I think I know why the show has been lacking in quality lately

[Plonkett 341]

Ever since Season 5, the show started diving into mediocrity. Quality episodes had been few and far in between from Season 6 and onward. The biggest factor to this is that all these seasons are without people like M.A. Larson, Amy Keating Rogers, and Megan McCarthy. Granted, there had been other good writers like the Lady Writers, but now they're gone too. It doesn't help the fact that most of the new writers aren't even that good.

I think that warrants a good enough reason why most people consider seasons 6-8 to be the worst in the whole series. Even though there are still some good episodes, they don't appear as often as the seasons prior to the latest three.

[Dan. 1,825]

It lost it's magic going toward action adventure than SoL. I haven't seen past the S04 opener

[Ziltoid the Omniscient 286]

This is common for a show thats lasted this long. But then again, I havent seen anything off season 8 yet.

[MangoFoalix 24,898]

To be fair, this is only one opinion. A lot of people including myself still really like seasons 6 - 8. Yes, there have been duds but that doesn't mean the entirety of the last 3 seasons are bad. Not saying that you are wrong at all it's just that there are others who feel somewhat differently

[Plonkett 341]

2 minutes ago, Ziltoid the Omniscient said:

This is common for a show thats lasted this long. But then again, I havent seen anything off season 8 yet.

Had the writers I mentioned still been around, those seasons would've been a lot better. Hell, they're a big reason why the show has created the legacy it did.

Edited July 26, 2018 by vgmaster9

[Dark Qiviut 22,173]

7 minutes ago, vgmaster9 said:

Had the writers I mentioned still been around, those seasons would've been a lot better.

Can't say that for sure. Season 7 is one of the best of the of the series, and it was consisted of almost exclusively writers from Season 5 onward.

[Tacodidra 59,792]

I actually think the fandom has quite different opinions on the latest few seasons. Season 8 hasn't been one of the most popular, indeed, but I've seen a lot of people consider season 7 one of the best in the series. As for why people prefer the earlier seasons, in at least some cases it might be due to them losing interest in the series in general. Having watched all the seasons in a relatively short time, I'd say I prefer the earlier seasons but not by much – all seasons have their share of very good episodes and I've generally enjoyed most of them.

The writers are also one thing I disagree on. While I agree that those writers you mentioned made some of the best episodes in the series, I feel most of the new writers have done a good job too. Actually, I've found many of the episodes written by them to be among the strongest episodes in the last couple of seasons, such as "Once Upon a Zeppelin" and "Horse Play" (both of which were the debuts of their writers). I'd say they have added something fresh to the show while staying true to what it has been like before.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,283]

I haven't noticed any drop in quality. There have been episodes I didn't care for, but overall the show seems just as strong as ever to me.

I thought season seven to be excellent.

[Octavia Heartstrings 28,406]

In my opinion, the seasons ranked from best to worst would be 5, 4, 1, 7, 8, 2, 6, 3. That's not what I would call a big drop in quality between 1-5 and 6-8. You get the occasional duds in every season (although S3 had a lot of them )

[Jeric 46,834]

Season 6 may have been mediocre to me, but Season 7 was outstanding and I am still enjoying Season 8 quite fine. The only dip in quality would be relative because I loved the hell out of last season. Whatever they are doing I certainly hope they keep doing it. 

51 minutes ago, vgmaster9 said:

M.A. Larson, Amy Keating Rogers, and Megan McCarthy

And they also wrote some shit episodes too. 

[Lord Valtasar 12,685]

As someone who binge watched all of it at once. And not seeing it season by season i have a general idea for it and not very seperated. I'd say the later seasons. While not as great as the 1st two(imo) have not lost their spark.

Season 8 isn't the strongest. But it would be best to wait for it to be completed before we judge it

[Iam 525]

I had been watching one season annually from S1 to S5 and S6, 7 and 8 in one go (only Starlight episodes). I don't see any bigger difference in quality of each season, however some episode have a bit shallow scenarios, but this is just my opinion. About those mentioned only-Starlight episodes, I must say, that inconsistence in writing is translates into inconsistent character and personality of dear Starlight, which is something new in the show. Every character usually had their line of behaviours, Starlight doesn't follow that line, it's some of a waving arc. For me, it's great.

