Best Episode to Start with

[Varrack 1,080]

Any episode with RD as the centre. Guys love RD.

Amen to that brother. Haha

[SquipyCheetah 449]

I would say Swarm of the Century because that's the first I watched and it got me hooked. Lesson Zero, Party of One, Read it and Weep, etc are also good ones.

[Firedog 320]

Episode 1 & 2. I started watching a random season 4 episode and thought it was dumb when I started. It made no since. I would go with the start. Thats how I got into it otherwise its just random ponies doing random things that are wierd. Overall though, the first episode you watch is usually the one you think isn't good to show people at first just because it felt wierd to you watching it. But truth is the first episode anyone watch will always be weird. So 1 & 2 since it will introduce the characters give some context, and probably by part 2 end will like the show

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

A lot of people would say Lesson Zero or Party of One, but those episodes work because its the characters going nuts and OUT of their usual character, if you aren't familiar with them already they aren't near as effective. So I say stuff like Cutie Mark Chronicles for being a better effective introduction of the whole cast than the pilot. Or episodes like Suited For Success, Wonderbolts Academy, Hurricane Fluttershy. Great episodes that spotlight a character being themselves and show you a lot of who they are and what they are about.

Edited September 25, 2015 by M'gann M'orzz

[Lucario14 26]

Amen to that brother. Haha

Rainbow falls was one of my favourites ☺

[best poni 1,521]

The cutie map. After the cutie map, start from season 1 and move up from there

[NeonCobalt 256]

I'd say that the best to start with would be Return of Harmony, because it has a good conflict as well as a lot of good moments that showcase the character's personalities (as well as their opposites). It also requires very little knowledge going in.

[MaresFillies 146]

You open the magical elements of harmony book! "Once upon a time in the beautiful land of Equestria, there was two regal sisters..." :3

[Magnum Flare 553]

Introduction tactic!

 

Know the 'newcomer's interest, then show them an episode with that interest. e.g an MGS Fan? Use 'Make New Friends but Keep Discord'!

 

In all seriousness though, I'd show good episodes from Season 1 - 3, since 4 and up have Twilight as Alicorn already.

 

Commonly it's:

 

Party of One

Lesson Zero

Read It and Weep

The Canterlot Wedding

Return of Harmony

Crystal empire

[Pulse Wave 44]

Rule of thumb.....er, hoof: always start with the first episode as it introduces the main characters of the show, and in this case introduces objects that were important to bringing said main characters together.

Exactly. All later episodes require knowledge that has to be acquired from the pilot, regardless of how much more awesome they are.

 

So the pilot all the way.

 

The Cutie map. He will lose all misconceptions of the shoe being just for little girls.

Might just as well suggest "Twilight's Kingdom" for the reason that nothing is as un-little-girly than an alicorn princess going OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAND Super Saiyan on an evil centaur overlord. Guess the only reason why nopony recommends this one is because Twilight does not deep-fry Tirek into oblivion with her über-magic (plus the usual Twilicorn loathing).

[sweetolebob18 728]

Hey, I recommended either Cutie Mark Chronicles or Twilight's Kingdom.

 

T's Kingdom at least shows "where did they get their castle?" + relationship w Discord, all Mane 6, all Alicorns, Ponyville & best fight in the entire series, thus reassuring your father it's not JUST for little girls 

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

Lucario14, on 23 Sept 2015 - 11:29 PM, said:

Any episode with RD as the centre. Guys love RD.

 

RD has quite a lot of duds though, more than any other character maybe. I would never start someone out on something like Mare-Do-Well or Rainbow Falls.

Edited November 14, 2015 by M'gann M'orzz

[Alleviate 342]

LESSON ZERO. My first, and still my favourite. Just enough badassity and madness for it to really get people interested. I'd say it introduces the characters pretty well too. Read it and Weep and Party of One are other decent starters, and Miss Leninglimmer's episode too.