What's up with this 13 episode nonsense

[TheMarkz0ne 962]

So how come we are getting 13 episodes instead of 26 like we should be getting? Is the series just losing it's quality. I mean so far the only good episode in season 3 was "keep calm and flutter on". I'm telling ya man the alicorn thing and getting this season cut in half only proves the show is ending soon. I think season 4 is the last season

 

 

[Scootalove 10,689]

No, the series is not losing its quality.

Its just that season 3 won't hold up the amount of episodes that we are used to, 13 episodes is bad but 26 is 20% cooler.

[Betez 1,734]

They decided to make seasons 13 episodes so we wouldn't have as wait to long for new seasons to be made. 13 episodes don't take as long to make as 26 do. Having less episodes in a season doesn't mean the quality of the show is going down. I actually think this season has been pretty good.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Betez

[NavelColt 22,880]

They decided to make seasons 13 episodes so we wouldn't have to wait to long for new seasons to be made. 13 episodes don't take as long to make as 26 do. Having less episodes in a season doesn't mean the quality of the show is going down. I actually think this season has been pretty good.

Hasbro also decreased the number because their target audience (kids) isn't going to whine nearly as much as we do over a lesser amount of episodes. They can safely reduce the number to a more manageable amount which saves them time and money, while still maintaining both fanbases. It's nothing to get freaked out about, and frankly this is all old news (I'm sure we have numerous of this topic somewhere). So many people are simply unaware of this and keep refreshing the issue.

 

The pros to lesser seasons is the increase in rewatch value (S3 has been best season, but I shall sit here and wait for the inevitable 'NU IT SUCKS' from a lot of you ) and also, ideally, perhaps, seasons will have lesser breaks between them.

[Ezio Auditore 702]

Originally the Hub network ordered 2 and a half season for the show, so that's what they made, given it's recent popularity I'm sure new seasons will be longer and better...or is that a viagra slogan?

[Apollo 297]

No, the series is not losing its quality.

Its just that season 3 won't hold up the amount of episodes that we are used to, 13 episodes is bad but 26 is 20% cooler.

 

More like 50% cooler! 

*shot*

 

Aaanyway, on the topic of the 13 episodes, I agree with Betez, they are probably just making the seasons shorter so they can have more seasons. It takes less time to make and satisfies the loud, complaining bronies more often and keeps them quiet about complaining with, "When's the season starting?" over and over again.

[Psych Ward 377]

While season three is much too short, it it my favorite season by far.  I love the character development and the storyline.  I hope season four is just as good.

[PrymeStriker 408]

Because they most likely wanted to hit the "magic number" of 65 episodes. It's really hard for cartoons nowadays to hit this number of episodes, so such an episode count is to be rewarded.
 
(more info here)

Edited January 30, 2013 by PrymeStriker

[IceBeerG 55]

They decided to make seasons 13 episodes so we wouldn't have as wait to long for new seasons to be made. 13 episodes don't take as long to make as 26 do. Having less episodes in a season doesn't mean the quality of the show is going down. I actually think this season has been pretty good.

 

Pretty good? Huh it is not just pretty good, it seems flawless (except of couple of episodes, which have something with my own worldview). I even dare to say that quality of episodes is going up. And this 13 episode instead of 26 thing ... Well we can be 80% sure that season 4 come 50% faster than season 2 or 3 =)

Edited January 30, 2013 by IceBeerG

[Modphase 1,271]

Consider yourselves lucky. Metalocalypse, the best humor cartoon since a long time, has had it's fourth season composed entirely of ten and only ten, ten minute long episodes. And it's gonna be a five season deal. In my case, I'm not affected at all by this decrease in episodes. And I think that there's no way in hell season 4 is the last season. And I've been to hell, so yeah. Trust me brah, I'm an expert on hell.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Modphase

[ShyForever 284]

I believe that there are only 13 episodes in each season now so we don't have to wait as long for each new season. 

 

The show is definitely not losing its quality in the slightest.

[MatrixChicken 879]

More like 50% cooler! 

 

._. Technically, it would be 100% cooler.

 

OT: It's really for the best: having the seasons be shorter. It mean less waiting time between seasons (or at least I hope it does). Think about it. Instead of a constant stream of 26 episodes, then a 6-month wait, perhaps we'll have a constant stream of 13 episodes, then a 3-month wait. :3

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

Hasbro also decreased the number because their target audience (kids) isn't going to whine nearly as much as we do over a lesser amount of episodes. They can safely reduce the number to a more manageable amount which saves them time and money, while still maintaining both fanbases. It's nothing to get freaked out about, and frankly this is all old news (I'm sure we have numerous of this topic somewhere). So many people are simply unaware of this and keep refreshing the issue.

 

The pros to lesser seasons is the increase in rewatch value (S3 has been best season, but I shall sit here and wait for the inevitable 'NU IT SUCKS' from a lot of you ) and also, ideally, perhaps, seasons will have lesser breaks between them.

 

Season three has been absolutely incredible, you are correct. While I love S1 and 2 as well, giving us such gems as Wonderbolt Academy, Sleepless in Ponyville, Magic Duel, and Just for Sidekicks, S3 is great, I agree Discord

 

Also the reason season 3 only had 13 episodes was because they decided to allocate their resources to the production of LPS, the worst cartoon ever, so there is that.

[Dr. Eggnog 203]

._. Technically, it would be 100% cooler.

