Top 7 seasons poll

[Firedog 321]

VOTE!!!!!!!!

 

 

[Nerdy Luigi 2,065]

1. Season 4

2. Season 6

3. Season 2

4. Season 1

5. Season 7

6. Season 5

7. Season 3

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by Barik the Luigineer
Had to emphasize the enormous gap in quality between Season 3 and every other season.

[KH7672 1,604]

I mean I'll still vote but wouldn't this poll be better once Season 7's over?

Anyway....

1. Season 6-Taking everything in Season 5 and giving a reason for doing so with Starlight's episodes, "Fault in Our Cutie Marks," plus Rarity expanding her business, Rainbow becoming a Wonderbolt, and two great Spike episodes!

2. Season 5-Season 2 done even better with more character growth, the CMC's getting cutie marks, and the introduction of Starlight.

3. Season 2-A much better integration of character driven stories now that Twilight didn't need to be in every episode.

4. Season 7-Great so far especially with the theme of families. We'll see how the second half fairs (might even exceed 2 and 6).

5. Season 4-Characters finally started growing more with was fantastic. It's that finale that holds it back for me.

6. Season 3-A little too short and no Rarity episodes . Finale was great though especially with the songs.

7. Season 1-I've watched these episodes so much I'm just kinda sick of them and I like the matured characters better.

[Dark Qiviut 22,606]

3 hours ago, KH7672 said:

I mean I'll still vote but wouldn't this poll be better once Season 7's over?

Well, we can always change it once the season ends.

---

Anyhow:

1. Season 5: The least number of bad episodes, a boatload of great episodes (some like SoL, Bloom & Gloom, and Scare Master severely underrated). Cutie Map, Amending Fences, and Lost Mark are in the top-seven. It has the best reformations of the show (DT and Starlight). And a well-executed, refreshing direction of some lead characters spreading the teachers, delivering the magic of friendship, and helping others develop rather than themselves.
2. Season 2: This season continued the streak of high-quality episodes dating back to Chronicles. Lesson Zero allowed DHX to write episodes w/o shoehorning Twilight, the first one (Sisterhooves Social) the season's best. It develops the characters more, including FS in Hurricane Fluttershy. Marred by some awful episodes, like Dragon Quest, PYHD, and Mare Do Well.
3. Season 7: Until Discordant and Perfect Pear, it was below S1. They bumped it up. One problem from early on is how it had one or a few little niggles that really hurt the episode or make it not as good as it should be. Until Glideance, even the good episodes felt either like missed opportunities or incomplete. As if they were compressed somehow. But when Glideance aired (one of the best visual storytelling eps), it showed what it can do with great writing and editing that can make it excellent. So far, only three bad eps — Hard to Say, Honest, Royal Problem — but none of them are close to the show's worst. Discordant Harmony is excellent, and Pear is godly! Whether it goes up, down, or remains as is remains.
4. Season 1: This season took a while before it really got going. All the way up till Winter Wrap Up. To this day, three of the bottom-10 or near it (Bridle Gossip, Show Stoppers, Owl's Well) are from this season. OTOH, when it got going, it got going quickly. The ponies written best here are Fluttershy and Dash, while Rarity had her worst till season six. It ended with a streak of great eps from Chronicles to Best Night Ever (the latter the best finale and possibly the show's best).
5. Season 4: Three words: up and down. You had a good episode, then a mediocre episode. Got a bad episode, you got a good one. Worst episode of the season = Rainbow Fails (also the worst written of the show). The best part of the season is the greyer messages. DHX experimented on lessons by making them maturer and deeper. Considering the demographics they're trying to teach, that's huge. Their tackling of great issues — i.e., how to look up to a role model while coming to grips on a major disability, coping with the idea that someone exploited your best quality malevolently, seeing someone who can do a better version of your talent, feeling one-upped by loved ones, which method to learn works best for you — make up some of the show's best eps. Its best M6 was Rarity, the worst Pinkie Pie.
6. Season 3: For thirteen episodes, many suck. TCE (worst two-parter), One Bad Apple (worst ep of the show), Spike at Your Service, Just for Sidekicks, Keep Calm, and Games Ponies Play are all bad or worse. It had a very rushed approach, as if the season tried too hard to do much more than it was capable of at the time. Well, considering three was originally the last season, it shows. OBA's moral remains the show's worst. However, I'm not gonna be a blind hater; plenty good happened this season, too. Magic Duel through AFR is the second-best run of the show, Sleepless one of the show's best. MMC isn't good (but unlike what some make it out to be, it's nowhere close to the show's worst), but it has one of the shoe's better moments by proving that Twilight definitely more than earned her princesshood. Out of all the seasons, this one shows Dash at her very best: Sleepless and WA have her best appearances of the show.
7. Season 6: One word to describe it: disappointing. Are many episodes really good? 100%. Times, Saddle Row, Tail, Fault, and Gauntlet are the five best of the season. This is the first season to introduce Starlight into the Mane cast, making the Mane Six the Mane Eight. There were two arcs that season, Starlight's redemption, Thorax becomes Changeling King. Both arcs suck. Why? Blame DHX for sticking into their habit of not making them grow and mature throughout and force themselves to rely on half-assed exposition. The best episodes aren't top-ten worthy, but three of the worst (ND, 28PL Mare Do Well 2.0, PPOV) are among the ten worst. Newbie Dash, for one, is among the bottom-three; it's what MMC would be had it treated Twilight's character like garbage, treat her studies like they're worthless, and attach an offensive moral. While Season 6 handed Dash, Rarity, and Applejack their worst seasons, Fluttershy and especially Spike had their best in a while, the latter his best yet. Haber really understood Spike, and it shows everywhere. ND is the only episode where his role bombed.

