Poll: Poll: MLP good?

[Zeke63]

I tried to get into MLP, and it was amusing for a bit, especially being ironic about in college since I am male. Plus rainbow dash was pretty inspiring since I am a runner. But i honestly don't see the draw beyond this initial sense of novelty. You might say the writing is good, but overall it does really feel like a kids show with advanced humor being too far and in-between. And besides the few two parters, and some stand alones like the one with discord, the show just feels vacant of any literary substance or tension, plot wise. So bronies of the escapist or any girls who like it, let me know why you like MLP please. I just see so many posts about the franchise and people with some character from the universe as their avatar, so I wanted to know what people thought.

 

[tippy2k2]

I gave it a try but didn't really care for it. It's not a "bad" show but it's not a very good one either...I'm not going to mock those who do enjoy it but I thought it just was very Meh.

I had volunteered to be a guinea pig when someone made a thread about "What's the best episode to convert people" type of thread. If I can find my exact words in my post somewhere, I'll put them in.

EDIT: Found it!

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.317866-Best-MLP-episode-for-converting-people#12944962

I watched "Sonic Rainbow", which was the episode the most people wanted me to watch. My response:

Alright, I'm back after watching "Rainbow Dash"...

and I still don't get what the big deal is. The episode itself wasn't terribly funny (though moments did make me smile). The story and the jokes were terribly predicable (boy, we just got this room cleaned up! I sure hope no one flies in and knocks everything over!). Lastly, I don't think there's ever been a character that I wanted to punch then the one with those butterfly wings.

Granted, I recognize it's a kids show but when MLP fans are making it sound like the second coming of Christ and He brought everyone a magic box that never runs out of Krispy Kreams that don't affect your waistline, it's going to disappoint.

I'm not exactly the target audience but there are plenty of "kids" shows I love. Animaniacs and Powerpuff girls (PPG certainly being a "girly" cartoon) were two I loved growing up. Today, Fairly Odd Parents is one I find chuckle worthy but this just wasn't doing it. Great if you like it and I can feel alright critiquing it now that I've given an episode a shot.

 

[Genocidicles]

I watched two episodes and I found it to be overly saccharine with boring conflict resolution. The animation was alright, but nothing to write home about.

I think the overexposure to pony images has made me hate it more than I would've if I had just watched it.

Going by just the show I'd probably hate it a lot less than I hate Homestuck. I can't stand that crap, but I see it on the internet a lot less so I don't hate it as much.

 

[Berithil]

In case my avatar didn't give it away, yes, I enjoy the show. Overall, by cartoon standards, it's above average. It's pretty good, but not the best thing evar!!! It has good characterization, good writing, good animation, decent continuity etc. The reason I watch it is because: 1. The optimism and lack of cynicism and overall feel good attitude 2. A lot of fantasy, mythology, and fairy tale themes, which I've always been a sucker for, and 3. Many, many geek pop culture references and homages.

The show (at least for me) gives off a geeky vibe similar to Community, which is easily my favorite comedy show on television.

Lots of people like it for different reasons, however, it's not a show for everyone. If you don't like it, that's fine.

 

[Muspelheim]

I find it very... Endearing, is the word. Really, it's ridiculously cute and well intended, and I rather like that there for once is a cartoon for little girls with some thought and craftsmanship in it. It feels like a neglected group. Actually, it puts me in the same type of mind I get when I see something like a train driving sim or somesuch. It's not for me, but I find it endearing and hopeful that someone, somewhere, puts such love and affection in creating them. Not to mention, it's pleasant to see something so unironically colourful and happy, and above all honest.

However, it's nothing I watch very often, which is mainly because of what it is; a sugary, lessony children's programme. And that is what it is and what it sets out to do, so I can't really say it's a problem.

It's all just so cute and endearing. But still, it certainly doesn't warrant apeshit and the having thereof, of the type we've seen. Good, just not -that- good, but certainly not that bad.

 

[lRookiel]

In case my avatar didn't give it away, yes, I enjoy the show.

Well at the moment it's the default escapist face since everyone's avatars have been reset. :3 EDIT: Never mind back to normal

OT: Yeah I love the show, not sure why everyone is being negative towards the third season, I'm enjoying it.

The characters are likable and the writing is solid. I love watching cartoons and MLP is no exception.

 

[Berithil]

In case my avatar didn't give it away, yes, I enjoy the show.

Well at the moment it's the default escapist face since everyone's avatars have been reset. :3 EDIT: Never mind back to normal

You didn't see anything... <.<

 

[Scarim Coral]

I suppose to sum it up-

Animation is superb considering that it's made in Flash. I mean I watched ALOT of cartoon so I found the artstyle to be an interesting one especially when comparing to the previous incarnation of the show.

The characters are quite diverse while taking a new spin on their typical character archtype like e.g. Rarity is the typical diva character seen in other show. The difference is that they made her to be a fashion designer to made cloths for her friends, not for herself.

The whole moral/ lesson isn't exactly shove it down in your throat like the many other kids shows that do it. Ok sure they establist it intially as Twilight report on friendship but that is a good thing. I can't exactly explain it but they way they handle it isn't exactly as forceful and it's a good thing.

