North_Ranger
Staff member
I hear ya. Haven't watched it past season 1 m'self (partly because it doesn't show in my cable package). I just couldn't resist a chance for a lame pun
Aside from the first two episodes, you're not really missing anything.I hear ya. Haven't watched it past season 1 m'self (partly because it doesn't show in my cable package). I just couldn't resist a chance for a lame pun
The LAST two episodes are okay as well, especially for the total subversion they did half into them.
I didn't think so. While it was more what I'd expected from the show at first based on the first two episodes of season 1, it felt hollow to me, like they were faking for a big finale.
Though I'll give credit to the Halloween (whatever they call it there) episode. That was an issue that needed exploration.
Does anyone else wonder if Derpy "Ditzy Doo" Hooves will appear again? I hope so at least maybe making a comment about censorship or whatever.
....is she still silly? I hope she is still silly at least.
I always imagined that her name always was Ditzy Doo, and Rainbow Dash was just being a bitch by calling her Derpy (which is a nickname she picked up at Flight School, kind of like how Rainbow Dash was called Rainbow Crash). I kinda figured that Rainbow was a bully to her or something. Would make great fodder for an anti-bullying episode at least.
Losing the walleyes is kinda dumb though... it's iconic to her character's look. I could see her not having them ALL THE TIME, but she wouldn't be so popular if she didn't have them.
Also, she's made MANY appearances since that episode. It's just all been background gags, like usual. They even made the muffin thing canon in the episode with the Minotaur, as Derpy has large muffinclasps on her bags in that episode.
Really Hub should realize that this cartoon has a fan-base older than six and that they should think about what they would like too. Not saying they should ignore the child audience but still.
Another good idea is if her eyes would look normal and the cast would acknowledge that she looks different from her original look. Some serious "The Real Ghostbusters" type shit.
figmentPez
Staff member
http://www.themarysue.com/my-little-pony-real/
More at the link.
Also, Dodger really needs to cosplay this version of Rainbow Dash
More at the link.
Also, Dodger really needs to cosplay this version of Rainbow Dash
Whatta you call that style? Where there are no black outlines? I've seen a couple comics and other things do it.
...They do. That's why Derpy showed up in an episode to begin with and why Derpy was this year's SDCC exclusive. However, while the adult fanbase exists and is very vocal, it is dwarfed in size by the show's target audience. Who are reliant on their parents to buy them all the stuff (toys, coloring books, DVDs, stuffed animals, pillows, bedding, storybooks, dress up outfits, software tie-ins, backpacks, school supplies, toiletries, band aids, fruit snacks, trading cards, wrapping paper, etc, etc, etc.) that Hasbro wants to sell them. Whose parents complained about the character of Derpy, which is why she is/might be underped Ditzy Doo in all future speaking appearances.
Hasbro is making the only right call. The adult audience is fun, but we just don't buy the same amount of licensed crap that parents will. Little kids will immerse themselves in their favorite show*, adults will mostly just watch it.
*For instance, when I was a kid, I had Powers Rangers licensed: action figures, bed sheets, shoes, Halloween costumes (2 out of the 5 years I watched the show), books, trading cards, band-aids, comic books, audio cassettes, Tiger electronics video game, sleeping bag, stuffed animal, watch, and big wheel. So yeah.
Why does it even bug you though? The production team already goes out of their way to put little Easter Eggs in the show for adult fans, Hasbro has licensed out some adult oriented merch, and they made a Derpy Hooves toy (complete with the eyes and pictures of muffins on the box) just for us. In terms of official recognition, I can really only think of three similar* fandoms that get more - G.I. Joe (they have their own annual convention complete with exclusive figures), Transformers (same), and Masters of the Universe (which currently only exists as adult oriented comics and online only collector's edition toys). Note that those have been accumulating their fans for thirty-ish years. It would be the height of unrealistic to expect more than we already have.
*By which I mean "adult fandom of a highly merchandise driven children's show". So Power Rangers would be included as similar, but Legend of Korra and Batman wouldn't.
Yeah, I'd argue that the adult fans are already getting a lot from the show. How often do the fans directly effect the characterization and names of characters in their favorite series? That they are being included at all (instead of shunned, like Cartoon Network or Nick are known to do) says loads about how the show is being made.
After reading the above posts it don't bother me that much now. Thanks guys.
Different topic, does anyone else worry that the series might jump the shark? I do at times.
Different topic, does anyone else worry that the series might jump the shark? I do at times.
