Why do people act like S1+2 were perfect?

[Thrashy 2,800]

As is your opinion that the quality of writing has been consistent throughout the four seasons. 

 

More an observation than an opinion, but if that's what you wish to call it.

 

EDIT:

Come to think of it, I never really said it was consistent, as evidenced by my legitimate claim that every season has had its high points and low points. The writing strength undulates, and always has, whether se01+02 fanboys want to admit it or not.

 

All I'm pointing out is that the ratio of highs and lows, concerning seasons 1, 2, and 4-so-far, have been fairly consistent. It is my belief that season 3 would have had just as many strong points as the others, had it been allowed to go on for as long as the others. The fact that it was cut way short is, in my mind, what was responsible for its more evened-out ratio of "good" to "meh" episodes, as opposed to the usual skewed ratio of "more good"/"fewer meh".

Edited February 5, 2014 by Thrashy

[~Silver Essence~ 2,625]

For the most part, everyone enjoys season 1 and 2 because that's where most have heard about it at the time and became fans at the time.

 

While season 3 was definetely not the best, it did had a few good ones that made it stand out compared to the other seasons like the crystal empire and sleepless in ponyville.

 

But when you do compare the season so far excluding season 4, you can tell why most would say season 1 and 2 are perfect to most.

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

They really weren't. A degree of nostalgia is to be expected of course, but I do feel like S1 and S2 had this sort of atmosphere about them that I can't really put into words very well. Something about the way the characters interacted felt very special a lot of the time, and that's what generated my interest in the show in the first place, and I'm not sure if I can feel it to the same extent now. Whether that comes from an actual change in the feel of things, or my just being a lot more excited and enthusiastic about MLP in general back then is up for debate of course. I think it is telling though that possibly my favorite episode this season, Apple Family Reunion, is one that I've heard people say wouldn't feel out of place in Season 1.

 

I recognize that each season has their issues. S1 was still building the world and figuring out how things worked a lot of the time, S2 had a couple rougher portions and issues with portraying characters at times, S3 was short and quality dropped off a little over halfway through, and S4 is the most up and down season yet. They're all enjoyable too though, and I still have to call the first two seasons my favorites. If anyone thinks I'm being blinded by my love of "the good old days" or whatever, then I don't know what I can say to convince them, or even if they're wrong at all. It's just my opinion.

 

What I said above about each season's flaws was also my opinion, and I recognize that some people will disagree, and I'm not really interested in debating that here. Whatever the case, I'm willing to acknowledge whatever is wrong with the first two seasons and still call them my favorites so far.

[Shift 4,272]

Because of nostalgia. I actually think Season One is the weakest season, and I loved Seasons 2 and 3, so judge me. Probably the only reason why everyone glorifies S2 is because of the finale and 'Luna Eclipsed' and probably 'Hurricane Fluttershy', and the reason everyone bashes S3 is also because of the finale, 'Games Ponies Play', 'Spike at your Service' and 'Just for Sidekicks'. I actually only disliked Games Ponies Play in S3.

 

S4 is actually looking to be pretty good...

[Castle Bleck 19,356]

"Why do people act like S1+2 were perfect?"

 

[Silanda 24]

Personally I think it's simply season 3's weakness leads people to hold this opinion. Don't get me wrong, season 3 wasn't bad but it was a little lackluster compared to 1+2. Being half the length was bad for starters, but then we had the first two examples of blatant interference from the toy arm of Hasbro (Crystal Empire + Princess Twilight), neither of which were pulled off that well. We had a great antagonist in Discord being effectively neutered (now fixed), the presence of too many mediocre episodes, and eventually everyone's waxing nostalgic about how great the first two seasons were.

