I want the show to do more.

[CastletonSnob 3,080]

When will the show have deep, complex characters, great worldbuilding and lore, and well-done drama?

Or am I just gonna have to find another show if I want that?

[Firedog 320]

I think it has deep complex character. It also has good amount of world building not as much as I'd like. It's got some drama. 

It would he cool to see an anime style spin-off of the show with lots of action drama and complex storyarch following the entire series 

[Ruddboy Olaf 10,628]

MLP is a show based off a little girls toy, it's not gonna have any of that stuff. 

If you want deep, complex characters, great worldbuilding and lore, and well-done drama, I'd suggest anime or How I Met Your Mother.

[Jeric 46,869]

4 hours ago, VG_Addict said:

When will the show have deep, complex characters, great worldbuilding and lore, and well-done drama?

Or am I just gonna have to find another show if I want that?

I see deep complex characters, great world building, and lore. If you aren't, I suspect you may simply not be pleased with how the show presents them. Nothing wrong with disliking something and walking away, but at this juncture with 7 seasons in the can, it probably isn't going to change much. 

As far as how I can see those things and you cannot, I have been reading John Updike lately. You can approach his work several different ways. I was raised on stories where it could be a collaboration between author and reader. That means I've trained my brain to find patterns that flesh out more meaningful symbolism and theme. 

Might I recommend Voltron. Perhaps that is more to your liking. 

[Hierok 11,832]

I don't think the show is going to change.

• I rather don't have to much drama in the show, because it is cringy and boring.
• The worldbuilding is already there and pretty good for a kidshow.
• The complex characters can be better though. Something like Iroh and Zuko of avatar the last airbender.

[CastletonSnob 3,080]

8 hours ago, Jeric said:

I see deep complex characters, great world building, and lore. If you aren't, I suspect you may simply not be pleased with how the show presents them. Nothing wrong with disliking something and walking away, but at this juncture with 7 seasons in the can, it probably isn't going to change much. 

As far as how I can see those things and you cannot, I have been reading John Updike lately. You can approach his work several different ways. I was raised on stories where it could be a collaboration between author and reader. That means I've trained my brain to find patterns that flesh out more meaningful symbolism and theme. 

Might I recommend Voltron. Perhaps that is more to your liking. 

I mean like worldbuilding on par with something like Game of Thrones. 

I mean complex characters like some of the best TV dramas. 

[Hierok 11,832]

18 minutes ago, VG_Addict said:

I mean like worldbuilding on par with something like Game of Thrones. 

I mean complex characters like some of the best TV dramas. 

On par with Game of Thrones? I think it isn't even possible. They had to begin with that in season 1 not over the half of the series. 

[Jeric 46,869]

7 minutes ago, VG_Addict said:

I mean like worldbuilding on par with something like Game of Thrones. 

I mean complex characters like some of the best TV dramas. 

One of my favorite dramas of all time is Breaking Bad. Every shot, scripted word, and scenario slowly and methodically built toward it's final conclusion like a symphony -- a narrative and character centric creciendo toward a master class finale. 

Desiring that experience elsewhere is natural. However I stop short of being silly and wishing other things were Breaking Bad. I liken it to taking out a carton of vanilla ice cream and filling my bowl, all the while lamenting that the vanilla isn't rock road. It isn't the delicious dairy treat's fault, and I am reassured my the fact that I can go to my grocery store and just buy rocky road. 

Bonus food analogy: MLP is like chicken. It is what it is, but like chicken it is extremely versatile in the hands of a good chef who knows how to imbue it with complex flavors. Be the chef, or eat beef.

 

[CastletonSnob 3,080]

1 minute ago, Jeric said:

One of my favorite dramas of all time is Breaking Bad. Every shot, scripted word, and scenario slowly and methodically built toward it's final conclusion like a symphony -- a narrative and character centric creciendo toward a master class finale. 

Desiring that experience elsewhere is natural. However I stop short of being silly and wishing other things were Breaking Bad. I liken it to taking out a carton of vanilla ice cream and filling my bowl, all the while lamenting that the vanilla isn't rock road. It isn't the delicious dairy treat's fault, and I am reassured my the fact that I can go to my grocery store and just buy rocky road. 

Bonus food analogy: MLP is like chicken. It is what it is, but like chicken it is extremely versatile in the hands of a good chef who knows how to imbue it with complex flavors. Be the chef, or eat beef.

 

So, I should look somewhere else if I want that?

[Jeric 46,869]

2 minutes ago, VG_Addict said:

So, I should look somewhere else if I want that?

Let's just say you can't transfigure vanilla into rocky road. Neither can the show staff. 

[Le Trotteur Sauvage 13,053]

I'm not saying that MLP doesn't have the thing you require, but you have to never forget that it's still a show for little girl even if the creator know the exiqtence of the brony fandom, they're still creating episode fot children so they don't need complex characters, great worldbuilding well-done drama etc.

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

If the show cannot have what you want after 7 seasons, its time to watch another show, there are plenty of them can satisfy you. 

[Hierok 11,832]

6 minutes ago, Lambdadelta said:

If the show cannot have what you want after 7 seasons, its time to watch another show, there are plenty of them can satisfy you. 

It's a pity, but true.  You must watch other shows for the things you just said.

[cmarston1 5,960]

I do agree that the show could do a lot better with its lore and worldbuilding, however I doubt it could ever reach Game of Thrones levels, and I don't think I want it to.

