These seem like reasonable results. Party of One should have a disclaimer of "Watch the whole thing first" though. It does begin pretty girly with the whole party thing, and people not used to Pinkie Pie's songs might be a bit put off.
Hope that helped in your analysis ponychan people!
101 comments:
Awww... But I loved swarm of the century!
ReplyDeletevotes were rigged :(
ReplyDeleteFrankly in my opinion, the first episode was the one that made me a brony not any of the others. But I guess Party of One is a good episode if you watch the entire thing.
ReplyDeleteI voted for Dragonshy, because it showed their individual personalities, and it was an adventure episode
ReplyDeleteMare in the Moon was the one that hooked me. Your science is invalid.
ReplyDeleteI seriously disagree with Party of One being a good starter episode, it requires more advanced knowledge of the characters and their normal personalities. It certainly requires watching CMC to get the full ramifications of Pinkies visual changes.
ReplyDeleteOk I'm not surprised that Sonic Rainboom caught up to Dragonshy since RD is pretty popular (which still confuses me as she is prolly my least or 2nd least fav..yeah..I said it! Deal with it)....but I gotta tell ya'll.....
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love Party of One (one of my top 2 episodes) I still think Dragonshy is the best for getting someone to watch the show for the first time.
For one thing the humor is there...and for another every pony is exxxxtrreeemeelly in character throughout.
It also helps that the best pony is the focal-point in the end, which also lets us peek at her ermegent POWERS OF THE STARE...but I digress......
Not sayin' Party of One is a lackluster episode..probably the best humor wise. Just don't think its a good lead-in. It's MUCH funnier if you've learned all about Pinkie from other episodes...there's a reason it was ep. 25 IMO.
n a nutshell I do not agree with the poll results! ;p
I think we needed to have all the episodes up there. I mean what even happened with Ticket Master not being there? I've introduced three friends to bronism with that one!
ReplyDeleteI love Party of One, but it doesn't represent what Pinkie Pie is normally like well enough to make it someone's introduction to the series, in my opinion. I voted for Applebuck Season, but I WOULD have voted for Ticket Master. It's a basic (though perhaps somewhat generic) cartoon plot that, even with two episodes before it, introduces each character rather nicely and equally.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with that one, a lot of the impact crazy Pinkie had would be lost if you didn't already watch plenty of episodes before it and gained a love for silly Pinkie. Personally I thought Dragonshy would be the better one as it had awesome action and really conveyed the personalities of the mane 6 well.
ReplyDeleteI think the first two episodes should be just that: the first two. But, I dont think Applebuck season was really a good ep3...
ReplyDeleteThe only reason why Party of One won was because it could ryhme with fun.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously though the only reason people voted for it was because Pinkie goes bat-guano in it.
Personally I think Dragonshy would make a good first watch or even Winter Wrap Up, but how in the world did a destroyed ponyville in 'Swarm of the Century' not rank the first thing to watch? My reasoning behind this? It is that it ends on a sour note when everyone expects the show to always be upbeat and nothing bad ever truly happens to the characters, that episode proves otherwise bad things can happen.
Like for example being stuck on the moon for a thousand years while fully concious, accidentally killing the princesses pet bird and getting nearly eaten by a hydra.
Party of One does a lot to defy expectations - even Pinkie Pie's invitation song at the very beginning is very quickly subverted as she becomes increasingly exhausted by it, to hilarious effect. And while they might see the very end coming, they won't be able to predict Pinkamena's horrifyingly/hilariously insane Party of One.
ReplyDeleteFollowed by Sonic Rainboom and Dragonshy? I approve.
yeah, I agree with the disclaimer thing, I failed at converting someone with that episode because he quit at the first 3 minutes
ReplyDeleteNo love for Bridle Gossip? I personally find it a great episode to introduce to people the potentially great humour the show represents.
ReplyDeleteDragonshy just freaking works. I've already gotten 5 people with that one alone.
ReplyDeleteWell, according to the thread, this is just to get the SCIENCE! started. We won't know the real answer until they test it (SCIENTIFICALLY!) and publish the (SCIENTIFIC!) results.
ReplyDeleteYeah It's an acquired taste really for your starting episode. Most I see are impressed from the pilot (Like myself) but I know there are sections of the fanbase here had they only seen the Pilot they woudn't have been as impressed because some of the I'll admit cheesiness did show up quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteIf you are more into Comedy. Applebuck Season or Bridle Gossip were the best ones to start. Adventure probably Dragonshy and such. I don't doubt Party of One is a funny episode but I think it partly got the most votes because it's a pretty popular episode. The story may be different between many Bronies here and even different among what episode is best for making some one a Brony. It depends really on the person.
