Do you think MLP is getting worse with age?

[Codelyy 1,286]

I can't answer this question sadly as I haven't got a great interest in the show any more so i rarely ever watch it. Don't even know what season it's on XD. However from seeing other shows such as spongebob, it seems that a lot of shows tend to get worse as they age for multiple reasons but It does seem that the main reason is the writers forget about the main theme of the show.

 

I'm using spongebob for this example as not is it just my profile picture XD but spongebob is sadly one of the shows that is a lot different compared to when it first came out.

 

Now I've heard that writers have left the show and even the creator herself stopped working on the show so with a lot of shows... this would normally be the time the show starts to turn bad but it seems like MLP is just one of those shows that doesn't age easily.

 

I mainly want to see what you think, do you think the show is better now then compared to the older episodes or worse?

[Carl Poppa 464]

Season 5 (the one that just ended) was the best season to date, imo. There's been loads of character development and the show is very aware that it has a more mature fanbase than was originally anticipated, which has led to deeper themes and more solid plotlines.

 

There is a sizable number of people who disagree, but I've watched the series grow up a bit and I'm rather looking forward to the next season and the upcoming movie.

[Codelyy 1,286]

Season 5 (the one that just ended) was the best season to date, imo. There's been loads of character development and the show is very aware that it has a more mature fanbase than was originally anticipated, which has led to deeper themes and more solid plotlines.

 

There is a sizable number of people who disagree, but I've watched the series grow up a bit and I'm rather looking forward to the next season and the upcoming movie.

There a new movie?? XD. I've missed so much

[WindShear 543]

I don't think that the show is getting worse, heck season 5 has included what are now some of my favorite episodes in the entire show.

 

 

Now I've heard that writers have left the show and even the creator herself stopped working on the show so with a lot of shows... this would normally be the time the show starts to turn bad but it seems like MLP is just one of those shows that doesn't age easily.

 

 

Well Lauren Faust left the show way back in season 2 so that's not really a recent development.  As far as writers leaving, having new writers come in to replace the writers that left is not necessarily a bad thing. New writers come with new fresh ideas and can help keep the show from stagnating.

 

[Guest]

The show isn't exactly the same as it started, but IMO that's not a regression, rather a progression. This is not a knock on the early seasons, I thoroughly enjoyed their charming simplicity and they serve well to introduce the characters and the world around them. However, continuing the 'Dear Princess Celestia...' format of early episodes would have made the show far too formulaic. For me, the characters learned a lot of necessary life lessons in the early seasons, now it seems that they are taking those lessons and acting upon them -thereby showing progression/development in both the show and its characters. If anything, I think the show is improving, plots are becoming more complex as are the themes. 

[Codelyy 1,286]

 

Well Lauren Faust left the show way back in season 2 so that's not really a recent development.  As far as writers leaving, having new writers come in to replace the writers that left is not necessarily a bad thing. New writers come with new fresh ideas and can help keep the show from stagnating.

Yea but sometimes the new writers ideas are not good ones and can easily ruin a show.

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,987]

There seems to be a sizable number of people who consider season 1 and 2 the best and that the show degraded ever since. I would disagree with those people as I think MLPFIM generally improved since then; there are shows that do degrade longer they exist, but that hasn't happened with MLPFIM yet.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Tsaritsa Luna

[Black Sabbath 2,486]

Yes, it have. Season five have had more than a few of the worst episode in the entire series. 

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

Not really. I think the show actually improved as it went along. Also, I watched seasons 1 and 2 recently and tbh, some factors of them really don't age well.

 

*Proceeds to get stampeded by hate mail*

[cider float 2,538]

It's gotten bad every new season. There are still some episodes that are decent but they are few and still not up to par as it used to been. I'm just not as hyped at the next episode as I used to. The quality was so good back then I watched S1 and S2 episodes between my study sessions as a way to relax and it was always good. It's just not as good as it used to been though, now it's really showing it's age.

Edited December 8, 2015 by cider float

[Mesme Rize 15,685]

It's different, that's what i surely can confirm. But i wouldn't say it got bad, just that the expectations of some people where at different places.

 

While i wouldn't say that Season 5 was the greatest season (4 and 2 are better IMO) it still had it's fair share of very good episodes, even some of the best of the series. But i think the quality always stayed the same (except for season 3, which is a really mediocre season.)

[Treble Sketch 360]

Well, not.. I personally think that Season 5 is a nice improvement from the previous seasons, it has been improving since Season 2. Both in the episode story and the animations.

 

Toon Boom sure made the episodes this season look more, well, professional and awesome

 

The story lines has shifted from the 2-8 age group with all the things that would be expect coming from that age to more of a wink at all the fans with references here and there. The meaning in each episode has also got more mature then the previous seasons, which I noticed that some members of the fandom has been tuning out on and saying that somehow, the seasons are getting worse..

 

Well, another short rant of mine

[AbeLinkedIn 69]

In a lot of cases when the original creator steps down or otherwise gives creative control to someone else, it's a sign things are going downhill or the show is going to decline in quality for a myriad of reasons like Flanderization or generic sitcom plot 124 or in general another form of shark jumping. 

 

However I feel that MLP has actually grown quite the beard since its early episodes, having been a fan since the beginning. Now some could argue they're turning their attention to the older fanbase and leaving the kids in the dust, but I think it's still enjoyable enough for everyone. My cousin is still very much a fan and thinks Discord is hilarious. 

