My Little Pony is an overrated cartoon.

[Zenoctilles 102]

In the past few weeks, I've come to question my fascination with My Little Pony more and more. To this end, I have come to a few conclusions:

 

1. My Little Pony became popular only because people were enthralled with the idea of being a part of a fan community that surrounded a media franchise that shouldn't have had such a big fandom (outside of little girls and women in their 30s and 40s) to begin with.

2. My Little Pony is a good cartoon, but not a great one. I can easily name a few other cartoons which exceed it in terms of writing and characters: The Angry Beavers, Rugrats, Invader Zim, Hey Arnold!, Courage: The Cowardly Dog, and even Lauren Faust's own Powerpuff Girls.

3. The way the Internet blew up My Little Pony is one reason why so many people view it through rose-tinted glasses. The show is good, but not that good. Perhaps the vibrant fan community makes people think differently, but from an objective standpoint, My Little Pony is an above-average cartoon at best.

 

To this end, My Little Pony is overrated. Why don't other similar fan communities erupt for old cartoons? Oh right, because they have failed to become memes like MLP!

[lardbobobo 1,591]

I dunno, I've met a guy who liked the show who doesn't even have a computer (why'd I originally type T.V?) at his house. Granted, it took him coming over to my place and seeing my desktop being pony related for him to even say anything about it.

 

It is overrated, I will agree, but I'm not sure if it being a meme had really anything to do with it. I mean, sure 4chan kind of sped up the process of it becoming popular, but Lauren Faust was pretty big already so whether 4chan coined it or not probably wouldn't have stopped people from liking it.

Edited April 5, 2012 by lordbababa

[Gingerpotato 889]

Alright, I'm gonna provide a few points about why I believe that My Little Pony is not overrated

 

1)People would be enthralled by the idea of such an odd aged fandom for a little girls show but in the end would you join a group of people who love something that you do not? Curiosity is one thing but becoming a fan of a show just based on the odd fanbase is something entirely different.

 

2)My Little Pony is a cartoon that brings us back to our past, nostalgia favourite cartoons. Most of the cartoons you have posted up there are all olden cartoons, created a while back. After those cartoons, the level and imagination of most animations and cartoons has drastically declined. The show is fantastic because it is the only cartoon I know at the amount that has the ability to compete for a place on the list of best overall cartoon show. Most cartoons these days are very bland, cheap laughs and meh animation but this show is based in the same manner as the older, fantastic cartoons.

 

3) Uh...have you seen the way we are portrayed on the internet? We're certainly not "rose-tinted" by other groups and communities. In fact, we are viewed pretty poorly by a lot of people. A lot of people classify us as homosexuals and creepy, crazy weirdos because of the show we watch. In the grand scheme of things, we are viewed more through darkened, abysmal glass then rose-tinted glass.

 

There are fan communities for older cartoons? These older cartoons were young once and I wouldn't be surprised if their fanbase began in the same way that ours has begun. My Little Pony is not overrated, it is a cartoon show that has decimated the competition for its time. Its animation is fantastic, the storyline is great and the fanbase is made up of people who want to be there, not just people who want to feel a part of something special. I would gladly fight for the right to say that My Little Pony is not overrated.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Gingerpotato

[Dany Heatley 160]

I agree 100% with you OP

 

But in reality i dont. lauren faust didn't even make the powerpuff girls, her husband did. And I disagree. I didn't start watching the show because of the internet, I started watching it by coincidence because the show happened to be on TV. It is also the only show that I wait for on the weekend, so it is my favourite show... It's not overrated IMO

[Dragonshy 2,305]

I disagree. To be honest I only checked it out because the fame it had accumulated on the internet, but once I saw the show I really liked it. After comparing it to other cartoons it is better in my opinion. Also, it seems like the cartoon options are ones that you just liked, I like some of those shows, but I think MLP: FIM exceeds them as far as character development and storyline. Also, we are not seen as "cool hipsters or rebels" on the internet, we are more seen as freaks (Which I find hilarious). So I think that some people may like the show to like it, but why would someone want to be seen as a "Freak" for something they don't even enjoy? Also, it seems like the community is the best part of it, I agree, but most people in the community are bronies and discuss the show regularly, understanding references is what makes it great too. So there's my opinion on it being overrated. In conclusion, Eenope.

