FiM is obviously a slice of life style show. It doesn't have much going for it in terms of continuity, and for the most part can be watched in any order. This is usually the nature of childrens television.
A good amount of us are in our 20's and used to long series arcs, be it a DVD box set of Sopranos or a 100 episode Anime.
So what do you guys think? Would you watch a series about your favorite pony traveling across Equestria and growing as a character?
150 comments:
that would be amazing inb4 first
ReplyDeletePIE
ReplyDeleteVotes are over 9000.
ReplyDeleteyes i would...
ReplyDeleteMy favorite pony is already growing throughout the series!
ReplyDeleteBut yes, a side story would be nice. Maybe like two or three mini-arcs, actually.
Hey, Pokemon did it and caught my attention as when I was 7. I say it would be epic.
ReplyDeleteI was always a fan of Teen Titans when I was younger. The thing I enjoyed about it was how some story lines where slice of life and others where 2-5+ episode arcs. I always enjoyed the story arc episodes because they where less common and often meant something epic was happening.
ReplyDeleteI still think that a side special episode like the Midnight Castle, would be a good idea for FiM, because while it's outside of the mane show, it can give the adventure people crave.
ReplyDeleteI'm cool with the slice-of-life style, but I wouldn't mind the occasional two- or three-parter akin to the pilot(s). I don't think there needs to be any half-season-long multi-episode arcs, but maybe nods to other stories (even S1) or an underlying season-long plot alongside the regular slice-of-life style would work.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, I think they'd use up a season of episodes pretty fast if they did that.
ReplyDeleteI think it should be both- the whole thing is one story, but each episode also contains its own mini-story.
ReplyDeleteI thought that was what they had done. It was slice of life with an over arcing story line in the back ground
ReplyDeleteThey could probably get away with having a meta-arc woven into a few of the episodes. Kind of like how they dropped the Grand Galloping Gala in episode 3, but didn't bring it back up until the season finale.
ReplyDeleteI think a slice of life with occasional recurring arc would work well.
I want random awesome stuff that dont need story! WE HAVE EACH OTHER FOR STORIES!! FANFIC IS SOO AWESOME!!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally in favour of a mix. It might be that's I've been overly influenced by shows like Doctor Who or Last Airbender, but I like the idea of mostly detached stories that gradually build up to a finale, with some two parters thrown in.
ReplyDeleteI reckon character development is just as important as character interaction so I would love to see a good story arc.
ReplyDeleteSometimes you need a decent sized arc for some good development and it's not like it'd put everything out of balance. We already have 24 slice of life episodes so some story arc episodes would be nice. If they can't make a story arc, they could have slice of life episodes which explored the characters more.
I don't know, children's shows don't normally have growth in the characters. The characters are usually static, perhaps learning a thing or two throughout an episode and acting as if it never happened in the next. Doing this would be leaning more towards the older viewers and away from the younger ones. Some younger viewers may be able to enjoy it, but it would be hard to keep their attention throughout the arcs unless they were like normal episodes.
ReplyDeleteTL;DR
Older viewers would love it, younger viewers might not.
I would basically watch almost anything pony related. For me I think it would be pretty hard to destroy my opinion of MLP if not impossible.
ReplyDeleteI'd agree, the way it was worked into the first season was quite fun. Slices of life, but with something going on in the background.
ReplyDeleteAnd oddly, I don't know if I'd be as interested if it went to a monster-of-the-week style.
@Anonymous My thoughts exactly.
ReplyDeleteWell... the results are suprising. So far I remember that "slice of life" opinion was VERY popular. Most of the fans don't like eps01-02 which, in my opinion, is the best episodes and make the show.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm quite suprised to see the result of a poll.
Yeah, I voted for the option of a mixture of both. Since I like both. I like slice of life and don't mind some good story arcs thrown in too.
ReplyDeleteI definitely wouldn't want that to be an entire series, but like Anonymous said, it would be good to have mini adventures that span over a few episodes. I too, really enjoyed Teen Titans, the mixture of the episodes made it pretty easy for a new viewer to understand and also gave those that were in for the long haul, there own set of episodes, in a way.
ReplyDeleteI voted for the mix, but only want one or two arcs at most.
ReplyDeleteI'd like the combo meal. Mostly slice of life (perhaps with overall ideas tying everything together, like the GGG did for Season One for several episodes), but with the occasional two or three-parter.
