Episodes you changed your mind about?

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,305]

For me, personally, those episodes were "Mysterious Mare Do Well" and "Daring Don't."  Don't get me wrong; I've always appreciated the first part of MMDW.  I enjoyed Rainbow's acts of heroism, and I relished her resulting celebrity status. xD  I'd have joined that in-show RD fan club and cheered right alongside the initially delighted residents of Ponyville.  However, I was certainly left with a bad taste in my mouth after seeing the full episode for the first time.  Not to mention, sad Dashie makes me sad Ziggy.  I listened to the impressions of fellow RDFC members, time went by, and I eventually found it possible to focus primarily on the best and adorable-est (totally a word) moments from MMDW.  Even Rainbow's valiant attempt to remove a stuck peanut butter jar lid WITH HER TEETH has become a uniquely satisfying moment for me.

 

So far as "Daring Don't" is concerned, I was never blind to its inherent appeal. xD  That episode is a nonstop cavalcade of Dashie smexyfaces and DaringDash endorsements.  But it also felt as though someone took a full-length adventure film and crammed it into roughly 20 significantly canon-altering minutes of TV show.  I must, however, assert that Rainbow was not "out of character" during this episode.  In order for Rainbow Dash to succeed in being genuinely, irrefutably OOC (a tremendously short-sighted, presumptuous, and eye roll-inducing term ignoring both canon and the endeavor that is character development), she would have to put on a frilly dress decorated with flower petals, say "Aren't I a pretty filly," openly denounce the Wonderbolts, burn her Daring Do book collection, hoof Celestia in the face, retire her wings, and eat Tank.  Since almost none of these things happened during "Daring Don't," I was ultimately able to accept the episode and fully embrace Rainbow's part in it.  Also, admittedly, the aforementioned smexyfaces and shipping fuel would have completely won me over eventually.

 

What episodes did you unexpectedly grow to like?  What do you think caused this to happen?

Edited January 1, 2015 by Ziggy Belongs to RD

[Ziltoid the Omniscient 286]

Spike at your Service

It Ain't Easy Being Breezies

[Pastel 7,630]

Green Isn't Your Color, I remember I didn't like it the first time I watched it, but I don't understand why. Amazing episode!

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

Mare Do Well is one of my top ten episodes, and I'd go with it here. Some of the things I didn't like about it initially stand, but over time I've come to realize that Williams characterizes RD extremely well and this episode is no exception.

 

The first half of Dragon Quest is also top tier, but gets kind of bleh about when the teenage dragons shows up. The common denominator here suggests Merriwether's writing is an acquired taste

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

One would be Rarity Takes Manehattan. When I first saw it, I thought it was very meh. Then I saw the analysis of it by like every single Rarity fan on this forum and grew to like it.

 

Also, Wonderbolts Academy. I had originally thought it was OK but after thinking about all the development Rainbow Dash got mixed with the funny moments, it's great.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

Mare Do Well was a bit dull at first, but I grew to appreciate it, if only because I rewatched it a few times because people made it out to be the worst thing to ever happen ever and I wanted to see if that was the case Only real problem with that episode was the execution of the moral, and the rest is wonderful insight on RD's character that is proof positive of her character being multi-dimensional

 

Another, more recent one, was Simple Ways. At first I was "meh" on it because quite frankly, I didn't like seeing Rarity treated so poorly by that jerkwad Trenderhoof. He stepped all over her and that was infuriating to me. Like Mare Do Well, however, it provides an aspect to Rarity's character that many of her haters tend to try their hardest to exploit, her being "shallow." While in of itself I never really saw that being the case whatsoever, this leads to a lot of speculation on one of the things that makes her such a great and relatable character to many while being open ended and subtle enough to go unnoticed by many. Wonderful episode, and while it wasn't Rarity's shining moment, it's evidence of what a deep, complex, and wonderful character she really is

[Moonlight 7,289]

Rarity Takes Manehatten, when I first saw it I wasn't a huge fan of it but now it's my favorite Rarity episode and one of my favorite episodes of the whole show. 

[Megas 27,981]

Spike At Your Service was fun, but after giving it another shot, I couldn't help but appreciate it more for a few smaller things(like RD writing self insert fanfiction)

[EpitomeOfTruth 243]

 

 

OOC (a tremendously short-sighted, presumptuous, and eye roll-inducing term ignoring both canon and the endeavor that is character development)

 

 

Can we all just take the time to appreciate this sentence right here. Couldn't agree more.

 

Back on topic, I dont really have episodes that I grown to like or hate. I usually develop my opinion on them after two or three viewings and that's that.

[Cleverclover 1,526]

Pinkie Pride and Filli Vanilli. 