[Inky Milk 78]

I could care less if it's overrated. I've loved the ponies since I was still in kindergarten and watch the G1 tapes my Grandma would tape for me. And I love that folks are pimping out G4 now, giving me the outlet to get back into them. It doesn't matter to me what their motivations are for watching it, nor should my motivations matter to anyone else. If you feel its overrated and want to pull away from the hype, then the only one stopping you is yourself and sitting around and whining about it and pointing fingers isn't really going to get you anywhere.

[Vexx3 1,540]

Don't forget, the Internet wasn't nearly as big when those older cartoons came out as it is now. If it wasn't for the Internet, MLP might not even have anywhere near the kind of fanbase that it does today.

 

While you may be right in that there are a lot of bandwagon fans, most of the fanbase genuinely enjoys the show.

[Zenoctilles 102]

I dunno, I've met a guy who liked the show who doesn't even have a computer (why'd I originally type T.V?) at his house. Granted, it took him coming over to my place and seeing my desktop being pony related for him to even say anything about it.

 

It is overrated, I will agree, but I'm not sure if it being a meme had really anything to do with it. I mean, sure 4chan kind of sped up the process of it becoming popular, but Lauren Faust was pretty big already so whether 4chan coined it or not probably wouldn't have stopped people from liking it.

 

I only learned about the show because I saw the meme being posted ad nauseum everywhere I went. I decided to give a show a watch, and liked it on its own merits. But there are people who are drawn to the show because of the fan community around it.

[Viscra Maelstrom 3,718]

I only learned about the show because I saw the meme being posted ad nauseum everywhere I went. I decided to give a show a watch, and liked it on its own merits. But there are people who are drawn to the show because of the fan community around it.

 

i'd like some clarification on this. all the people i've seen, have either loved the show, hated the show, or have been indifferent about it.

[butter scotch 79]

In some sense it is. But a main reason people like the show is the fact that they can relate to the ponies personalities and traits.

[Doctor XFizzle 8,651]

I would wager ~85% of fans like the show for the show itself and not because of the memes/phenomenon

Edited April 5, 2012 by Doctor XFizzle

[Eenohay 318]

Alright, I'm gonna provide a few points about why I believe that My Little Pony is not overrated

 

1)People would be enthralled by the idea of such an odd aged fandom for a little girls show but in the end would you join a group of people who love something that you do not? Curiosity is one thing but becoming a fan of a show just based on the odd fanbase is something entirely different.

 

2)My Little Pony is a cartoon that brings us back to our past, nostalgia favourite cartoons. Most of the cartoons you have posted up there are all olden cartoons, created a while back. After those cartoons, the level and imagination of most animations and cartoons has drastically declined. The show is fantastic because it is the only cartoon I know at the amount that has the ability to compete for a place on the list of best overall cartoon show. Most cartoons these days are very bland, cheap laughs and meh animation but this show is based in the same manner as the older, fantastic cartoons.

 

3) Uh...have you seen the way we are portrayed on the internet? We're certainly not "rose-tinted" by other groups and communities. In fact, we are viewed pretty poorly by a lot of people. A lot of people classify us as homosexuals and creepy, crazy weirdos because of the show we watch. In the grand scheme of things, we are viewed more through darkened, abysmal glass then rose-tinted glass.

 

There are fan communities for older cartoons? These older cartoons were young once and I wouldn't be surprised if their fanbase began in the same way that ours has begun. My Little Pony is not overrated, it is a cartoon show that has decimated the competition for its time. Its animation is fantastic, the storyline is great and the fanbase is made up of people who want to be there, not just people who want to feel a part of something special. I would gladly fight for the right to say that My Little Pony is not overrated.

 

I actually agree with OP, the show is cerntanly not the best show ever, I can think of quite a few better ones.

 

1) There's a bunch of cartoons wich are all similar and have the same target audiences. Between those are the ones we all loved as kids. MLP is NOT on that group, as it is targeted at younger girls (yes only girls). That means it stands out, because among it's group, it's the best. Of course being curious doesn't mean liking it, but I personally don't watch any other cartoons, and even if I caught a glimpse of one I would never become a die hard fan of it if it wasn't for the fact that I am able to share it with thousands of people.

 

2) Again I do not watch cartoons these days, but I've heard Adventure Time it's pretty damn good. Also some that I used to watch a while back such as the fairy odd parents, dave the barbaria, xiaolin showdown were great. I could say better than FiM.

 

3) I watched this show because I thought the fanbase was cool. I thought that the idea of liking a show that one was not suppose to like was cool, and that's why I was not only curious to watch it, but when I did, I was biased towards thinking it was good. This is probably the same with most bronies. If it wasn't for the fanbase, we would have thought it was just "meh"

 

 

 

Lest face it, it's good, but certanly not the best we've seen.

