Season 4 was awful

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,328]

opinions everywhere.png

 

I quite enjoyed the following episodes from season four:

 

Flight to the Finish

Daring Don't

Rainbow Falls

Pinkie Pride

Maud Pie

Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3

Trade Ya!

 

That's not to say I didn't enjoy others, but the above episodes are the ones I go back and watch. Again and again. x3

 

I feel this is one of those topics that purposely shoots for viability via intense dislike; elicits a decent number of replies that way. Oh no - I replied. o_O It apparently works lol. xD

Someone give this guy the Medal of Honor.

[True Rarity 1,239]

I suppose it is your opinion, so you're definitely allowed to think that. And your opinion isn't wrong, either. I'm still upset about all the toy lines Hasbro is pulling out of this show. They don't need new character designs to sell toys. There will always be us for that!

 

That being said, I enjoyed the story line, although I miss the old library. I loved the new minor characters and the development in the major ones. I loved season four!

[Jeric 46,834]

My personal enjoyment of season four was pretty much in line with how I enjoyed season two and I consider them to be practically tied. I actually enjoyed episodes like Power Ponies as it tickled that part of me that misses the Disney Afternoon. Even in the episodes that didn't work as well for others (Simple Ways, Equestria Games, Filly Vanilli) I found a decent amount to enjoy in them. Season one has a charm that is all it's own, season two built off of that, season three was too short and did not have a Rarity focused episode, and season four seemed to find a balance between new and old ... at least viewing it through my lens. 

[Pastel 7,627]

and the worst thing is that the season finale (that i liked) was downright predictable. We all know that Discord was going to fail and that Twilight will have to save his world at the end,

I think almost every episode is predictable, but that doesn't make the show worse (IMO).

 

If Hasbro will do two seasons more they should give the producers more freedom so this wouldnt turn the series i know and love into a stinking marketing crap like the new Simpsons.

I believe the show has been marketing toys right from season 1, and again I don't think that's bad.

Many people enjoyed this season, including me (it was better than season 1 and 3). So it's your opinion...

Edited January 27, 2015 by Blobulle

[BlinkZ 1,151]

Now while you can have the right to 'hate' a season, your explantion of why is pretty poor, like very very weak explantion. including the flanderization comment.  That is a big grey area there cause each indiviual has a set view of how certain character should be as appoe ot how the writers make them out to be.

Season 4 has a lot of world building, character developement and good morals. Yes the tree thing and 'buy the toys' was ovious but hell we are talking abut Hasbro here, a toy comapny. What you expect?

[Tom Snyder 4,111]

I enjoyed every season, i don't judge episodes. 

[Shift 4,269]

If we're following your logic, then the Return of Harmony was predictable as well. I mean, we all knew Discord was going to go back into stone. Just because something's predictable doesn't mean it's bad. Anyway, Hasbro is a toy company first and foremost, so selling toys are their first priority, as shown in a Canterlot Wedding, and i'm sure we can all agree that wasn't a bad episode / season. I respect your opinion, but I didn't believe that Season 4 was awful in the slightest. Of course it had its down points, but what season doesn't?

Edited January 27, 2015 by Shift

[Princess Oceangem 61]

I loved Rarity Takes Manehatten! one of the best lessons of the show in my opinion, that being even after being taken advantage of, still be kind/ generous . Bats was fun and taught us about respecting nature and making sacrifices. And the finale showed us Celestia not being totally weak and we saw more of Discord's character. So season 4, good job!

[Vinyl Scratch (Filly)™ 936]

I don't bother criticizing the show. It's aimed at little girls, who couldn't care less about your points. I enjoy the show for what it is, and don't think too much into it like I would with shows aimed at older audiences... y'know, ones we should actually be criticizing instead?