 

I didn't really enjoy Pinkie Pride the first time I watched it mostly because of how thoughtlessly the mane five abandoned Pinkie after Cheese Sandwich came to town. After how much they had all learned about friendship over the course of three seasons, it didn't make any sense to me as to why something like that would happen deep into the fourth season of the show. However, now I realize that is simply a minor complaint at best, as the rest of the episode is absolutely phenomenal. I honestly didn't think there would ever be a Pinkie episode better than Party of One, but this episode definitely blew it out of the water for me. It is my second favorite episode of season 4, right under Rarity Takes Manehattan. 

 

 

As for Filli Vanilli, I didn't like it initially because I questioned the plausibility of Rarity and Big Mac being part of a quartet, which honestly seemed to me like something that neither of them would have been interested in doing. Additionally, I was also annoyed that it was yet another "Fluttershy overcomes her shyness" episode, and I definitely thought that Hurricane Fluttershy handled that particular subject better. Nevertheless, after watching it a few more times, I came to realize that it was a pretty good episode once you look past all of that. 

[Tom Snyder 4,112]

All of them, they didn't make sense at first, but then i understood the second time i watched them.

[baba_booey 4,303]

Apple Family Reunion.

 

I originally thought it was meh and boring, but now I actually like it due to many reasons.

[Odyssey 5,718]

Pinkie Apple Pie. The first time I watched this episode I was annoyed by Pinkie's happiness. The humour was also a little too bland for my tastes and it usually distracts from the actual story. After reading a few reviews and a few rewatches, I found out that it was not as bad as what I thought. I started to like Pinkie with each new rewatch, as well as the humour.

 

Other episodes I started to like unexpectedly are Daring Don't, The Mysterious Mare Do Well and It's About Time. :3

[Rainboom Dash 1,056]

I found Pinkie Apple Pie and It Ain't Easy Being Breezies pretty meh stories at first but I've enjoyed them more after rewatches.

[Blue Moon 6,345]

Hearth's Warming Eve for me. The first time I watched it; I didn't think much of it, but after rewatching it; I thought it was actually a really good episode. The humor is very good in this episode, and the message is good. The costume designs are also a nice feature of this  episode.

[chirox the pony 1,336]

I'd have to say "suited for success" I original didn't like it because "eww the girly" then I grew up a little and realized that shouldn't have any impact on how I view something, not to mention my now shall I say updated standards as to what counts as girly or for little kids. 

[KiwiPony 125]

Haha I'm actually watching Mare do well when I started reading that post Any who, I really didn't like Green Isn't your Color the first time I watched it but I had a season 1 marathon and when watching all the ones before hand before it I really enjoyed it! Don't know why I ever disliked it? Probably too much Rarity for me... But had a few of my favorite quotes ever

[chirox the pony 1,336]

So were there any episodes of MLP that you liked the first time but over time began to think weren't so great? Well post about them here. 

[Moonlight 7,289]

Sleepless in Ponyville is a huge one for me, I never liked it all too much in the first place and now I would go as far as to say I hate it and it's the worst episode of season 3. I can't even explain why, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. 

[Odyssey 5,718]

Rainbow Falls. I never understood the hate for this episode at first, but after a few well-written reviews, I can now definitely see the flaws of this episode. The characters are badly written, the continuity is thrown out of the window and many little things were re-used.

[PoisonClaw 8,172]

Daring Don't was one. When it first aired, I didn't think it was too bad, more average than anything else. But as time passed, it started to bug me more and more until I realized how flawed an episode it was. There's a reason this episode and the whole "Daring Do is actually a real pony" thins is often held as Fanon Discontinuity (AKA an episode or plot point fans like to pretend never happened).

[Ziltoid the Omniscient 286]

Somepony to Watch Over Me

Sleepless in Ponyville

Just for Sidekicks/Games Ponies Play

...Pretty much all of season 3, really.

[Alleviate 342]

Spike at Your Service. 

I wasn't too fond of it at first, but after watching it again a few days ago, I remembered how annoying they make Spike.

Yes, it was intentional, to a point, as from AJ's viewpoint, but it wore on. His constant failures became less and less interesting and he became a clingy, annoying, whiny character like no one else. Probably my least favourite, followed by Green is not Your Colour (That is the Photo Finish/Fluttershy one, right?) which I didn't like much, mainly because I'm don't really like Fluttershy, and a whole episode of her NOT acting out was one I could do without. It was just a softly-spoken sorryfest.

[Pastel 7,630]

None, for now... I hope this will never happen...

[Drakkon 362]

Over a Barrel and Feeling Pinkie Keen. I thought the first was ok and really liked the second, but after the first time someone planted in my head the allusion to the NA colonization and to religion I found it difficult to enjoy those episodes anymore.