[Vexx3 1,540]

But there are people who are drawn to the show because of the fan community around it.

 

To be honest, I don't really see the problem with this. The community is great and, in my opinion, liking the show for JUST the fandom is much better than trying to bash it.

[Doctor XFizzle 8,651]

As for MLP, comparing it to 90s/early 00s cartoons, it would be merely above average if generation 4 debuted around that time. Since the standard of cartoons as a whole has (greatly, IMO) declined since that time, MLP is in the upper crust of cartoons today.

 

MLP:FiM in the 90s/early 00s would be a solid 7-8 out of 10 since every other show at that time was exemplary

MLP:FiM now in 2010/2011 is a 9-10 out of 10 since standard of cartoons has faltered greatly since then.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Doctor XFizzle

[Key Gear 6,662]

1. My Little Pony became popular only because people were enthralled with the idea of being a part of a fan community that surrounded a media franchise that shouldn't have had such a big fandom (outside of little girls and women in their 30s and 40s) to begin with.

 

I am a little bit confused by your statement. Are you talking about the initial popularity, or are you talking about the ongoing popularity?

 

If you are talking about the initial popularity of the show, then I actually agree with you. I think that the irony of teenage and adult males watching My Little Pony fueled a considerable proportion of the show's initial popularity on 4chan, which, as amazing as it may seem, is apparently where this phenomena began.

 

If you are talking about the ongoing popularity of the show, then I strongly disagree with you. Irony can only take you so far. Most memes have a fairly limited lifespan, and they also have a tendency to remain restricted to meme sites, imageboards, and gamer forums.

 

When I look out across the fan community for this show, I see an incredible amount of creativity that is on display. The music, the custom figures, the amazing artwork, the incredible plushes, and the well-made fan animations - I do not think that these are fueled by irony. I think that these are fueled by an honest appreciation of and a love for the show.

 

2. My Little Pony is a good cartoon, but not a great one. I can easily name a few other cartoons which exceed it in terms of writing and characters: The Angry Beavers, Rugrats, Invader Zim, Hey Arnold!, Courage: The Cowardly Dog, and even Lauren Faust's own Powerpuff Girls.

 

I mean this in the best possible way, but isn't this just your own personal opinion? There is no objective way of measuring and scoring the the writing and the characterizations of those shows. What you wrote is like saying that the works of Shakespeare are better literature than the works of Edgar Allen Poe.

 

Personally, I consider MLP: FiM to be a great cartoon. The creators of FiM took a franchise that was historically targeted towards younger girls and their parents, and they have done something amazing with it. Unlike most shows targeted towards younger girls, this show manages to keep its innocence and extremely positive atmosphere without sacrificing the quality of characterization and writing.

 

The show is saccharine without being distastefully so. The creators of this show have both walked the line and they have demonstrated mastery over it. This, my friend, is evidence of greatness. Of course, that is just my opinion as well, but it is an opinion that is shared by a considerable number of people.

 

3. The way the Internet blew up My Little Pony is one reason why so many people view it through rose-tinted glasses. The show is good, but not that good. Perhaps the vibrant fan community makes people think differently, but from an objective standpoint, My Little Pony is an above-average cartoon at best.

 

Rose-tinted glasses? What do you mean by this. I have seen nothing but constant war between bronies and non-bronies. The dislike of the fan community even spills over into mainstream media on occasion.

 

To this end, My Little Pony is overrated. Why don't other similar fan communities erupt for old cartoons? Oh right, because they have failed to become memes like MLP!

 

It is possible for something to have a meme component as well as an actual fandom. This is not really anything new. Let's take Star Trek for example. Captain Picard image macros are all over the place, but this does not mean that Star Trek's enduring popularity is due to it being a meme.

 

Speaking just for myself, I started watching MLP after someone posted a link to a short video in a programming newsgroup that I read. I was greatly surprised by this, because they used this video to interrupt a heated conversation about the nature of continuation style programming in javascript.

 

I watched the show for about 3 or 4 weeks before I even found out about the fan community. I didn't even realize that MLP was a meme until about 1 week after I had started reading sites like EQD. I have introduced about 10 other people to this show, and none of them had ever come across the "meme" component of the show.

 

Actually, things are starting to get a bit crazy around me. One of my friends has introduced about 20 or so people to the show. Everyone that has seen it loves it. But, that's not all.... One of my brothers works at a community college. Apparently, there is a group of professors at this college that are completely crazy about the show.