 

But I agree with the others here that season 5 has been a pretty solid season with many showstopping episodes and soon to be classic moments. Even an episode that was pretty much a fanservice episode was enjoyable from beginning to end and wasn't too heavy handed with the fandering. We got another awesome villain in the form of Starlight, the CMC finally got their cutie marks, more classic MLP characters like The Smooze was introduced, etc. 

 

The only dark spot I see is Friendship Games, but then again I never really liked EqG very much from the word Go, though Sunset is an awesome character. I'm not saying it wasn't a quality make, just not my personal cup of tea. But all things considered, the show has gotten increasingly better, even the production itself has increased in quality and shows the full potential of Flash. 

[GeekySonic 1,150]

I became a Brony right around the time season 5 began, so I can't make any certain judgment as to whether or not changes should have been made. I went back watched most of the previous seasons, but season 5 is my favorite by a landslide. Maybe if I had gotten here sooner, I would have a different opinion. I dunno.

Edited December 8, 2015 by GeekySonic

[Sporemane 546]

I think that the opposite is true. This show is getting better with age. The animation has improved along with the story telling. Season five is the best season to date.

I became a Brony right around the time season 5 began, so I can't make any certain judgment as to whether or not changes should have been made. I went back watched most of the previous seasons, but season 5 is my favorite by a landslide. Maybe if I had gotten here sooner, I would have a different opinion. I dunno.

I became a brony when season five began also.

[GeekySonic 1,150]

I think that the opposite is true. This show is getting better with age. The animation has improved along with the story telling. Season five is the best season to date.

 

Oh, I absolutely agree. I was just stating that if I had become a Brony beforehand (around the beginning or season 2), I might have a different viewpoint. There are lots of ways to go about viewing change. Some Bronies don't like it, others do. I wasn't around to decide whether or not I approved the change; it had already happened. Looking back, it's easy for me to say that I enjoy the direction the show has been taking.

 

EDIT: I think I just completely misinterpreted what you said. My bad.

Edited December 8, 2015 by GeekySonic

[Steve Piranha 29,429]

In my opinion, the show hasn't worsened, but evolved instead. It got away from the S1 and S2 formula of Slice of Life with the Dear Princess Celestia aesop, and made many interesting episodes. While it's true most shows tend to jump the shark if kept for too long, I haven;t felt that happening to FiM yet, it just had a slow start this last season (had many underwhelming episodes straight at start, but it reversed close to half season, with many outstanding episodes straight) 

[cmarston1 5,959]

I have to disagree with this. Season one is my least favorite season and season 4 is my favorite. Season 5 had some great episodes as well and enough for me to prefer the later seasons over the earlier seasons.

[BastementSparkle 20,328]

I think it's mostly been improving. Season 5 is my absolute favorite so far, with season 4 being a really close second, and Season 2 as my third. Same thing with Equestria girls. Both Rainbow Rocks and Friendship Games were massive improvements over the first movie.

 

 Can't wait for season 6 and EQG4.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,676]

Season 5 is currently my favorite season in the entire show, so, nope, I don't think it is getting worse, only better. Season 4 and 5 were better than all the other seasons in my opinion. 

[Guest]

As time goes on, essentially every show will decline in quality as ideas stop being fresh and writers grow tired of making episodes. Sometimes bringing in new people can refresh things, but often times it comes off as desperate and trying too hard. At the end of the day, I felt season 5 was weaker than others, though not "terrible" and the third Equestria Girls movie was DEFINITELY the weakest for me in terms of music and presentation. The fact that they omitted that entire subplot with Sunset kind of killed a lot of it for me.

[Ponies4Bronies 394]

The show is not getting worse its getting better. So to all those who decided to cut the show from their lives after season 3..haha your missing out.

[FlitterFlutter 1,584]

I am not even sure, they should be compared. It really is almost like a different show, if you compare season 1 with season 5.

I mean season 1 was quite simple in both animation and storytelling (note simple is not necessarily a bad thing), with seasons 4 and 5 having much better animation and much more complex stories. (not necessarily better just different).

 

But if you are asking for MY personal opinion I have liked seasons 4 and 5 more then season 1 and 2, with season 3 being quite bad overall. But I guess it just depends on what you are looking for in a show.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

It's a question that relates to perceptions and what individual viewers care about most in the programs they watch.

 

That said I would argue that MLP:FiM has only improved with time. Season 5 is now my favorite, followed closely by S4 and S2. For me, the characters continue to grow and mature, the world as we see it continues to expand, and the animation just continues to improve. Heck, even Equestria Girls has improved from it's sub-par beginnings.

 

So yeah; it has only got better with time.

[Pinkiest Pie 405]

Actually, it has become more amazing and had even better plots over Season 5. Infact, Season 5 was probably the best season we have had so far. 

-We have had episodes with good plots that make sense.

-We have had episodes which give is information.

-We have had episodes which are better than any Season 4 episode could ever be.

 

At this point I think it is obvious that it, infact, will stay this way. I too have been a spongebob fan, I have watched even the mdoern spongebob episodes (aka garbage). But I believe MLP will have higher expectations than Spongebob. (Spongebob got BAD because they kept they show running way longer than they planned.) 

Edited December 8, 2015 by PinkiestPie