The show doesn't seem the same anymore to me.

[N.W. 3,619]

Good day to you all.

 

Now your first thought may be this is just another " The show is dying, as is the fandom" thread. You would be correct, this is just my personal thoughts on the subject, so if you do not wish to hear them, you should leave now.

 

When I joined this fandom in late June of last year, it was one of the greatest things that had happened to me, the show actually felt special, like it meant something. I feel as though it has been slowing degrading to the point where it's as if it is dead to me. No amount of pony music, regardless of genre will revive the feeling, nor will any artwork. It is as if the light inside me died. Perhaps it's just the way season 3 was, I do not feel as if it was nearly as good as the first 2. I am also still annoyed at the whole Twilight alicorn thing to be honest, just to sell bleeding toys Hasbro?( Capitalist Pigs, I am communist)

Same goes for Equestria Girls, it doesn't seem the same, it is once again just another marketing gimmick. The growth of crossovers and shipping is also rather annoying, some is OK, but when it's every other post, it is nerve-racking. As for R34 I remain indifferent, I avoid it, but as of late I have been stumbling across it more and more, much to my own distaste, no offense to cloppers, but it ruins the (seemingly dying) characters.

 

A common saying among the fandom is "Once a Brony always a Brony". But it does not seem that way for me. As it sits, with the waning interest in ponies, the spirit within me may fall, only to be buried among other fads I enjoyed for brief times.

Edited May 28, 2013 by T-90MC

[Moonlight 7,288]

For me, personally, season 3 boosted my interest in the show. Season 1 I thought was bad.

I like alicorn Twilight and I am thoroughly interested in Equestria Girls.

The characters are not dying, they're growing stronger, to me at least.

You can find tons of rule 34 in any fandom though, and is extremely hard to avoid. I mean, it is the internet after all.

Perhaps, you should watch an episode every now and then until season 4 rolls around and then watch it. Oh, have a marathon to rekindle your interest.

I remember I started getting out of it, until I watched a bunch of episodes.

[Dr. Eggnog 203]

I liked season 3 pretty well.  I feel as if the series has been changing some but for the most part it feels like natural evolution to me, and I personally wasn't bothered by alicorn Twilight.  Equestria Girls doesn't look like it'll be good, but if it isn't, from what I hear it won't directly influence the show.  I'm eagerly awaiting season 4.

Edited May 28, 2013 by Dr. Eggnog

[Princess Periwinkle 3,775]

A couple things.

 

1. Equestria Girls has nothing to do with the show. If you don't like it, forget about it because it has absolutely no impact on Friendship is Magic.

 

2. This sort of thing can happen during long breaks between seasons. I think the best solution would be to take a break from ponies until season four rolls around, and then give it another try. If you still don't like it, then you can officially consider yourself un-bronified.

[Mio Akiyama 145]

Well I don't see a problem with any of the mentioned subjects. But you have to remember, they're a business. They can't just do everything in our(the bronies) favor. The show was originally intended for a younger audience. And you're losing interest while season 4 hasn't even premiered yet? For all you know, you might actually enjoy season 4. For the rule 34 content, its always been there. I mean it is the internet, I'd be surprised if there weren't a significant amount of disturbing content. And a good amount of characters (such as Rainbow Dash) are developing well. But my suggestion is: actually talk to bronies in person. This eliminates all the R34, shipping, and other things. And plus, unless they are 9, if you say you don't like something(like Equestria Girls or something) they're most likely gonna respect that and not bring it up with you again. Or enjoy some fan-made videos. The videos about Vinyl Scratch made her my favorite pony. Snowdrop and My Little Dashie are some stories that will guarantee the feels. That's all I can suggest for now

[SoundRaptured 139]

Believe me, once a brony always a brony is true. Think its not? Try saying yay the same way again.

or sugarcube.

or say "friendship" and "magic" In the same sentence without thinking of it.

and tons of other references. My friend who now hates mlp still makes quotes from it quite often. it's pretty funny seeing how enraged he gets.

[Creamy Arty 6,252]

This thread appears to be related to the My Little Pony franchise and/or the Bronydom in general. Thus, it has been sentenced to Sugarcube Corner.

