Season 3 Having 13 Episodes

[Proailurus 214]

As you will see here, we know that it isn't certain that Season 3 will have exactly 13 episodes, but not said that it will have more.

 

"I heard that there are only 13 episodes in the next season, can you confirm this, and if so do you know why?"

"Not true, we are still working on Season 3. Thats all I will say."

 

Discuss.

[Doctor XFizzle 8,669]

It's always nice knowing that there are more adventures over the horizon while watching a season finale. But then it makes it harder to say goodbye when it finally is time ;_;

[Prince Lightning Da Cute 619]

Well my question is "Is season 3 in production? so that there will be a shorter down time? as in inbetween seasons?"

[Proailurus 214]

My point was that they didn't specify that there will be more than 13 episodes, just that they haven't decided exactly how many episodes there will be.

[Twi Rubix 726]

Why do I have the feeling some bad is gonna happen during S3?

 

"Not true, we are still working on Season 3. Thats all I will say.

Are they hiding somthing? Maybe its me, but sounds a little suspicious

[Proailurus 214]

Ikr, although I'm pretty sure they just don't want to say something and then have people beg them for more information then have to leak something, like I was saying, they didn't specify that there would be more that 13 episodes.

[Lady Ice Dragon 16]

I would imagine you can expect quite a few more episodes than 13. Historically, Saturday Morning cartoons have a MUCH longer run than other shows, Batman The Animated Series had 65 episodes (The number needed to enter syndication). If we are looking at a run of 26 or so episodes for three seasons, that will get MLP into syndication, allowing the studio to make more money from the show.

[Radiance64 7,053]

There will be more, there has to be more! I hope there'll be more...

[Strafe 594]

I don't think going from 26 to 26 to 13 would be a smart move but its likely not going to happen.

[Proailurus 214]

Btw, where did people get that there would only be 13 episodes?

[Eenohay 318]

SA-WEET! I knew they couldn't just make thirteen! That would seem like if they had run out of ideas! And truth is, when they do run out of ideas, they'll probably start looking into the fandom!

[Halfblood 364]

I've said this in the Season 2 Episode 20 discussion thread when this subject came up:

 

 

 

Maybe they're jumping on that "half season" bandwagon that alot of TV shows seem to be so fond of.

 

Hopefully that's what they're doing.

[RockinRarity 1,605]

Btw, where did people get that there would only be 13 episodes?

 

26 + 26 = 52, + 13 = 65, the bare minimum for syndication.

 

People want to know if the studio will bother to produce more episodes than the bare minimum required for syndication. I personally think that with the way the show is being released, it would end far too quickly if they only made 65 episodes. They can afford to go on a little longer. I think the fans would appreciate that.

[The Alpha Team 51]

Nah..I think S3 will ahve 26 episodes but divided into 2 parts

1st part is 13 episodes, then a haitus then final 13 episodes

[Comet Tail 808]

It's always nice knowing that there are more adventures over the horizon while watching a season finale. But then it makes it harder to say goodbye when it finally is time ;_;

 

Like that horrible ending music, to the credits in the last episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Well, the music was awesome. But it was horrible because it was rubbing salt in the wound, basically nailing home the fact that it was over. Forever.

^{I may have fallen in love with Katara for awhile...}

 

Why do I have the feeling some bad is gonna happen during S3?

 

"Not true, we are still working on Season 3. Thats all I will say.

Are they hiding somthing? Maybe its me, but sounds a little suspicious

 

ONE OF THE MANE 6 DIE!

That's how rumors get started Equestria was made!

 

I would imagine you can expect quite a few more episodes than 13. Historically, Saturday Morning cartoons have a MUCH longer run than other shows, Batman The Animated Series had 65 episodes (The number needed to enter syndication). If we are looking at a run of 26 or so episodes for three seasons, that will get MLP into syndication, allowing the studio to make more money from the show.

 

It's kind of an emberrasement that the show was started as an advertisement for a toy company, but if you think about it, it puts it in a neat economic position. The show doesn't have to make money on it's own to be profitable. They just have to show that the show's own income plus some amount of sales attributed to the show is greater than the expense put into it.

 

Plug in the fandom, and I've read stories of "pony raids", and if Hasbro's smart, they'll realize that cutting this show is a horrible decision.

 

Why do I have the feeling some bad is gonna happen during S3?

 

"Not true, we are still working on Season 3. Thats all I will say.

Are they hiding somthing? Maybe its me, but sounds a little suspicious

 

26 + 26 = 52, + 13 = 65, the bare minimum for syndication.

 

People want to know if the studio will bother to produce more episodes than the bare minimum required for syndication. I personally think that with the way the show is being released, it would end far too quickly if they only made 65 episodes. They can afford to go on a little longer. I think the fans would appreciate that.

 

That's the most horrifying combo of posts I've ever seen. It sounds like the creators are in an uphill battle to get the go-ahead on more episodes. I hope they win!