 

OT: It's really for the best: having the seasons be shorter. It mean less waiting time between seasons (or at least I hope it does). Think about it. Instead of a constant stream of 26 episodes, then a 6-month wait, perhaps we'll have a constant stream of 13 episodes, then a 3-month wait. :3

What?  Isn't it impossible for there to be more than one season a year?

 

Anyway, I thought that there were fewer episodes since so many people left.  This has been a good season I've thought, and I like the alicorn concept.  It'd be nice for the next season to have 26 episode though, if they could maintain the quality.

[Zygen 6,066]

Well to be honest I think it has improved the overall quality of the episodes, the developers should overall have more time to work on episodes. Plus its less wait for new seasons.

 

Besides, 26 episodes is quiet alot, not alot of cartoons have 26 episodes in a season..(INfact I don't really know of any).

 

I'm fine with it, as long as we don't have to wait for a new season to long. And I overall think season 3 has had improved quality overall, there really haven't been any episodes I found dull in S3.

 

I'm not to bothered by it anymore though. Seems to be working out so far.

 

Besides quality over quantity.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Zygen

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

13 episodes or 26 episodes, just be glad we're getting new episodes.  Fewer episodes mean better quality, better quality makes for more memorable episodes.

[Tall_But_Short_37 233]

._. Technically, it would be 100% cooler.

 

Aaaaactually, to correct the correcter, it would be 200% cooler.  13 is 100%, so therefore 200% of 13 is 26.

 

And on topic, shorter season = less wait for episodes and higher quality, as I'm sure has been said above.

[Rainbow Dash Loyalty 1,275]

It's not that big of a problem, if there were 26 episodes then everyone would have to wait even longer for them to make it. I think everyone's waited long enough for season 3 already xP 

Plus I absolutely love all the new episodes from season 3, I'd rather quality over quantity IMO

[Freewave 1,145]

This is strange. I'm seeing many people saying this is the best season? Really?  I'm actually kinda disappointed with this season as a whole. I mean it's not reaching bad levels but it seems more on par with season 1 while season 2 seems like it was better overall. Part of this may have been with expectations for a show that's not intended for me but I just don't see the writing as solid as before.

 

I'll express why if people are curious (don't want to be a negative nancy) but I'm more curious on why people think this is their best.

[Crispy 5,563]

NU IT SUCKS

 

This season's got more good middle episodes than season two did.  I don't know what some of you are smoking on that "this season isn't good" bit.

[Freewave 1,145]

Here's my BIG argument on why i'm not a fan of season 3 and it's why this show has such an emotional attachment to me. It's because when the show is GOOD it's not just about the ponies, it's about US and it's an emotional connection between their world and ours. It's about what WE deal with in our own lives. It's also about making a show that's enjoyable to kids AND adults.

That episode with Spike (the Dragon Code one) meant nothing to me is because there really is not much to get from it. It COULD have been about Twilight losing her loyal companion and the emotions that might have opened up, it could have been about having the delicate situation where someone wants to be around when you don't want them (most of my teenage years with girls), but it wasn't. It was about Spike sucking at chores and giving him silly things to do (something that i wasn't aware he did terribly with Twilight). As other's have said the dragon code doesn't follow the continuity any better than Pinkie Sense did (although the season 1 plot that was about taking a leap of faith and that some things are unexplainable but real, almost a comment on religion tbh).

Likewise the Apple Family Reunion could have been about AJ missing her dead parents and about loss of family, instead it was mildly about pushing yourslef too hard and staying too busy (as Thom Yokee said "hey man, slow down") which was a repeat of Lesson Zero but with AJ, but it (nor the song "Racist Barn") really did not go the full way to connect emotionally with me.

Too Many Pinkie Pies could have ended with her friend's noticing that the real one was the only one who wasn't just a fun cliche, that she was hurting by not being sure of who she was anymore. Instead she survived because she could watch paint dry not because anyone asked her questions and listened to find out who the real one was. If your best friend's don't recognize you then how is friendship magic?

Bad Seed did a bad job of showing Babs dealing with bullying BY being a bully. She was shy one moment, a bully the next, and then back to being a friend by the end. It just didn't do a good job of explaining the difficulties of bullying until it was MENTIONED by AJ at the end. Again not terrible, but it didn't strike an emotional chord. At least it was cute in parts but lacked an emotional punch.

 

And the season premiere was just awful. People were so thunderstruck by the lame plot they made gak jokes all week afterwards because they were scared to say how lame the plot, King Sombra, and the screen time the characters were. It was just so padded.

What I love about seasons 1+2 are getting some real emotion AND some cute moments AND a few surprises AND some great plotlines. Hurricane Fluttershy dealing with limitations and doubt, The Best Night Ever about disappointment coming after much built up anticipation, Winter Wrap Up about finding your place in the community and what you are good at (much like every CMC ep), Secret of My Success being about greed and a secret love. Most of these epsiodes have an emotional hook to them but as I pointed out each recent ep HAD opportunities to explore these and they fell short or didn't try. Again there's a fine line between good and great and I think season 3 as fallen into "good" by the end and a step back from what appealed to us in the first 2. That spark starting to fade.

So no I'm not happy with season 3 but i also think StatusQuoisGod (nothing ever changes from episode to episode) needs to be chucked out the window. If this means season 4 means new responsbilities and new adventures for Twilight and crew outside of Ponyville then bring it on as i can't handle another season 3 that's lackluster.