In short, no season is bad or truly awful. But some are more better than others.

Edited July 18, 2017 by Dark Qiviut

[ShootingStar159 2,157]

1) Season 5: Season five is number one in my book for the chances it took, as well as the varied story types it gave us. Season two had mostly great episodes as well, but season five had more to offer; more feels, more adventure, more character developement, and the humor was on point as well. It also introduced my favorite villain, and then reformed her so she could become my favorite character.  If I had to give a downside to the series, I'd have to say the finalies last five minutes felt rushed, almost as though it was meant to be a series finale instead of a season (seriously, that closing shot still has an air of finality to it, like the characters are saying goodbye). My guess is that Cutie Re-mark was written right after Cutie Map, before the writers knew if the show was going to be renewed.

2) Season 2: Solid season, nearly every episode was fun to watch, and it's one of the only seasons I watch all the way through. Season two did have a largely similar feel to each episode, namely SoL episodes. Even episodes like Dragon Quest that could have been adventurous still felt laid back, focusing more on characters than anything else. Nothing wrong with it, but it does mean season five felt more entertaining.

3) Season 7: While season seven isn't finished yet, the quality of episodes so far I see enough to put it number three. It has shown many things I wanted for the season; better Starlight development, Dash's parents, and royal sisters episode. If the rest of the season continues like this, it will likely move up to number two slot, but even if the rest of the season is only mediocre it is still better than what's left.

4) Season 1: A true average season, it doesn't really stand out from the others in a good or bad way, but is still enjoyable to watch. It doesn't really do anything great, but it doesn't do anything horrible either. Enjoyable, but nothing special.

5) Season 3: In hindsight, I'm exceptionally glad this was not the final season. Not just because it would have meant no more pony, but because it was so mediocre. It would have been a real weak ending for the show. Season three was the first season I would say had a bad episode, and outside of one or two exceptions, the rest of the season had nothing good to offer. I usually skip a couple of episodes this season to get on to better things. That said I find MMC to be the most enjoyable part of the season.