 

I think that there is a danger in allowing yourself to think that the Internet consists only of those sites where memes are heavily posted (imageboards, gaming forums, etc).

 

I think that your conclusion could be considered valid if you were explaining the popularity of the show on meme-infested sites. However, I think that your conclusion is false if you are using it to explain the overall popularity of the show.

 

By the way, a large part of the reason for why there are no communities for older cartoons is that the incredible growth in size of the Internet has enabled both information and cultural phenomena to spread at a rapid rate.

 

Just as an example, I am quite sure that if Batman: The Animated Series were released today instead of back in the early 90s, then it would have developed a similar following.

 

Edit: I forgot one thing...

Edited April 5, 2012 by Scootacool

[ScarletDagger 88]

I've fascinated mlp:fim before I knew about its memes and forums. I've finished the first season twice before I joined here. To me, my little pony is the greatest thing to happen to me.

[Sepia-chan 495]

That's your opinion, though I find it stupid and dumb fine because you're entitled to your own opinion. Anyway, I don't think MLP is overated.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Dusk Eninama

[Gingerpotato 889]

 

Lest face it, it's good, but certanly not the best we've seen.

 

But does that mean it is overrated?

Everyone has their own personal favourite cartoons. MLP: FiM is very high up on my list, perhaps even at the top. The show doesn't have to be the greatest to draw a fanbase towards it, what it needs is to be different, to be special and to have a way of bringing the audience and the makers in together. Shows like Fairly Odd Parents and Xaolin Showdown didn't have much interaction with the fans whilst the creators behind MLP understand and commune with the fanbase. That is merely one of the reason why we have such a massive fanbase, because the creators understand and respect us as the fans.

 

I am not arguing that MLP is the best cartoon but what I am saying is that I would, in no way, classify it as overrated. It takes a certain something to rise above the adversities and the wall of sheer abysmal cartoons that are shown nowadays (A few cartoons left out of that because not every cartoon these days is bad) and I think that for doing that and creating such a strong bond between fan and creator (along with the whole animation, good stroyline blah blah bit) MLP: FiM deserves every single fan that it has.

[Cosmic Charlie 129]

I think one of FiM's draws is that it's brimming with potential. The instant and incessant tidal wave of fanfics about it show just how approachable and well-crafted Equestria is as story framework. I think Season 2's freedom from the ei title let the writers start really stretching their writing muscles and gave the show a chance to broaden its scope a bit. Is it overrated? Maybe, but I think the only real limitation on the show (and also somehow one of its strong points) is that it's inherently designed to be easily digestible for kids, and while slice-of-life is awesome for this show, I do love when the stakes get high and the danger is real, and when there's a chance everything won't be solved at the end of each episodes. More two-parters would be awesome. I digress... Show is good enough for me. Whether it's the best ever is totally subjective (that would probably be American Dad).

[Strafe 593]

2. My Little Pony is a good cartoon, but not a great one. I can easily name a few other cartoons which exceed it in terms of writing and characters: The Angry Beavers, Rugrats, Invader Zim, Hey Arnold!, Courage: The Cowardly Dog, and even Lauren Faust's own Powerpuff Girls.

 

 

 

All the shows don't air anymore new episodes, and besides you can tell a lot of effort is put into the show just by the animation, acting, writing etc.it deserves the community it has.

[Dark Qiviut 22,189]

Sorry, OP, but you're viewing the cartoon's popularity under a ridiculous false pretense.

 

1. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic has this nostalgia from past shows and brings it into the forefront. There are several clear references from old movies, television shows, and cartoons. From Doctor Who to the Looney Toons to the beat that made up Art of the Dress. Also, the fandom has a huge popularity amongst the males because it doesn't stereotype the atmosphere. Despite its pastel colors, it doesn't stick to one gender. This show targets a more universal audience. Men, women, and children. It's innocent and sweet, but doesn't sacrifice quality writing and storytelling, a common mistake several cartoons make.

 

This show, more than any of the series, actually returns to the core that the original creators of My Little Pony went for. The people who founded the francise wanted a show and franchise to be accessible for girls and boys. Unfortunately, Hasbro directed the franchise to females only.