[The Alpha Team 51]

I have a feeling we are worrying too much

But that's just me

[RockinRarity 1,605]

Yeah I don't think that they'll cut off at 65 episodes. That would be a stupid decision, honestly.

[Comet Tail 808]

Lol!

 

Your avatar is pointing straight at that quote and laughing XD

 

I have a feeling we are worrying too much

But that's just me

 

Yeah I don't think that they'll cut off at 65 episodes. That would be a stupid decision, honestly.

 

I agree, but the problem is: people do stupid things. Especially executives. Especially executives who have a history of holding back Lauren Faust's creativity...

 

 

Why do I have the feeling some bad is gonna happen during S3?

 

"Not true, we are still working on Season 3. Thats all I will say.

Are they hiding somthing? Maybe its me, but sounds a little suspicious

 

 

I mean, that response, if the bold was in the original quote, seems a bit combative for mere lack of planning. It seems like it brought up a topic that they were upset about. Namely, an argument over the future of the show?...

 

If they don't have more by the end of season 2, it's time for a petition. Heck, why not now? Any time the plan on ending the series is too soon for me

 

 

Btw; how does syndication work for TV shows? They buy a package of minimum 65? That's what it sounds like from what I've read. But if that's the case then how do TV series air at all before 65?...

And if that's the case, then there's a huge economic incentive to stop at 65... 26+26+13 = 65...

Edited February 21, 2012 by EASA - Dr. Braun

[RockinRarity 1,605]

All I know is that syndicated TV shows can be rerun after the series cancellation. If the show is canceled before 65 episodes have been released, it doesn't get reruns.

[Knight Shadrahk 159]

I heard they only have 13 in production, AT THE MOMENT. They're still working on the rest of em.

[Skullbuster 1,906]

i predict that there will at least 5 seasons, and over 100 episodes

 

i bet $200!!!

[Halfblood 364]

i predict that there will at least 5 seasons, and over 100 episodes

 

i bet $200!!!

 

A brony hope, a brony can only hope.

[Thewookie Wooker 64]

I can't see Hasbro ending the series at the minimum.

 

As soon as they stop airing the show, their sales will stop rising. Since less people will join the Brony movement while more leave to jump on the next band wagon. Though the whole Brony idea will never truely die, the ending of the show would likely be the end of any real growth.

 

Plus, as long as the show keeps running PMV pewople have more clips which then turns into free advertising.

 

Lastly, this generation of ponies (back story and whatnot) should be adopted for the whole franchise for G5 in 10 years. Since it is rare to get such a response twice in a row without the two having alot in common.

[Yellow Diamond 7,569]

Hasbro, I imagine, is making a lot of money from an unexpected source---or, at the very least, they're drawing a fairly large demographic to which they did not intend to appeal. To end MLP: FiM at exactly 65 episodes is unusually self-defeating and an overall wonky business decision. They are only now releasing the first DVD! So, in short, the Hasbro executives will want to milk, for lack of a better term, all the money they can from fans who possess more expendable income than 11 year-olds. Plus, it's good business for them to build up a solid rapport with the fan community.

 

The only way to know how many episodes they are producing is to find out for how many episodes they are contracted. My guess is that they will eventually announce another 25 or 26 episode season, especially now as the show is hitting its stride and earning increased recognition. I'm more concerned about key writers and/or voice actors leaving to do other projects. Once I hear that kind of information, my fears are stoked. Cartoons also have a nasty habit of altering the animation and style in either the penultimate or final season.

 

If and when MLP: FiM breathes its last---which I hope is a fair ways down the proverbial road---I sincerely hope it goes out on top, as it always has been, rather than a mess of leftovers which is barely comparable to the original material.

Edited February 21, 2012 by Thereisnospoon303

[Queen Cassie 3,057]

If I may add, I feel that while Thereisnospoon raises many concerns, a few of them, such as voice actors leaving the show, are I feel unfounded. Hasbro has been confronted with an enormous amount of support from a demographic they did not expect, and they are LISTENING to said demographic.

 

We like the show because of its quality, formed primarily from the cast and crew involved. We don't want to see any of the cast and crew leave the show, so therefore I don't expect they will. I mean, after the sort of reception they've received at Bronycon and other conventions, would they really want to leave? I know Tara Strong wouldn't. Tabitha St. Germain almost certainly wouldn't. Andrea Libman and Ashleigh Ball would both probably love to stay with the show for as long as they could.

 

The writers involved are also unlikely to leave anytime soon, I think. Perhaps part of this is the rare optimist side of me speaking, but I feel that Hasbro is unlikely to shut down their creative control over the show. Because it's that creative control that's allowing them to create such a level of quality in the first place, it would be fairly stupid of Hasbro to shoot themselves in the foot by thinking they could completely take it over.

 

...

 

And yet...it would not be the first time a company has taken something wonderful and crushed it in their attempt to milk what they could out of it.