Why were there only 13 episodes in Season 3?

[Cyandashie 128]

Why was there only 13 in this season, instead of 26?

[WriteCodes46 178]

Because 13 was the number needed to reach the syndication cap. The show was going to be cancelled afterwards, but Hasbro executives decided to make Season 4 at the last minute.

[Guest]

2 reasons:

 

• The show was intended to be cancelled at the end.
• They were dedicating more resources to the Equestria Girls movie.

[PoisonClaw 8,153]

Sixty-Five is the average number of episodes a children's show needs to reach to qualify for syndication. Season 3 was somewhat rushed in order to reach this number, hence why there were only 13 episodes.

 

 

The show was going to be cancelled afterwards

 

The show was intended to be cancelled at the end.

Can either of you verify this? Because at no point can I remember ever hearing talks that the show was intended to be cancelled, nor can I find any information saying so either. Even during S3, MLP was easily the highest grossing show on the Hub, so killing the cash-cow for their network sounds like a bad idea. Plus, I'm pretty sure S4 was already in production not long after S3 started. 

Edited August 23, 2015 by PoisonClaw

[Megas 27,050]

To meet the 65-episode syndication cap. Hasbro probably didn't expect the show to be so big and go passed 65 episodes

[Cyandashie 128]

But why was it going to be cancelled?

[Guest]

 

 

Can either of you verify this? Because at no point can I remember ever hearing talks that the show was intended to be cancelled, nor can I find any information saying so either. Even during S3, MLP was easily the highest grossing show on the Hub, so killing the cash-cow for their network sounds like a bad idea. Plus, I'm pretty sure S4 was already in production not long after S3 started. 

 

 

M. A. Larson confirmed that episode 13 of season 3 was intended as the final episode. They changed their minds at that point. They also mentioned early before season 3 was announced that they were doing a half season because they were working on "something big". Later that year they came out with the Equestria Girls movie.

 

Just because MLP was their top grossing show doesn't mean they wouldn't cancel it. It's original intended demographic isn't really that concerned with a ton of new episodes. They could have just run re-runs for the next 2 years, collected toy sails and they'd have been set till they finish Equestria Girl movies up until they decide to do gen 5. It would have been an economic decision.

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

65 is needed for syndication and they were going to end it after that, but it survived so season 4 had 26 and so will season 5

[Steve Piranha 28,751]

But why was it going to be cancelled?

Maybe because they'd never expected FiM to be as successful as it is  . I mean, it was surprissing a show about ponies reached the syndication in the first place, but now, it expanded to comics, a humanized brand, beyond the syndication and by next season, twice as long as the syndication at least. Not bas for some colored big-eyed mini horses 

[Celli 4,332]

 

 

Can either of you verify this? Because at no point can I remember ever hearing talks that the show was intended to be cancelled, nor can I find any information saying so either. Even during S3, MLP was easily the highest grossing show on the Hub, so killing the cash-cow for their network sounds like a bad idea. Plus, I'm pretty sure S4 was already in production not long after S3 started. 

As @@Key Sharkz, Said, Larson stated in this interview:

[MoltenKitten 341]

It's an omen

 

13 is an unlucky number and thus 3 seasons after season 3 the show will die, in season 6 every pony becomes an alicorn and spike dies

[Marimo 555]

But why was it going to be cancelled?

Think of it less as it was going to be cancelled and more they only planned for it to last a safe number like 65. Like I'm pretty sure the contracts that were made for the VAs were specifically for 65 episodes, since there was some matter involving resignings before season 4's voice recording were going on.

 

 

Even during S3, MLP was easily the highest grossing show on the Hub, so killing the cash-cow for their network sounds like a bad idea. Plus, I'm pretty sure S4 was already in production not long after S3 started. 

Keep in mind, making the seasons and deciding to greenlight another are usually decided a lot earlier. Season 3 was being made around the time season 1 had ended and season 2 was just starting. They didn't exactly have high expectations for the show when it started considering they aired new episodes of season 1 in the middle of Friday, when people would either be at school or at work, and it was only during season 2 that it was changed to premiere new episodes on Saturday, along with how they more gradually became aware of the huge fan following and seeing the show get good ratings as well as having events like the We <3 Ponies Marathon and the way they hyped up the season 2 finale, and it was also during this period that they would have decided to greenlight another season.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Marimo

[baba_booey 4,299]

As people have said, it was because it was originally intended to be the last season and run to 65 episodes, but then the show got big and they continued with the series.

 

Or, we could go with my explanation in one of my blog posts.

MLP Season 3.

There's 3 letters in MLP.
There's 2 numbers in "13"
1+3+2=6
6
There's 6 characters in the Mane 6
There's 4 letters in "Mane"
6+6+4=16
1+6=7
There's seven seas.
Sea.
Ocean.
The Pacific Ocean.
The Bikini Bottom is in located in the Pacific Ocean.
Bikini Bottom.
Spongebob Squarepants.
Spongebob makes Krabby Patties
Patties
Burgers.
A Big Mac is a burger.
Big Mac is the name of an MLP Character.
Mac.
Macintosh
Mac OS X
X = 10
The Mane 6, Spike, and the CMC made 10 main characters.
And there were 3 Princesses until S3E13
10+3=13
Could it be that they wanted to make it around their main characters?
Yes.
Twilight becomes an Alicorn in Season 3.
Alicorn is 7 letters
Season is 6 letters
7+6=13
They obviously foreshadowed Twilight Sparkle becoming an alicorn.

Now you know why Season 3 only has 13 episodes.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Angry Cartoon Nerd

[Celli 4,332]

@,That reminded me of one of those "X is illuminati joke" Videos.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Celli

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

Pretty much everything said so far in the thread.

65 is the number for syndication, and that's usually what shows shoot for. A show has to prove itself as a real winner to get more, and MLP wasn't exactly expected to be that strong, just "another" girls show out there: decent but not good.
The success kind of came out of left field to them, and so they continued it.

>NOW BUY MORE TOYS OR THE SHOW GETS CANCELED

 

 

 

 It's original intended demographic isn't really that concerned with a ton of new episodes.

 

on this note, I kind of wonder if the current "Intended demographic" is older than they originally aimed the target demographic at?
Like I wonder if they were aiming more at 4-5 year olds in the begginning and are aiming more at 6-8 year old girls now?

[sweetolebob18 724]

Reality TV shows & game shows make money the 1st time they are shown because they are cheaper to make than regular shows or animated shows.  Thus, they will persist for the foreseeable future.  Other shows make money only when they are syndicated & it is easier to market them in packs of 65 (5 days a week x 13 weeks).

 

If season 6 is 13 episodes, it will likely be the last season.  If it is 26 episodes, the show is probably good through season 8 (195 episodes) 

[Zerbu 72]

Like I wonder if they were aiming more at 4-5 year olds in the begginning and are aiming more at 6-8 year old girls now?

This may answer your question:  https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/video-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-100th-episode-1201513256/

 

The irony is that we don’t try to incorporate anything into the show to hit any specific demographic. We’re actually just making the show that has been developed and has been successful on its own merits. When we look at a particular episode when we’re writing it and animating it, we’re thinking about if this is true to the spirit of the show, true to the spirit of the characters, true to the spirit of the world. Ultimately, that’s what’s driven the success and driven the fanbase.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Zerbu