[King Sejong 858]

   Season four was great, it is the show maturing with finesse, which is why I waited so long to join the herd, I wanted to see how MLP would get better. Along with the Equestria Girls films, season three and four are trolled and isolated by nostalgic fans, longing for the days of season one and two, before we got the changes that we got, yet it is those changes I embraced, I like the fact that My Little Pony takes chances, and bold risks, I love how the writers keep the show fresh, but maintain continuity with the previous seasons, the animation has also improved, like shadows and movement on Flash no less. People tend respond to changes so radically these days, even the most minute change could be welcomed by a plethora of roars and hisses, although the fandom is maturing too, we are becoming more accommodating of tweaks and flaws alike, not matter what season is celebrated or resented, for me at least, season four was the season that kept me a brony, it got me through hard times, when all I wanted to do was mope, it was entertaining and ethereal, it is a season I will cherish for years too come.   

[Cleverclover 1,525]

I liked the majority season 4 (except for it's finale), but I will admit, it does seem like the show is starting to rely a bit too much on gimmicks as if the writers think that they make the episodes better, when in truth, all they really do is convolute the show whilst adding implications to the world of FiM that are quite disturbing. 

 

Here are season 4's biggest gimmicks:

 

1. Daring Do being real. I think anyone would agree that this totally came out of the left field, and the episode has received a lot of mixed opinions because of it. First off, there is absolutely no reason why Daring Do being real should be some huge secret to the public. It's not like her exploits take place in other far-off countries---they are apparently set right there in Equestria. So how is it not common knowledge by now? Also, how the hell does Daring Do know that she'll need two more months specifically to finish her book? All in all, this whole thing just doesn't make the slightest bit of sense, and the worst thing about it is that it seems to have only been done just for the sake of teaming Rainbow Dash and Daring Do up together. That was literally the only thought behind the episode. And it just doesn't work. 

 

 

2. The entirety of the Power Ponies episode. Before season 4 even began, it was mentioned that there would be an episode where the mane six would become superheroes, which I thought was a strange premise, but still kept an open mind about it. In the weeks before the episode aired, it was promoted far beyond almost any other episode from season 4, as if they were really trying to get us hyped up about the concept. Personally, I thought the episode was dull, but I did like its moral, which seemed to send us the opposite message we received from Spike at Your Service. However, it was the ending, where Spike revealed where he got the comic, that was most disturbing. He casually mentions that he got it from a shop in Canterlot called "The House of Enchanted Comics." Okay, seriously?  :okiedokielokie:  There exists a (presumably) legal shop in Canterlot that sells comic books that suck people inside them with no way of escaping until they defeat that comic's villain? This really makes me ask myself: what would have happened if the mane six had died in this comic, which they actually almost did? Would they have really died? I imagine so. Hell, if you die in the Matrix, you die for real, and that's just with your mind inside of it, not your entire body. Also, what would have happened if someone decided to rip the comic book to shreds while someone else was inside of it, or throw it in a fire? There are too many risks to count, and yet, for some reason, these comic books are perfectly legal and any kid can just go in and buy one, potentially ignorant to the fact that they suck you inside like Spike was?! I knock the entire episode for this because it was the crux by which the episode could take place at all. 

 

 

3. Flutterbat. "What's better than one Fluttershy transformation? TWO Fluttershy transformations! And in an episode that comes directly after the first one! The bronies will like that....right?" For the most part, I could forgive Flutterhulk, but Flutterbat is an entirely different breed. Perhaps it was entertaining and enjoyable to some, serving as juicy fanfiction and artwork fuel, but for me, the implications about it were just too disturbing. For all intents and purposes, the episode simply involves Twilight inadvertently tarnishing Fluttershy's soul by transforming her into a mindless beast, the essence of which even alters her "normal" state ("I'm reeeeeaaaally hunnnngryyy...."). Then of course, there's the little scene at the end of the episode that shows Fluttershy's remaining fang, indicating that not all essence of Flutterbat has been released from her soul. A lot of people say that scene was just a gag, and that honestly doesn't make any sense to me. A gag's purpose is to be humorous and funny---they're done for the sake of getting a chuckle out of the audience. There is nothing even remotely funny or humorous about the notion that Fluttershy's soul may be permanently tarnished due to Twilight's carelessness. :okiedokielokie:  I'm actually hoping that Flutterbat makes a return in season 5 just so that Fluttershy could be permanently cured of it and so that Twilight could actually learn from her mistake. 

