Early Seasons vs. Newer Seasons?

[Conred 274]

22 hours ago, Lambdadelta said:

One of the problems with recent seasons is writers come and go that cause many inconsistencies, I bet some of them didn't even watch the old seasons or just don't get the characters. Recently, I don't care how good the synopsis is but as long as it was written by veteran writers, or some writers that I am familiar with, I will be less skeptical. Some amazing episodes were written by some random writers who might never appear again, caught me by surprises but I haven't trust them yet until I saw their 2nd episode. 

Some episodes of season 8 are written by some new writers and they are all great (beside Non-compete Clause) proved me wrong again. I don't know whether the show is changed or I am being more skeptical over time, or both.

 

Spike at Your Service still be the 'classic' bad episode until today. 

 

Pretty sure majority of people noticed that Season8 is one of the worst seasons to date along with S6. There is no debating that. It's just have very few good episodes and most of them comes from a single writer - Nick Confalone who is the only experienced writer.

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

3 hours ago, Conred said:

There is no debating that

Whether season 8 is good or not, best or worst, still up to debate (some people still waiting for U.S releases), and we got a forum for that purpose. This is a forum, not a court.

3 hours ago, Conred said:

Pretty sure majority of people noticed that Season8 is one of the worst seasons to date along with S6

That part is a bit tricky to me.  Do majority of people actually consider this season is the worst? Many people I know didn't even watch early release. Let wait for the season's end (U.S release) to see people opinions about this season overall.

3 hours ago, Conred said:

It's just have very few good episodes

Kinda disagree about it. I cant count the episodes that I really enjoyed this season with my both hands, some of them weren't written by my favorite writers at all. To say this season just have very few good episodes is a bit exaggerating to me. Every mlp season has a certain amount of good episodes that I can say it is a good season overall, it's just the best season has more god-tiers episodes, that's all.

3 hours ago, Conred said:

Nick Confalone who is the only experienced writer.

Nick Confalone is my love, but to say he's the only good thing about this season is... a bit exaggerating.  You can easily find people who didn't like some of his writings.

Anyway, it's just my opinion, I just think this season is not as bad as you say.

 

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

I have to say, I expected the results of this poll to be a lot closer than they actually are.

[NathanW200 306]

I enjoy the later seasons better because I enjoy the story going forward it's amazing I can't wait to see what FIM has in store for us in the future 

[Thrond 3,263]

On 9/6/2018 at 5:11 AM, Conred said:

Pretty sure majority of people noticed that Season8 is one of the worst seasons to date along with S6. There is no debating that. It's just have very few good episodes and most of them comes from a single writer - Nick Confalone who is the only experienced writer.

Excuse you, season 6 is one of my favourites. 

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

Upon rewatch, Seasons 1-3 did not hold up that well. They're still good, mind you, but on the lower end for me particularly because you can tell that the writers were struggling to find their footing. It felt like they had to shoehorn Twilight in every episode of Season 1.

Season 2 is an improvement over the first. The animation looks smoother, the writing is slightly more mature, and it shows signs that the staff is growing more confident in their stories and the cast is growing into their roles more. But, the bad episodes stand out much much more. 

People talk about how the characters are OOC or Flandarized in later seasons, but always seem to ignore that it happened here as well. 

Still, a very good season.

Season 3 however, did not hold up as well. It's not bad (I don't think any season of FiM is), but it is the weakest.

"One Bad Apple" may be least favorite episode of the show. "Spike At Your Service" is pretty terrible too, but it's lack of quality is not as surprising since Merriweather Williams was arguably one of the worst writers on the show.  But "One Bad Apple" was written by Cindy Morrow, who wrote "Sisterhooves Social" and "Tanks For The Memories". Episodes that tackled far more complicated issues with nuance and subtlety. So to see her butcher an episode about bullying this badly is more jarring.

Still, it has a fair amount of good and even great episodes.

[Sepul-Coloratura 762]

If you are watching newer seasons, it means you already liked old seasons.

I like the things happening in Ponyville scale.

I like the feeling if you were to visit Carousel Boutique, you would see Rarity sewing.

I like the feeling where you could meet Rainbow Dash busting clouds in the sky in Ponyville.

If you visit Sweet Apple Acres, you would see Applejack bucking apples.

I like the moment when Applejack and Rainbow dash running alongside together, Fluttershy having tea parties with her animals, Rarity and Applejack having sleepover on Twilight's place, Pinkie Pie passing by and saying hi to her friends.