[King Sejong 859]

   I might be a minority on this, but I love season three, a little bit more than seasons one and two, now that we are in season four, I have seen this growing nostalgia, for "Dear Princess Celestia" letters, favourite lines, and popular internet memes, furthermore it is natural to have feelings of nostalgia, I know I have a tender spot for late eighties and nineties shows and cartoons, because it was brand new, and appealed to my generation, but I do enjoy contemporary shows too, such as My Little Pony and The Littlest Pet Shop. I did start watching MLP - FiM in season two, but it was season three I fell in love for, the improved animation, complex story dynamic and character maturity, it was engaging to watch and lifted my imagination, after "Magical Mystery Cure", I was so elated that I began to be actively involved in the brony fandom, it was Equestria Girls that finally inspired me to join the herd, finally I am a big fan of season three and I am enjoying season four, despite pedantic gripes at the latter seasons, so as time goes on new fans might like the season three and four, and just let them have the joy that older fans have for the première seasons.  

[Koelath 445]

Simply, people are idiots. And nostalgia, were it a physical being, would be the biggest idiot of them all.

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

They were, every episode was great and the characters were portrayed perfectly. Season 3 ruined it and Season 4 is a little better but has a lot of damage to try and fix that they still haven't been able too. Don't get me started on Equestria Girls... 

[hawkflame 3,310]

I don't see how The writing in S3 was THAT bad. Sure the Spike episodes were not that good but almost every Spike episode except for a few are terrible. Dragon Quest and Owl well were terrible.

 

The Crystal Empire was memorable only for its blandness.  It was super Twilight centered for two episodes with a thoroughly uncharismatic villain.  Magical Mystery Cure tried to do way too much in too little time.  And I *hated* Discord being reformed.  And that's on top of Spike's regression in Spike at Your Service and the utter lack of anything for Rarity.  

[Mywas 687]

The Crystal Empire was memorable only for its blandness.  It was super Twilight centered for two episodes with a thoroughly uncharismatic villain.  Magical Mystery Cure tried to do way too

much in too little time.  And I *hated* Discord being reformed.  And that's on top of Spike's regression in Spike at Your Service and the utter lack of anything for Rarity.

 

The Crystal Empire was MEANT to be a Twilight centered two parter. Also the Reason Sombra was *boring* is because he was mean to be like the Eyeball from LOTR. Is LOTR terrible?

MMC was not the fault of the writers. There just wasn't enough time.

And Discord being redeemed made sense when Q also got redeemed in Star Trek.

[hawkflame 3,310]

The Crystal Empire was MEANT to be a Twilight centered two parter. Also the Reason Sombra was *boring* is because he was mean to be like the Eyeball from LOTR. Is LOTR terrible?

MMC was not the fault of the writers. There just wasn't enough time.

And Discord being redeemed made sense when Q also got redeemed in Star Trek.

 

1) The rest of the mane Five got virtually *nothing* memorable to do, and unlike the wedding, which was also twilight focused, there was no dramatic tension whatsoever because the emotional stakes weren't there. 

 

And people keep comparing Sombra to Sauron, but the strength of the LOTR trilogy wasn't the villain, it was the epic story of the fellowship.  So Sauron was fine as an all threatening ominous force *because there was so much more going on other than Sauron*.  With a story that's not nearly as epic and not as much meat to it but has a villain, you *need* the villain to be more interesting.

 

2) So it's not the fault of the writers.  Tell me how that now makes the problems somehow disappear. 

 

3) "Because Star Trek did it, it must be correct."  That assumes that Star Trek *must always* be good or correct (it certainly isn't) and that also assumes that if it works for Star Trek, it works for MLP (certainly not the case either). 

[FNGRpony 658]

Woah, woah, woah.  WOAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

What were we talking about?  Who ever said seasons 1-2 were perfect.  sounds like your putting words every "ponies" mouth (ew i feel dirty now)

so you can win the argument.

I KNOW That trick i invented.  I got into the show during the drought,

in bigger seasons you can hide crap easier.

 

in smaller ones it sticks out, alot.

 

so it looks worse because it's staring you in the face.

[Mywas 687]

1) The rest of the mane Five got virtually *nothing* memorable to do, and unlike the wedding, which was also twilight focused, there was no dramatic tension whatsoever because the emotional stakes weren't there. 

