I feel like fans complain about episodes for no real reason

[TheAnimatorOfficial 567]

Either they look at the preview and automatically think it's going to suck (like, every single week) or they become overly offended by an episode and proclaim that the show is ruined (even though there are obvious, obvious improvements from the so called "glory days"), again, every week.

 

It's getting honestly depressing to see. It reminds me of the hardcore SpongeBob fanboys who would bitch about everything past Season 3.

[Gestum 2,493]

I have to agree with you. All you hear is how bad a episode is. But then again it has always been that way.

[cmarston1 5,959]

That's a fanbase for you.

As much as I enjoy this one, I would be lying if I said I didn't have any problems with it.

And this is one of them.

[BastementSparkle 20,326]

I kind of agree. I don't think there's anything wrong with criticizing an episode, or anything wrong with disliking an episode either. Everyone has their own opinion and I can respect it when someone has problems with an episode, even ones I like.

 

 But it feels a lot like some people aren't giving episodes any chance anymore, as if they're totally determined to hate them, every single thing get's nitpicked and every episode that isn't "Amazing" is "Terrible". Even a bad episode, or at least one they think is bad isn't treated like just a bad episode. It has to be "The worst episode ever, death of the show, proof MLP's gone through seasonal rot", it's ridiculous and overly negative and a bit annoying really.

[Jeric 46,850]

The fandom has a wide range of tastes. I can go into any topic and find some that want the show to have more slice of life, to have more fan nods, to have darker themes, etc. I would also find opinions that counter each of these. Funny thing is, this may be quantifiable using sample selection from this very forum. MLPF started during Season 2. I would prompt a visit to the season 2 and beyond and review the posts. There were a handful of episodes people didn't like back then. I want to quote Battlestar Galactica. I won't.

 

I find it silly to discount people pining over the earlier seasons in comparison to the older seasons. That is a valid opinion since the tone and story had a simpler pattern. It felt different. How can I say otherwise when that is simply a reflection of taste? I like sci-fi more than slashers. Doesn't mean I would think a persons taste is wrong if they prefer Halloween over Trek.

 

I find that even comment on it is unproductive and forming an opinion on these tastes very limiting. My wife loathes Star Wars. Empire is my favorite movie of all time, yet her opinion of it doesn't impact how I view her ... or more appropriately to this topic ... create any sort of frustration.

 

Tastes are subjective and they change. I like Season 6. I'll enjoy what I want comfortable in my decision to do so without the need to feel I have to justify it with company.

[Cleverclover 1,526]

If I dislike an episode, it's not for "no real reason." 

 

It's normally because of: 

 

- Lackluster writing and pacing

- Terrible morals 

- Humor that falls painfully flat 

- Characters acting unlike themselves 
 

Honestly, there's no way I could possibly blame anyone for feeling that seasonal rot has already set in. We're only ten episodes in, and I have personally found many of them redundantly average or outright terrible.

 

I feel like with the departure of Amy Keating Rogers, Larson, and McCarthy, the show has lost a significant amount of writing talent. We're basically down to relying on brand new writers and hoping that they can actually manage to hit more than they miss, which honestly doesn't seem to happen too often. I'm honestly not sure how much longer the show can go on while still remaining "good." 

[Concerned Bystander 2,902]

What annoys me is the people who somehow still fail to understand the fact that the cartoon is intended for people much younger than they are, and who criticise it for not being dark enough, or mature enough, or repeating itself.

 

Yes, the characters sometimes have to learn previous lessons all over again, but there's a reason for that.  The six main characters are each meant to represent a particular type of person, and those character types should be identifiable throughout the entire run of the cartoon so that new viewers (specifically the young girls at whom the cartoon was originally aimed), can start watching it from part way through and still be able to identify with those different character types.  That is why Fluttershy has to keep on learning how to be braver around people, even though she has done it before.  Not every new viewer has the ability, or the inclination, to binge watch the entire back catalogue of the program to get caught up.

