Why does 28 Pranks Later get so much hate?

[Azureth 687]

It seems to be one episode that gets lots of hate and criticism. 

[Firedog 320]

I disliked it because too me it was like a bad version of "Griffon the brush off". It took the same episode idea and made it 100x worse imo. 

 

• For one rainbow seems to not care what the other ponies think.
• The pranks are way lamer than Griffon the brush off
• The moral was kinda dumb
• The ponies pranking rainbow dash to teach rainbow dash that pranking is bad didn't make sense
• Doing a zombie parody in MLP is super cringy. It's too close to the real world. MLP is supposed to be different than the real world
• Also the character interaction with Rainbow Dash was way worse than griffon the brush off. At least in Griffon the brush off Rainbow Dash had positive interaction with the other ponies. In this episode all the interaction Rainbow Dash has with other ponies are negative, even pinkie pie towords the end of the episode.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Firedog

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,465]

Not only did the other ponies once again do something harsh to Rainbow to teach her a lesson that she should have learned back in season 2, for me, the episode simply became completely unfun in the second half. I never exactly knew how a zombie spoof owuld go in FiM but after that episode, I now know that it is just boring.

[Cl0udChaser 3,006]

That episode is kind of disturbing with pony zombies. I don't like that episode.

[zerox 1,113]

this episode was quite funny. I liked it. also RD pranking everypony was so funny

[EnaRocketQueen 55]

Two things. One, it seemed unrealistic that an entire town could organise themselves to prank someone (even if the whole town were affected by Rainbow's prank with the cookie drive), and two, I didn't like how out-of-character Rainbow Dash was acting. In Griffon the Brush Off she said that she would never prank Fluttershy as Fluttershy is so sensitive, yet what was the first thing she did in this episode?

She pranked Fluttershy. And I wouldn't have thought that was the sort of thing she'd do

[ChocolateCrane 156]

I thought it was a good episode. I would assume most people don't agree with the moral it teaches, but stuff like that never really bothers me unless it is taken to an extreme. Hell, episodes with GREAT morals can be absolutely horrendous (looking at you The Times they are a Changling >.>)

[Singe 2,111]

I know the joke would be beyond the Y rating but the mention of some ponies dealing with rainbow colored flanks would have been a hoot.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Singe

[man dude man 555]

Its an episode you wish was forgettable, and that is saying something, it seems like when Rainbow is to learn a lesson, ponies seem to think it is okay to take it over the top and borderline do something mentally scaring (in this case) or do something to totally psychologically manipulate her feelings.... that aside, the zombie cliche in ANYTHING is watered down, unless the content is ABOUT zombies, refrain from getting them involved....

[FlareGun45 2,221]

I mostly didn't like some of Rainbow's pranks - especially the one where she put a brick in Mr. Cake's sandwich, and that's just mean, he could've broken his jaw. I did like the sewing machine cake one, I actually laughed at that! XD But the cookie prank got a little stupid, I woulda thought Rainbow was a little more clever than that.

[MissDiamond 157]

I really don't get the hate for the episode. Aside they made Rainbow Dash a jerk(kinda, but when wasn't she?), I don't see how the episode was bad. Personally, I enjoyed it and it is one of my favorites in the sixth season. 

[cmarston1 5,959]

It reminded people way too much of Mare Do Well, which is another episode that people don't like very much.

[Hierok 11,831]

Well, it was just so cringy and fake. I just didn't like it.

[man dude man 555]

I really don't get the hate for the episode. Aside they made Rainbow Dash a jerk(kinda, but when wasn't she?), I don't see how the episode was bad. Personally, I enjoyed it and it is one of my favorites in the sixth season. 

The numerous times she risked her life to save Equestria... and when she continually stands up for her friends in the do or dies...

They took her character over the top and exaggerated for the point of the plot, like a post above mentions, she stated she would not prank Fluttershy due to her sensitivity.... well so much for that Character trait.... just trash that eh? No they acted WAYYY worse towards her if anything, trying to emotionally manipulate and cattle prod her into a situation where she could have done something hasty or dangerous knowing her nature... some of her pranks were distasteful, but forming a collective thats all in on some big organized secret plot against one individual is infinitely worse...

[Dark Qiviut 22,396]

Because it's Mare Do Well 2.0 and makes it worse.

1. Everyone is out of character, including Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash's characterization in MDW is normally up for debate, because she does have a good moment here where it makes sense. But Dash here is a complete jerk. The prologue had her pranking the hell out of Fluttershy with lines in the dialogue suggesting that she knew Fluttershy hated being pranked. Fluttershy is one of her closest friends. Dash's prank isn't funny. It's cruel.
   
   During their interrogation, AJ and Rarity egg her into doing more elaborate pranks and get pissed off when they get victimized through their own advice. AJ, Rarity, and the others (who sat idly by) are at fault for the plot, but the episode puts them in the right the entire time.
2. The zombie prank is one of the cruelest acts in the entire show. Why is it cruel? Because Rainbow Dash legitimately believed her friends and everyone in Ponyville are affected. She had no idea that it was a prank. She believed it was all real, and it really scared her. Even worse, like I wrote already, the episode treats their cruel act as a good thing. Their prank isn't funny or cute. It's disgusting.
3. The moral is worse than MDW. Mare Do Well's moral is actually good if judging it on its own merits, but was botched by poor execution. 28PL's moral is the "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" moral. In other words, the episode states it's okay to perform a worse and more cruel act if you want revenge. God forbid kids take this message to heart and perform a worse act to get revenge. This is NOT what we're supposed to teach our children. FIM is much, much better than this.

