This is a bit strange. Isn't it par for the course for any given fandom to want to portray itself in the best possible light? I'm not condoning it, but it feels like something I'd do if I were part of a fairly rabid fandom. Take the Bronies who claim they'll "love and tolerate the shit out of me" because I dare to bring up a conflicting point of view? Isn't that passive-aggressive? You're not buying back the aggression quotient of "beating the shit out of me" by replacing "beating" with "loving and tolerating".
Considering, I'm pretty happy to report I'm the most casual Brony ever. I watch the show for the cameos and the animation styles, and I think I'm mature enough to admit this thing exists to push plastic shit and asinine grade-school morals. Even then, those morals are there because of E/I regulations; as you can bet your ass that Hasbro would want to get away with a female take on "Ren and Stimpy" if they could, in terms of cohesion and actual intent. Instead of getting cute little morals about friendship and teamwork and whatnot, we'd get an nth diatribe about shopping. Or something.
"My Little Pony: Getting My Parents' Visa Invoice to Spike into the Red Zone is Magic"
As for John De Lancie "spearheading" the documentary project, I'm cynical about that. It's already been mentioned that he's only ever participated in Trekkie conventions for the cash. On the whole, he seems like an excessively detached actor. As much as I enjoy Discord, he's nothing more and nothing less than a Q send-off, reworked into another occasion to showcase the power of Friendship with a capital F - because that's always decent filler when the old brain cells run dry.
As for the fun references I tune in for? They're mostly there to placate the potential young parents in our midst who might be stuck watching this with their progeny. Not necessarily because Lauren Faust's a geek and M.A. Larson's a geek and because there's a kind of Pop Culture Cred they need to prove they have and constantly have to invoke. The show's not proceeding ahead *for* the Bronies - it's proceeding ahead *in spite* of the Bronies. That's what the most rabid fans out there keep forgetting.
A poster above me mentioned feeling potentially uncomfortable around a guy who might've found validation or support throughout MLP. I'm tempted to agree, but I'm also reminded of Trekkie couples and Star Wars flings. I figure being a Brony and being "man" enough at the same time is more than possible. It just depends on your ability to understand that there's a time and a place for that Rainbow Dash hoodie of yours; a time and a place for show quotes or for showcasing your love of the series to others.
Take me. I used to watch a girls-oriented piece of fluff back in the early nineties, called "Sky Dancers". There was some world-building involved, which "Dragon Flyz" lacked. That was enough to draw me to the pastel colours and eternal mullets of the Wingdom. "Dragon Flyz" basically involved Winged Space Marines and the requisite Butch Girl who spent their time flying around, shooting at their demonic counterparts. Truly riveting stuff. The female-oriented series had its mythology, lore, background and character-developing moments, in comparison.
Does that mean I came to consider myself as the definitive authority on all things Sky Dancers? Of course not. I knew it was a shameless attempt at getting girls to buy fancy doll-shaped string-pulled propellers that were rumoured to have sliced open a few pre-teen eyes and faces. I knew it was utterly vapid and without any ounce of intellectual value.
You'd think people would still be able to do that with MLP. Because it parrots the word "friendship" a couple times, though, wouldn't ya know, it's all swell and dandy. Grade-A worthwhile entertainment, even for guys who aren't only of the wrong gender, but out of the target demographic by more than two decades, in some cases!
Like I said - it's more than a little bit strange, when you think about it. My guess is if "adult" cartoons weren't so exclusively gore-filled or focused on furthering a comically cynical view of the world, we wouldn't be forced to fall back onto MLP, Foster's or Adventure Time. If anything, this proves some persons are still looking for some nicely humble and cheery cartoons, well into their thirties.