 

2. You said My Little Pony's status is not as good compared to the others in the 1990s and early 2000s. Why, though? Explain. You can't deliver a pizza to the dinner table and deliver only the pie tray. My Little Pony, of almost every cartoon nowadays, trumps its competition because it has genuinely fantastic writing and a great development amongst the characters. Several other cartoons are very bland with a lack of character growth or just through in humor for the sake of it. The humor in this show flows and doesn't feel forced. My Little Pony has the growth of characterization and worldbuilding that's simple, yet keeps the community wanting for more. As for The Powerpuff Girls, Lauren Faust did NOT create it. Craig McCracken, her eventual husband, did.

 

3. The Internet blew it up because it genuinely has quality in it. The show started as a niche series, but when it got slammed, 4Chan pounced on it, and its popularity grew since then. The community has flourished into becoming passionate and proud. Take a close look at the surrounding brony fandom. There is a lot of talent in the community.

 

In case you're wondering, I learned about MLP:FIM as a result of the community, too, but I took a try, and there's a great reason why the fandom loves it so much. After weeding through the near-dead garden, there is a strong, healthy plant within. We're not looking through rose-tinted glasses like you claim. It's genuinely great. Since then, that plant has bloomed into a strong sunflower. Sadly, outside, the fandom isn't that well-liked.

 

Like it or not, this show isn't overrated. It's a genuinely great quality show full of interesting characters, great worldbuilding, excellent animation (and it's only gotten better), and a dedicated fandom. Currently, there are very few to no cartoons that are close to being that good. Now, is the cartoon the best ever? Of course not. There are so many great cartoons that'll compete with My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic as best cartoon. This is just one of them.

 

Also, like what someone else said earlier, the Internet wasn't accessible back then. Previously, it was just a niche piece of technology. Nowadays, the Internet is very accessible. The genuine admiration for the show passed much faster compared to the likes of shows like The Powerpuff Girls due to quicker word-of-mouth recommendations, and MLP:FIM's grown since then as a result of this.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Dark Qiviut

[Itchy Hooves 63]

As a fan of animation in general, here's my observation on MLP and it's popularity...

 

Lauren Faust set out to make a show for girls that didn't feed the 'every girl is a princess' complex a lot of other girl's shows have.

 

I mean let's face it. The CG Barbie movies always place her in the role of the princess(Princess and the Pauper, Rapunzel, etc).

 

Shows like Bratz portray every girl as... Well basically the same. They may have different hobbies, but in the end, the one common thread that ties them together is being fashion-obsessed, feminine ideals. Even if you get the token tomboy, it's just the one and she's either really over the top to the point of being an undesirable or she's dumbed down in her boyish pursuits to the point of just being another girly-girl at the end of the day.

 

What makes MLP special is that while it is a girl's show, Lauren succeeded in creating a little bit of something for everyone. I mean you still have your princesses and your fashion divas. But there's still a substance beyond that. If you compare it to gender neutral/boy cartoons, it does have a little bit more in the way of competition. But as far as being a girl's show, it truly outshines.

 

In the main cast alone, each girl is wildly different from the next. It creates an air of individuality. Not just a hive mind of makeover fiends. You still have Rarity, of course. But that's fair enough. some girls really are into fashion and looking good. As a standalone, that can be a good character. It's when those types permeate the entire cast that a show gets dragged down.

 

MLP stands out not just because it's a girl's show and it's 'unique and special' to be into girl's shows. It stands out because it's a girl's show that dares to go places a lot of other girl's shows don't. It's not just a world of pastel pink princess attitudes.Nor is it a world of hyped up fashion. It's just... A world.

 

I will agree that it's overrated, but not for the reasons you listed. Anything that becomes exceptionally popular is overrated. And that can be owed to rabid fans who don't know where to draw the line. And that's not just MLP. That's Team fortress 2, Transformers, Halo, and everything else.

[Jemboi 127]

I don't understand the point in threads like this but every fanbase always has a member who loves to party poop. Seriously, why try to rain on the parade? I see this kind of thing at almost every type of fan forum and it's simply obnoxious. I like what I like and I don't need anyone looking down at me, making assumptions and analyzing my fandom. MLP may be a meme, the "it" thing, or a fad on the internet but in the real world there is nothing remotely popular or cool about liking MLP. Can't we just be happy here at our little retreat where FANS can interact and share their love for a great show? Thanks. http://mlpforums.com/public/style_emoticons/default/dry.png

Edited April 5, 2012 by Jemboi

[Zenoctilles 102]

But, I am a fan! I just wanted to air some thoughts out there, that's all.

[Key Gear 6,662]

But, I am a fan! I just wanted to air some thoughts out there, that's all.

 

Hey, don't worry buddy! None of us are upset at you. I'm certainly not.