 

This is an automatically generated message, by the way.

[Mio Akiyama 145]

In addition, these are for money purposes. If they need a boost in money coming in, so be it. That just opens up to more possibilities, such as voice actors for the popular background ponies(I can only hope I'm right though. DJ PON3 will have a voice!!!). Just remember they won't forget about us, they'll do something for bronies sometime, they always do.

[N.W. 3,619]

Well I don't see a problem with any of the mentioned subjects. But you have to remember, they're a business. They can't just do everything in our(the bronies) favor. The show was originally intended for a younger audience. And you're losing interest while season 4 hasn't even premiered yet? For all you know, you might actually enjoy season 4. For the rule 34 content, its always been there. I mean it is the internet, I'd be surprised if there weren't a significant amount of disturbing content. And a good amount of characters (such as Rainbow Dash) are developing well. But my suggestion is: actually talk to bronies in person. This eliminates all the R34, shipping, and other things. And plus, unless they are 9, if you say you don't like something(like Equestria Girls or something) they're most likely gonna respect that and not bring it up with you again. Or enjoy some fan-made videos. The videos about Vinyl Scratch made her my favorite pony. Snowdrop and My Little Dashie are some stories that will guarantee the feels. That's all I can suggest for now

That's just it though, I did not enjoy much of season 3, I did not like how much they did answer the bronies. Business wise I don't think a character should be changed just to sell more, it's un-original. Little dashie was the only fan-fic I actually liked, I hate most others.

[Imagine 284]

I was okay with season 3, but, not entirely, some of the episodes were just plain bad. Plus, ALICORN TWILIGHT. KILL IT WITH FIRE! KILL IT BEFORE IT LAYS EGGS! But, I'm a bit used to it now. And I don't understand why you people don't like Equestria Girls. I'm entirely okay with it. Its better than Alicorn Twilight.

[Shanks 10,816]

As much as I hate twilicorn and still have a few concerns I am willing to see what season 4 brings before I hang in the towel, as for Equestria Girls though since it won't affect the show I could care less about it. As for season 3 it had a bump or two but was a pretty good season Applejack finally got her due which really pleased the Applejack fanboy in me and Rainbow Dash got her best character development since season 1.

[N.W. 3,619]

I am trying to re-light the dying pony spirit within by watching some of my favorite episodes, so far I have been unsuccessful. 

[FoxyCryptid 4,330]

I am trying to re-light the dying pony spirit within by watching some of my favorite episodes, so far I have been unsuccessful. 

 

Just give it time. Sometimes when I'm depressed enough i reach a point where nothing seems appealing and I want to just piddle the day away scrolling through random webpages and checking my messages on various sites from time to time. 

 

Also, shipping isn't new, I joined in Novemeber of 2011 and most of the popular fics were shipping, or had shipping subplots, I gleefully read them just for the feel-goods and heartwarming-ness. 

Edited May 28, 2013 by Shoboni

[crazitaco 596]

you know, i think i understand what you're feeling.

sometimes i feel like i don't enjoy ponies nearly as much as i first did. but i think its simply because i've seen all the episodes, and the wait for the new seasons continue to get increasingly longer and more unbearable. impatience and boredom sets in, and i feel empty.

i think you should just bear with the wait.

and i hate to admit it, but i agree that alot of the episodes in the third season just felt... lacking. not all of them, but alot of them.

and the princess twilight thing did leave a bad taste in my mouth. even if people claim that she's the same old twilight.... she's not. she's now royalty, she's not at the same level as her friends anymore. and everytime i see her wings and crown i'll remember that she's not equal to her friends.

that being said, i have no intention of leaving the fandom any time soon, i'm just really impatient and they left season three in such a bad spot to be waiting a year for.

Edited May 28, 2013 by crazitaco

[Anadu Kune 668]

The show isn't the same. Like any show it develops and changes. Characters change and develop as does the world. Regardless of what the various reasons for the implementations for those changes are. Yes Hasbro wants to market toys using the show. They've been doing so since the show's inception and it will continue as it does in all of their franchises. The show was created to sell toys like it or not. Does that mean its quality is bad? No, you enjoyed the first seasons. Really very compelling arguments can and have been made for the shows continuing quality.  I wrote seven freaking pages detailing the presentation of the season three finale. 