[Yufery 205]

I'm glad to see others agree. I've been seeing a lot of complaints towards episodes on the forums that, quite frankly I felt weren't justified.

 

Before anyone gets angry, allow me to elaborate. You're allowed to think anything you want, I won't care. I mean one of my best friends considers MLP and EQG to be some of the worst animated media he's seen in his life, while another good friend of mine considers MLP to be mediocre at best. If this isn't a sign that I could care less if people dislike an episode of MLP, I don't know what is.

 

What I do care about is when people act like their opinions on MLP are fact. MLP is a structurally sound show; there's nothing fundamentally wrong with it to make it 'objectively bad.' The same applies to EQG (albeit I do admit the animation in the first one isn't the best, I don't hold that against it too much.) Neither of these have any plot holes, no atrocious animation, they check out in all the things to look for in regards to objective flaws. But, this doesn't mean people won't have their own subjective flaws with these, as stated previously (like say thinking the pacing and writing is bad, disliking the humor, etc). Yet, people act like these flaws are factual, and this is where a lot of the annoyance comes in (along with the legion of people who seem to just blindly complain about MLP for the sake of doing it). But, I guess this applies to anything, really, I mean this is the Internet after all.

 

Gone off on a rant there, but my point is, is that a lot of people just seem to complain for no solid reason (as you said) and objectify their thoughts on the show.  But, complaining about nothing is what the fandom does best, right?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

And what positive contribution does complaining about the people complaining bring, again?

[Gestum 2,493]

And what positive contribution does complaining about the people complaining bring, again?

Well, It makes me feel better.

 

Seriously though, it doesn't really bring any "positively contribution". I don't really see what that has to do with anything.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Gestum

[Scootalove 10,689]

Most fans who do complain about an episode or two sometimes forget in explaining why they hate it, they feel like they are justified with complaining and mostly, ignoring other opinions on the matter.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

Well, It makes me feel better.

Seriously though, it doesn't really bring any "positively contribution". I don't really see what that has to do with anything.

really?

Because you said the complainers depress you, and you're doing your share of complaining, here, so still depression.

Instead of complaining about he complainers, maybe try harder to see their pov about why certain episodes upset them in the first place, and offer outide pov's to help them see dirrerently about what they might be complaining about

[Gestum 2,493]

really?

Because you said the complainers depress you, and you're doing your share of complaining, here, so still depression.

I didn't say anything like that. TheAnimatorOfficial said that people complaining about episodes for no real reason depressed him. It isn't the complaining that depress him, rather it's the lack of valid reason for the complaints. Edited June 3, 2016 by Gestum

[ConcorDisparate 385]

Because you said the complainers depress you, and you're doing your share of complaining, here, so still depression.

 

Complaining about a show meant to be happy and colorful.

Complaining about people ruining their experience by over-analyzing what's meant to be a nice and calm show.

 

It's different. I don't really want to explain further, I think you get my point. Don't judge the act as themselves, judge the thought behind it. He isn't whining. He's depressed that some people are missing out on the opportunity to have a good time.

Edited June 3, 2016 by ConcorDisparate

[PiratePony 8,475]

@@TheAnimatorOfficial, as your thread deals directly with the MLP Fandom rather than the show itself, I'm moving it to Sugarcube Corner.

[TheSqueelyOne 157]

I agree that there's been a lot of unfounded negativity. Critiques are fine as long as they're valid, of course; but there has also been a bit too much blind vitriol. I mostly just enjoy the show - it's a simple, feel-good kinda show, so I just relax about it for the most part.

[NeonCobalt 256]

Well I've said this before and I'll say it again, the one thing I don't like in this otherwise wonderful fandom is the negativity. I understand that not everyone is going to enjoy every episode, but it gets a bit ridiculous when you see someone who not only doesn't seem to like any episode that comes out, they seem to have either already decided that they weren't going to like it before even watching it, or purposely seems to look for things to complain about. I don't understand why people spend so much time on complaining about every little thing.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

I understand the need to criticize the show. No show is immune from criticism no matter what age or gender it's for.

