The Future of My Little Pony and the Brony Phenomenon

[Fhaolan 4,483]

Most fandoms contain enough creative-types to produce supplemental content. Only a few attract the critical mass of creative-types necessary for the supplemental content to actually replace the main content when that main source goes away, without burning out the creatives.

 

The curious part about Bronies is that the 'main source' (MLP:FiM) is actually a supplemental work itself, being Lauren Faust's fan-interpretation of the original MLP G1 show and franchise. This makes all the psycho-social analysis go weird as there haven't been many examples of fandoms like that. At least, none that I can think of. Usually fans of subsequent works (like Star Trek: The Next Generation, or the new Star Trek movies) get absorbed into the greater fanbase even if they're not completely integrated.

 

But Bronies vastly outnumber the fans of MLP G1-3, and rarely deal with those fans in any way.

 

When Hasbro puts out a G5+, which they will as there's no reason they *wouldn't* continue with one of their most successful franchises to date, we'll have to see if Bronies can make the jump to integrating the new generations (and the old ones) rather than remaining focused on G4 alone

[Super Derpy 535]

Honestly I don't see this ending very soon. G4 ponies are easily the most popular so why stop using them? And I think the brony phenomenon will last as long as the show will last. When the show ends or turns to utter shit the fan base will slowly get smaller until its back to where there are only a few bronies. (Like less than 500,000)

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 20]

Honestly I don't see this ending very soon. G4 ponies are easily the most popular so why stop using them? And I think the brony phenomenon will last as long as the show will last. When the show ends or turns to utter shit the fan base will slowly get smaller until its back to where there are only a few bronies. (Like less than 500,000)

Yah I agree and the MLP fan base is massive they would have to do something horrendously wrong to loose all there fans (in other words they would have to have an EPIC FALURE)

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" film came out almost 40 years ago, and people are still obsessed with it today.  Some fandoms never die. 

[discorded 234]

Hi, this topic is to discuss the future of our fandom. Here are a few questions to get things started off. How many seasons do you guys think the show will run for? Do you think we will still have a fandom for g5? Do you plan on watching g5?

[repsol rave 2,963]

if there is coming a G5, i will definitely watch it. i personally think the show will stop at around G5-6 but  that's just a feeling.

and if a G5 will be announced, i'm sure the bronies will keep on excisting. we are a stubborn fandom, we will keep on excisting long after the shows have ended

[Trixies Apprentice L 493]

MLP exists from 1983 what makes anyone think it will ever stop O_o

 

I mean it been going for 30 years as long as they sell stuff they wont ever stop it 

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Given that the show HAS been renewed for a fourth season, I wouldn't worry too much. If they kept it going but changed the cast, I would trust them with it. Dare I say I would even be excited for such a prospect!

 

They could cast it in a new location such as Fillydelphia (as Lauren originally wanted), create new characters with new goals and flaws!

 

Even when the show does inevitably come to a conclusion; I don't think the fandom will. We've created pillars of a community such as EQD and even this very forum. I suggest that we will occupy a social space similar to Trekkies. This show appeals to a wide variety of people for reasons just as wide. Even if the premise is unconventional, the bells of truth inevitably are heard by those willing to listen. We will only grow or at least plateau in membership.

 

Maybe we won't have new official material to feed into our parodies and retellings, but we've already established quite a mythos that blend canon and fanon information.

 

-Doctor Whooves

-Fallout: Equestria

-Background pony info

-Popular OCs

-etc.

 

I have confidence that we aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,673]

There'll be a whole world of fanon to explore. Fan fics, music, drawings, animation, artisan crafts even. Who knows what new content could be produced by the fandom after G4 came to a close.

[Spring Storm 276]

G4 most likely won't be ending anytime soon. But I hope that, when it does, we're given an even better show a few years later. How awesome would it be to get an ending to G4, be kinda sad that we don't have more pony for a few years, and then have G5 be just as amazing? Hopefully they'll deliver when it inevitably comes to that point.

[Mzukiller 233]

G4 will end and people will walk away, find something else to enjoy. But there will be a few sad cases that try to cling to the past and make petitions to bring back the show....even though it ended and wasn't cancelled. I feel like once G5 get's announced, it all starts over again. But that could be either the next year or a decade away, so I don't imagine most people would sit around and wait for it.

 

Bronies will be around for roughly 60 years, since the fandom is self sustaining. But I think most people will move on out of respect for the show.

