Was FiM's end planned since the beginning?

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

MLP:FiM is an immensely popular show. In fact, it is one of the most popular animated shows in the world, I can reasonably say. With that said, some of the recent...choices...by Hasbro makes me wonder if they are trying to wrap-up the show within one more season. I know season 4 is confirmed, but what about season 5? 6? 7? And so on. Given FiM's popularity, it can definitely last that long. However, given some recent character developments and the changes they could cause, it seems like under these new circumstances, it would be hard to pan the show out that long, regardless of popularity.

 

My worry is this: Unlike other TV shows that are sustained by their own sake and popularity, FiM is driven by Hasbro and their toy line. In the eyes of Hasbro, FiM is simply a 22 minute commercial for their toy line. In the merch-show relationship, the merch is dominant to the show. Of course our beloved show has become so much more since then, but IMO this is how Hasbro viewed the show at the beginning, and possibly still today. Sad, but probably true.

 

So, my question is this: Did Hasbro have an end to FiM in mind since the beginning? Was the G4 line only supposed to last a few years, and regardless of the popularity of the show, they are forced to end it for the sake of their toys? Was FiM's run meant to be limited from the beginning?

 

Just hypothesizing about a worst-case scenario about you-know-what, and trying to get into the heads of the management at Hasbro.

Edited January 30, 2013 by AtomicBassCannon

[NavelColt 22,880]

Ugh, more 'the end is neigh' negativity topics discussing the end of the show in one form or the other.

 

Money. That's what it comes down to. I don't have any doubt that Hasbro probably started this series out with a primary goal being to sell toys, and that's still a target concern to this day considering that their target audience isn't us, but instead kids, but one does not simply 'stop a show' when it's become a global phenomenon in both internet and in person. Companies are about money. As long as Hasbro is making craptons of money off of FiM, as they are, I don't see them pulling the plug on it after saying 'oh well, back before we knew we'd possess the most hit cartoon in the past decade, we decided there'd only be so and so many seasons. We're gonna end the show anyway.'

 

I imagine Hasbro will let the series run until it begins to decline naturally in way of quality, somehow. Be it writers leaving and not finding enough satisfactory replacements, or maybe everyone's simply run out of ideas to expand the show on, or something else.

[Fridge 382]

Ugh, more 'the end is neigh' negativity topics discussing the end of the show in one form or the other.

 

Money. That's what it comes down to. I don't have any doubt that Hasbro probably started this series out with a primary goal being to sell toys, and that's still a target concern to this day considering that their target audience isn't us, but instead kids, but one does not simply 'stop a show' when it's become a global phenomenon in both internet and in person. Companies are about money. As long as Hasbro is making craptons of money off of FiM, as they are, I don't see them pulling the plug on it after saying 'oh well, back before we knew we'd possess the most hit cartoon in the past decade, we decided there'd only be so and so many seasons. We're gonna end the show anyway.'

 

I imagine Hasbro will let the series run until it begins to decline naturally in way of quality, somehow. Be it writers leaving and not finding enough satisfactory replacements, or maybe everyone's simply run out of ideas to expand the show on, or something else.

Exactly this

 

Its a business at the end of the day so they do what they will to make money. Besides its all been foreshadowed and it was pretty obvious what was coming.

 

Also it not the end of the show season 4 was confirmed a little while ago, so we have at least one more season.

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

FYI guys I'm trying to stay positive. I'm personally of the opinion that this is only temporary and that FiM has many seasons ahead. However, I still think this is worth discussing.

 

I'm just wondering what might be going through the heads of some of the bean-counters and execs at Hasbro. Such types aren't always known for the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality, even sometimes at the cost of profit. Risk is the name of their game, afterall, even if it includes horrible decisions. I mean, let's not forget the "New Coke" debachle.

Edited January 30, 2013 by AtomicBassCannon

[The Mane-iac 1,648]

Even though an end was probably set when they started, I don't see it ending just because of that. Filler stories and such can always be added in to put the planned ending off for a bit and after that they can always figure out more stories, maybe even another story arc to last a few more seasons.

 

It may be about the toys but they can't just end something this big when there is still tons of money to be made off it. They will keep coming up with new toys, and they could even start focusing on more show accurate "collector" type stuff if they wanted.

 

After the holiday season though Hasbro, Mattel, and all the other toy companies are starting to see that the newest generations are mostly wanting digital goods or electronics so that may also help them shift focus to the show before the toys. Maybe it won't take place during FiM, but hopefully a trend was started and G5 will be just as good if not better.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Puddlejumper

[PinkieLore 11]

Well, the show may have even ended after Season 1 if there wasn't such a fandom for it. Just look at the length of the previous generations. As said above, it is all about money.

Just another note, although this probably isn't going to happen, should G4 end and G5 come into play, it should feature Apple Bloom and the rest of the crusaders as the new 'Mane 6' (since Babs Seed became friends with two other blank flanks, likely to be a unicorn and a pegasus).

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

ONe does not simply end a global phenomenon.

 

If Hasbro is making money on FIM they won't end the show, after all episodes that don't fit into the whole story arc could always be made.  

[Betez 1,734]

No, because the show was originally made by Faust, so I don't think she was just doing it for the money. Ending the show with Twilight becoming an Alicorn would be the easy way out of the show.

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

After the holiday season though Hasbro, Mattel, and all the other toy companies are starting to see that the newest generations are mostly wanting digital goods or electronics so that may also help them shift focus to the show before the toys. Maybe it won't take place during FiM, but hopefully a trend was started and G5 will be just as good if not better.