Maybe you just need a break. I took a long break from star trek now I'm Marathoning the all of the series and enjoying the hell out of it. Same with Doctor Who.   

[Feather Gem 967]

Perhaps, what you should do is take a long break.  Don't do anything pony-related for a week or two and see how it goes.  You may come rushing back, or you may not.  But this may determine whether or not you should stick with the pony thing.

[hawkflame 3,310]

When I joined this fandom in late June of last year, it was one of the greatest things that had happened to me, the show actually felt special, like it meant something. I feel as though it has been slowing degrading to the point where it's as if it is dead to me. No amount of pony music, regardless of genre will revive the feeling, nor will any artwork. It is as if the light inside me died. Perhaps it's just the way season 3 was, I do not feel as if it was nearly as good as the first 2. I am also still annoyed at the whole Twilight alicorn thing to be honest, just to sell bleeding toys Hasbro?( Capitalist Pigs, I am communist)

 

The thing is, the show has *always* been a marketing gimmick.  That fact has just been obscured by some exceptional writing. 

 

I dunno, man.  On one hand I see where you're coming from with the show.  Season 3 was definitely the weakest and least consistently written, and I walk into season 4 with more concern than I did for prior seasons. 

 

On the other hand, you came into the fandom in the middle of 2012.  I imagine you covered the "off season gap" with watching the first two seasons, and then straight into Season 3.  Maybe you're not just tiring of the show, maybe it's just the first time you're dealing with this long layoff from the show.  I'd say keep things alive.  Rewatch the first couple of seasons and see if you could rediscover what made you fall for the show in the first place.

[Bucky McGillyCuddy 956]

If it doesn't feel the same to you that's because it has changed.

 

Hasbro could have done the same thing over and over again and just kept the show and characters from developing properly like I thought they did in seasons 1 & 2. When I say development, I don't mean the day-to-day episodes like when Fluttershy faced of with Iron Will and started to stuck up for herself only to revert back to helpless Fluttershy in future episodes, I mean The "boss battle" episodes usually at the start and end of a season and even then it was very subtle. I didn't really feel like the Universe Poniverse was going anywhere, it always felt like it was in the exact same spot from that start of season 1 to the end of season 2. Season 3 I feel made MLP a little more open ended for me. They explored previous canon characters like Discord and opened up some new Luna which, although was very little in terms of content, earned them some brownie points in my books. However even though they played around with previous canon characters it still wouldn't have been enough to push the series into a new dimension and that's where Twilight becoming an Alicorn comes into play. This opens up so many directions the series could take it's not funny.

 

I don't think it's specifically Twilight being transformed into an Alicorn that the fans hate I think they're angry that the transformation might result in ruining the series itself. My bet is that the whole "I hate Twilicorn" phase will die out slowly once season 3 is released and they realise the series is still awesome and they should have put a little more trust in Hasbro's writers. 

[MrHaru 217]

MLP was never made for you, neither is Equestria Girls. It was ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS a cash grab: do not convince yourself it was anything else but a successful part of history where Gen4 was the objective best one to make Habro money. However it IS only a convenience that you came onto the show and as a result, liked it/loved it.

 

Having said that, I don't think you 'lost' the love for it, you may have just merely hit burnout. If you went through Season 3 and suddenly everything isn't doing it for you...don't you think the understandable thing is that you've burned yourself out a bit? Take a break from ponies for awhile and come back to it.

 

You need to go back and understand from yourself too WHY you got into the show. Did you become a fan because there were others into it? Then you're not a real fan. Was it because of the writing behind the characters or story and MAYBE the fact that others were into it helped your decision? Then you're a real fan and this slump of downtime before Season 4 shouldn't be damaging to you at all. If you truly care about the series and it pains you then 'leaving' it won't help you at all. Just take a break.

[PonyRocker95 106]

Good day to you all.

 

Now your first thought may be this is just another " The show is dying, as is the fandom" thread. You would be correct, this is just my personal thoughts on the subject, so if you do not wish to hear them, you should leave now.