ReplyDelete"Would you watch a series about your favorite pony traveling across Equestria and growing as a character?"
ReplyDeleteIn the words of my favorite pony, "FUCK YES!"
@Xedma Um, what pony is that, dare I ask.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'd really like to see isn't exactly listed
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see mostly independent episodes that slightly tie in to a series long plot. Doctor Who does a lot of this, and you can watch them out of order or miss episode and usually not miss out on anything major, but it still ties everything together, whether it's mutliple episodes working in an arc, or just "Bad Wolf" scrawled somewhere
Season 1 did a bit of this - Ticket Master, Suited for Success, and The Best Night Ever created a mini-arc, but if you see them out of order or miss an episode, all you really end up with is a bit of a spoiler for the earlier episode
I think the best method would be to have it be mostly slice of life, but each season would have a more epic 2-3 part story arc like the first two episodes were. Any continuity they can work in elsewhere (like the gala episodes) is just gravy.
ReplyDeleteThing is, there actually is SOME continuity mentioned in the series...a TON more than most series of it's type. The characters are growing and developing, and there certainly is something to be gained by watching the series in order. Also, MLP is a show that does really well with just the 'slice of life' themes, as I think that simplicity helps include more of those juicy little character moments. Of course, it certainly would be nice to occasionally have multi-episode arcs, for sure. Just as long as they wouldn't be simply 'action, action, action' and no character moments, but I think the crew is way to smart and talented to make that mistake. It wouldn't even have to be along the (somewhat cliche) lines of 'they go off on a epic journey', it could just be several episodes tied together rather loosely. Either way, as I said, the series already does have more continuity than most, and the development is superb, but a multi-episode arc would be awesome.
ReplyDeleteBatman: the Animated Series showed that a mixture of stand-alone episode and multi-episode arcs can work.
ReplyDeleteHell, I'm pretty sure it's been done before with Hasbro properties like Transformers and GI Joe.
@ShawnyallI kinda have to disagree. I remember as a kid watching power rangers, I would always like watching the multi-parters, as well as how characters changed as things went on. I usually found myself bored with shows where the characters never changed any.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd prefer it as almost an inverse of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Whilst Avatar had a long arc intercepted by a slice of life style episode every now and then, I think FiM would benefit from maybe one or two double episodes.
ReplyDeleteEven single episode adventures'd be nice. Maybe...4-5ish per season...
I'd definitely love something of the magnitude of the Off the Edge of the Map fanfic (obviously with the shipping cut out (which only really amounts to the last line in the fanfic, the rest could be attributed to building a much stronger friendship)).
ReplyDeleteYeah I think a mix of both would be ideal.
ReplyDeleteI don't want an overarching villain, nor monsters of the week. So a couple arcs here and there with big bad guys or catastrophes or whatever would be fine. No season long dramas, though.
Y'know what the Scratch says...I'll take it in the mix!
ReplyDeleteA slice of both during the series would be pretty cool though, but I won't be holdin' the keeping of the current method against them - it's proven it works, so why fix it now?
@TenchiFreak5 I agree 100%. Also, I think 2, 3, 4, episode mini-arcs would be even better than TV movies, because the whole set up would be more casual, rather than people having to watch the WHOLE Tv movie all at once to get the idea.
ReplyDeleteIf they don't change then they get Flanderized and their personalities get pushed to the extreme. Like on Foster's home for Imaginary friends Bloo had some redeeming qualities at the start of that show but then at the end he was....so annoying
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI love it the way it is but maby fs it had a small amount of plot like...Like in Scrubs how they are all there own episode but behind it all is a small character based plot. But the bottom line is, whether or not it has an actual plot, Its still ponies. We would love it anyway.
ReplyDeleteWhy is this even a question? Of course I would. I'd love that. I'd watch the shit out of that. The character are amazingly written as is. Now imagine that developing EVEN MORE!
ReplyDeleteReally? I thought we saw an arc with Pinkie in party of one, she finally looses her cupcakes...
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't like a long, on going arc. I like the fact that I can just choose any episode at a random time and enjoy it without a cliff hanger. I would, however, like to see more two part episodes like the first two from season one.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to see 5 episodes of Twilight slowly mastering a new spell.
ReplyDeleteIts pretty clear that a long story arc series wouldn't be doable without sacrificing many other elements of what gets us to like the show as it is.