Bridle Gossip's punchlines do not have their power unless its seen mid-season or at least a few episodes in. (which is where it's naturally placed)
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't heard Fluttershy talk in her normal voice enough you will never be able to appreciate the pure epicness that is Flutterguy
I'd say show them Party of One only if you're watching it with them, because they can always just shut it off within the first five minutes and just say they saw the entire thing. It does, however, do a perfect job of showing how it's not just an ordinary little girl's show.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the pilot being the best starting episode. Originally, the two-part pilot was what got me to be a brony: the best 45 minutes that I have spent on Youtube in a long time.
ReplyDeleteThe numbers in the pic don't match the final numbers. They were:
ReplyDeleteApplebuck season: 752 (11%)
Dragonshy 1031 (15%)
Bridle Gossip 617 (9%)
Swarm of the Century 382 (5%)
Winter Wrap Up 881 (13%)
Fall Weather Friends 244 (3%)
Sonic Rainboom 1120 (16%)
Party of One 1588 (24%)
6615 total votes
Party of One is right there with CMC episodes introduction wise, but everything else seems about right result wise.
ReplyDeleteThe pilot's what actually converted me. While they aren't exactly the best episodes out of the first season (IMO!), they do a great job introducing us to all of the mane six, and giving us the jist of what you should expect from the series.
ReplyDeleteI introduced two bronies with Bridle Gossip, and they thought Flutterguy was the funniest thing they've seen in years.
ReplyDeleteBridle, Dragon, and Swarm are THE best starting. It seems people loved to vote for the best episode. But with little context for pinkie's personality, Party of One is an awful choice.
Also, due to everyone saying it I have to as well: the pilot, while bland, was what converted me; fuckin' hilarious shit, imo.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think WWU is the best on the list, it has everypony involved (so new viewers can still 'meet' them, learn their names etc), the episode provides an example of how the Equestrian world is similar yet very different from ours (controlled weather and seasons), and there is the unforgettable song that bears the name of the episode, which illustrates the vocal talent AND musical genius that is poured into this wonderful show.
ReplyDeleteParty of One, on the other hand, lacks the best parts of the entire season as a whole, and since it focuses on just one character, Pinkie Pie, becoming depressed and extremely unstable (to the point of being almost frightening), the other characters are pretty much missed by new viewers. Moreover, Pinkie Pie's antics in that episode lose their impact if a new viewer watches that episode first, because the viewer isn't following PP gradually becoming more crazy each episode.
I voted Party of One. The people I attempt to convert start off as the ones that aren't likely to try something unless they think they'll like it, and My Little Pony doesn't exactly scream awesome to anyone who hasn't watched it. Pinkie's insanity sequence is a quick and easy way to show people this is NOT the My Little Pony they think it is. I get them to watch the entire episode if I can for the full effect, but I keep the insanity sequence on my cell phone in case a computer is unavailable.
ReplyDeleteOnce I've convinced them the show isn't all girly and kiddy and whatnot, that's when I suggest they watch the rest of the series and leave them to it.
I dunno, Nines, Party of One does a decent job of setting up Pinkie's normal persona in the first half before breaking her in the second. Certainly more effective with a full season of normal, happy Pinkie, but it doesn't leave her ill-defined by any means.
ReplyDeleteWhy was Fall Weather Friends the lowest on the list? I would have expected it to be higher up than something like Bridle Gossip or Swarm of the Century. I even think Winter Wrap-Up should be lower on this list than it. Someone new is going to hear Pinkie sing the word "hoofies" and shut off the tv.
ReplyDeleteLook, if your friends are top close minded and too unwilling to watch PO1 the whole way through I doubt you'll convince them with any other episode.
ReplyDelete@NinesTempest
ReplyDeleteReally, it's the worst? Which is why I have convinced six people it is a good series with it?
You make me laugh.
A couple of interesting things about the results:
ReplyDeleteParty of One, Sonic Rainboom, and Dragonshy were the top three episodes in both this and the ponychan poll that narrowed the episodes down to these
Winter Wrap Up was significantly more popular here than on ponychan, where instead of fourth place it was last place among these episodes.
Thanks for the data, and if you want to help with the SCIENCE please post in the thread here: http://www.ponychan.net/chan/collab/res/7295.html or email me at diomedes343 [at] gmail [dot] com
I think the episode you choose should depend on the person you're trying to introduce to the series. Some people would connect better with different episodes. If I ever get around to presenting this show to my family, I would have them watch Feeling Pinkie Keen, but if I was introducing some of my friends, I'd probably have them watch Fall Weather Friends, Dragonshy, or Bridle Gossip.
