Anyone else very dissatisfied with these five episodes?

[DerpyTacos99 115]

There were only a few episodes prior to Season 4 that I did not like, and I didn't dislike them to this extent. Is there anyone else very disappointed with this season so far? First let me start off by saying that I've noticed over years and years of cartoon watching, that it's rare for a cartoon to keep up its originality, fun, and creativity. Usually, season 3 or 4 is a cartoons stopping point. I didn't think MLP could go down this road, and in fact, I thought making Twilight a princess was absolutely brilliant. It was nothing like I had seen in other cartoons, I thought that this meant the show could take on a whole new life and avoid getting predictably stale, by introducing a whole new aspect and reality to the show's universe of experiences.

 

So, of course, my first disappointment came with the premiere, when I quickly realized that they were completely disregarding her ascension to being princess. Instead of this being a positive, uplifting experience, the characters were all complaining and whining over something that they quite frankly had no reason to be upset over. I felt that this was some sort of nod to the raging bronies in an attempt to curb their unnecessary debates, but I realized that this episode was written long before any brony knew MMC was coming. Perhaps Meghan was just on a similar wavelength?

 

Regardless, I couldn't keep track of what was happening in the premiere. I just couldn't keep up. Call it what you want, but I watched every episode up until this point with no issues, and I even watched the premiere dozens of times afterwards. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't delude myself into believing that any of the characters were actually there, actually saying this dialogue, or actually acting like this supposed storyline was really happening.

 

I'll break down my concerns with this season into a few categories to make it more simple:

 

The Directing

The directing in this season is all out of whack, in my opinion. I'm notcing a lot of camera angles from weird, diagonal points of view which create a nauseating experience. I perceive a huge emphasis on empty space in certain shots, and the movement and placement of the characters is completely unnatural and all around random. Example: Rainbow Dash falls face flat on the ground at Twilight's library, Fluttershy's head pops in from the left, leaves, Pinkie pops in from the top, leaves; it all makes for a disorienting experience that was not present in the show before this point. Several times in Daring Don't the entirety of the mane six will just pop up from the ground together, it seems rather lazily done.

 

The Emotion, Meaningfulness, and Premise

MLP was a one of a kind experience for me, in that it was one of the few things I'd ever seen that made me emotional. I loved the characters, the stories were heartfelt, and the lessons were truly meaningful and I could apply them to my own life. Yet, these five episodes have felt devoid of anything of the sort. The characters are all completely out of character in each episode, all displaying an overwhelming amount of hostility and annoyance at each other, for no good reason. They toss around the word "friendship" without any reasoning behind it, and it seems as if they're all just saying their "memorable lines" just to make you think, "Yep, it's still the same old characters." without actually providing any substance.

 

MLP was very unique in that it featured characters and storylines that were female oriented, and portrayed female characters in ways not often seen in normal media. It took the real, emotional female spirit filled with warmth, heart, and a certain kind of strength that no other form of media had ever expressed to me. It really helped me become aware of the female reality and everything it has to offer, and I became genuinely interested and happy learning about it. This is no longer present. I cannot stress enough that Season 4 seems made with bronies in mind, and if not that, then at least adults in general.

 

You can tell that the focus is on "action adventure" stories, and even aside from that, the characters themselves are all acting rather "boyish" in my opinion with their mannerisms and behavior. It just doesn't seem natural anymore, and the entire concept that made this show brilliant just feels like it's been brushed aside in favor of more predictable storytelling. The characters all seem like they're men now with the way they're portrayed, or at the very least, female characters as portrayed in typical male-oriented media.

 

The Animation and Voicing

This isn't really a big game changer, but obviously when major aspects of a show like this fall apart, other aspects follow suit. The animation style seems rather off this season, in ways I have not seen before. The characters' movements seem rather jerky at times, and I cannot stand that new lighting effect (Canterlot Stained Glass Window hallway, end of Daring Don't in the sunset). The characters are for some reason making rather obnoxious, ugly looking faces (mane six in Castle Mane-ia, Ms. Harshwhinny and RD in Flight to the Finish) that detracts from the appealing beauty and charm they once had. It's a small gripe, but it does add to the overall dissatisfaction. I can't entirely blame the voice actors, moreso I blame the voice directing and script itself, but I get really annoyed listening to the characters. It's like they're all speaking in the most annoying fashion possible purposely. Again, just another small gripe.

