Is My Little Pony Friendship is Magic destined to monotony?

[Motion Spark 7,807]

if we take a look, the episodes of the show have been structured in a very familiar way. I separated them in 2 blocks:

 

season premiere and season finale (2 episodes special)

In these episodes we usually get to see some story development, and epic situations that only last for these 2 episodes, all premieres and finales have had this formula.

Except for "the best day ever", episode 26 of season 1 because it was just 1 episode and no villain. This is an special case because this episode came out before the brony phonomenon.

These episodes are known for having a deeper storyline, having Twilight as a main character and a villain.

normal episodes

these are known for being character driven episodes and we get to see character development, which means that we get to know in a deeper level the character that the episode is about. These goes in between season premiere and season finale

After seeing the success of the show, I can assure that this show will go on for many more seasons which is really cool, but is there a chance that I'll get bored of the same formula? It's uncertain...

 

I am a guy who enjoys story over characters, as hard as it is to hear. I prefer the seasons premieres and finales, because they have the shock, surprise factor, something epic is going to happen, and there will be an awesome villain underneath everything. But that doesn't mean that I do not enjoy the regular episodes, because I loved them.

 

The thing is that, even in the season premieres or finales, I see that nothing really change in the storyline, and when I talk about changes, I mean BIG PERMANENT changes. For example, the biggest "change" I saw was the addition of Cadence and Shinning Armor, which blew my mind, first, Twilight has a brother? second, another alicorn? that's sick! but overall, I do not consider that a change, to me, that's more of a addition, because the main characters didn't have any changes, after the wedding they returned to Ponyville and everything is going back to normal. see? no changes.

 

When I talk about these changes, fine examples would be:

• A season premiere/finale with more than 2 episodes.
• There's been rumors of RD having a bf, that would be a big shock for an episode.
• Rarity getting married or moving to Canterlot.
• Twilight becoming a princess. (Rumors)
• There's been rumors of Discord returning. That would be pretty neat. But this time I would like something epic and relevant to the storyline happening if he is confirmed to return.
• Dept in the elements of harmony, in normal episodes!
• Finally, things happening to the mane6, that impacts throughout the whole story.

I significant change though, would be Rainbow Dash and Twilight getting pets, but at the same time, I think that this is not a relevant thing that can affect the story in huge way. Story is what matters to me, because it adds characters and story all at once, which I find it pretty awesome, but I recall Lauren Faust saying that she will always go for putting the characters as main focus of the episodes because if they are interesting enough, they are capable of telling the whole story of the cartoon. I think that's an awesome idea, but if the episodes are not "connected" in some sort of way, then what's the point of expectenting HUGE changes that can turn the stroyline into different sort of things constantly.

But I am afraid of the show going too mainstream, like a routine, there's no ups and downs, there's no deep emotions (that can affect greatly the storyline) and I would't like MLP to turn into a routine. I want to see variety!

 

so what are your thoughts?

[Party Cannon 876]

I have studied routinization in terms of Public Administration, where after an organization establishes itself, it reaches this phase as to strengthen it and give itself legitimacy. This theory can be applied to a television show, as you have described in detail. I feel the show with the unveiling of season 3 is still very entertaining to watch and won't jump the shark for awhile (I'm enjoying it while it lasts). I'm glad there are no "major" shifts, or at least permanent ones. There weren't any even in Season 1. Look at shows like say The Fairly OddParents. It wasn't one of my mainstay shows at all to begin with, but once Cosmo and Wanda had that baby I dropped it like a hot rock. I swear it's like TV show cancer when they introduce a baby. Same thing with Rugrats.

 

That's what I got for you. lol

[Motion Spark 7,807]

@@Party Cannon, I meant changes as in following a storyline like as in most animes. I don't know, I want to see some evolution, but at the same time I feel like I'm asking for too much because this is a kids show focused on friendship and the mainstream lifes of the mane6.

But for seasons premiere/finale, what's the point of following this pattern of temporal epicness, to discover a new villain, defeat it in the easiest of the ways, and at the end be happy ever after to go back to the mainstream episodes? -_-

 

Look at shows like say The Fairly OddParents. It wasn't one of my mainstay shows at all to begin with, but once Cosmo and Wanda had that baby I dropped it like a hot rock. I swear it's like TV show cancer when they introduce a baby. Same thing with Rugrats.

I did saw fairly odd parents, but almost never saw the new episodes with the baby, I know almost nothing about that, however, in rugrats, I loved the addition of Dil and Kimmy after the movies.

[poniesforfun 716]

Animes are usually the ones to use the progressive story through episodes till the end of the series. It's hard to call American cartoons "series" more like a collection of works because they don't really tell a story through the episodes in it's entirety (with some exceptions like Avatar the Last Airbender which seems to have anime influences or some of the recent cartoons like Winx or Reality/Survivor Island or something).