ReplyDeleteJust saying that no one episode is perfect for introducing everypony to the series.
My personal evaluation of each option (feel free to mock/poke holes in):
ReplyDeleteApplebuck Season - In retrospect, I should've voted for this one, because this was the one that turned me into a brony. Aside from being written by Amy Keating Rogers and therefore being predictably awesome, there is very little about this one that can be considered "girly" in the sense that most non-bronies think of MLP as embodying. Add that to one of the most impressive episodes of the season animation-wise IMO and the blatant Lion King reference (a.k.a. the part that officially converted me once and for all), and you have a great episode to start off on.
Dragonshy - Another excellent, non-"girly" episode, but I have to dock this one points simply because the third act doesn't have half the impact it should if you don't already know of Fluttershy as being a shy, fearful yellow-in-everything-including-color moe. Without that prior knowledge, her facing off against the dragon isn't quite as epic, and while that part could've pushed it up to the level of "Applebuck Season", it falls just short if we're assuming the person viewing the episode has never seen the show before.
Bridle Gossip - I voted for this one because it shares the position of personal favorite episode of the season with "A Dog And Pony Show", but thinking back on it it has the same problem as "Dragonshy": if you don't know the characters beforehand, the effects of the poison joke aren't half as funny. Based on that, this one's roughly equal with "Dragonshy" as far as conversion quality goes.
Swarm of the Century - As is the case with many of the options in the poll, this one is immediately disqualified in my book because it would almost certainly require a disclaimer of "You gotta watch it all the way through" if you were showing it to a skeptic or even someone who was initially neutral. Yes, the ending was epic, but the first arc runs too close to what a new viewer would be "expecting" from MLP. It's still a quality episode and the sugary parts are not overdone in the least, but they are better choices for first episode if you're trying to convert a new fan.
Winter Wrap-Up - I guess this one got on the list because of the song number, but honestly...I don't think "Winter Wrap-Up" the song is going to get a whole lot of people to jump on the brony bandwagon. Mostly because for me, my first reaction (as a confirmed brony already) when I first watched this episode, "Oh, hell, not a musical number...oh, hey, this isn't ear-rapingly terrible. It's...decent. Cool." I mean, that was all I thought of it: it was decent. And if I'm going to try to convert someone, I don't want to settle for "decent"; I want to settle for, "That was actually surprisingly awesome." Aside from Rarity's scenes, this one didn't even get that kind of reaction from me the first time I saw it, so I definitely wouldn't tell someone I wanted to introduce to the show to start with this one.
And part 2, because Blogger couldn't handle my tl;dr. XD
ReplyDeleteFall Weather Friends - I'm actually really surprised that this one didn't get more votes; it's not the funniest or the awesomest episode of the season by any means, but it's absolutely a better choice for first episode IMO than some of the other options in the poll. I mean, if any single episode of Season 1 could be honestly called "masculine", it's this one; the whole thing is about the two most tomboyish characters in the show having a massive athletic competition and then halfway killing each other in a marathon before running off into the sunset in the most blatant "these ponies must be shipped NOW" plug I can recall from all of Season 1. Maybe I'm biased, but I think this one was a better choice than the poll results gave it credit for.
Sonic Rainboom - Besides being another episode that really requires prior knowledge of the characters to have its full effect, this one...I don't know, maybe I'm in the minority here, but I don't think this one really represents the show as a whole very well aside from some really cool animation sequences. I mean, I'm a Dash fanboy to my core, so of course I loved it during my first viewing just because of that, but as far as converting a new fan goes, it's about on par with "Fall Weather Friends": if you think seeing the ponies doing athletic things would bring over a new viewer, go for it, but otherwise there are better options to be had.
Party of One - Okay, before everyone mugs me for what I'm about to say: I absolutely love this episode to death, mostly for having one of the best second acts of the whole season and unquestionably the best third act. But as far as showing it to other people, you'd be better off just skipping the first act entirely. I mean, I remember watching this episode for the first time
and thinking, "Oh, God, I hope the whole episode isn't as cheesy as the first four minutes..."; thankfully, it wasn't at all, but those first four minutes are, to me, a bit like that one brony Wired featured in their article about us: they're absolutely a part of what they're intended to represent and I won't ever deny, but the problem is that they fulfill that role by representing the negative stereotype that everyone already has of us. People will already assume that the show is just about parties and confetti and pink things, and when you have to sit through four minutes of that to get to the parts of the show that distance it from that perception...I just wouldn't want to count on my audience being willing to stay through that based on promises of the episode getting better later. Just my thoughts on the matter.
@Aquaman52
ReplyDeleteIf they give up four minutes in because they are partying I do not think that any other episode will work.
They already apparently don't trust your judgment!
