This episode I really like. The setting was real cozy. I liked the Great Seedling plot and how it slowly escalated in a normal not overdone way. The setting was cozy. Being entirely on Sweet Apple Acres was fun, especially with no quick travel to any location. They didn't detour to them going to get Golden Delicious, just had her show up. Heck, even the flash back was on Sweet Apple Acres. All the characters sans Granny Smith shined here. Not saying Granny Smith was bad, just that she was more playing support and didn't do much beyond what she'd normally do in any other episode she was in. Apple Jack's dynamic with Apple Bloom being the strongest character performance. The rest just fit in. Golden Delicious telling Apple Bloom of the great seeding and urging her on. Big Macintosh slowly having more work put on him and being tired and grumpy till you find out that he is the one causing the attics in the first place. Granny wasn't bad, just she didn't have a roll to play lke that.
Overall, I really like, dare I say possibly love, this episode. 8/10. This feels like another Sleepless in Ponyville. If perhaps at a slightly lower tier. Though I won't be surprised if the this ends up being one of my favorites when the season is done.
Other notes:
1) Are deer now Equestria's main creature of myserious benevolent magic? Is it all because they lowered Again, my views on the Princess' are very complex, but that is for another time stature in that regard and had other fantastical elements explored and removed of their mysteries and ambiguity? (Like the return of the pillars?)
2)That flashback that shows Apple Jack, Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh with their parents has a bit of a dark edge to it, doesn't it? I do not know how other flashbacks connect (or if they contradict), but considering the flashbacks with AB still a baby and Big Mac and Apple Jack only a little bit older... it could very well be close to when they died.
3)Golden Delicious. Of all the Apple Family to have one last major roll. This could be the last episode featuring them (or at least solely staring them). Are we ever going to see Babs Seed again? Ever explore Aunt and Uncle Orange and what their dynamic is with their country oriented family? or even give Braeburn one last speaking roll cameo? Don't know, but I know we got Golden Delicious...