The humour and comedy is great. Can't say anything more than that other at a few times they make reference to the good olde comedy cartoons.

There probably more stuff I can mention but I think that sum it up (the good fandom side of it).

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

If I had never watched any other TV show, ever, I might be tricked into thinking MLP is clever or funny or original... but everything I've seen reeks trite cliche. Also - dude, they're ponies.

 

[Creator002]

Said it before, I'll say it again.

I love colour. I find that MLP has a very wide colour pallate and I can't get enough of it. I find the animation great and I enjoy the voice talents. The stories are okay, some lack quite a bit, but they're still good enough to entertain me for a half-hour. Season 3 doesn't seem to be as good (some of the episodes feel incredibly rushed), but I think that's due to paying too much attention to the older fan base. And, lastly, I think the ponies' personalities are well thought out and fairly consistent throughout the show (with Rarity's generosity sometimes being pulled into question).
That's about it. The main thing is the colour. I love colour.

 

[scorptatious]

I really like it myself.

It has good animation, a nice cast of characters, and the writing is quite good for a show about technicolor ponies. It also has a very good sense of continuity.

I'll admit, the third season hasn't exactly wowed me as much as the first and second seasons did. But the season so far is still good overall, and I look forward to the next new episode.

 

[Dangit2019]

Also - dude, they're ponies.

And the biggest movie of all time featured a bunch of horny Smurfs, so what?

OT: I find joy in the show. If you don't find joy in it, I would advise against continually watching it.

 

[Overusedname]

As far as I can tell, people's love for it is usually related to one's tolerance for sincerity. We'll watch and read and play lots of works about love and family but it'll be wrapped up with war or drama or political debates and stuff. It's rare that it's the unabashed point of an entire work, with quite a bit of subtly removed, let alone such a long work.

That turns off a lot of people. If this poll is any indication, it's a good trait for most viewers. Anyone can acknowledge the animation and sound is good but...that's never really enough for an animation to build a fanbase. Having a cartoon (that's from the west) thoroughly based in character exploration and relationships, and what relationships mean and how/why they're formed and how they are broken....that's not just rare, it hasn't really...happened before.

The show also has a lot of subtly, particularly the villains and the very symbolic meaning of their powers....And some mild subtext about gender, though it's rarely emphasized.

...I dunno, if the world doesn't end from this notion I might talk about it in greater detail someday.

 

[Easton Dark]

It's about as much of a kids show as Spongebob is. It's colorful, good animation, good messages most of the time, and it's easy to watch. No over-arching stories to catch up on for most of the episodes.

And I really like the characters an awful lot. Why wouldn't I, I'm their dragon friend.

Brony is unisex btw.

 

[Ryan Hughes]

Well, I saw an episode and it wasn't for me. I mean, it was not bad, I might watch it with my little niece sometime. At least it is more tolerable than that Power Rangers Samurai show that my nephew is into. . . The messages in the show were not bad, and I liked how the girls seemed to handle everything without needing any male romantic interests to come in and save the day at the end.

I do have some complaints though: the plotting of the episode was so generic that I was able to largely predict it five minutes in, among other complaints. So, overall, I do am not against the show or anything, but I don't see the appeal for adults.

 

[Neverhoodian]

I like the show for a variety of reasons:

-Great animation for a Flash cartoon.

-Rich, vibrant color palette.

-Stellar voice acting.

-Fantastic musical numbers.

-The main characters (and even most minor ones) are distinct with well-developed personalities.

-Sly pop culture references for us older fans (but not so much that it unduly distracts the viewer).

Most of all though, I like FiM because it's earnest. It's a family friendly show in the truest sense of the phrase. In this jaded, cynical world of ours, it demonstrates that there's still a place for innocence and gentleness. Watching it brings me pure, honest joy of a sort that precious few shows can match.

Having said that, I realize not everyone's going to like the show. We all have different tastes and preferences, and I can see how it could be off-putting for some.

 

[AlbertoDeSanta]

It's great but it's getting to the point where I just don't like it as much. Better things have come along. Doctor Who and The Walking Dead namely. Now, I generally watch the episodes 2 in a row when the second one is up on Youtube. Other then that, it's a decent show. Characters are alright, but nothing more then cliche. The songs aren't too bad and the voice acting isn't as good as other shows (Not to discredit it, it's pretty good VA). It's only decent because it's what it's supposed to be; an exercise in money making. You take a popular franchise with many other canon, and add another canon to that. Happens often enough. It's sort of like with D&D where every 5-10 years a new set of books come out with rule revisions or overall system changes. It's more or less the same thing.

 

[Eddie the head]

It's average for a kids show. Nothing to complicated. Characters about as deep as you might guess from that. Overall not a show I would watch. Personalty I think most people that do like it, like it ironically. But to each his own.

 

[knight steel]

In all seriousness I tried to get into the show but found it to difficult, so really I now only watch the multi-parters

 

[thejboy88]

I'd say it's a great show.

The main characters don't fall within the traditionally girly stereotype that I think many others would have put them in if they made it. But I think that's mostly due to the fact that this new show was created by Lauren Faust who, among other things, has always had a talent for writing good female characters for animation.