@BagOfChips
ReplyDeletePutting words in my mouth; I didn't say worst, I said awful. And there's no way to disprove if it's better or not, due to everyone working differently.
I used Bridle. Why? Slightly mature humor. Twilight has ED, "Appletini," and Fluttershy talks enough in the episode for Flutterguy to be funny as hell.
Why is everyone responding to ME, when the last 20 comments are the same thing??
If it helps, I voted Fall Weather simply because it presents the same thing Po1 does; a non-stereotypical girl MLP environment, with the two least-girl characters, and without the damn 4 minutes of opening you have to work through.
@BagOfChips
ReplyDeleteI was more concerned about the fact that I myself thought the episode was gonna suck based on those first four minutes when I watched it. Pinkie's singing telegram ranks near the bottom of the barrel as far as her songs go (as compared to "Giggle at the Ghostlies", which was unexpectedly brilliant for me), the dialogue at the party is flat and mostly just filler, and Gummy wasn't quite enough to carry the scene effectively for me by that point.
That's what I'm more worried about than the fact that there's a party to begin with. XD
Doesn't Dragonshy have Fluttershy being quite literally afraid of her own shadow?
ReplyDelete@NinesTempest
ReplyDeleteI just picked you out at random.
Thoughts:
ReplyDeleteApplebuck Season is early on in the series, giving it the upperhand over episodes like SRB and PoO by not needing to be introduced to the cast with prior episodes to enjoy it to its fullest. An excellent starter.
Dragonshy might make a few of the more attentive first timers go "huh" about the Manticore thing. It's not too heavy on the gags and jokes like ABS, but focuses more on adventure and action. The two make an excellent one-two punch showing that it can pull off comedy and adventure.
Bridle Gossip does wonderful work with giving you the basic character personality traits. That alone makes it a great starter episode. Also dat Flutterguy.
Swarm of the Century compliments BG perfectly. As long as they don't give two craps about Zecora, it's a great episode to start with.
I like Winter Wrap Up a lot, but it is a DREADFUL introduction episode because of one thing: The song. A three and a half minute long song rubs people the wrong way. Most children shows have songs that rarely break half that length, so having a first-time watch have to sit through a musical number THAT long will definitely be a deal-breaker for many.
Fall Weather Friends starts out slow, but picks up. As long as the viewer isn't a snob about animation quality (seeing as how this is probably the most rushed looking episode in the series with loads of copy and paste, horrid pixelation, careless animation mistakes), some nerd humor and a prominent Looney Tunes influence make it somewhat safe.
Sonic Rainboom is beloved by fans because it stripped Dash of her ego. It's a really great episode, but I feel that it's weaker unless you have seen The Ticket Master and Fall Weather Friends prior.
I'm on the fence about Party of One. It's fucking hilarious and it throws all those oblivious to the phenomenon by throwing curveballs that rebel against the norm for shows of its type, but it shows a side of Pinkie that is never seen in any other episode. It might also raise expectations too high. There's such a thing as coming out of the gates too quickly.
I can't believe Mare in the Moon or Elements of Harmony wasn't included.
ReplyDeleteThe pilot episodes have hooked loads of bronies.
I initially voted Sonic Rainboom just for the forkin' awesome factor. But then changed my vote to Winter Wrap Up because FORK YES THAT SONG IS BOSS!!!
ReplyDeleteI voted for Applebuck Season, just to let you guys know.
ReplyDelete@EVERYPONY
ReplyDeleteWow thanks for the feedback. As we expected there is a huge variety of opinions on this - why we are doing this study. I probably should mention that I am one of the people working on this (Diomedes started it up - I'm just polishing up the design so the statistics aren't worthless).
Our main issue right now is an unknown sample size. If we get several hundred possible participants (I'm planning on opening my wallet to buy 5 or more $20 gift cards for a random prize you can enter for after completing the survey - Sorry Bronies, you've seen the show, and can't enter), then we can test a lot more episodes.
We have pretty much decided to switch over to a "Which SINGLE episode is best for converting (the pilot counting as 1 not 2)." Rather than doing groups of 3 (unless we don't get enough volunteers).
This will give us a powerful conclusion (what are the best episodes to use - maybe several are really close and you need to pick the one that best suits the pre-brony's personality). We hope to be able to test ALL the episodes on this poll (plus Eps 1, 2, 3 - we didn't forget about them, they were just assumed to be needed in the experiment, so why waste votes on them), but if we have low participation will just go with the top ones. Personally I really want to test Bridle Gossip, it seems very popular as a converter, and would give interesting results.
Once I get the experimental design polished out and finish editing our surveys, I will have to see if Sethisto can post our recruitment thread. We will need to get a count of all the participants to start with, so we can distribute the episodes correctly.