ReplyDeleteThat being said. I think an idea that Hasbro should consider would be to start up an official *comic* series. They could use that medium to pump out something with long adventure based story arcs and just keep the TV show going as it is with the occasional multi part episode method for deeper stories.
Being a comic it can be considered a parallel universe and can thus not have to worry about following direct continuity with the TV show but could keep a lot of similarities as far as character personalities and general back story. It would also be a crap load cheaper and easier than trying to make some spinoff TV series as well.
In other words, Hasbro could do like what Sega did with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and have a comic series that takes a lot of themes and characters from its TV show, but is actually it's own universe with its own plot developments.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteYes, Teen Titans was a perfect example in my mind of how a show like this should work. There were both story arcs that lasted about 2-5 episodes, and there were also plenty of random "filler" episodes, that I thought were just as entertaining.
I would also like to see a few episodes that give character development to a few background ponies, like Derpy and Dinky, Lyra and Bon-Bon, Carrot Top, and so on. I'm still hoping for an episode which shows Dinky joining the CMCs.
@jaayro
ReplyDeleteIt made me kind of sad they didn't do anymore two-parters like they did with the pilot. Those where my two favorite episodes.
I think continuity would be nice... like how some of Dr Who (and i'm sure other shows) have little bits that occur throughout the season (which are mostly 'slice of life' type episodes), then pulling all those little bits together at the end for a big finale, THAT is really entertaining...
ReplyDeleteBut if their younger audience begins to fade, and they decide to focus more attention on Brony audiences, i think that continuity and longer story arcs would be wonderful to have.
What?...Just wha...What?
ReplyDeleteLook how much of a success the show is currently. The style fits it perfectly, like when we first watched it, we thought the show was so perfectly done. Changing a part of the show would be like adding a different piece of a jigsaw puzzle on the perfect puzzle. Changing the show one bit takes it's perfection and poisons it. Don't vote for this shit, keep it original.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteBurn Notice does this to some capacity. They have their usual job of the week to do but at the end of each episode, they come back to the main plot/driving force for the season.
Anyways, The Animals of Farthing Wood was an engrossing cartoon series shown on ABC when I was a kid.
Write novels for those of us that want in depth development. Seriously, something I can get on Kindle or in print. WANT.
ReplyDeleteKeep the show lighthearted and simple though. It may fail on its intended audience if you have to remember what happened two weeks ago. And if WE become the intended audience.... its all over (so enough Luna demands already!)
I think a mix would be ideal. They shouldn't give up the slice-of-life style, because that's part of the very nature of the show. At the same time, though, Nightmare Moon opens up many opportunities for the introduction of the story arc. While I might not recommend particularly long arcs, I do believe the story could be advanced in such a fashion.
ReplyDeleteBesides, how many of us grew up with Gargoyles, king of the story arc? Who here remembers The occasional multi-parters in such shows as Tail Spin and Ducktales? How much more enjoyable were these episodes? The target demographic would enjoy it just as much as the bronies. And that's a guarantee.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I liked was how they brought back some of their characters from earlier episodes later on, but putting them in a different light. Red X being the first one to come to mind. Or how they had multiple bad guys but only really one "nemesis". (Slade)
I think the show should be a slice of life type of show, but don't let it be like the average show, when something changes they go through a conflict then everything's back to normal, I think MLP should have changes through the episodes. (ex dress for success)
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised I haven't seen anybody else mention the Ticket Master/Suited for Success/At the Gala "arc". It would probably work best for a dual arc-yet-episodic format.
ReplyDeleteThe poll is CLOSED?! The GREAT and POWERFUL Trevor objects! How DARE they remove the poll before asking for the GREAT and POWERFUL Trevor's opinion?! OBVIOUSLY, the best way os to have both, though one would prefer continuity! One enjoys suspense and the like, and it allows for more awesome situations! Mix is the way to GO! 8-)
ReplyDeleteAnd so the GREAT and POWERFUL Trevor has spoken... MAKE IT SO, NUMBER ONE!
I, personally, would like the show to keep its slice of life style approach.
ReplyDeleteHOWEVER! If they do want to do Adventure episodes, they need to span more then one. The problem with Episode 2 was they crammed so much into so little and made it really cheesy and corny(Don't get me wrong I loved the first episode... the second could really use a tune up though). If they want to do something similar again, its gonna need to be spread out across episodes... or maybe some movie-made-for-TV deal.... *Fingers Crossed*
I'm sure a lot of people agree they like fan fiction a lot more than the show, and will be disappointed when season 2 comes out. Everyone will be so used to people dieing or humans, and a whole lot of other things.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteMulti-parters changed the nature of the show from "Oh, it's on. Let's watch it." To, "HOLY SHIT THAT WAS AWESOME I NEED TO SEE THE NEXT EPISODE!"