[Them's Seeing Ponies 282]

To be honest, I am extremely sick of the 'deep and emotional = always good!' route. FiM did not get as good as it was by being a Games of Thrones (despise that show by the way) ripoff with pastel-coloured equines, but by being (in is first two seasons) a charming, lighthearted show with fun humour, natural dialogue and a great sense of developing chemistry between the cast of surprisingly complex characters (yes, if you watch say, 'Legend of Everfree' or a Josh Haber episode, you might get the impression that the characters in FiM are one-note, but watch episodes such as 'Lesson Zero', 'Sisterhooves Social' and yes, even the first two-parter, you may receive a different impression altogether. The characters in FiM, like it or not, are deep and complex, simply not in that clichéd and pretentious 'Hunger Games'-esque way - in the show's best episodes, they are deep and complex as actual people are - they don't all have tragic backstories or confidentially dark, pathos-ridden breakdowns in every episode, but they instead display the fictionally unorthodox multifaceted nature of true people).

Frankly, if you want a show that does what you request, find a show that isn't FiM instead of continually expecting FiM to be something it isn't (imagine if the 'Terminator' films featured a Goth waterfowl for example, while FiM adopting the subjects mentioned above is not nearly as extreme as that, it is likely by now that you understand the point).

Edited April 24, 2017 by Them's Seeing Ponies

[snowflame 189]

Apart from deep drama imo the show has all of those which is why I am fond of it.

The movie might be more serious, emotional and have even more worldbuilding we have seen thus far.

[Number62 1,264]

3 hours ago, cmarston1 said:

I do agree that the show could do a lot better with its lore and worldbuilding, however I doubt it could ever reach Game of Thrones levels, and I don't think I want it to.

I'd also like to add: Does the show need to be like Game of Thrones?

[GrimGrimoire 4,973]

Yeah, it has all those things already, perhaps just not to the level you are seeking it in. You'll probably have to look else where for that fix.

[cmarston1 5,960]

17 minutes ago, Number62 said:

I'd also like to add: Does the show need to be like Game of Thrones?

The show really doesn't, but it did make for an interesting ad for season 6.

 

Edited April 24, 2017 by cmarston1

[Thrond 3,264]

15 hours ago, VG_Addict said:

I mean like worldbuilding on par with something like Game of Thrones. 

I mean complex characters like some of the best TV dramas. 

 

My Little Pony is a lot more comparable to a sitcom than to cable dramas. Even in its dramatic moments it tends towards simple melodrama rather than complexity on that level. It's a kids' show, so this isn't really the place to get your prestige drama fix. 

12 hours ago, Them's Seeing Ponies said:

or a Josh Haber episode, you might get the impression that the characters in FiM are one-note,

 

But I like the characterization in Josh Haber's episodes.  

[K.Rool Addict 719]

On April 23, 2017 at 7:45 PM, VG_Addict said:

When will the show have deep, complex characters, great worldbuilding and lore, and well-done drama?

Or am I just gonna have to find another show if I want that?

 

The show already has all of these things, but I agree there is not nearly enough of an emphasis on it. The show has progressively been incorporating more and more of these things as each season passes. Bringing worldbuilding and drama to the forefront would be very preferable as opposed to too much slice-of-life stuffs, at least imo

[Megas 27,919]

If you want the show to be more like Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad in terms of "depth and complexity" then you better keep dreaming or go watch those instead because you're watching the wrong show

 

 

There's nothing wrong with the show being a simple family friendly cartoon, as it's shown, all it just needed a good cast of flawed but likable characters with interesting character arcs and goals. In all fairness, most of the time the show's tried to be more dark and serious(both in the show and comics), it's always sorta fallen flat on it's face

Edited April 25, 2017 by Whompy Whomperson

[Them's Seeing Ponies 282]

1 hour ago, AlexanderThrond said:

My Little Pony is a lot more comparable to a sitcom than to cable dramas. Even in its dramatic moments it tends towards simple melodrama rather than complexity on that level. It's a kids' show, so this isn't really the place to get your prestige drama fix. 

But I like the characterization in Josh Haber's episodes.  

Apologies for that. I admit to being a little hard there - I wouldn't say the characterizations in them are particularly bad (when writing, I was considering Pinkie ringing the school bell in 'Castle Mane-ia').

I guess I was a little hard in my original post in general. The point is really that FiM is just as good in many ways as Breaking Bad or Bojack Horseman, simply in a less direct and more unorthodox way. Yes, worldbuilding and deep drama can compliment a show well, but you don't need those to necessarily be a good show. FiM to be fair does not have worldbuilding to the extent of Games of Thrones, or drama to the extent of Breaking Bad, but it is a fun, charming show with much to offer. Besides, I wouldn't say that deep drama suits FiM too well anyway - the show really is what it is, and should be appreciated for that, despite its occasional missteps or oversights.

Edited April 25, 2017 by Them's Seeing Ponies

[CastletonSnob 3,080]

But the show has a lot of potential for great worldbuilding, and the writers aren't capitalizing on it. 

[Hierok 11,832]

4 hours ago, VG_Addict said:

But the show has a lot of potential for great worldbuilding, and the writers aren't capitalizing on it. 

If you mean MLP, then yes. I also hope they are gonna do more at worldbuilding. We just have to see.