Has MLP lost its zanyness?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

I can't but help feel like a certain element of MLP has been lost, with the advancement of the main cast. While Twilight still has her nerdiness and occasional freakouts (which she was supposed to have matured past, thanks to Cadance's breathing techniques) she just seems too....untouchable. When was the last time we saw karma drop an anvil on her head, or a bee hive, or have her trampled by spider-legged rabbits? When was the last time we saw Applejack being a silly pony and reading a bed time story to an apple tree? Or Rarity pulling out her fainting couch, or being silly, like in "Simple Ways"?

have these wacky moments that made the ponies more "grounded", and not like the untouchable friendship ambassadors who have hit the peak of their goals and condescend/ peddle friendship to other nations that they have become been lost from the show?

[Jeric 46,860]

Lost? May be a stretch, but yes the earlier seasons had more zaniness. Take a look at some of the concepts in season 1. A bunny stampede, Twilight getting the Wile E Coyote treatment, and a pie war were obvious attempts at a stronger slapstick approach. 

It still exists to some extent. Parental Glideance had a few wacky moments. They have dialed it down though. I can't say it's a good thing, or even a bad thing. Each era had it's own feel, and early seasons had a tad more Bugs Bunny in them. 

 

[SugarCoatxMarblePie 701]

I think zany is good, so yeah. The unpredictability is good for humor and plot elements that seem exaggerated, going slice of life more so is causing a more calm approach. Like the Maud episode, it was a good episode, and it did have a moderately extreme part where Maud almost gets eaten, but that is a brief moment and it involved barely any commotion. I just feel like the episodes could feel a little more full if they weren't so calm. Calmness is slowness, and slowness means less content due to spacing between events or dragging out events which could be communicated in a smaller span of time. But the lessons are getting more complex, so it makes sense they add more exposition I guess- for the younger audience.

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

That explained some dull episodes recently. Even some episodes in early 3 seasons are mediocre at best, they still have something 'funny' that keep me watching, at least the humors can somehow distract me from analyzing the episode's flaws while i am watching it. Dull episodes encourage me to dissect them ALIVE, if the episodes cant make me laugh, then they must make me THINK, right?

Flight to Finish is the first episode of the show with lack of humors, slow-pacing but it had beautiful character interactions, good morals and heartwarming moments, the first fantastic episode that convinced me humors can be better trade-off for Story and Characters (i first watched this show mainly for comedy) and that thoughts back-fired me...

The show takes itself too seriously that they cant come up with good humors to COVER their bad writtings, Fluttershy Leans In finally triggered me, this remind me how i missed the entertainment values of comedy that i ignored for 2 seasons, i hated that episode. 

Bonus: when i rewatched Mare Do Well episode, i was asking my self: WHY DID I RATE THAT EP SO LOW? It should be a 6/10 not a 1/10...

I always favor story and character but i wont overlook comedy anymore, dull episodes will be dissected as much as active bad episodes.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Lambdadelta

[cmarston1 5,959]

But last season had The Saddle Row Review.

You can't honestly tell me that episode wasn't zany.

[ggg-2 3,553]

Actually, Forever Filly almost did Rarity's fainting couch gag but the CMC's treehouse didn't have one available.

[Hierok 11,832]

Maybe they do that on purpose. Twilight becomes older and wiser and those silly things don't help her reputation.

Also, Spike. Remember the time when was thevone who was tossed around? 

[Thrond 3,263]

I think the show maintained that through season 4 and then began shifting away from it in season 5 with dreary episodes like "The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone." It's still had its zany moments here and there, but season 5 took itself relatively seriously, and while season 6 was more humour-driven in my mind, most season 7 episodes have gone back to pushing what humour they have towards frivolous sight gags and characters just being loud. I think these past three seasons have worried too much about their stories and morals and often forget what made the show fun in its first three seasons (though, again, season 6 was much better for this than 5 or what we've seen of 7.)

[AlbaTross 1,586]

Well, here's a vid that suggests the possibility that the show has in fact changed: 

 

I'll warn you this guy's vids generally aren't recommended for people under 18, but he's pretty entertaining and has some well-reasoned opinions in spite of his persona.  This particular vid isn't the most explicit one he's made, mind you.  Far from it, so maybe this one's more of a 14+ rating.