We also have a new email address, if you are interested in contacting us - ponyscience [@t] gmail.
This poll is moronic. It's a television series, treat it like any other. Start at the beginning.
ReplyDelete@GhostWolf
ReplyDeleteThe only trouble is that Party of One features a mane cast member acting out of character, before the new viewer has even got to know her normal character.
It's still my favorite ep, but not for n00bs.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteI started Psych in season four.
Maybe this will put to rest the "Applebuck Season is the best episode to start with" myth.
ReplyDeleteThese results are sort of... I dunno... stupid? This was supposed to be the best conversion episode, yet people naturally blindly hammered the vote buttons on their favorite episode with no regard to the context of introducing people to the show. Party of One is a TERRIBLE choice for a first episode, because not only does it start in a way that is totally off putting to new people, but being one of the better episodes, it leaves nothing to look forward to. That's also the problem with putting Sonic Rainboom on the list. You can go in and say "This is one of the best episodes!" and if they don't fully enjoy it because they aren't familiar with the characters like you are, you just ruined the entire show for them, and potentially guaranteed they won't keep watching.
ReplyDeleteWinter Wrap Up is also a very bad choice to get someone interested. If you're trying to show that this program breaks gender barriers, why would you pick an episode where the focal point is a musical number? Bad idea.
The other options are all very good, and I agree with the results that Dragonshy is a good episode to start people off with. My personal choice would be either that or Bridle Gossip with Swarm of the Century closely following those. Each episode demonstrates each personality and blends humor perfectly. Not only that, but it saves better episodes where you need to understand each character's personality or arc to fully appreciate them for later.
Also, why was Fall Weather Friends even on the list? It focuses too heavily on three characters, and puts Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie to small side roles. I don't remember if Rarity is even in it.
I hate to pull the Zoidberg but... your poll is bad and you should feel bad.
I also say it's best to just watch them in order.
ReplyDeleteIf the first episode had been in the poll, I have a feeling it would have won.
While Party of One has its moments, we need to remember that this is for an INTRODUCTORY episode. If that had been my first exposure with its girly beginning, I seriously doubt I would have watched another episode. Sonic Rainboom on the other hand provides insights to all of the main characters, and that ending would have rocked my world.
ReplyDeleteDefine irony: a poll is taken exclusively among the members of a certain community, and then the comments section underneath the final results is filled with said certain community raging about the most popular answer in said poll that only they could access.
ReplyDeleteSeems that people voted for their favorite episode, instead of the best episode to start with. Party of One is pretty obviously not the best, given that it is ep #25 and pretty much the culmination of the Pinkie's character.
ReplyDelete@Friends United and Everypony Else
ReplyDeleteSorry about the bold, but this point needs to be made:
The ENTIRE purpose of this study is to scientifically prove if episodes are good or bad at converting new Bronies, proving and disproving many fan opinions (using very sound statistics, not the flimsy ones you see in most studies - I work as a Scientist/Engineer so I know how to do these studies).
I will agree that the poll isn't terribly great, but its purpose was to get us to see which episodes were used most commonly to recruit, so they could be properly studied and then scientifically accepted or discarded.
Also Episodes 1 and 2 (the pilot) ARE PART OF THE STUDY - we left them out of the poll since they were so obvious choices that would wouldn't get to see what other episodes could be used.
Hopefully that clears up some of the discussion, and soon we will have a study to clear up this entire question.
The only thing I don't get is why Winter Wrap Up is even an option. It has a huge 4 minute long singing number, which would put off a lot of people.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteBecause it scored high enough on the ponychan poll to warrant inclusion here.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteIf THAT song puts you off, I don't want YOU to be in Brony community.
@Friends United
ReplyDelete>yet people naturally blindly hammered the vote buttons on their favorite episode with no regard to the context of introducing people to the show.
I'm glad you think that when it's clearly not true. I voted for what has been in my experience the best episode for converting people.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteLove and Tolerance.
@Friends United
ReplyDeleteAlso, you should not assume that because people do not agree with you that they are using an incorrect criterion to make their decision.
While it is possible there is no way to be sure it was really a popularity contest.
@BagOfChips
ReplyDeleteTrue in your experience does not relate to a universal truth.
If we were doing this for another show... say... Community, putting Party of One on the top of the list would be the same as saying the best episode to make someone watch Community would be Modern Warfare. For those who don't know, this was an episode that uprooted the traditional formula of students trying to get a C in their Spanish class with an insane professor for a school-wide paintball game that got so out of hand that it became an action movie parody. Is it good? Yes, it's considered by many to be one of the absolute best episodes. Is it a good starting point? Absolutely not. Not only do the jokes fall flat without knowing character personalities, but it leaves nothing to look forward to because it has many small character arcs leading up to it.