 

MLP still seems more "stock filler" to me but any addition they put into it they put it in pretty subtly like Luna coming out in at least three other episodes (halloween, canterlot wedding and the recent episode). Shining Armor and Cadence came out right after their wedding (a bit too early if u ask me), and there is word that Trixie is going to make a comeback. Not only that MLP does put in hints of recent events such as Fluttershy wanting to be a tree on the train and in Hurricane Fluttershy she is disguised as a tree. Or the Thunderbolts remembering Rainbow Dash's victory and first Rainboom.

 

If anything I'm thinking they're just gauging the audience hoping they don't make too many leaps because once everything becomes more canon they will have to pay more attention to not making any mistakes the fans will point out. I think that's a reason why American animators don't like to make a progressive storyline. I'd say give them time, I'm sure they would put in more hints of this happening.

Edited November 12, 2012 by poniesforfun

[Party Cannon 876]

what's the point of following this pattern of temporal epicness, to discover a new villain, defeat it in the easiest of the ways, and at the end be happy ever after to go back to the mainstream episodes? -_-

 

So the little girls and even the most diehard of bronies can sleep well that night.

 

You have high expectations for your entertainment, and I respect that.

[Crispy 5,563]

• Finally, things happening to the mane6, that impacts throughout the whole story.

I think that's coming. The new episodes dropped some heavy hints at an overarching storyline for Twilight. Luna's initial disdain for Twi in the beginning of the episode, Celestia's references to being ready for "it", and that mysterious black book at the end of the second episode that seemed to have what I can only assume to be Star Swirl's cutie mark.

 

Personal synopsis, Twi is being groomed for a final conflict, and beyond that, if not for Stewardship, outright Godhood.

[Motion Spark 7,807]

Animes are usually the ones to use the progressive story through episodes till the end of the series. It's hard to call American cartoons "series" more like a collection of works because they don't really tell a story through the episodes in it's entirety (with some exceptions like Avatar the Last Airbender which seems to have anime influences or some of the recent cartoons like Winx or Reality/Survivor Island or something).

yerite most american cartoons are like that, that's why I never got like TOO close to them, I watched more "americanized" cartoons than anime, being One Piece the only anime I've watched out off TV.

 

MLP still seems more "stock filler" to me but any addition they put into it they put it in pretty subtly like Luna coming out in at least three other episodes (halloween, canterlot wedding and the recent episode). Shining Armor and Cadence came out right after their wedding (a bit too early if u ask me), and there is word that Trixie is going to make a comeback. Not only that MLP does put in hints of recent events such as Fluttershy wanting to be a tree on the train and in Hurricane Fluttershy she is disguised as a tree. Or the Thunderbolts remembering Rainbow Dash's victory and first Rainboom.

stating that Trixie will come back as huge story implementation, is like saying in Spongebob's that we are going to get another episode with Spongebob and Miss Puff. And she's not one of the main characters.

let's say we have the Trixie episode...fine, boom! that's it end, she's gone!

A big change would be, like Trixie moving to ponyville, and becoming friends with Twilight and even attending Princess Celestia's school for gifted unicorn, that's a HUGE twist to the storyline and a shock/surprise factor.

 

You have high expectations for your entertainment, and I respect that.

maybe that's it. I have to much of a big standard for this cartoon. But as me, they know and they are aware that MLP is under a magnified glass that will put to discussion every single detail of the episodes, and I'm not the only one who thinks that.

 

I think that's coming. The new episodes dropped some heavy hints at an overarching storyline for Twilight. Luna's initial disdain for Twi in the beginning of the episode, Celestia's references to being ready for "it", and that mysterious black book at the end of the second episode that seemed to have what I can only assume to be Star Swirl's cutie mark. Personal synopsis, Twi is being groomed for a final conflict, and beyond that, if not for Stewardship, outright Godhood.

god damned Crispy!

bronies are way ahead! damn! I have no idea about all of this, and I rather not to get to know more, because I hate spoilers haha.

[Yellow Diamond 7,569]

Do remember that filler episodes are only properly filler if placed in the midst of a larger arc. MLP has used slice of life episodes to develop characters and their personalities---a far cry from typical anime filler episodes when, say, the main protagonists take a day off from fighting the big evil organization to go prance around in swimsuits. Nothing gets accomplished. Since MLP has never utilized a story arc longer than two episodes, it is difficult to speak about filler in the same way.

 

Season 3 is still very much up in the air, but the implications of "The Crystal Empire" suggest a story arc extending through the whole of the season. The use of dark magic, Twilight Sparkle's destiny, the return of the Crystal Empire (and King Sombra), and the emergence of Cadence and Shining Armor as the de facto rulers of the Crystal Empire are too important to sweep under the rug. In no other two-part episodes did we have questions which lingered inside of the story itself. As an example, once Discord was defeated, the Mane Six were simply treated to a victory celebration. In the case of "The Crystal Empire," Celestia and Luna were holding a mysterious book---undoubtedly an instance of Chekhov's Gun.

 

The formula of the last two seasons has already been broken. By the end of Season 3, I suspect we will see very big, perhaps even permanent changes to the MLP universe.