[Megas 27,625]

The episode takes The Mysterious Mare Do Well, already one of the show's most hated episode, takes all the problems of that episode, but instead of addressing and fixing those problems, they double down on them, and make them ten times worse. Not to mention, the writers took the audience for suckers, they were hoping the audience wouldn't notice the blatant bastardization of the cast because "LOLZOMBEEZ!!!11!1!!!". The episode only exists because the writers wanted to dickride the zombie hype train

 

After Newbie Dash, this was literally the last thing Rainbow Dash needed

Edited May 28 by Megas

[Stormlight 1,371]

It's basically showing Rainbow Dash being a jerk to her friends, which is a bit OOC. If I had to be honest, I wasn't a fan of RD since the beginning, and this made my opinions of her worsen even if it isn't "her fault."

 

Also, the prank with everypony in town involved? That was more of a dick move compared to what Rainbow Dash. Seriously, she was scared as hell, and she didn't know that was, supposedly, a harmless prank.

[Thrond 3,263]

Rainbow being so rude and thoughtless seems a little inconsistent with her previous characterization. She can be sensitive when she needs to, and she's only gotten better at it over time, so her callousness in this episode feels off, and the episode doesn't give it much nuance.

 

Furthermore, while I honestly don't mind the pranks all that much, the zombie thing was too slow and predictable. I thought it conjured up a nice mood, but I sort of wish the epidemic was real. That'd be way more fun and surprising. Not really convinced that the zombie prank was cruel or unnecessary in this context, but maybe if Rainbow was written better it might be.

 

Still, I thought the pranks were funny, and the moral about not making jokes the recipients don't appreciate is one I appreciate a lot. Would be better if Rainbow had expressed some desire to impress her friends, but instead she's just kinda self-centred. Kinda liked the episode in spite of that, though, because of the humour, the atmosphere, and the moral. Not as bad as everyone says.

Edited March 23, 2017 by AlexanderThrond

[Princess Book Horse 352]

I personally enjoyed it. Even though it had a similar premise to my least favorite episode, I felt like it was done right this time. Not a particularly amazing episode, but still good in my book.

[TigerGeekGuy 4,662]

As a horror fan, I both love and hate 28 Pranks Later. I love it for the simple fact that it is zombie-themed. I hate it because it's incredibly watered down and therefore, cringy. I really can't enjoy the episode at all if I see it trying desperately to pay homage and build atmosphere and then failing miserably. I wish they could have gone all-out with the whole zombie theme, because hearing a pony say "Coooookiiiieeesss" is not in the least bit threatening and is incredibly laughable. I get that it's a kids show but please, if you're going to pay homage, at least try to do it well.

 

Aside from that, pretty much what everyone else said.

[snowflame 189]

In my opinion the episode was great, not perfect but one of the best in season 6. Rainbow has some permanent character flaws so it's natural to address those occasionally, it isn't character regression.

[Malcontent 196]

As I sat in horror watching 28 pranks later. I pulled down my horror story for mlp prime called The clopping Dead. I realized it wouldn't be taken seriously anymore 

 

Otherwise I was...alright with the episode personally. 

 

She deserved a lesson. The only thing I'd have changed was she should have hurt herself by accident trying to run..a friendly rem8nder of the lesson. Dash seems to need negative reinforcement

[Hierok 11,831]

The episode takes The Mysterious Mare Do Well, already one of the show's most hated episode.

Here is my question for you guys. Why is The Mysterious Mare Do well hated. I think it was a great episode. Edited March 23, 2017 by Hierok

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

28 Pranks Later is a decent episode, but it not a good episode for rewatch.

[Dsiak 4]

Definitive answer: Because the ep starts with Fluttershy suffering, panicking and crying.

 

Rainbow has some permanent character flaws so it's natural to address those occasionally, it isn't character regression.

I agree, I think that her flaw is to be extremely imprudent, we can observe this trait in:

Read it and Weep (fake injure and break into a hospital)
Trade ya (trading Fluttershy)
wonderboult academy (forfeit her dream without even getting a response from Spitfire)
Tanks for the Memories (sabotage)

Those are the episodes that came to the top of my head, there are minor things such as kicking a dragon in the face and the fact that she is a speedophiliac daredevil.

While she does have a lot of times where she thinks strait, some times she won't, and I can relate with that, sometimes I can go weeks going something stupid even with people warning me, like what she did in this ep. and for this, I don't dislike her character in this episode.

But z0mb13Z should have been a gimmick not the culmination of the ep.

 

The only thing I'd have changed was she should have hurt herself by accident trying to run..a friendly rem8nder of the lesson.

I think I'll be changing my head cannon to this. tyvm

Edited March 23, 2017 by Dsiak