You see, episodes of MLP are sort of like a fugue. They start with a single subject, in an exposition, and are countered with an answer to the subject and have a counter subject introduced. By this point, the second subject is in. You can consider the first five minutes like the exposition of a fugue, starting with one voice and steadily introducing the second and third voices, so that you have a development of a witty intro (Subject in the first voiceand answer introducing the second voice), the theme song (counter subject in the second voice), and the explaination of the basic plot (second subject introducing the final voice and finishing the exposition.
Then comes the development, building on counterpoint and restating at least once (often numerous times) the second subject and possible answers. Plot twists can arise, as new countersubjects, and chaos can represent free counterpoint. Everything at this point is to build upon the plot, being responsible for pacing.
Particularly intense episodes usually add the stretto, which adds new subjects/answers without starting a second fugue.
Then you finish with the coda, which resolves all subjects, fulfills the counterpoint, follows a cadential pattern, and ends everyone on a fulfilling and satisfying note.
But this episode... it was not like that. It had a fine original exposition, but it had a poor development, a shambled stretto, and a coda which just left us all either confused or disappointed.
This would have been better as a two parter. It would have given time for it to be more properly developed, it could have built good tension, and delivered the plot twist in a way that was fulfilling and exciting. (Pre-warning would have been nice, though)
Magical Mystery Cure: What could it have done better?
in Pretty Pony Analysis
A blog by Metaright in General
Posted
I think you had made fantastic points.
You see, episodes of MLP are sort of like a fugue. They start with a single subject, in an exposition, and are countered with an answer to the subject and have a counter subject introduced. By this point, the second subject is in. You can consider the first five minutes like the exposition of a fugue, starting with one voice and steadily introducing the second and third voices, so that you have a development of a witty intro (Subject in the first voiceand answer introducing the second voice), the theme song (counter subject in the second voice), and the explaination of the basic plot (second subject introducing the final voice and finishing the exposition.
Then comes the development, building on counterpoint and restating at least once (often numerous times) the second subject and possible answers. Plot twists can arise, as new countersubjects, and chaos can represent free counterpoint. Everything at this point is to build upon the plot, being responsible for pacing.
Particularly intense episodes usually add the stretto, which adds new subjects/answers without starting a second fugue.
Then you finish with the coda, which resolves all subjects, fulfills the counterpoint, follows a cadential pattern, and ends everyone on a fulfilling and satisfying note.
But this episode... it was not like that. It had a fine original exposition, but it had a poor development, a shambled stretto, and a coda which just left us all either confused or disappointed.
This would have been better as a two parter. It would have given time for it to be more properly developed, it could have built good tension, and delivered the plot twist in a way that was fulfilling and exciting. (Pre-warning would have been nice, though)