[Misty Shadow 7,084]

I disagree. M.A. Larson, Amy Keating Rogers, and Meghan McCarthy were not perfect, writing some less-than-stellar episodes such as Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, The Ticket Master, and The Crystal Empire. Also, in their place, we got some great writers who have hit their mark most every time like Josh Haber, Michael Vogel, and Nick Confalone. I've not noticed a fall in quality, as there has still yet to be a single episode of the show I haven't gotten some enjoyment out of watching, but what do I know? I am just some guy.

[Shadowfax 68]

I'd say outside of the 3rd season, the the series is, in general, enjoyable.

Sure, there are ups and downs, but I have not noticed this famed downwards trajectory throughout the entire series people keep on talking about.

Edited July 26, 2018 by Shadowfax

[Goat-kun 2,498]

FIM is out if its depth along with its handlers. All the action-adventure and worldbuilding efforts have been half-arsed. It's like they are only doing it for the bragging rights. The humor is not its strong point either. The only thing going for pony are ponies. The art. That's it. You wouldn't be on this forum if it weren't for the cutesy talking animals and you know it.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,283]

The show is a little different after the start of Twilight's school, but I truly like the direction it's going in season eight. Sometimes change is GOOD!

[Ganondorf8 11,118]

This kind of thing tends to happen when a show keeps going for a very long time. It's obvious that the writers are starting to run out of ideas on account that they have rehashed some of the older episodes--along with their respective lessons--into the newer ones, yet they aren't letting that stop them from entertaining their audience--both the target and the fandom--and they have managed to surprise us with some pretty inventive concepts. Do I see a lack of quality? In some cases but I can let those slide in favour of what has been done as of late.

[Chronicplane 58]

Meh this is all nothing more than subjective opinions really as this fandom does have controversy with the current works of the show and it's quality.

[BlinkZ 1,151]

On 7/26/2018 at 3:09 PM, cuteycindyhoney said:

The show is a little different after the start of Twilight's school, but I truly like the direction it's going in season eight. Sometimes change is GOOD!

Student six are stil kind of flat. School is just kind of there. you know up until the season finale wehre it will suddenly be super important again. Can barely remember the students names. 

[Props Valroa 26,038]

It's lacking in quality, not only because of that because of the mane 6. The mane 6 have been around for almost 7-8 years. The school part of it is also very flat and boring to me.

[FlareGun45 2,221]

I wouldn't say the quality was lost, more like the show has constantly changed over the years during the changing of the writers. In seasons 1 and 2, we had Faust, and it felt more like a little girl's show that was appealing to adults, including guys! Then came seasons 3 and 4 which was the McCarthy era, which really brought the show to another direction, making it more gender-neutral and not just slice of life episodes! Then came season 5 which was a final season for alot of great writers, but then season 6 was the first season of almost completely new writers (excluding On Your Marks which was written by Polsky, a writer who's been around since season 1), and it really brought a new direction to the show by making supporting characters more appealing, but the Mane Six haven't been getting alot of developmental episodes because most of their arcs were already completed.

So the quality is all in the matter of opinion. It hasn't raised or dropped, it just changed with the changing of the writers. And as of late, only the supporting characters have been getting the best episodes because there's very little left for the Mane Six with most of their story arcs completed. Now we have characters like Starlight really raising in the ranks, and the CMCs have a complete new direction going for them, and Spike is no longer comic-relief gaining much more potential! Hell they made Trixie recurring character, and more non-pony characters started coming in! I like the direction the show is going to!

[SDP40F amtrak 2,442]

On 7/26/2018 at 4:25 PM, Chronicplane said:

Meh this is all nothing more than subjective opinions really as this fandom does have controversy with the current works of the show and it's quality.

Sometimes it does 

Subject opinions from the fandom  really jump the shark 

Edited July 28, 2018 by Twilight Sparkle is best

[Hierok 11,829]

Season 8 feels less strong because season 7 was outstanding good. Season 8 is between season 3 and 5 now, just medium

Edited July 28, 2018 by H'rok

[Will Guide 21,325]

Personally, I see this less as quality lowering and more potential ideas being set up but not fully expanded on as they should. The School and non-pony students are great ideas, but they need some more focus. I wanted to know more about them and their races.

But hey, like I always say, a wasted idea in canon is fuel for potentially good fan fiction. So, I wouldn't say Season 8 so far is a total loss. 

Edited July 28, 2018 by Wholly Windcharger

[Thrond 3,257]

I quite several episodes across each of those seasons, so I wouldn’t say the departure of popular writers is indicative of a decline in quality.