6) Season 4: One of only two seasons I consider bad, though I admit it's for pretty personal reasons. After MMC, I was apprehensive about where the show would go. Not because of Alicorn Twilight; I actually love the idea that a great deed can lead to a transformation like that. It was Princess Twilight that had me nervous. Becoming a leader is far more tricky than becoming more powerful. The premier was a great start at easing me concerns, but it went down hill from there. Going back and rewatching lately, Twilight big character progression moment is largely ignored most of the season until the plot calls for it. Even her Alicorn change was largely unused, it felt like you could take her wings off and not even notice a difference. It came to a head for me with Rainbow Falls and "cheerleader Twilight". It hurt to see one of my favorites being misused like that. I watched a couple more episodes but then took a couple year break. Going back and finally watching the finale, I see what the writers were trying to do, but the way they did it was less than satisfying. On top of this disappointing direction, there were a lot of dud episodes. When I rewatch this season I skip almost everything but the finale and key episodes. The only reason this episode isn't last on my list is that season six was somehow even more disappointing.

7) Season Six: I'm very greatfull for the hiatus I took from the show midway through season four. It meant this season was already over by the time I started rewatching, and I was gladly able to skip the dud episodes of this season. This is the only season I have not watched all of, though I'm sure I'll get around to it. After that rant on season four I'll make this one short. Starlight had good episodes, but she deserved at least two more over the crap episodes we got instead, especially with them making her the leader during the finale, and even more with her graduation in season seven premier. Starlight's mistreatment is very similar to Princess Twilight's mistreatment; she was largely ignored or mysteriously absent when the plot didn't call for her to be there. Once again half the episodes of this season were duds, either exceedingly bad or boring. I'll give the season credit for having the best Spike episodes; I also liked "Alicorn" Thorax, though I wish they had changed his voice as well.

Anyway those are just my opinions on the seasons. While I do think there were some disappointing seasons and story arcs, the show has always had good moments even during the worst of episodes. I'm having more fun with the show than ever, and I can't wait to see what come next.

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by ShootingStar159

[Hierok 11,833]

1. Season 2
2. Season 1
3. Season 7
4. Season 4
5. Season 3
6. Season 5
7. Season 6

[Philweasel 139]

You know, this is making me like all the seasons more. It's reminding me in particular how awesome season 4 and 5 were, because I'm not sure I fully appreciated them at the time.

[Zachary 5,522]

1. Season 5

2. Season 7

3. Season 6

4. Season 4

5. Season 2

6. Season 1

7. Season 3

[cmarston1 5,964]

1.Season 4

2.Season 5

3.Season 7

4.Season 3

5.Season 2

6.Season 1

7.Season 6

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

5- Best episodes of the series

7- Catching up to season 5

4- Was neat

2- Also neat

6- less neat

3- Too short to be neat

1- No nostalgia aside, not quite neat.

[Thrond 3,271]

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by the votes, as I bet most people who would agree with my ranking probably jumped ship by the end of season 5. If I hadn't liked season 6 so much, I just might have as well. Anyway, rather than repeat my reasoning again, here's the seasons ranked by how many of their episodes I enjoyed:

1. Season 2. Enjoyed 83%, 20/24 episodes.
2. Season 1. Enjoyed 76%, 19/25 episodes.
3. Season 6. Enjoyed 71%, 17/24 episodes.
4. Season 3. Enjoyed 67%, 8/12 episodes.
5. Season 4. Enjoyed 67%, 16/24 episodes.
6. Season 5. Enjoyed 46%, 11/24 episodes.
7. Season 7 (so far). Enjoyed 46%, 6/13 episodes. 

For all I know, there might not be a single other bad episode in season 7, so its rank could change dramatically. But I'd be surprised.

It's also funny how this is exactly the same as how I'd rank the seasons based on emotional reaction and overall trends. I thought I had enjoyed a higher percentage of Seasons 3 and 4, but I guess not. I put 5 above 7 and 3 above 4 because of my subjective feelings about them, but technically those pairs are both ties.