What makes an episode flawed?

[Celli 4,335]

Well, first of all, if you think no episode is flawed, you must not really pay much attention to any details, and are a little too optimistic, but every episode has flaws, no episode is perfect. As many people have already stated, there are numerous ways episodes can be flawed. Character derailment, bad writing, characters having to be force-fed the lesson, there are many flaws in this show, and it's kind of silly to think the show is flawless. Everything in media, whether it be video games, animation, movies, literature, nothing is flawless.

[MozillaToast 233]

A character being out of character makes an episode flawed.

[They call me Loyalty 1,941]

Personally...

Lackluster plot and wasted potential. It isn't magnetic enough to generate any reaction from you (Flight to the finish)

Meaningless plot. You haven't learned anything at all. It's just forgivable. No progress has taken place (Bats!)

Monotonous plot. Too focused on meaningless events (The show stoppers)

Incoherent characters. The character's personality is built around the plot, and not the other way around (Spike At Your Service)

Predictable story and enemies. There isn't much going on within your mind right now. Don't expect any big surprises (The Crystal Empire)

[lelouch. 625]

it is the flaws in every episode which makes them perfect.

[sweetolebob18 724]

I can not think what the Supreme Court Judge's name was (I'm bad at remembering names).  It was a 1960s obscenity case & he said something to the effect of "I can't precisely define it, but I know it when I see it"

 

I feel the same way about a lot of things & I think most other people do, too,  For "bad episode", I usually mean "Episode I disliked" (I feel the same about movies, music, books, you-name-it)

 

My least favorite episodes are MMMystery on the Friendship Express, Dragon Quest, Owl's Well That Ends Well & Secret of My Excess.  Most of them are Spike Episodes, but that ain't it.  He is a major part of some of my favorites, too.  Dog & Pony Show or Inspiration Manifestation, for instance.

Edited November 30, 2014 by sweetolebob18

[Dark Horse 12,815]

For me; its any episode that compromises one of the mane six's personality for the sake of the plot. Could forgive it in some of the earlier episodes of season 1, but it really bothered me the amount of times Fluttershy's development was seemingly retconned just so they could use her for another flanderized scaredy cat joke. At least try and give some credible reasoning other then "It was funny on script".

[sweetolebob18 724]

Well, all the ponies have grown since season 1, but in some ways Fluttershy has grown the least.  She isn't the scaredy cat she was in season 1.  She has faced death & knows she can do it.  But she has always been super shy & that hasn't changed.  Yes, she's made steps.  But, as she said in Filli Vanilli "Baby steps"  Still, in Equestria Games she can compete in public (in a nonspeaking way)

 

One thing that everyone seems to just let slide.  Her behavior was so out of character in episode 2, I'm astonished nobody notices.  She goes off into the dark scary forrest to face a legendarily nasty monster.  No begging, no whining, no having to be forced? Does that sound like Fluttershy to you?  I swear, she must be under a spell, it is the only possible explanation

[Shanks 10,811]

There are many things that can make a story in any medium be flawed in some way. Flawed of course dosen't always mean bad but there are some where the flaws can over ride the good but since that is a topic for another day I will just talk about a few flaws I have noticed in some MLP episodes.

 

Flanderization: We see this a lot with Spike with him nearly always being depicted as a joke character or as some kind of doofus. In seasons 1 and 2 he was presented in a much more balanced and thoughtful way with him having a doofus side but also having a more mature side but he is becoming more and more a one dimensional character and I think he deserves better. Pinkie Pie has also suffered from this though to a much lesser extent with hers being largely in season 3 with some in season 4 but counterbalanced with some excellent portrayals in episodes where she has a starring role like Pinkie Apple Pie and Maud Pie.

 

Mary Sue wish fulfillment: The biggest perpetrator of this is twilicorn. It was born a bastard cynically shoe horned in by Hasbro execs to sell more princess toys with little regard for the story of the show or Twilights character. The introduction was atrocious in a rushed season 3 finale that made zero sense and I am still not sold on it but it does still have a chance to work out so I am still in wait and see mode now. With the exception of this and maybe the occasional other more minor example the show has thankfully avoided this trap.

 

Out of Character Moments: There has been a disturbingly high amount of these lately including but not limited to Applejack in Somepony To Watch Over Me and Spitfire in Rainbow Falls. While characters can be complex and sometimes act in ways that they wouldn't normally act like Fluttershy in Putting Your Hoof Down it has to be done in way that is believable which both examples fail miserably to do.

[Splashee 28,538]

Oh, the most flawed of episodes have to do with the story writer bring up already dealt with issues, not checking what has already been done.

 

Example:

Applejack and Rainbow Dash being competitive in season 1.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash being competitive in season 8.

 

That just makes a really bad episode!

 

 

 

[Evil Pink One 13,296]

It is flawed

when judged and fraud.