Why does this feel like Season 5-2?

[Slashy 101]

I mean we are following storylines still from that season and there aren't any major status quo changes like we got with the castle or the removal of daily friendship lessons.

 

All we have is a redeemed antagonist, which was a story arc already handled better with Discord. Starlight isn't leaving as big of an impact on the characters and world like Discord does, and it seems half the time that the storylines are just unused S5 pitches/stories (actually a case for Flutter Brutter).

[Thrond 3,263]

I feel very different about season 6. It's been a lot less so lately, but the status quo changes of season 5 have made season 6 feel very new and fresh to me. It also feels like it has a bit more consistency than season 5 did, and a greater interest in character development. Although, starting with "Gauntlet of Fire," this feeling has started to dissipate, even with the efforts of some episodes. 

[powerpuff-tsubasa 448]

i know season 6 should focus more on starlight's social-skills improvement. but hasbro decides to make most of the season's episodes into the old ones . with dried-up morals

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

This is more like Season 1 with updated character models and continuity to me. I see very few of Season 5's story arcs being followed on, namely the map, and the rumored "Explore Equestria" storyline never happened. To that end, most of the morals and plotlines are very basic and the Mane 6 characters were only in roles where they were the teachers in a handful of episodes this season.

 

Starlight Glimmer's character redemption arc was set up specifically for this season, and a very minimal handling of story arcs is not without precedent on this show. Half a season can go by with only one episode contributing to a story arc, and in some cases (Seasons 3 and 5) a plot point can be raised in the premiere and dropped or relegated to the background before coming up again in the finale. I'm not surprised by it. There are plenty of other shows better at continuity, character development, and story arcs than this.

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

Yup, season 6 is season 5 new expansion pack

[PiratePony 8,475]

Part of the reason, as told by Big Jim Miller at Ponycon NYC, is that season 5 and 6 were written and produced concurrently, with no break or downtime in between. In fact, several times the staff had to verify to each other which episodes had aired because they didn't have a differentiation between 5 and 6 and didn't want to five away spoilers.

 

It feels like an extension of season 5 to me as well, and I think that's the reason. And I don't think that it's a bad thing at all.

[cmarston1 5,959]

Well I am so far having a similar feeling to the beginning of season 5 with the beginning of season 6.

Last season didn't really start out with a bang and end up having only a few stand out episodes in the first half.

It took until after the mid-season hiatus for it to really kick it up and get much more interesting.

I have a feeling the same is going to happen with season 6.

[Megas 27,692]

Yeah, this season doesn't really feel like the start of something new like the other seasons did, instead it just feels like a weaker S5. Not to mention the only difference is Starlight, who only shows up in episodes about her. And McFlurry, who'll probably only show up in episodes with SA and Cadance. So far S6 feels really disappointing. Crossing my fingers and praying that the second half is a huge improvement

Edited June 8, 2016 by Megas

[BrilliantVenture 334]

I'm loving this season so far! To me, they've brought back a lot of the charm the show had in seasons 1-3. I really didn't like season 4, and season 5 was pretty good minus a couple episodes. But so far, there hasn't been a single episode this season that left a bad taste in my mouth. Loving it immensely!

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

I kind of have a theory about this.

Specifically, we have the movie coming up in 2017; they started working on the movie before they started working on S6, and as such they can't change the status quo in S6 without screwing up the continuity in the movie.

Due to this, S6 is most probably stuck in a "limbo" state where they can't alter things like they did in S4 by giving them the map or in S3 where they made twilight an alicorn: they're in a sort of statsis, because the movie is MUCH more important than giving S6 a meta-arc.

As such, S6 is focused more on "safe" expansions of individual characters (like giving rarity a business she owns without actually MOVING her, or making dash a wonderbolt seemingly part time).

 

Until the movie hits, we're in filler country.

[Aurora Glimmer 494]

I kind of have a theory about this.