I like that there is not very much world ending crisis happening. I like that the six ponies only cared about their daily lives and not much being a special force. I like seeing a change of seasons and weather controlled by ponies. I like to see Apple families traditions. I liked when there is an issue in Ponyville, Twilight would calm the ponies and come up with the solution. I liked that going to Canterlot was a big deal....

I like some bright ideas in new seasons, but you can't win the old season's charm. I also think the older seasons had more unexpected funny facial expression. Nowadays, ponies shapes have a very precise and consist base and it is fine but somehow loses the old charm. (See Lesson Zero and how much various facial expression she makes.)

[n1029 227]

There's definitely a notable difference between the show's ambitions in the BigJim era and the Thiessen era. He's downplayed the slapstick elements of the first few seasons in favor of a more dialogue-driven approach, which is an unusual direction for a children's show to take in its later seasons. I won't say if it's necessarily better or worse, but it will make the series as a whole interesting to analyze whenever it ends.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

On 9/27/2018 at 12:34 AM, n1029 said:

There's definitely a notable difference between the show's ambitions in the BigJim era and the Thiessen era. He's downplayed the slapstick elements of the first few seasons in favor of a more dialogue-driven approach, which is an unusual direction for a children's show to take in its later seasons. I won't say if it's necessarily better or worse, but it will make the series as a whole interesting to analyze whenever it ends.

Season 4 is kind of a transitional season. It had the charming slice of life stories of Seasons 1-3, but began the trend of exploring new worlds and areas that would continue in Seasons 5-8.

[Megas 27,628]

On 9/6/2018 at 4:11 AM, Conred said:

Pretty sure majority of people noticed that Season8 is one of the worst seasons to date along with S6. There is no debating that. It's just have very few good episodes and most of them comes from a single writer - Nick Confalone who is the only experienced writer.

Very debatable, for all of S8's problems it has plenty of good and I'd gladly take it over S6 and S2. Hell, the stretch from On the Road to Friendship to Sound of Silence is one of the best in the show's run since Magic Duel to Apple Family Reunion back in S3

Edited September 29, 2018 by This Whomps

[Conred 274]

10 hours ago, This Whomps said:

Very debatable, for all of S8's problems it has plenty of good and I'd gladly take it over S6 and S2. Hell, the stretch from On the Road to Friendship to Sound of Silence is one of the best in the show's run since Magic Duel to Apple Family Reunion back in S3

Magic Duel and Apple Family Reunion weren't really that memorable. And considering how many bad episodes there is in S8 and how much dumb the S8 finale is, i am highly addured that S8 will be seen in few years as a mistake on FiM series as a whole that should have never been written

[Miss 6,229]

I love every season!!! Season 1 is my 2nd fav season, and 2 and 3 are at the bottom with possibly season 8 below it (depending on how these last few episodes go) 

1. 5

2. 1

3. 6

4. 4/7

5. 3 (handicap cuz only 13 episodes)

2. 2 

Edited September 30, 2018 by Misscellanio

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

Season 7 is still my personal favorite, but Season 8 came pretty close thanks to its second half.

I also think that Seasons 5 and 6 are better than most people give them credit for. 

[Megas 27,628]

14 hours ago, Theanimationfanatic said:

Season 7 is still my personal favorite, but Season 8 came pretty close thanks to its second half.

I also think that Seasons 5 and 6 are better than most people give them credit for. 

S5 is often considered one of the show’s best seasons 

[RulesofRarity 493]

One thing I miss from Seasons 1-4 is the villains being evil for the sake of it and not just because they had sad backstory where they were slighted by their friends or something. 

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

Just now, RulesofRarity said:

One thing I miss from Seasons 1-4 is the villains being evil for the sake of it and not just because they had sad backstory where they were slighted by their friends or something. 

Which is why I really liked 

Spoiler

Cozy Glow in the finale.

 

[RulesofRarity 493]

15 minutes ago, Theanimationfanatic said:

Which is why I really liked 

  Hide contents

Cozy Glow in the finale.

 

Spoiler

Same but I know they’re gonna give her a redemption eventually. 

 

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

30 minutes ago, RulesofRarity said:

  Hide contents

Same but I know they’re gonna give her a redemption eventually. 

 

Spoiler

Doubtful, considering that they exiled her to Tartarus right next to Tirek.