 

The Music

Like the animation and voicing, the music seems very bland and dull. One huge example is the Nightmare Moon transformation scene, where I felt like I was being treated to the most mundane, boring song ever. The song "Hearts Strong As Horses" not only has very convoluted sounding lyrics, but the background beats and rhythm seems uninspired and unenthusiastic sounding, not to mention the song seeming like it doesn't even need to be happening in the first place. Like I said before, these aspects all follow one another, like a big row of dominos. If one falls, they all fall, the way I see it.

 

Now, on to my final, and largest gripe: The Discarding of The Elements of Harmony

I cannot stress enough how incredibly moronic this is. The EoH were not just their Kamehameha Necklaces or their Blast The Baddy Beams, they symbolized their bond of friendship, in essence, they WERE them. Nightmare Moon destroyed the EoH in FiM Pt 2, they represent the EoH's spirits, and they embodied them. They did not just pick them up from the dollar store. It seemed to me like the writers think they're doing something smart by getting rid of them (again, I got "pleasing the raging bronies" vibes), and were not putting any consideration into what they were doing. Also, the Tree of Harmony is just out of nowhere and makes no sense.

 

This show is called "Friendship is Magic", and Twilight has the nerve to say, "It's our friendship, and it's more important and more powerful than any magic." Excuse me? Friendship IS magic. They ARE the EoH. They are one and the same. Don't take my word for it, just look at MMC. Their destinies, their cutie marks were changed by Twilight's spell, as were their elements, because they are one. They even went through all of this in that episode, using the power of their friendship to return them to their true destinies, and to restore their elements, because they're one in the same. Then again, they disregarded her positive ascension to princess from MMC, so it's natural to assume they'd disreard that as well. That's not to say that they won't have some sort of solution in the S4 finale, but it still wouldn't justify it.

 

Now, it's only five episodes in, but no other season had five awful episodes, and no episodes I disliked before I ever disliked in this fashion. This season may get better, somehow, but I strongly doubt it. The following episodes that have been revealed so far do not sound promising. Jim Miller is Co-Director starting with this season (I think he was involved in the movie too, but I loved that), Meghan McCarthy and Jayson Thiessen are now Co-Executive Producers, Chris Bartleman (sp) left the team, as did James Wootton (sp), and there are a bunch of new writers with not that much under their belts. I think all of those factors are partly responsible for this season's outcome. Also, many (if not all) cartoons I've seen go downhill after their big movie premiere, because they seem to crack under their pressure. Plus, the natural fate of losing inspiration and creativity with a show's fourth or fifth season is also an undeniable factor, one that I could have seen being avoided if they had transformed and expanded the show with Twilight's ascension to princess.

 

I have more details I could say in greater length, but these are all of my general thoughts on Season 4 so far. That being said, I refuse to quit the show, and I'll watch it through to the end (plus I already bought the Season Pass on iTunes...).

Edited December 17, 2013 by DerpyTacos99

[FNGRpony 655]

I'm happy with 4 out of 5 episodes.

 

um don't we have 19 left?

 

I think it's a little to early to panic.

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

I'm not. It's in fact putting up a good fight to be my favorite season so far.

 

Also, I think you're nitpicking awful bad because I'd say most of the things you're complaining about have improved with this season. Seriously, go back and look at the animation in season 1 and early season 2. 

Edited December 17, 2013 by Shoboni

[ghostfacekiller39 23,857]

-snip-

Ermmm...what?

 

 

 

 "It's our friendship, and it's more important and more powerful than any magic." Excuse me? Friendship IS magic. They ARE the EoH. (That's a single line.)

 

 

The Music (Er...we've only had 1 song. I think that isn't enough to judge the whole soundtrack.)