 

Specifically, we have the movie coming up in 2017; they started working on the movie before they started working on S6, and as such they can't change the status quo in S6 without screwing up the continuity in the movie.

 

Due to this, S6 is most probably stuck in a "limbo" state where they can't alter things like they did in S4 by giving them the map or in S3 where they made twilight an alicorn: they're in a sort of statsis, because the movie is MUCH more important than giving S6 a meta-arc.

 

As such, S6 is focused more on "safe" expansions of individual characters (like giving rarity a business she owns without actually MOVING her, or making dash a wonderbolt seemingly part time).

 

Until the movie hits, we're in filler country.

Even if the writers can't rock the boat too much, there's no reason the writers can't churn out strong, character-based episodes.

[twiia 1,843]

Because plots are recycled and Starlight Glimmer returns

[Slashy 101]

I kind of have a theory about this.

 

Specifically, we have the movie coming up in 2017; they started working on the movie before they started working on S6, and as such they can't change the status quo in S6 without screwing up the continuity in the movie.

 

Due to this, S6 is most probably stuck in a "limbo" state where they can't alter things like they did in S4 by giving them the map or in S3 where they made twilight an alicorn: they're in a sort of statsis, because the movie is MUCH more important than giving S6 a meta-arc.

 

As such, S6 is focused more on "safe" expansions of individual characters (like giving rarity a business she owns without actually MOVING her, or making dash a wonderbolt seemingly part time).

 

Until the movie hits, we're in filler country.

Yeah that actually makes a lot of sense. I wonder if that is why both seasons were developed simultaneously.

[SanityNotIncluded 335]

I agree with many that this feels like an extension of season 5, though I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing (season 5 was my favourite season, after all). The show's gone through a fair amount of change, and I reckon some stability would be a good thing for now.

[Thrond 3,263]

I kind of have a theory about this.

 

Specifically, we have the movie coming up in 2017; they started working on the movie before they started working on S6, and as such they can't change the status quo in S6 without screwing up the continuity in the movie.

 

Due to this, S6 is most probably stuck in a "limbo" state where they can't alter things like they did in S4 by giving them the map or in S3 where they made twilight an alicorn: they're in a sort of statsis, because the movie is MUCH more important than giving S6 a meta-arc.

 

As such, S6 is focused more on "safe" expansions of individual characters (like giving rarity a business she owns without actually MOVING her, or making dash a wonderbolt seemingly part time).

 

Until the movie hits, we're in filler country.

In part I like it because, now, we can focus on stuff that actually matters. I doubt the 2017 movie is holding the show back quite as much as its very format is, as we can't have a real season-long storyline. I don't feel the past two seasons' alleged story arcs really count as such, and neither the map nor Twilicorn really meant a whole lot in the long run. Despite its changes, I actually felt season 5 played things a lot more safe than season 6 has, even if only because season 6 has been home to structural changes rather than character changes. This season lacking focus doesn't stand out to me much, because frankly, the show hasn't had any proper focus since at least season 3. Season 4 was all about playing it safe, while season 5 threw everything at the wall in hope that something stuck without actually moving the show out of its comfort zone or meaningfully developing characters. Season 6 started off trying to hone in on character development, and while now it's shifted over to relative simplicity, I'm kinda glad for that, as it allows for a resurrection of some of the charm that was curiously absent from season 5. Meanwhile, season 6 is interesting in ways that season 4 never was. "The Crystalling" lacking an immediate threat until halfway through is more meaningful to me than "The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone" reforming Gilda and showing off Griffonstone, or "Amending Fences" addressing Twilight's old friends. That's not meaningful to me. 

 

With that said, if the main characters haven't grown much by season's end, I'll be more than a little frustrated. They have a bunch of new narrative devices in place which could contribute to that, and a fresh new status quo to work with. It's not quite living up to its potential, but I can't wait to see what the second half does with it. All I really want is to see the mane six facing new problems and properly learning from them, even if they have to be relatively low-key and not majorly change any character dynamics. Episodes like "Gauntlet of Fire" and "Spice Up Your Life" don't provide a whole lot in that respect, but they're the minority this season, at least so far. 

