the character interactions were some of the best of the entire series. Oh, and did I mention that Patton Oswalt killed it with his performance?
Rating: Excellent (10/10)
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