 

 

 that detracts from the appealing beauty and charm they once had. It's a small gripe, but it does add to the overall dissatisfaction. (I don't think that it's anything to worry about too much.)

 

 

The characters are all completely out of character in each episode, all displaying an overwhelming amount of hostility and annoyance at each other, for no good reason (How so? You just said they were hostile and out of character...I haven't seen a single thing of this nature, barring a bit of RD in Daring Don't.)

Yeahh...dude? I'm all for analyzing the show, but your reasons for hating season 4 are almost nothing to hate it over, if existent.

 

The only really feasible reason I saw was your thing with the EoH, which, I don't mind, but I do think that it's a reasonable thing to be dissatisfied with.

 

I'm all for analyzing, I love doing it quite a bit, but this is very nit-picky, more so than anything else I've seen, and I get the feel that you're actually missing out on the show. 

Edited December 17, 2013 by ~Sadistic ghostfk39~

[FNGRpony 655]

I've yet to get an episode that deeply pissed me off this season. I'm sure it's coming, 19 episodes there's gotta be one abrotion in there some where,

but yeah i'm pretty happy.

[Scootalove 10,684]

I think it's still too early to judge. When you judge something even when you just saw only five episodes, you can only judge so much because it is still early in the season. The thing is you're complaining about things that have improved this season, when you compare the animation and anything else that has improved.

[DerpyTacos99 115]

I can see how my complaints and observations can seem like I'm panicking or trying to incite some hot debate, but I'm just stating what I've observed. I go into every episode optimistically and still I'm sensing all of these problems, without being able to find many redeeming qualities. I'd like to hear in detail why you do like it, and what you do find enjoyable, so I can compare.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,857]

I can see how my complaints and observations can seem like I'm panicking or trying to incite some hot debate, but I'm just stating what I've observed. I go into every episode optimistically and still I'm sensing all of these problems, without being able to find many redeeming qualities. I'd like to hear in detail why you do like it, and what you do find enjoyable, so I can compare.

Umm....almost every single thing you said has almost been universally agreed to be improved from previous seasons by the fandom. 

[Legacy Dash 438]

Like @Kyoshi  said on this thread: http://mlpforums.com/topic/82107-who-was-disappointed-by-todays-new-episode-flight-to-the-finish/

 

I couldn't agree more with it.

"Hype and expectations" "HYPE AND EXCPECTATIONS"

That is your problem. That is the problem with this fandom as a whole now. If you hype up something enough, anything can be disappointing. I think the episode was perfectly fine. The clear focus was on Scootaloo here, so of course the other characters would take a complete backseat. This is not the first occurrence of that.

And the episode did make considerable progress with that question. Now the characters fully acknowledge Scootaloo's inability with flight and she even said that her wings may never grow to be able to fly. Is that not good enough? It isn't a complete concrete answer, but it might be the closest we can get at this point.

Everything else was fine in my opinion as well. The ending did not zoom on her wings, it was her flank. It was hinting at her Cutie Mark, not her trying to fly again. And yeah, they did that 'clichè' again. So what? That is just the CMC's for you. I thought we already established this. At least it was at the very end of the episode instead of it again being the main focus.

So yeah. To each their own, but I really enjoyed it. The song and Ms. Harshwhinny were great too. Maybe if people would stop hyping everything up to the moon and expecting this or that, then maybe disappointment wouldn't happen. Just a thought.

 

[WarriorShy 48]

Season 4 has been perfect, special the premier episodes and the CMC episode... don't think its everything bad, next saturday its powerponies episode 

watch the promo if you don't like the promo, just don't look at the episode....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFxipWVs8HI 

[Static Electricity 729]

 5 eps in, too early to judge

Now, on to my final, and largest gripe: The Discarding of The Elements of Harmony

I disagree. Aside from the what the EoH symbolize, they were, in practicality, just Des Ex Machinas. The show is about friendship, if you think it HAS to be magical for it to be important, then I think you're missing the point.

 

"But the EoH IS their friendship!"

 

Why? If the EoH where to be destroyed, do you think their (poorly developed) friendship should have to as well? The EoH are not necessary for them to be friends.