Party of One is the exact same deal. The whole joke is that Pinkie Pie is acting completely out of character. Drawing them in with batshit antics leads them to expect it, just like they'd expect movie trope parodies in every episode of Community, when that's not what the show is about at all. Don't introduce someone to a restaurant with dessert, don't introduce someone to a girl with sex, and don't introduce someone to a show with its top rated episode.
Not to mention if you need such a massive disclaimer like "Make sure they don't leave during the first few off putting minutes!" then you really need to reconsider your options. So let's start them off with a bad first impression? Good idea.
The whole study was BULLSHIT because Episode 1: The Mare in the Moon was not on the list! That's the episode 90% of us started with after all.
ReplyDelete@bakertj
ReplyDeleteRead the comment about 8 posts above you.
@Friends United
ReplyDeleteI didn't give a massive disclaimer. I told them if they gave it an honest chance they would enjoy it and they did.
None of them have expressed disappointment that every episode does not contain a mental breakdown.
I would strongly disagree with party of one as the first ep to watch, as it ruins one of the best plots with pinkie pie.
ReplyDeleteIn order to get the FULL impact of party of one you REALLY need to have already seen the rest of the show. If you watch it first It'll never have the same impact it would if you watch it after you think you know Pinkie Pie.
@Diomedes
ReplyDeleteOk, so i didn't read through all 53 previous comments; sue me. Ok fine, I rescind me previous statement. I actually voted for Applebuck Season out of the ones listed. I DID notice several previous comment that stated why this is the best choice, and i agree. However, I don't think ANY one episode will be enough to convince someone that the show is awesome. The first episode you show just has to convince them that it's not horrible and girly. That should be enough to convince anyone with an open mind to watch a second episode.
@bakertj
ReplyDeleteYep, that is pretty much what we are looking for, just the best episode to positively change their preconceptions of the show.
We have pre-and post-surveys that they will take that will let them rate several qualities of what they think the show will be like, and we will see which ones they change the most.
We also have a question directly focusing on "how likely are you to continue watching more".
@BagOfChips
ReplyDeleteYou didn't, the blog did. That was a mix of a direct response and a general statement.
That they liked it just fine afterwards is a plausible possibility, I won't deny that. The Community example I provided also made a lot of converts, but that doesn't mean that it's a horrible starting point when looked at objectively. All of its structure, jokes, and devices work best with prior knowledge that a newcomer won't have.
Well, to answer science for science,
ReplyDeleteScientific research isn't a popularity contest.
If polling, you don't just say "go" you need to define what you're looking for, and then decide which choices go in a poll based on the criteria.
Criteria for an introductory episode could be:
Does the episode focus on the main character?
Does it feature the major supporting characters?
Are those characters presented in their standard form?
Does the episode rely on familiarity with the characters for the humor/story?
Does the episode vary wildly from the standard formula?
For example, Winter Wrap Up, with it's in-story musical number (as opposed to Pinkie breaking out into song), isn't the standard format of an episode. CMC episodes don't feature the mane cast.
Party of One is about Pinkie going nuts..well, if you don't know who Pinkie is, why would you care?
Likewise, Sonic Rainboom is about Dash losing her confidence and Rarity's ego overloading. (Conversely, Swarm in part, has Twilight losing it, but as the main that's more in tune with the series as a whole..she looses it a lot).
The big problem with the opening two-parter is just that, it's a two parter.
These are examples. But you have to do the leg work on limiting the selection group, not go by what a chan group liked.
@Friends United
ReplyDeleteAhh, I see that now. I've been in this discussion for so long I forgot what was in the blog post.
episode 1
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love Party of One, a lot of the impact is lost if you haven't seen Pinkie Pie being bubbly and hyper for so many previous episodes. Also the other characters don't get much screentime.
ReplyDeleteThe first episode is the best introduction, IMO, because it really IS set up to introduce each character. How can Fluttershy's "squeeak squeak" not win your heart?
Applebuck Season and The Ticket Master would be my other choices.
@LadyM
ReplyDeleteIronically the first episode turned me off, originally.
I was like "meh it's good but not THAT great".
Then I watched Ticket Master and was hooked.
Honestly I found Pinkie Pie's song at the beginning of Party of One to be really endearing, and this is before I was really into the show...
ReplyDeleteI have to politely disagree with 'Party of One,' simply because it is my all-time favorite episode. What fun is watching a series when you get the best part out of the way? I loved Party of One BECAUSE it was later in the series, when I had grown comfortable with the feel of the show. It was so effective and hilarious because of how far it departed from the usual theme of MLP.