 

 

4. Twilight, Cadence, and The Worm. Three's a Crowd was arguably the only Twilight-focused episode of season 4, not including Princess Twilight Sparkle and Twilight's Kingdom. Ideally, this would have been the time to show that Twilight actually still has room to develop, in spite of her flaws now seeming mostly non-existent. On second thought, nah. How about instead we have SUPER EPIC DUAL ALICORN BATTLE TIME!!!! HELL YEAH!!!!!  This comes out of left field even more than Daring Do being real, and it seems like the thought process behind it was: "Hey we have two alicorns spending time together, so we might as well just shoehorn an epic battle into the episode. Because why not?" And seriously, this is what we get in place of any meaningful development for Twilight. She ultimately ends up learning a non-lesson at the end just for the sake of her actually getting to write something in the journal. At least she actually did have an episode later on (Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3) that had her actually learning a legitimate lesson. 

 

 

5. Applejewel and Rarihick. "Hey, you know what would be really funny? Let's have Rarity act like a downright offensive country stereotype while Applejack acts like an over-the-top Rarity. It's pure genius!"  Yeah....no. 

 

 

6. The breezy-fied mane six. Oh, how I will never get over this one. It's a big reason why I detest It Ain't Easy Being Breezies and find it to be one of the worst episodes of not only of season 4, but the entire series. It wasn't enough for Twilight that she already turned one of her friends into a mindless beast this season, oh no. Now she thinks that she can just go ahead and alter her friends' bodies on a genetic level without any regard whatsoever for their consent (except for Pinkie, the pony who, I point out, thought that cloning herself was "the best idea ever!!!"). I'm not sure if the point of this was to sell toys or not (I really don't know if there exist any breezy mane six toys), but either way, it just comes off as ridiculous and convoluted, whilst also establishing that Twilight can be a walking deus ex machina when she needs to be. 

 

 

7. Maud Pie's existence. I really don't care for Maud. She has next to no character, next to no personality, but she can cause nuclear-like explosions just by throwing rocks as well as destroy huge boulders with her bare hooves, and for that, the bronies adore her. I could at least understand all the love for Coco Pommel since she received a bit of development in the little time that we knew her. But for Maud, I just don't understand it at all. Hell, nevermind that she's a sister who comes completely out of nowhere to the point where they actually had to retcon her being present at Pinkie's first party. 

 

 

8. SUPER ALICORN TRANSFORMATION FTW!!!!! Bronies: ZOMG!!!! *fangasms* Oh, give me a goddamn break.    I really don't think I even need to say anything here. 

 

 

Bottom line, it's a bit annoying, particularly when the writers did not rely on gimmicks quite as much with the first three seasons. I'm not saying that they make the episodes bad (well, not all the episodes, anyway), but they certainly do not particularly make them better.  

[remove p l e a s e ? 800]

Even though I only watched half of S4, (Lack of money or good internet.) I thought it was great!

Maybe better than 2.

*Runs from the many weapons of angered fanboys.*

[BlinkZ 1,151]

I don't bother criticizing the show. It's aimed at little girls, who couldn't care less about your points. I enjoy the show for what it is, and don't think too much into it like I would with shows aimed at older audiences... y'know, ones we should actually be criticizing instead?

Well using the 'its a little girls show' isn't a valid reason not to judge such thing. It's like saying "it just a video game" and calling whatever game comes out as Good.  There nothing wring with critics as long as they relaize somethings are just the way they are cause it target demographic.