 

Also, while the mane 6 might be developed as individuals, I think they fail as a group. Their befriending in the first episode was rushed, forced and not properly explained. 

[ghostfacekiller39 23,857]

Like @Kyoshi  said on this thread: http://mlpforums.com/topic/82107-who-was-disappointed-by-todays-new-episode-flight-to-the-finish/

 

I couldn't agree more with it.

I don't agree with Kyoshi on that particular topic.

 

But on this, he's right, I'll admit.

[Scootalove 10,684]

I can see how my complaints and observations can seem like I'm panicking or trying to incite some hot debate, but I'm just stating what I've observed. I go into every episode optimistically and still I'm sensing all of these problems, without being able to find many redeeming qualities. I'd like to hear in detail why you do like it, and what you do find enjoyable, so I can compare.

Say what you may about it but, that's what happens when your hyped up too much that you want your expectations to be met. You can't always get what you want, to each their own if you ask me. The fandom is already satisfied with the improvements.

[DerpyTacos99 115]

I didn't fully expect them to actually do anything I was expecting them to, I'm just surprised they missed out on such an opportunity. So that's not my major gripe here. And as for the improvements in animation, music, and directing, I suppose we'll just say it's a matter of taste. In my opinion the animation was more unique and appealing in the past, and seemed more natural. Now the combination of directing and story elements seem to create sort of contrived and rushed scenes, and I notice a general lack of good pacing when it comes to each episode's flow. I'm curious to hear what the positives are so I can compare with some other points of view.

[Static Electricity 729]

Say what you may about it but, that's what happens when your hyped up too much that you want your expectations to be met. You can't always get what you want, to each their own if you ask me. The fandom is already satisfied with the improvements.

You're failing to address the points he makes, you can't use the "over hyped' response for everything. Some people have legitimate reasons to dislike something, ya know.

[DerpyTacos99 115]

 

I disagree. Aside from the what the EoH symbolize, they were, in practicality, just Des Ex Machinas. The show is about friendship, if you think it HAS to be magical for it to be important, then I think you're missing the point.

 

 

 

The show is called Friendship is Magic for a reason. "Magic" doesn't just imply casting spells and reading scrolls, it can be applied to real life. That's what the Elements of Harmony symbolize, all personality traits that when put together create that "spark", and FiM Pts 1 and 2 showed how even if the Elements themselves are destroyed, their spirits could never be. You could say the same with the S4 premiere, but that's not the implication I'm getting. I'm getting the implication that the Elements are just being treated as magical weapons, and that their friendship and bond isn't necessarily linked to it. It all around just doesn't make sense.

 

And I know, it's only five episodes in, but that doesn't make what I'm saying any less valid. There is such a thing as changing one's mind, and I am perfectly willing to accept (and am in fact hopeful) that future episodes WILL change my mind. However, this is what I think of the season so far, and the overall vibe of the season as a whole, since Meghan McCarthy sort of set up the stage with her premiere, and called this Key Quest a season long story arc.

[Moonlight 7,279]

This all just seems like petty nitpicking to me. The only reason why the animation may seem "wonky" is because they're noticeably trying out different facial expressions that haven't been seen before, so of course they seem odd or "alien". The animation looks noticeably better and more detailed but that's my own opinion. If you dislike the way the season has been going, then that's your opinion but you shouldn't judge a season that is just getting started. I personally think the episodes keep getting better and better. 

[WarriorShy 48]

I didn't fully expect them to actually do anything I was expecting them to, I'm just surprised they missed out on such an opportunity. So that's not my major gripe here. And as for the improvements in animation, music, and directing, I suppose we'll just say it's a matter of taste. In my opinion the animation was more unique and appealing in the past, and seemed more natural. Now the combination of directing and story elements seem to create sort of contrived and rushed scenes, and I notice a general lack of good pacing when it comes to each episode's flow. I'm curious to hear what the positives are so I can compare with some other points of view.