I think that so long as it doesn't suffer from Dragon Ball Z syndrome, or worse, Inuyasha syndrome, it should do alright.
Are Kids dumb now or something, Mr fricken Rogers had story lines in the neighbor hood of make believe! Purple Panda anyone? That ark took at lest 3 episodes! Why couldn't kids of today keep track of a story line?
ReplyDeleteLove the comic book suggestion.
ReplyDeleteI voted for "mix" because this is what most TV shows do, anyway, and I think it's what works out the best in the long run.
ReplyDeleteLook at any TV show, the vast majority of episodes are going to be self-contained. This is a good thing. This will allow new viewers to come in on any episode without feeling like they have to devote themselves to watching tons of backstory in order to enjoy it. It will also allow long-running fans to watch the episodes in any order, in case they miss a few for whatever reason. Plus, it's just nice to have a complete story experience in a single sitting.
At the same time, it's nice to have a longer-running continuity on top of this as sort of a "reward" for people who follow the show regularly. The first season of MLP:FIM already did this, to a certain extent. The episodes featuring the CMC have their own progressive continuity, even though they also work as self-contained episodes. References to the Grand Galloping Gala were made in more than one episode before they finally went there in the finale. Plus, there was the two-parter pilot. Personally, I think they could push this type of long-term continuity a little more in season 2 without alienating anybody, and I'd like to see them do so.
Now, I consider the whole multi-part continuity issue to be a separate thing from the slice-of-life/adventure issue. You can cover an adventure in a single episode, and you can have a slice-of-life story span across an entire series. Personally, I prefer the slice-of-life stuff to the adventure stuff, but that's just me. Since a big part of MLP:FIM is about being friends with lots of different types of people/ponies, I think it works better for the show to cover both territories. It needs to be something that Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash could both have fun watching, you know?
Had you asked before the series, I would have chosen continuity (after I scoffed at you for even suggesting I'd watch a MLP cartoon). It's what I prefer, and it's what the creator wanted. The thing is, we got slice-of-life instead and it's SO GOOD! I can't say it would have been better had Lauren gotten her way.
ReplyDeleteNah, there'll probably be a Whedon effect, with the fanbase scrambling to keep up with the new changes, but still eagerly watching the show.
ReplyDeleteI would like it. Developing the character can easily put down the hundreds of fan fictions that makes the cast Out of Character. Unfortunately, at the end of the season the Out of Character Fan Fictions would just start back up again. I just reminded myself why I don't read fics.
ReplyDeleteSo, nah. Keep it random. The way the show is doing it now is developing the character's personalities already.
Do both, but with only slightly more continuity than season one had. Ideally, I'd like it if the episodes aired in the order that events actually transpired (even if the signs of time's passage are subtle, they are appreciated); add one or two two-parters per season, and I'd be set. Like most everyone else, I love me some continuity-heavy television, but don't particularly need to see it in this show.
ReplyDelete@crazyredemu No, the people in the industry just think kids are dumb. Underestimation to the fullest!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this has been said MORE than once, but Teen Titans did it very well, with many stand-alone episodes, and several arcs. MLP could do something like that just as easily.
ReplyDeleteIrrelevant musing: slice-of-life is making me think of pizza and pie.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about multi-part episodes but just a running arc/plotline such as the Grand Galloping Galla (the tickets, the dresses, the gala) that's a good example of what I want more of.
ReplyDeleteI was one of those that voted for a mix. I'm curious about everypony that voted 'other' though...
ReplyDeletefor now keep it. i think that once the universe is truly developed a long story arch would actually be good, but not yet. that would also require making a spinoff that is geared specifically tords us, and i feel that even with the best intentions, that would completely ruin the show. I think that in theory it would be amazing, but it would not end up not being beneficial to the universe. creating a strict cannot is bad for a children show
ReplyDeleteReading comments like this puts purely a lot of thinking about a show where it involves marshmallow colored ponies! A lot of thinking power indeed. :P
ReplyDeleteI actually voted a bit on a mixture of both (for variety's sake) - I really like to see continuity nods for fans who are rewarded for watching the show regularly tho. I liked the way Season 1 handled this with the Gala arc, I wouldn't mind if something like that will go on for future seasons.
