What type of things do you see in MLP that the younger viewers wouldn't?

[Happyandrenewed999 106]

I know the makers of the show put things in that are subtle. But what do you think? What have you seen happen in the show the the older viewers can relate to?

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

There is quite a bit of subtext. My personal favorite is the social commentary, which they don't do often. There are episodes like "The Cutie Map" whose morals are aimed at larger groups of society rather than just individuals, and then there are episodes like "Testing Testing 123" which are hiding deeper contextual messages (like not trying to force learning by rote methods) under relatively easy-to-grasp individual lessons (finding the right method of learning for yourself, and not letting your difference in abilities compromise your self-confidence). There are even subtleties to the way Equestria itself works that look like social commentaries, like cutie marks symbolizing the importance of self-identity in the world and the increased freedom schools there offer rather than the industrial-era warehousing mindset most school systems today use.

 

MLP rarely does this explicitly, but I thoroughly enjoy it when the writers are getting out big messages in such a format as MLP allows.

[Red Cedar 1,408]

Well, in the last episode, references to The Shining.

 

There have been plenty, though.

[Rainboom Dash 1,056]

A lot of the pop culture references, which come from shows and movies the younger demographic wouldn't really understand at their age.

[Kira Dogeikage 230]

Innuendos. Just listen. There are a fair amount of them.

[cider float 2,539]

I wish I was more easily amused but a mere spoiler can ruin the surprise for me.

[superdogz1999 551]

Mostly references to popular culture like Discord pretending to be the cop from the film terminator 2. A few jokes mixed in certain scenes and stuff like that.

[MoltenKitten 342]

Bed eyes are everywhere

[The Awesome One 1,315]

There are often references to things which are not for little kids and that scene where Rainbow Dash quickly takes off Fluttershy's bedsheet and she blushes. Why? They don't wear clothes anyway.

[Grepper 3,193]

There are often references to things which are not for little kids and that scene where Rainbow Dash quickly takes off Fluttershy's bedsheet and she blushes. Why? They don't wear clothes anyway.

 

I think many kids would understand that one.

[Pinkiesister75 92]

A lot of the pop culture references, which come from shows and movies the younger demographic wouldn't really understand at their age.

Like The Big Lebowski. I highly doubt small children would watch that.

[manic 121]

There are often references to things which are not for little kids and that scene where Rainbow Dash quickly takes off Fluttershy's bedsheet and she blushes. Why? They don't wear clothes anyway.

 

I've always wondered about the Fluttershy and Rarity blushing scenes.

[----------------------- 171]

It'll have to be the pop culture references and such. The Shining and rampaging Spike being a reference to King Kong, for example.

[LHfunk 422]

The only things I've noticed that younger kids wouldn't get are Solid Snake Discord, Winter is Coming, and the fandom nods. I don't really notice much else (that I can think of at least).

[Melke 160]

May I direct your attention to Season 4's premiere: Princess Twilight Sparkle? That is one episode with somethings that can be taken out of context and kids would not notice it that much. Pop culture references are everywhere and also there are some adult references for the older audience.

[The Nth Doctor 664]

The fact Luna left Rarity, Twilight and Fluttershy to die in their dreams while she chased the Tantabus

[colt .45 259]

Discord dressed as Hunter S Thompson, Discord re-creating a scene from "Flashdance", Discord imitating eighties era stand up comedians ,Jerry Seinfeld, Gallagher, and Rodney Dangerfield. But other than Discord, I think a lot of the episode titles. Of course "Magical Mystery Cure" is a reference to the Beatles song/album Magical Mystery Tour. There is also; "Lesson Zero" (Less than Zero- eighties movie), "Secret of my Excess" (Secret of my Sucess- also an eighties movie), "Sleepless in Ponyville" (Sleepless in Seattle), "Rarity Takes Manehatten" (Jason Takes Manhattan- eighth Friday the Thirteenth sequel), "Filling Vanilli" (Milli Vanilli -early nineties "singing" group that was exposed to be lip syncing), "For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils" (For Whom the Bell Tolls - classic Hemingway book/ Metallica song). Other titles are just a play on words or expressions that children wouldn't know. This season hasn't been so much with the titles, but still plenty of adult references. The Shining & Dumb and Dumber have been mentioned, but there was a Fargo reference in "Princess Spike". The classic five stages of grief from "Tanks for the Memories" is probably over the heads of the target audience. Oh, I forgot, "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep" that title is a reference to the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, and the group dream was from the movie Inception, and parts of the episode could be seen as a reference to Nightmare on Elm Street three: Dream Warriors.

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

This show does a really good job of creating content that kids will enjoy, but also leaving enough humor and references for the adult audience

[Red Cedar 1,408]

Well, let's see, off the top of my head, references to films and tv shows the target demographic really should not have seen:

 

Terminator 2

The Shining

Flashdance

Game of Thrones

Doctor Who

 

And that's just in the last season and a half.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,939]

I seem to notice most of those lovely little pop-culture references that younger kids would definitely not get. Game of Thrones and Metal Gear Solid, those have been two of my favorites so far, and both within the same season. Metal Gear Discord, genius!

 

Also, I think something that younger children would most likely not notice is the clear reference to death that Tanks for the Memories represents and the stages of grief that are within the episode. Most young kids most likely would not even notice anything related to it. I seriously love that episode.

[Pinkiesister75 92]

Discord dressed as Hunter S Thompson, Discord re-creating a scene from "Flashdance", Discord imitating eighties era stand up comedians ,Jerry Seinfeld, Gallagher, and Rodney Dangerfield. But other than Discord, I think a lot of the episode titles. Of course "Magical Mystery Cure" is a reference to the Beatles song/album Magical Mystery Tour. There is also; "Lesson Zero" (Less than Zero- eighties movie), "Secret of my Excess" (Secret of my Sucess- also an eighties movie), "Sleepless in Ponyville" (Sleepless in Seattle), "Rarity Takes Manehatten" (Jason Takes Manhattan- eighth Friday the Thirteenth sequel), "Filling Vanilli" (Milli Vanilli -early nineties "singing" group that was exposed to be lip syncing), "For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils" (For Whom the Bell Tolls - classic Hemingway book/ Metallica song). Other titles are just a play on words or expressions that children wouldn't know. This season hasn't been so much with the titles, but still plenty of adult references. The Shining & Dumb and Dumber have been mentioned, but there was a Fargo reference in "Princess Spike". The classic five stages of grief from "Tanks for the Memories" is probably over the heads of the target audience. Oh, I forgot, "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep" that title is a reference to the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, and the group dream was from the movie Inception, and parts of the episode could be seen as a reference to Nightmare on Elm Street three: Dream Warriors.

 

I also saw Rarity Takes Manehattan as The Muppets Take Manhattan (which is probably what Jason Takes Manhattan was referencing).

[colt .45 259]

I also saw Rarity Takes Manehattan as The Muppets Take Manhattan (which is probably what Jason Takes Manhattan was referencing).

That makes more sense, and you are probably right. But since the title of the thread is "what things I see that younger viewers wouldn't" I went with the Friday the thirteenth movie, because presumably younger viewers would know about muppets.

[Pinkiesister75 92]

That makes more sense, and you are probably right. But since the title of the thread is "what things I see that younger viewers wouldn't" I went with the Friday the thirteenth movie, because presumably younger viewers would know about muppets.

That's certanly true. I love the bit in Testing 1-2-3 where Applejack tells Rainbow Dash that she's "...up a creek".

[cider float 2,539]

That certain quirks are for selling toys.

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

All the references to other movies like Big Lebowski