They only have 20 mins to make the episode they have to rush sometimes... animation has improved A LOOT!!! and the music its awesome (theres only 1 song CMC song) intro was ok it wasnt that awesome but its cool a change

[Scootalove 10,684]

You're failing to address the points he makes, you can't use the "over hyped' response for everything. Some people have legitimate reasons to dislike something, ya know.

I respect that but, his legitimate reasons are just to complain. Some people don't back up their reasons with evidence, just wanted to put that out there.

[Adente 1,000]

I haven't noticed any perceptible drop in quality. Although as far as a lot of the artistic qualities that OP mentioned, I would argue that the creators never cared about those things ever. Guys, for crying out loud, its a 22 minute ad plug for Hasbro's toys first, entertainment for little girls second, and entertainment for a periphery demographic in a distant third. To hold the show up to a lens that expects flawless quality of it on par with something like Citizen Kane is unreasonable. Its a fun, lighthearted, simple little show. It still has that essence. I don't see what the whole issue is. Not to mention the overwhelming negativity of some people in the fandom. They just never can be satisfied no matter what the creators do.

[DerpyTacos99 115]

The fact that it's based off a Hasbro toy line or meant "for little girls" has no bearing on these aspects. Lauren Faust even went on to say in her interview in the guidebook that things geared towards little girls are often frowned upon or brushed aside, and this show really turned that around, and I could see it firsthand. The fact that these episodes seem to take away that original vision is what bugs me the most, not the animation. Season three also started straying farther away from that, but I loved season three and the movie. My main complaints are with the writing and characterization.

[lomk 20,663]

It's way, way too early to start panicking. 

Besides, Season 4 is far, far better than Season 3 so far. 

 

Sure, it's not Season 2. That's going to be a hard one to beat. But good God, people need to chill out. In fact, I'm pretty satisfied with all but one of the episodes so far. The premieres were awesome. Castle-Mania was awesome. Daring Don't was pretty good, despite some flaws. I was a little underwhelmed by Flight to the Finish. But good grief, people.  Quit being overly analytical and just enjoy the show! Stop pointing out every flaw. That takes the fun out of it. Just watch it to have fun. That's what made this fandom special in the first place. It's what got me into MLP. 

 

Y'all are ruining the dadgum show for me! xP

Edited December 17, 2013 by ~Sadistic Luna~

[Gears of Halo Duty V 394]

Nope, I am just kicking back and enjoying the ride.

 

 

To hold the show up to a lens that expects flawless quality of it on par with something like Citizen Kane is unreasonable. Its a fun, lighthearted, simple little show. It still has that essence. I don't see what the whole issue is. Not to mention the overwhelming negativity of some people in the fandom. They just never can be satisfied no matter what the creators do.

 

You see, Windy gets it. 

 

Have an opinion and hold to it. Bring a desire, either for more of the same or for a new change. But at the end of the day, after all is said and done, it's still a cartoon about rainbow colored ponies and the magic of friendship. 

 

We're only 5 episodes in. We've still got a ways to go, so relax a little.

[HeroBrony 36]

I don't understand how anypony can judge season 4 as a whole just yet. We are only 5 episodes in, and only have one song.....         I mean i'm still waiting for more pinkie pie

 

 

Just saying.....

Edited December 17, 2013 by Hero 194

[DerpyTacos99 115]

You all make valid points when it comes to being too early in the season, but I guess it's just in my nature. I analyze things very deeply. Now, during every other episode of the show, Season 1-3, I watched it without trying to force any analytical explanations as to why I liked a given episode. Those came after I already finished watching it once. During a first viewing, it's a fun and happy experience. Each of these episodes were not the case, and I could not enjoy them on a first viewing, and after multiple viewings is how I came to my explanations. This is not just the case with Season 4, there were two episodes in Season 1 I did not like, three episodes in Season 2, and one episode in Season 3.

 

I'm hopeful of future Season 4 episodes, I'm not trying to condemn the entire season yet (although I can sort of tell what kind of atmosphere the writers and produces are trying to imply), and I guess I should have titled the thread "dissatisfied with the current episodes so far" instead of "dissatisfied with season 4".

Edited December 17, 2013 by DerpyTacos99