Not sure about the G5 part yet, but letting the show become the dominant entinty in the MLP franchise is what I hope Habsro lets happen. Let the writers flex their own creativity without putting a gun to their heads and forcing them to conform to toys. Not to mention this will probably spawn even more possible toy ideas than Hasbro coming up with toy ideas and forcing them into the show.

 

There's more creative potential as a whole when you let the writers take the wheel instead of the toy designers, in my opinion.

Edited January 30, 2013 by AtomicBassCannon

[Veylon 255]

I very much doubt that much of this was planned from the beginning. Like was said above, MLP is a toy commercial show, much like many, many others. Unlike many of those others, it's a got a worldwide fandom and writers who care, which gives the thing an odd schizophrenia. As is, G4 is the longest-lasting and most popular incarnation of the franchise.

 

To back up a bit, I really doubt that Hasbro bothered with much input early on, let alone had anything as grandiose as an "ending" planned. It seems like they drop weird demands in, wander off, and let the writers figure out how to make it make sense. So we get the wedding with a pink princess/alicorn. We get more use out of the balloon and train. There's a Crystal Empire for some reason. And now Twilight's going to become a princess/alicorn herself, because I guess pony royalty is highly contagious.

 

I'm not entirely sure if I'm complaining or not. On the one hand, jogging the writers' collective elbow is rude and unhelpful, but on the other hand, art often comes adversity and constant elbow-jogging is pretty adverse. Alongside that, I'm pretty sure that the writers wouldn't be adding major new locations and/or characters if nobody was pushing them to do it.

[Scootalove 10,689]

I don't really think the end was planned since the beginning. We will see the end, but today is not the day for us to see the end of Friendship is Magic.

[SilverStarApple 849]

If they end this show, there will be a colossal backlash and public outcry. There will be 'Bring MLP back' petitions, MLP fansites, Hasbro hatesites, and possibly even photoshopped images of the higher-up Hasbro staff.

 

We will then flip Hasbro our collective fingers, and read each other's Fimfictions and watch each other's fan videos.

 

Eventually, Hasbro will make a Gen 5. It won't star the CMC, it'll star BRAND NEW PONIES with BRAND NEW TOYS! Maybe they'll make it 50 years into Equestria's future, with Steampunk tech, radios, and giant robots. Or, they'll make gen 5 completely unrelated to the other seasons, maybe even acting like FIM never happened to taunt the bronies further. We'll hate it, until we watch it, and then we'll either love it, or hate it more.

 

Either way, MLP:FIM will always have a place in our hearts.

[Phoenix237 353]

Do I believe the series is ending soon

Well to put it bluntly

No

 

Long answer

NOOOO

 

Let me give you an example.

If they are making the show just to sell merchandise, then why stop now.

All official merchandise money goes to them. They are currently generating millions I not billions of dollars. End the series in say a year, the result is less merchandise sales. It doesn't make sense. If there is material for more seasons (which there is by the way) the why not try to stretch out he longevity of the series.

We can always have the usual filler episodes if you want. Some are pretty good. A mix of filler episodes and story line episodes will surely help the series last longer.

[Mr Dash 1,820]

I don't see it ending anytime soon either. For one, they shortened the seasons to 13 episodes. Unless there is going to be more in season 4. By having 13 episodes instead of 26, they could make "more seasons". Also it gives the writes more time on the stories. Then of course would be the fan backlash. Which is likely to be pretty fierce. Also, FiM is doing so much better than Hasbro could of hoped for. Why end it early when they are making plenty of money off of it's fans? Because of these reasons, I just don't see it ending anytime soon. But the way the world and corporations are, we really don't have a clue what is going to happen. It's best to not worry and have hope for the future.

[himanuts 165]

I give it another 13 episode season at the least. Let's wait out and see how the finale's turn of events play out. Despite Hasbro most likely forcing this change due to their shallow and greedy reasoning, we all know the show's staff will try to make the best out of it. 

[Darth Fader 24]

I think it boils down to how much money Hasbro are spending on the digital side of the brand and how much revenue they're making. DVD sales, international syndication and probably advertising revenue on The Hub since they own 50% of it.  Is it making good money? (I have no idea) 

 

They'll probably eventually want to refresh the lineup otherwise the merchandise could just be handed down family generations.

 

 

Question, does Faust own the pony designs? (I presume they're copyrighted somehow)  I'm thinking there's a possibility that if Hasbro refresh the lineup sometime in the future that G4 could be turned into an online series without using any Hasbro licences names/brands etc, talking many years into the future though.

[PurpleBaconEater 37]

im not positive, but i think that they may have planned out a rough timeline sorta thing for it. but it had lauren as the writer and in the beginning i believe that she had a lot of freedom. i know for a fact though that her plans for the show may differ from the current ones. to what extent, however, is unknown. she says she had her own plans for twilight and that she didnt want to undermine the current writers. even though its not concrete it leads me to believe that she may have bid her time. i feel like twilight's coronation would have been better place near the end of the show's life. with a character constantly trying to better herself, there seems to be almost an endless amount of ideas and fuel for it. i doubt they would end it. Hasbro knows that their company could probably be supported of the bronie's alone. and to cut the cord would not only slow profits on their towline, it would probably have a gigantic impact. and anger from this community. y'know? its would be like if harry potter killed Voldemort in the third book. a bit premature, especially with a fandom growing at such an immense rate.