 

[Them's Seeing Ponies 282]

Personally, it's not so much a matter of quality as it is a matter of taste. The newer (as in seasons 6-8, I genuinely love season 4 and am fine with season 5) seasons are honestly my least favorite of the show's run (although I actually consider 8 to be a minor improvement over S6-7), although it's not so much the lack of quality that irks me about them (save for S6, which is legitimately disappointing) as that I simply don't appreciate their more sedate, dialogue-driven style as others. Due to their more subtle moments of 'maturity' (I feel that the main reason that the brony fandom exploded to such a surprising extent was due to the unique tone of S1-2, which balanced incredibly funny and relatable character writing with the principle of remaining a kid's show, whilst even S3-5 feel more overt about their 'maturity', thus losing some of the 'uniqueness' of the earliest seasons for me), the better comedy (I appreciate the charming Faustian/McCracken style over the more exaggerated Nickelodeon-esque humour of early S7 or the generic dry comedy of many Haber-run episodes, although season 8 is the funniest in a while) and the greater focus on developing aspects of the mane six (who I feel have fallen somewhat to the wayside recently, despite still churning out a number of decent outings every season), I prefer S1-3 to an extent, although I wouldn't go so far as to trash S4-8. They're far from bad seasons (even S6 and S7 are merely okay) and deserve some level of recognition for their own personal qualities.

That being said, I agree with AlbaTross's note on season divisions. I would cite the show currently as having four different eras, with the early seasons (noted for unicorn Twilight's arc and the lighter/more comedic tone) being S1-3, the 'McCarthy' seasons (with a greater focus on deepening the show's narrative scope whilst adding a record-breaking rate of fanservice) as S4 and 5, the 'transitional seasons' (produced during work on the movie, noted for more experimental styles and focus on Starlight) being S6 and 7 and the 'Dubuc' era (distinct for focus on the Student Six and stronger inter-episode continuity) being S8 (and probably S9 when it releases). Lumping, say, S4 in with S8 is pretty licentious at this point when considering the changes the show has undergone since 2013.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

1 hour ago, Them's Seeing Ponies said:

Personally, it's not so much a matter of quality as it is a matter of taste. The newer (as in seasons 6-8, I genuinely love season 4 and am fine with season 5) seasons are honestly my least favorite of the show's run (although I actually consider 8 to be a minor improvement over S6-7), although it's not so much the lack of quality that irks me about them (save for S6, which is legitimately disappointing) as that I simply don't appreciate their more sedate, dialogue-driven style as others. Due to their more subtle moments of 'maturity' (I feel that the main reason that the brony fandom exploded to such a surprising extent was due to the unique tone of S1-2, which balanced incredibly funny and relatable character writing with the principle of remaining a kid's show, whilst even S3-5 feel more overt about their 'maturity', thus losing some of the 'uniqueness' of the earliest seasons for me), the better comedy (I appreciate the charming Faustian/McCracken style over the more exaggerated Nickelodeon-esque humour of early S7 or the generic dry comedy of many Haber-run episodes, although season 8 is the funniest in a while) and the greater focus on developing aspects of the mane six (who I feel have fallen somewhat to the wayside recently, despite still churning out a number of decent outings every season), I prefer S1-3 to an extent, although I wouldn't go so far as to trash S4-8. They're far from bad seasons (even S6 and S7 are merely okay) and deserve some level of recognition for their own personal qualities.

That being said, I agree with AlbaTross's note on season divisions. I would cite the show currently as having four different eras, with the early seasons (noted for unicorn Twilight's arc and the lighter/more comedic tone) being S1-3, the 'McCarthy' seasons (with a greater focus on deepening the show's narrative scope whilst adding a record-breaking rate of fanservice) as S4 and 5, the 'transitional seasons' (produced during work on the movie, noted for more experimental styles and focus on Starlight) being S6 and 7 and the 'Dubuc' era (distinct for focus on the Student Six and stronger inter-episode continuity) being S8 (and probably S9 when it releases). Lumping, say, S4 in with S8 is pretty licentious at this point when considering the changes the show has undergone since 2013.

Well, I respectfully disagree with your quality assessment of the seasons, but it's still your opinion.

 

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

Edit: How would you guys feel about me adding a poll on which finale is the best after this one ends?

 

[Them's Seeing Ponies 282]

I'd be fine with it personally.

(For me it's a tie between "The Best Night Ever" due to being a great capper to the surprisingly consistent character arcs of S1 and "Twilight's Kingdom" for its unique cinematic scale and atmosphere).

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

New Poll: Which Season Finale is the best?

[DonMaguz 1,023]

12 minutes ago, Theanimationfanatic said:

New Poll: Which Season Finale is the best?

'The Cutie Re-Mark', but I can't go back and change my vote to add on the second poll.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

2 minutes ago, DonMaguz said:

'The Cutie Re-Mark', but I can't go back and change my vote to add on the second poll.

I'll inform the mods.

3 minutes ago, DonMaguz said:

'The Cutie Re-Mark', but I can't go back and change my vote to add on the second poll.

I'll inform the mods.

@Jeric I could use some help.