ReplyDeleteMy choice would be a simple intermediate episode that isn't too girly and doesn't require previous viewing experience. Dragonshy or Applebuck Season would be my picks, because it'll still leave a number of 'better' episodes to look forward to (Sonic Rainboom, Suited for Success, Dog And Pony Show, Best Night Ever) while still being good enough to leave a positive first impression on the viewer.
But still, this is if we're hypothetically starting the series somewhere in the middle. Don't know why people wouldn't just want to watch it in order from the beginning, seeing as there aren't any 'must skip' bad episodes.
I voted for Bridle Gossip, because it has humor, such as Fluttershy's Flutterguy voice, that can make anyone of any age or gender laugh. Also, it shows all of the characters' traits well and does not require much background knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about you guys, but Party of One is my least favorite episode.
ReplyDeleteSonic Rainboom, applebuckers.
I'm incredibly surprised by the result of this poll :o
ReplyDeleteBut in the end, it's still us who picks which episode we show our friends.
The thing that converted me were the pilot episodes, but most of the times that doesn´t work.
ReplyDeleteStill gotta stick with Sonic Rainboom being the best for this. It's got the most universally funny intro (yay) which makes for a great hook, It's focused around the most boyish character which is a good place to start for new bronies, it has a ton of build-up throughout leading to the competition and then it has the one and only sonic rainboom.
ReplyDeleteParty of one is an excellent episode because it shows the best and worst of Pinkie Pie. If you know nothing of Pinkie, than most of the funny will go over your head and might just seem annoying. Also, Singing Telegram followed by the theme song is not a good way to get a skeptic on your side, because let's face it, if you're not a brony, you're probably a skeptic.
Party of one, whilst being one of the funniest episodes as soon as it hits the third act, does start REALLY slowly, to such a point people might be turned off.
ReplyDeleteI voted for Dragonshy personally, You know about the threat of the episode in the cold opening, so they would be concerned about what's going to happen before the intro. (By the way, if your trying to captivate a male audience, cut the intro.)
Other good episodes are Applebuck Season and Bridle Gossip. Generally being good episodes that show off all the characters (though Applebuck doesn't show too much Rarity mind you). But also have good openings to go with it. (Bridle Gossip being my favourite with the town deserted and you have the mysterious Zecora in her hood).
Other episodes like Party of One and Sonic Rainboom needs you to be acquinted with the characters before they work, so I wouldn't go with them.
However. I'm going to say this. I think the best honest answer is wait for Season 2. There could be a perfect episode to introduce a new audience to the show (Presumably the show designers will make this episode 1). Plus it would be best to know if the quality is going to remain consistant in the second season as it does with the first season.
I did not expect this. I wanted to vote for Ticket Master but nooo....
ReplyDeleteScientifically, The Ticket Master portrays the Mane 6 really well.
Ticket Master is best 1st episode.
ReplyDeleteParty of One is a good episode to enjoy if you are already a Brony - it's a lousy way to convert anyone to bronydom.
ReplyDeleteApparently even among Bronies, the percentage of stupid people who cannot understand a poll more complex than a simple popularity contest remains constant.
I've found that when you try to convince people to watch the show, one of the biggest hurdles is making them go along with the songs. Alot of my friends remember the first and second series and the songs that went with that, so an episode where it is shown how bad it is for party loving character of the show. Just describing the episode got a number of my friends to at least raise an eyebrow. Only Over A Barrel and Staremaster had a reaction like that (though Staremaster was because they were amazed that there was a cockatrice in the show).
ReplyDeleteAs a person that has to watch in order, I was very unimpressed by the first episode. If it wasn't for twilight being so down to earth to me, I would not have even watched the second episode, which was very cliche. The ticket master told me that the stereo types were gone by having twilight reason out her options, and applebuck season, it had already grown on me.
ReplyDeleteAnytime I show flutterguy, I have to explain too much, and I don't think even I would sit through winter wrap up for the episode to just be turned off to soon.
Gonna have to say ticket master, because it shows what everypony likes to do, except twilight, who has enough screen time to make up for it. Has some sweet puns like buzzards that really buzz. If I remember right, twilight isn't used to pinkie singing yet, which is a bit of safety blanket. And finally, the Yakkey sax remix cements this one in.
I think "Party of One", despite being an excellent episode, is a really bad introductory episode. If the person watching it has no idea what Pinkie Pie is normally like, or how her muted color scheme and lank mane echo her joyless childhood, they miss a lot of the impact of the episode.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I feel that (apart from the pilot), the best introductory episodes are "Winter Wrap-Up" and "Applebuck Season". ("Bridle Gossip" would be otherwise good, but you need to know the characters beforehand to really get the humor in the Poison Joke effects!)