 

When I joined this fandom in late June of last year, it was one of the greatest things that had happened to me, the show actually felt special, like it meant something. I feel as though it has been slowing degrading to the point where it's as if it is dead to me. No amount of pony music, regardless of genre will revive the feeling, nor will any artwork. It is as if the light inside me died. Perhaps it's just the way season 3 was, I do not feel as if it was nearly as good as the first 2. I am also still annoyed at the whole Twilight alicorn thing to be honest, just to sell bleeding toys Hasbro?( Capitalist Pigs, I am communist)

Same goes for Equestria Girls, it doesn't seem the same, it is once again just another marketing gimmick. The growth of crossovers and shipping is also rather annoying, some is OK, but when it's every other post, it is nerve-racking. As for R34 I remain indifferent, I avoid it, but as of late I have been stumbling across it more and more, much to my own distaste, no offense to cloppers, but it ruins the (seemingly dying) characters.

 

A common saying among the fandom is "Once a Brony always a Brony". But it does not seem that way for me. As it sits, with the waning interest in ponies, the spirit within me may fall, only to be buried among other fads I enjoyed for brief times.

I have to agree with you on this one. I joined the fandom the last 5 eps of season 2 and later caught myself up and loved it I was disappointed that for season 3 they were "experimenting with a 13 episode season" so that meant less for me to grow on I was also disappointed with the fact that they "princessfyed Twilight" so early when they could and should have done it when they officially ended the series for good I'm even more disappointed because I thought Hasbro was finally focusing on making it into a real show rather they some lame marketing tool to get little girls to say "look mommy Twilight's a pretty princess! I want to get the toy now!" Heck! At least with the Transformers (series?, saga?) Hasbro has the brains to make it into something AND sell stuff instead of just making sh*t happen just to sell more toys!

 

 

 

Well I don't see a problem with any of the mentioned subjects. But you have to remember, they're a business. They can't just do everything in our(the bronies) favor. The show was originally intended for a younger audience.

 

 I get that they can't cater to bronys because it's intended for a younger audience but hasn't it been (and apparently always will be) intended for marketing purposes? I mean if you think about it all the new stuff happening is subliminal marketing!

 

 

 

 

I don't understand why you people don't like Equestria Girls. I'm entirely okay with it. Its better than Alicorn Twilight.

 

I was kind of excited at first but after seeing the trailer I'm less enthusiastic mainly because it looks like some lame fanfiction plot that's been done a million times over! The mane 6 end up in our world or some other world with humans and, get humanized, have to go through high school and of course their awkward about it because they'er new to this whole human thing. It's been done! -_-'

Edited May 28, 2013 by PonyRocker88

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

MLP is changing - make no mistake about that - and it could either be for the best, or it could be for the worst. It's too early to tell. What I do know is that jumping ship at this point in the game is premature and a little drastic. Sure, there's the chance at there being a lot to lose in S4, but there's also the chance that there's so much to gain!

 

Wait until then. I promise you'll be glad you did.

 

And don't fret about Equestria Girls. It's separate from pony. Pony is safe and sound away from the big, bad humans.

[DashieLives 20]

I really don't know why a fandom is dying cause of a spin-off show. Its just a show right? I could even watch Equestria Girls and support this fandom.

[MrHaru 217]

I really don't know why a fandom is dying cause of a spin-off show. Its just a show right? I could even watch Equestria Girls and support this fandom.

 

It's not a show, it's a single movie that exists outside of the usual canon that the 4th Season of MLP:FiM is continuing. I know I'll be watching both.

[skysweep 541]

Well, there is a lot to look forward to in this fandom, so i ask not to give up just yet. I wrote a topic in response to these thoughts and more, you should check it out:

 

http://mlpforums.com/topic/62074-thoughts-on-dying-interest/

 

brony on all. /)

[mycarhasaMoustache 449]

You can leave the fandom you can stop watching the show but once season 4 has started I know for a fact you will not be able to resist the urge to watch it. If you need some new content to bring back your enthusiasm try reading the (official) comics, That did it for me the new storys I had never seen before brought back my love of pony and now Im excited to find out what happens to 

Nightmare Rarity.

You can get the comics free online if you look hard enough or buy them on Itunes.

Edited May 29, 2013 by mycarhasaMoustache