I'm gonna go onto what ProBrono said, and use this sentence: "Have a show that Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash will both enjoy!"
@Brevity
ReplyDeleteNovels would work for long stories of course, but a big appeal of ponies is the vibrant visuals of the show and the massive fan art community behind it, given this, I would still say a comic based medium would be the better option.
@Saurian That's what scares me about this fandom. We just hype it all up with our own stories that we might forget what the true purpose of this show was about.
ReplyDeleteDamn it, wrong person.
ReplyDelete@Flutterfan
ReplyDeleteI will agree, the way they have it setup is perfect. We had the perfect subplot with the climax set at the end of the season, I do hope they add another story like that. I am hoping, perhaps the S2 Finale would be a 2-parter maybe. We have to look at the Intended Audience and go with the way the creators will make this show. S2 will make or break the longevity of FiM.
I remember a mention of a villain in the next season, and to me, someone that can be considered as a villain has involvement in more than 1 episode, so I think it's gonna at least have a meta arc in it.
ReplyDeleteI voted for a mix because, even though the first 2 aren't my favorites, they worked very well; but obviously the slice of life made the show; for it allows diversity and awesomeness without worrying about a large and cumbersome plot, which is very good for a large portion of the viewing audience and has given us so much to imagine, discuss, draw, write, create, etc.
And as a minor note, it's unfortunate really, but a long real full arc would be quite problematic, as it would turn off and/or confuse many viewers, but also the "portrayal" of the the show limits the possibilities for a plot that has real oomph to it. If only they could do some of the things we have written in some of our fanfics (and they just may) but most of them just wouldn't fit with the "Hasbro Pony Image."
I enjoyed the subtle arc of the Gala preparations and the idea that the seasons passed during the first season.
ReplyDelete...but I think that too many arcs or arcs that are too complex would take away from the lightheartedness of the show. Sometimes simple is better.
I voted for a mix, but to be more specific, I'd like something along the lines of the Gala episodes (i.e. you can watch some but not all of the episodes in question, and in any order, and not feel like you're missing anything storywise) taking place through more of the season, not just three episodes.
ReplyDeleteIf they do multiple-episode storylines that heavily depend on seeing the prior episodes, I don't think it should go any farther than the season one opener parts 1/2 did. A lot of people are raving about Teen Titans, but I was never able to get into their storylines as a kid because I was never able to catch the timeslot regularly, so I stopped watching altogether; remember that the Hub airs ponies while kids are in school, so if kids have to rely on reruns to see a multi-episode storyline, it'll be massively detrimental to target-audience viewership even if the brony audience loves it.
@Koyaanisqatsi
ReplyDeleteput another way, its time to find out that Vader is Luke's dad.
ok now I'm even more excited about Season 2
I am of the opinion that a long arc, which it should not consume the whole series, would benefit the show. I felt that the pilot two-parter was one of the most interesting parts of the show, and I think an arc like that would be to the show's benefit. I felt that season one suffered somewhat because it didn't have any coherent season-long plot.
ReplyDeleteOf course, all things in moderation. Like I said, having the whole thing be consumed with the plot is bad. Ideally, it would introduce plot points to the arc in one-shot episodes, and then bring them back for the major episodes. This provides a mixture of breather and plot episodes for everyone, and the younger demographic this is marketed toward (allegedly) can enjoy the breather episodes if they can't follow the overarching plot. If they can, then all the better.
@Brevity
ReplyDeleteWe need the voice-over guy from Hell's Kitchen to announce everything. "Next Week, on the most (Adjective) My Little Pony *YET* **
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteWe don't have cable TV in my house. I prefer to and have to watch ponies on my PC. I didn't know about the time slot because of this, and I do agree that those circumstances would make it difficult for a kid to get a multi-part storyline. I was the Anon who originally posted about Teen Titans btw.
I want to see multi-episode arcs to go along with the more slice-of-life/problem of the week sort of episodes. I know it probably won't happen, nature of the beast and all that, but as long as they have those little continuity nods, I'm good. "A hop, skip and a jump!"
ReplyDeleteNow muti arks are cool and all but next we need to ask about cross overs, what would people say if the show had crossovers with other hasbro shows
ReplyDeleteMy two cents: A subtle arc, like with the Gala but given a teensy more attention (4-6 related eps). Slice-of-life with tiny call-backs for the rest of the season.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, tweak what made Season 1 so good just a little in the hopes that it makes the show BETTER.