 

However, peoples complaints on episodes have gotten to the point where it gets laughable. Some will nitpick the dumbest flaws out of episodes (OMG, RAINBOW DASH LIKES GOING TO THE SPA AND SHOWING ANOTHER SIDE OF HERSELF! OOC!). Or they will take their obsessive hatred of an episode so far to the point where I feel the need to defend episodes I didn't like.

 

It's like those people have lost interest in the show yet still continue to watch it to fill some sort of imaginary quota. If you give more negative reviews on an episode than positive, then that shows you really don't like the show anymore and you should probably just stop watching it because who follows shows they don't even like? Either that, or they enjoy bashing episodes for whatever reasons. I'm not saying you have to like every single episode heck, there are a handful of episodes I personally didn't like. I'm just saying I question why some of you are still even watching this show if you're having more fun bashing episodes you find bad than praising good episodes. Even I don't like it when I end up not being satisfied with an episode.

[bamboozled321 57]

Either they look at the preview and automatically think it's going to suck (like, every single week) or they become overly offended by an episode and proclaim that the show is ruined (even though there are obvious, obvious improvements from the so called "glory days"), again, every week.

 

It's getting honestly depressing to see. It reminds me of the hardcore SpongeBob fanboys who would bitch about everything past Season 3.

You have to understand that due to the subjective nature of liking or disliking things about TV shows, what other people say is not a proclamation of the shows general quality, it's simply what they think. If they have a good argument to back their contention up, then fair enough, but for me anyways, most of what I hear is usually pretty ignorant or insubstantial. But that's the beauty of art and critique isn't it, we're all not going to see eye to eye, and that's so much more interesting. I want open discourse, regardless of the leaning towards negative or positive, hell, better negative discussion rather than little to no discussion at all.

Edited June 3, 2016 by bamboozled321

[Cleverclover 1,526]

I truly wonder whether any effort is being made to distinguish people who blindly hate and people who have legitimate reasons for their criticisms. I imagine that when you love something so much, any and all criticism tends to blend together as exactly the same. 

 

In any case, I'm well aware that the notion that the show has actually dropped in quality cannot be entertained in the slightest. 

[ConcorDisparate 385]

@@Cleverclover,

 

I understand your thinking, but.. How can I explain that.. You see, life is harsh sometimes, and some would argue that it's getting worse and worse. But I don't feel sad about it, so, how can we explain that ? Some will mostly see what's nice, some will mostly see what's bad. It's just a matter of focus. We all live the same things, but some want to feel the good more than the bad. I can't blame them, and as long as it's just a matter of opinion, why focus on what makes you depressed, when you can focus on what makes you happy ?

You could argue that it's important to talk about the bad as much as the good, and you would be right ! But when it's only an opinion which can do nothing but to influence others, why not spread the happiness rather than the sad thoughts ?

Edited June 3, 2016 by ConcorDisparate

[Megas 27,572]

I'm all for people being allowed to voice their opinions on episodes if they have some problems. That said, some people do often take things too far, complaining over the most trivial things or generally just being unpleasable. I mean, look how many bronies got pissed over the sheer notion of Rainbow Dash showing a feminine side.

 

I won't deny that a lot of us are capable of doing this. Myself included. I mean, this is probably the first time I've ever been so lukewam towards any season so far.

 

Oh my god I'm becoming what I hate      :diamondtiara:

[Solid 1,327]

Silent majority + Vocal minority

[Teavvi 627]

I think people just don't like MLP episodes that much so they complain a lot.

[Rarity Is Best Pony 634]

I can certainly agree with that sentiment. I personally always try to remember that I am not the core demographic so any of the critiques that I may have are going to be leaps and bounds above how a child would watch the show. So while there may be good and bad episodes I am not one to be very critical of them.