 

And people keep comparing Sombra to Sauron, but the strength of the LOTR trilogy wasn't the villain, it was the epic story of the fellowship.  So Sauron was fine as an all threatening ominous force *because there was so much more going on other than Sauron*.  With a story that's not nearly as epic and not as much meat to it but has a villain, you *need* the villain to be more interesting.

 

2) So it's not the fault of the writers.  Tell me how that now makes the problems somehow disappear. 

 

3) "Because Star Trek did it, it must be correct."  That assumes that Star Trek *must always* be good or correct (it certainly isn't) and that also assumes that if it works for Star Trek, it works for MLP (certainly not the case either).

 

1) In the first two parters they were put in a gimmick roles and were flanderised. In the wedding the ONLY thing they did was punch a few changelings in a comical relief way which could be taken out of the episode and it wouldn't change at all. In here they were helping Twilight find the crystal heart and were keeping the crystal fair alive which was important. Just because they did not fight doesn't mean they did nothing.

 

and you act like the story wasn't intresting on its own. If anything the worst fear door alone was far more intresting than 80% of the pilot. Perhabs its because you are not very found of Twilight so this story does not intrest you?

 

2) Your arguement is that the writers falled back in S3 when MMC was the fault of the writers. Had this been in S2 the result woukd be the same if they still only had an episode to work with.

 

3) Most Trekkies I meet on line did not mind Q's redeemtion and those who did have an actual arguement to why they do. Give me a reason why Discord's redeemtion was bad or not done right.

[Scootalove 10,689]

They weren't perfect in any way at all, all of the three seasons had: good, bad, and okay episodes so praising S1 and S2 like they were the best seasons would blow some things out of proportion. S1 and S2 had a unique atmosphere, but they are in no way perfect at all far away from perfect.

[applejock 358]

The reason why "some" of us are so drewl happy over S1 and 2 is the same reason we get our fur up over things like "zomg the story of Mass effect 1 was so much better then 3". Or insert a book, film, game, show, title at your leisure.

 

We love things that are NEW. That grab us, throw us down and scream into our face things like "YOU WILL LOVE ME!!!". Humans are very subtle creatures, really, we are. We love to be controlled and have choices made for us. We love easy things, we love to be told what to do. So we can either rebel or follow along.

 

Season 1 and 2 had a goal, it accomplished it, we took it hook line and sinker and are now netted. 

 

But to be honest there is no differnce in the fashion of episodes or writing of characters from 1 to 4. The only thing that is happening is GROWTH. I have ranted about character growth in another thread, but the basics are this. I am a roleplayer by hobby, and the key to a good rp session is character development either negative or positive. No one wants a god character, no one wants a leech. That being said the girls are growing and changing, while staying true to there season 1 roots they are now far differnt and in some ways more flawed. They are not perfect characters, and we as humans LOVE that. We see our selves in them. I often point to a character known as Demona or to some Dominique Destine from Disneys Gargoyles. An immortal figure that has ranged from blind murderer to oath shattering motherhood. She is someone the audiance related too from day one and LOVED. Now unlike the directors and writers of that show that prompty ruined and killed it in its adult hood, MLP has just begun its adulthood (ie post 3rd season of a show is considerd out of childhood and birth that are seasons 1-3) and is flourishing. Maybe its the fact we have so many girls to pick from to belove, maybe its the writting, or maybe its the modern age we live in. :shrug:

 

In the end Season 1 and 2 are formulated for us to grab onto, to drewl on, to belove. Just like a new born baby, or a young child who is playing with dolls. We love them because they are new and innocent. But now the show is growing up, it has reached a point of knowing it can go 7 or 8 seasons safely and is starting to show its teenage quirks. It is giving us other paths the characters might flounder into (like Rarity almost staying in MH) instead of a straight and narrow path. You will reflect back on this season just like you did 3 when it ended, and realize that the show is not really about season 2 or 4 or 89, but about the whole show in general. And that message my friends, is a good one. Don't pick the show apart, do not force it into differnt levels based on what year the season is in. Love it for what it is, all of it.