[Deae Rising Shine~ 52,338]

I like all episodes, from all seasons. Sure some bore me a little more then others, but I never Hate any episode. I don't even had a fave episode or season

[TheJLeeTeam 914]

Now that I think of it, Season 4 does do unusual things compared to the others i'll admit. But still it was a good season. I really liked Daring Don't and Power Ponies which were my favorite episodes this season. But saying Season 4 was awful is your opinion. -_-

[Tom Snyder 4,111]

 

 

. Twilight, Cadence, and The Worm. Three's a Crowd was arguably the only Twilight-focused episode of season 4, not including Princess Twilight Sparkle and Twilight's Kingdom. Ideally, this would have been the time to show that Twilight actually still has room to develop, in spite of her flaws now seeming mostly non-existent. On second thought, nah. How about instead we have SUPER EPIC DUAL ALICORN BATTLE TIME!!!! HELL YEAH!!!!!  This comes out of left field even more than Daring Do being real, and it seems like the thought process behind it was: "Hey we have two alicorns spending time together, so we might as well just shoehorn an epic battle into the episode. Because why not?" And seriously, this is what we get in place of any meaningful development for Twilight. She ultimately ends up learning a non-lesson at the end just for the sake of her actually getting to write something in the journal. At least she actually did have an episode later on (Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3) that had her actually learning a legitimate lesson. 

 

 

She still has her flaws, which can still be seen. People just don't want to look hard enough.

[Moonlight 7,279]

I thought season 4 was the best season of the show, but that's mainly since it has my two favorite episodes of the whole show; Pinkie Pride & Twilight's Kingdom. Other than a few duds here and there I thought it was a damn fine season. A decent amount of people didn't like Bats! but I loved it for both the Tim Burton-styled song and the vampire thing. Each episode has something redeemable about it. At least this season took chances, which is better than staying safe throughout every episode.

This thread feels like 'complaining for the sake of complaining'. 

[Tameless 979]

It wasn't my favorite but it was good in my opinion.

 

I for one loved that epic Dragon Ball Z battle xD

[Cleverclover 1,525]

 

 

She still has her flaws, which can still be seen. People just don't want to look hard enough.

 

I will admit she's still pretty damn careless and reckless with magic, but beyond that, I got nothing.  

[Pinkie-Guy 563]

I think for me it's that I was left colder by the episodes I didn't care that much for.  Season 4 has its good and great episodes, but I felt more strongly negative about the other ones, like It Ain't Easy Being Breezies and Bats!  Still, I think saying season 4 was awful is a bit too much hyperbole.

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

 

In all seriousness, 90% of the complaints I hear about seasons 3&4 are things that could easily be leveled at the first two seasons just as well(and season 1, everyone's favorite sacred cow is actually pretty shaky when compared to what came after when it really hit it's stride) and that leads me to think of the above when said complaints roll out.  

Edited January 27, 2015 by Shoboni

[Pinkie-Guy 563]

and season 1, everyone's favorite sacred cow is actually pretty shaky when compared to what came after when it really hit it's stride

 

It's true.  As I'm rewatching season 1, I'm beginning to think that season 2 is the best, or at least better than season 1, but that's a topic for a different thread.

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

 

It's true.  As I'm rewatching season 1, I'm beginning to think that season 2 is the best, or at least better than season 1, but that's a topic for a different thread.

 

For me it's a close tie between seasons 2&4(Season 3 would be in the running if it wasn't so short)

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,328]

 

In all seriousness, 90% of the complaints I hear about seasons 3&4 are things that could easily be leveled at the first two seasons just as well(and season 1, everyone's favorite sacred cow is actually pretty shaky when compared to what came after when it really hit it's stride) and that leads me to think of the above when said complaints roll out.  

It's just people trying way too hard to declare the show is going downhill, by making up reasons that could easily apply to the first 2.

[Orablanco Account 3,705]

Season 4 was certainly different both in its tone and its content thanks to the idea of a more involved over-arcing theme and more experimentation on the writers' part, but while I don't think everything in the season was gold (I don't think half the key episodes work, as a matter of fact), and it may actually be my least favorite of the seasons, it was far from awful. The general quality of the show is good enough that even the weaker, middle-of-the-road episodes still have something to admire, and I still quite liked a few of the better episodes (Pinkie Pride, Testing Testing 1 2 3, For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils).

 

It's really up to opinion (I'm one of the few people I know who actually liked Season 3 on the whole), but I wouldn't dismiss the entire season as a dud.

Edited January 27, 2015 by CITRUS KING46