[not 72]

 The show will likely exist through a fifth season, maybe even a sixth, before dying off, likely just before becoming much worse content-wise. That's not the point of this post, however. Now, excuse me if this has been said anywhere from pages 2-27, but I find it very likely that G5 WILL exist. Not only that, but I feel that the "Lauren Faust", so to speak, of G5 will likely be a former brony, one who absolutely adored the show and could not bear to see it end. This seems almost certain to me, as many, many bronies exist today, and a lot of them have the promise to do something like this. Not only that, but after the monumental success that G4 has been among... unorthodox audiences, Hasbro will hopefully be eager to hire someone who can sympathize with a significant portion of the fanbase of the previous generation. For this reason, I have high hopes for Generation 5. Of course, it's equally possible that G4 will crash and burn and Hasbro might not even greenlight a G5 for quite a while, if ever. Its also possible that there will be a G5, but Hasbro will choose the wrong person to spearhead it. Large corporations have made moronic moves such as that in the past. Sorry if my thoughts seem a bit disorganized, I'm a bit pressed for time and so I do not have the liberty of proofreading my random opinions and beliefs.

[Icy Wonderbolt 34]

I'm just asking to see how much longer do you think the FIM is going to run? I think maybe to season 5 or 6 but I can be wrong. I'm not sure how much longer they will keep this show going, but I hope it lasts for as long as it can. 

[Jalaton 155]

I voted for Season 6 because that would be the ideal one for me. Honestly though I think it'll probably end at the end of the fourth or fifth season. Maybe sixth if we're lucky, which is why I voted for it. I can't see it going any farther than that though.

[DITR 180]

Season 6 is my prediction for the finale of the series. Like Lisa said on The Simpsons "I think it's good for shows to get canceled before they become stale and repetitive."

[Lume WMj 228]

Like... Two more seasons after this one, max, I would say.

 

I don't know though, I'm not very experienced in the art of predicting a series' end, but I would be okay if they closed down the show after Season 5, Season 6.

 

As much as I'm currently in love with the show, I can't say this hype will last much longer, so... It's good while it lasts~ All good things come to an end... et cetera, et cetera.

[SoarinBlue 202]

It's not got much lomger. They'll extend it out to get syndication, but after that i'm sure they'll wrap it up to move on to g5. If they do another tv show (not at all certain given MLP's relatively low tv ratings), they will probably look to do it a lot cheaper

[DITR 180]

It's not got much lomger. They'll extend it out to get syndication, but after that i'm sure they'll wrap it up to move on to g5. If they do another tv show (not at all certain given MLP's relatively low tv ratings), they will probably look to do it a lot cheaper

Like I said before, if Hasbro wanted Friendship is Magic to do better in terms of ratings, they would not have made the Hub a subscription service and instead made a deal with a T.V company like Time Warner or Direct T.V

[Scootalove 10,689]

I think it will only reach up to Season Six, then G5 will come into effect after the show has taken it's course and fulfilled its destinies.

[Fhaolan 4,483]

It's not got much lomger. They'll extend it out to get syndication, but after that i'm sure they'll wrap it up to move on to g5. If they do another tv show (not at all certain given MLP's relatively low tv ratings), they will probably look to do it a lot cheaper

 

With the end of Season 3, they have all the episodes necessary for syndication. Which is one of the reasons why Season 3 was short, to hit that exact episode number. Technically they don't need to do anything further if that was the goal.

[SoarinBlue 202]

Like I said before, if Hasbro wanted Friendship is Magic to do better in terms of ratings, they would not have made the Hub a subscription service and instead made a deal with a T.V company like Time Warner or Direct T.V

Well that and the fact that they're still using the old television model and not monetizing new media. You've got some episodes on Youtube with upwards of 100,000 views, those are all eyeballs that are not being counted for ratings and advertising purposes. Of course the real money maker is the toys anyway, but MLP could probably be a viable standalone show if they were sensibly using new media

[Dashabel 381]

I heard of a season six somewhere, somehow... So I hope it's true. That means anither three seasons to look forward to! Arghh! So much developement of everything, it'll just be amazing!

Also, what will G5 be like?! THEY BETTER BE THE SAME PERSONALITY!

Edited June 26, 2013 by Dashabel

[Lightning Dancer 28]

I think season 6 is probably going to be the ending point and I feel it's the best ending oint. But if there turns out to be extremely high demand I think maybe 7 would be the highest limit. 

[Inactive01 5,299]

Well... let's consider the following. If you've ever heard of the show "Arthur", you'll notice that it's gone 14 seasons and is still running. In fact, it's still not old yet and they look like they'll keep going for eternity. Why? Because their episodes evolve to fit the social situations of our time AND at the same time, entertain kids and adults alike. 

 

MLP doesn't have that flexibility so they can't last forever. Still, you DO have Spongebob Squarepants and The Fairly Odd Parents that lasted for a really long time... Who's to say MLP will suddenly die after S6 or earlier? Maybe they'll go longer.

[Zygen 6,066]

Eh, I have this feeling that there will be maybe like 5, or maybe 6 seasons, and while I want to see more MLP and episodes and seasons, I'm not sure how long the show would keep being entertaining.

 

So I'm thinking maybe like 5-6, or maybe 7 if we're really lucky.

 

I can't see it going much longer realistically.