Also, I totally approve a spin-off comic book idea. I would buy that, no joke.
Well I think if it was pony, I'd watch it either way. I'd like to see an interesting multiple part plot though. The problem is that each has its own merits and downfalls.
ReplyDeleteThe slice of life style that they chose for season one is in my opinion, the safer route. It's easy to bring in viewers due to it's ability to "hop into" the series from practically any episode or miss an episode and still keep watching. This also makes it much easier to appease younger audiences since they'll know that even if one episode wasn't to their liking, it doesn't matter since the next will be fairly different.
The extended/multi-part story is of course a more difficult to pull off and far less safe than a slice of life story. Regardless of how old you are, if you wind up disliking the story, that's all you're getting through the show and most times that'll keep them from watching it. Added to that, the big problem with these shows was that no matter how interesting, with other things going on it's very likely that I'll miss an episode or two. That caused me to be too lazy to catch up with the show. With all the episodes being easily viewed online however, that might solve that problem.
TL;DR: Slice of Life is the "safe" road and Multi-Part story is the "Go Big, or Go Home" road. I'd like to see a Multi-Part if done well, but I'd enjoy it either way.
I wouldn't mind a long arc style. Hell, if it has G4 Ponies on it, Imma watch it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd mind long arc style season, but I do like the ability to watch episodes of FIM without needing to have seen previous ones to understand what is going on.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind an a Two Part Adventure with the Ponies where one group gets split up and they have to find a way home and the other group tries to find them and at the end they end up going home and lessons will be learned along the way.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't want the Slice of Life completely gone.
I love long advancing story arcs personally. To bad it will never happen with FIM. =( Well.... maybe we will get a three episode arc or a movie in the near future aye?
ReplyDeleteI'd prefer a mini Arc like we have currently
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind some episodes in a line. I mean, hey, The Ticketmaster, Suited for Success, and Best Night Ever were three episodes in a little bit of an arc (although less connected, obviously, than the first two).
ReplyDeleteI would prefer things like that. An arc, but one that is still slice-of-life style. Again, like the three episode arc mentioned above.
I liked how they did the first 2 episodes. If MLP was made up of many mid sized stories rather than lots of small or one big story, it could work. Besides, the fans voted, so why not list to us?
ReplyDeleteClarifying my last statement.
ReplyDeleteI don't want single stand alone episodes gone completely. I love those. I'm just saying, if there is an arc, that's how I'd want it.
MLP kind of had a story arc in season one already. After the Gala was introduced in episode 3, it kept being brought up throughout the season, either being directly mentioned, or hinted at with things like the Gala dresses showing up in the background. All leading up to the Gala itself in the finale.
ReplyDeleteBasically, the Grand Galloping Gala was season one's "Bad Wolf."
In future seasons, I hope they continue to do that, but maybe introduce plots complex enough that five or six episodes per season are devoted to developing them. A nice balance is best.
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, but can we still have the regular style episodes too? :3
ReplyDeleteI.e. Something like Legend of Galactic Heroes...if anyone has ever heard of that show
Lauren mentioned on her DA a while back that Season Two has its own "big bad."
ReplyDeleteWeather that means a recurring season-long villain, or just a big threat who gets defeated in an opening two-parter like NMM, we'll see.
I would enjoy it most if an overarching plot were introduced at the beginning of the season, then maybe about 5-6 more episodes directly dealing with the overarching plot, then wrap it up in the finale. People have already cited the Grand Galloping Gala, which was pretty good; I'd just want more episodes referencing it. Otherwise, leave it to the slice-of-life episodes.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, I'd be interested in seeing a side story that would fill both ideas to some extent. Something along the lines of a "Letters to Celestia" which has the group traveling around the "world?" going to different places learning different things or learning about the culture. As long as they didn't make it too educational and "kiddy" it'd be an interesting concept and let them go on adventures without really having to make it anything overly complicated or actiony but also give each episode it's own feel due to the traveling to different places.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous This brings up a side-question: assuming you want a balanced arc/episodic approach, what story arc style do you prefer:
ReplyDelete"Bad Wolf" (the main plot is just hinted at in little bits of dialog, while the episodes themselves remain stand-alone, until the last two)
or "The Pandorica Will Open" (each episode advances the plot, but the developments happen in the b-plot, while the main plot remains episodic and stand-alone.)