 

and the Mane 6 characters were only in roles where they were the teachers in a handful of episodes this season.

 

I gotta be honest, this is how I want it. 

[Splashee 28,564]

On 6/8/2016 at 7:10 AM, AlexanderThrond said:

I feel very different about season 6. It's been a lot less so lately, but the status quo changes of season 5 have made season 6 feel very new and fresh to me. It also feels like it has a bit more consistency than season 5 did, and a greater interest in character development. Although, starting with "Gauntlet of Fire," this feeling has started to dissipate, even with the efforts of some episodes. 

Why "Gauntlet of Fire"? Was it because of Twilight and Rarity acting too Season 1-5 again?

 

Season 5 made a huge change, with the cutie map. And it was going quite strong until Season 7 when the Pillars got introduced, making the entire focus on the Mane 6 as special kinda disappear.

Still before that moment, we had "A Royal Problem" which was cutie map related, and in Season8, we had "Sounds of Silence", also cutie map related. I would go so far as to say, the cutie map made the change for the better, and the pillars and school (and the movie advertising during the school episodes) made the show fall apart

[Megas 27,692]

Nah, that implies S6 is on the same level of quality as S5(and y'all know how I really feel about S6 lol)

[Thrond 3,263]

On 8/26/2020 at 12:36 PM, Splashee® said:

Why "Gauntlet of Fire"? Was it because of Twilight and Rarity acting too Season 1-5 again?

It's mostly because that's an episode where Spike is noble the entire time, has very little doubt, and doesn't learn anything. And also because we never see anyone other than Twilight and Rarity hanging out with Spike anymore. To me it seems like a very stale, formulaic episode, though not without its charms. After that point there was "Newbie Dash," "Applejack's Day Off," and "Spice Up Your Life," all of which I found a little disappointing.

Though in retrospect those are outliers in what was already a pretty strong season; not sure why I was complaining about the show lacking character development after "Flutter Brutter," which was a massive turning point for Fluttershy. By the end, season 6 had pretty comfortably become one of my favourite seasons of the whole show. 

[Splashee 28,564]

3 hours ago, AlexanderThrond said:

It's mostly because that's an episode where Spike is noble the entire time, has very little doubt, and doesn't learn anything. And also because we never see anyone other than Twilight and Rarity hanging out with Spike anymore. To me it seems like a very stale, formulaic episode, though not without its charms. After that point there was "Newbie Dash," "Applejack's Day Off," and "Spice Up Your Life," all of which I found a little disappointing.

Though in retrospect those are outliers in what was already a pretty strong season; not sure why I was complaining about the show lacking character development after "Flutter Brutter," which was a massive turning point for Fluttershy. By the end, season 6 had pretty comfortably become one of my favourite seasons of the whole show. 

Yes, when you way it that way.

To me, "gauntlet of fire" felt like a real adventure episode that we hadn't had since season 1. Spike did everything right but learned nothing from it, also typical season 1 behavior. But until that point, there hasn't been any interesting adventure or world building episodes for a while

[Thrond 3,263]

23 minutes ago, Splashee® said:

To me, "gauntlet of fire" felt like a real adventure episode that we hadn't had since season 1. ... But until that point, there hasn't been any interesting adventure or world building episodes for a while

That episode does have some neat ideas for dragon culture, but what about the map episodes of season 5? Surely those count as adventures, and they had plenty of world building.

27 minutes ago, Splashee® said:

Spike did everything right but learned nothing from it, also typical season 1 behavior. 

I don't understand how you came to that conclusion about season 1, where every episode was about one of the main characters making a mistake, or at least facing a dilemma, and learning a lesson from it at the end. Meanwhile Spike in "Gauntlet of Fire" barely even seems to doubt himself.