The day it does, there will be actual shark-jumping involved. The show is self-aware like that.
And most likely by Pinkie or Dashie!
No problem. I find that fandoms of anything tend to cause a slight loss of perspective.
I submit that it would be very hard for this show to jump the shark. There are only two ways, which are not mutually exclusive, I can think of it could happen:
- The show sacrifices characterization and story to its merchandise driven nature. Right now, it strikes a rather good balance between hyping new directions for the toyline and telling entertaining stories. The Royal Wedding two-parter is an excellent example of that. However, if every episode ended up like that - focusing on introducing and fleshing out a new toy...I mean character every week while the Mane Six/The CMCs get pushed to the background - then they'd rather quickly lose what makes the show appealing.
- If they lose sight of Lauren Faust's vision for the show by going too bland, inoffensive, cutesy, and boring. If they embrace the model Lauren Faust developed the show to avoid, then they'll jump the shark.
And let's not forget that Hasbro could reboot the franchise at any time to sell new toys. I only fear this because I was raised on Power Rangers.
Every season of Power Rangers is SUPPOSED to be self-contained. That's the point: to tell a new story every year, with a unique team and theme. The only reason they did the first 3 seasons with (mostly) the same cast is because Saban was having trouble convincing them they needed to let the actors go before they got too old.
Once they made Power Rangers a non-SAG show (one of the MANY reasons it's filmed in New Zealand), they were able to get past that problem. Now every season (every two seasons starting with Samurai) they get a new team and the old team only comes in during the Team-Up episode/s.
Well yeah I know they are supposed to be self-contained...but why? Why couldn't they just continue from the original characters and just change the costumes and mechas every once in a while and continue their character development? This is a complaint I have about most Japanese meta-series in general, from Mazinger to Transformers.
Because it can be very jarring between seasons because of the themes? For instance, if they kept the same team starting at Time Force, it would look like...
- Time Police sent to save the past
- Nature Protectors using animals spirits to stop monsters
- A group of ninja facing of against an evil ninja master and his gang of thugs
- Rangers using the power of the meteor that killed the dinosaurs to stop a guy planning to bring them back
- ... another police themed ranger group (Space themed!)
Is there any way you could have coherently connected all of those themes? Remember, the only reason the show even works is because they are re-using TONS of footage from the Sentai series. How about the actors? After a few years their contracts are up and they'd want more money. You COULD make all of this work, but it would cost a fortune to do because of all the footage you'd need to shoot.
This is also why we will never see an all American created PR series.
- Time Police sent to save the past
- Nature Protectors using animals spirits to stop monsters
- A group of ninja facing of against an evil ninja master and his gang of thugs
- Rangers using the power of the meteor that killed the dinosaurs to stop a guy planning to bring them back
- ... another police themed ranger group (Space themed!)
Is there any way you could have coherently connected all of those themes? Remember, the only reason the show even works is because they are re-using TONS of footage from the Sentai series. How about the actors? After a few years their contracts are up and they'd want more money. You COULD make all of this work, but it would cost a fortune to do because of all the footage you'd need to shoot.
This is also why we will never see an all American created PR series.
Right right, I keep forgetting how cheap Super Sentai/ Power Ranger is as a television series.
I wish they could at least have done what they did with one season of the Japanese version where they made a manga based on the series and continued the plot from there. But that ain't happening either.
Anyway back to ponies. Who else wants Discord to come back? I sure as hell do.
Well, they tried making comic books based on the series back in the 90's. However, for whatever reason, they never worked out nearly as well as the comics based on G.I. Joe or Transformers. We're only just now bringing the 90's kids up to the age that 80's kids were at when they relaunched G.I. Joe, Thundercats, and Transformers comics a decade ago. Time will tell.
That said, Hasbro could easily ditch this series if they felt it was no longer their most lucrative option. See: Cartoon Network's Transformers Animated being cancelled for unspecified reasons only for The Hub's Transformers Prime to show up a year later and G.I Joe Renegades being cancelled so as to not self-compete with the second movie. However, unlike those franchise entries, MLP:FiM is probably the most successful incarnation of the brand since the original and unlike Transformers (which has been on shelves pretty much continuously for almost 30 years), the MLP franchise has not proven to be consistently successful. So even if this particular series is cancelled to keep the brand fresh, it seems like Hasbro would probably want to use it as a standard for the franchise going forward.
figmentPez
Staff member
DAMN! That is true fandom right there!
What's her ponysona's name? Is it just Lauren Faust?