Since I'm waiting for a d/l and everypony is commenting, I will too.
ReplyDeleteI came in when SRB was the new episode. And I saw that FWF up to SRB were all in HD on Youtube. But being the pony I didn't know I was, I started with the pilot episodes. Throughout half of each episode I was aptly the person going "what the flying fuck am I watching"? I can't say this for all, but the cliff-hanger ending of TEoH got me to follow through with MitM somehow. I'm pretty sure the pilots got me a brony, but The Ticket Master solidified it. And Applebuck Season made me fall in love.
So maybe something like: SotS, BG, or Dragonshy. Then for the second punch FWF, ABS or TTM.
I've actually been using FPK and then AotD to turn converts. Three in the past month ain't so bad, eh sugarcube? Considering I only know like nine people lol anyways. 2/3s to go!
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to see that my two favorite episodes can only be enjoyed by "post-Bronies", Green isn't your Color and Winter Wrap-Up.
I say that about WWU because of the song & prior knowledge needed. But damn I love Twilight's part.
I guess since I'm uselessly blabbering on;
I hope this study puts forth solid results. World domination isn't easy, ya know.
I still think the best starting episode is which requires the least explanation or previous knowledge of the show.
ReplyDeleteWhile Party of One does not require that much, I think it is less of an impact if you haven't seen the previous episodes with Pinkie Pie always being Pinkie Pie.
Applebuck Season is a good starter in my opinion, or Dragonshy.
Oh as for Winter Wrap Up.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know what to think about that episode.
Logically, I would say it is not an optimal starter, for various reasons.
On the other hand, it was the first episode I have ever seen and it made me watch the show from the beginning. So it can turn people into bronies. :)
But I recall when I first watched it I had lots of questions in my head. The mane cast was totally unknown to me, "wtf is that purple green lizard", and so on.
Though the song was catchy, I liked it. It might scare some people off.
I wouldn't really go for Party of One. New viewers would be very unfamiliar with the pony's personalities and Pinkie's singing would throw them off.
ReplyDeleteI voted for Dragonshy partly because it's the first episode I saw and the one that got me hooked, and pertly because it shows all the ponies' character's well while including jokes that show the viewer that it's funny and different (Like the ponies' line-up at the beginning, them falling down like bowling pins, Fluttershy making that goat noise every time she falls over petrified.) Not to mention it starts out well with Angel Bunny. Aw Yea.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised 'Party of One' won though. Sure, it shows that the show is definitely not just for kids but its the kind of thing you'd show someone if you needed them to convert to bronydom RIGHT THEN (Like say, a reporter) but it doesn't have as big of an impact for someone who hasn't seen the show because they don't know how out-of-character this is for Pinkie Pie and it could rob them of the HOLYSHIT moment when she does turn.
Also it means that they probably wouldn't have heard of 'cupcakes' yet either.
What I have done so far is got my friends to watch the first three episodes. It worked for them.
ReplyDeleteBut of the choices given, I would say Dragonshy. Party of One is much better after you have the characters established. So that you understand the significance and humor when Pinkie's change occurs.
Dragonshy on the other hand does a good job at being funny, while demonstrating a lot of elements of the show, and overall not too girly.
76% of voters disagree with the result, your sience is invalid.
ReplyDeleteThe pilot is the bet for introducing a new viewer.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem with it is the lead-in is awfully girly. But if they make it past the opening, they're gonna be hooked within minutes. Twilight and Spike are FUNNY!
Once that hook is in place, there's no issue with the episode slowing down for the introductions. You WANT to be introduced to the ponies!
So fail poll is fail. You can only introduce someone to the show once, so how can a poll about "Best starting episode" not even include the best starting episode as a choice? That it OF COURSE WOULD HAVE WON is no excuse for leaving it off -- it purports to show the best, so it needs to include the best.
I tested this today since I had my laptop with me at work. Since Party of one had the most votes, I played Party of One (in 1080p) for a focus group of five of the (French speaking) student help over lunch. One person said he'd look up MLP:FIM on Youtube to play for his niece. The rest seemed unimpressed. Other people in the room did their best to ignore the cartoon. The focus group reacted most to the rock/turnip/flour puppets.
ReplyDeleteConclusion: no miracles were evident.
Why does some people hate Party of One? It's a great episode... What, cos they give the idea of "Cupcakes" or something?
ReplyDeleteMY friend said he would watch one episode, so I tried 'Party of One'. His conclusion was that the show was ridiculously girly and pretty dumb. So at least for me, Party of One did not work out.
ReplyDelete