I want more long story arcs. I enjoy a good novel and my favorite part about reading is watching a character grow over the course of the story. There just isn't enough time to adequately develop a character in a short 1-shot story. People either have to use flat, stock characters, or otherwise use characters that we know already and that have backstory we understand.
ReplyDeleteSomething akin the newer Doctor Who, as in it has a storyline, with progression to it over the course of the series, with a thrilling conclusion, but for the most part, each episode is about something different, with the main story tied in somehow (give or take a few multi-part episodes).
ReplyDeleteThe main issue is children's viewing is better (from a parent's point of view, they'd generally want something they can put on television to sate their child) if it can be viewed out of order and stuff, so it may be hard to get it to work with a central plot, and please everyone (or at least most of the viewership).
Personally, if you were to ask me, I'd go for the mixed option as well. While I will admit, the first two episodes are very very high on my favorites for season 1 (because I like continuity), the slice of life was also good. At the same time I also like how they pulled off the overarching plot (Ticket Master, Suited For Success, Best Night Ever). Part of me does want a just a tad more of an arc (so as season 1 had three episodes, season 2 might have six), and perhaps a two/three parter.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people have been commenting on how Teen Titans did it, and really, I think that's how it should be done. Many of the episodes in that show were self-contained, while at the same time they did have continuity. And then you would have the multi-parters at the end of each season. That worked extremely well. So, if Teen Titans can do it, why can't MLP?
That all aside, the show does require the slice of life, or else it might lost what made the show, THE show. Heck, I don't think I would want to watch a show that was straight up continuity with every. single. episode. I wouldn't even start watching it, and trying to do that would probably be bad for attracting new viewers (be they target or periphery).
And to keep in line with that, the arching stuff I just mentioned would have to be done in such a way that it could be watched in any order without too much of a bad effect for watching out of order (low on spoilers).
Perhaps a spin-off series might get us that multi-episode arc (and by that I mean what might be akin to a six-parter. A mini-series, of sorts). However, that's also what fanfiction is for (though it surely helps to be able to watch it instead :P)
>Would you watch a series about your favorite pony traveling across Equestria and growing as a character?
ReplyDeleteI KEEP THROWING MONEY AT THE SCREEN BUT NOTHING HAPPENS
I loved the first two episodes. I think it'd be great to have a 2 episode adventure near the middle, and maybe a triple episode adventure near the end.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the overall continuity that already exists, and I hope they work harder in season 2 to let those subtle details stand out. Slice of life is fine, but it should never eclipse the opportunity to put in a 40 or 60 minute epic story, just because the producers were afraid to split the episodes into multiple arching episodes.
I would alternately support made for TV movies in the 40-70 minute variety (60-1:30 when adding commercials into it). This would allow longer epic stories to be made, while not interfering with the style of the series.
I really wish Hasbro would consider opening a fan community contest that would allow voluntary submissions of content such as fan fiction and story concepts. It could be simple. Submit story, grant Hasbro unlimited right to use the content in whole, in part, or as parts or concepts, and be entered into a merchandise contest (random pick for winners). Submissions would have to pass certain content restrictions to be allowed for the prize drawing (No serious grimdark, no objectionable content, no death, etc). Stories that are specifically chosen (rather than concepts picked by the pieces) might qualify for a final round grand prize merch reward, possibly a monetary prize, potential job position, and a full episode, episode arc, or movie, depending on the size of the submitted piece.
I'd love to see that. Stories like Past Sins or Progress could effectively be rewritten by their authors as screenplays, directly suited for a TV audience, and following the content requirements of the show.
That would be the ULTIMATE Hasbro/fan interaction, and a great way to head hunt for good content creators, that might potentially be able to contribute further to the series.
It'd also be a great excuse for a long story arc, or a movie. I'd be thrilled anyway. If American Idol can do this very same thing with the music industry, Hasbro could easily make it happen for their own content! I think most bronies who are into it enough to make fan fics will appreciate merch or job opportunities with the production writers.
Course, as awesome as Hasbro's fan interaction has been, I still doubt it'll happen. It's just that with shows like American Idol, and the interactivity made possible with the internet, people are more suited to being in a position where they feel the need to contribute to the fan community. Hasbro... They've been super awesome, but I mean, what the hay, they still make Pink Trollestia, and refuse to give us a molded hair Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash or Luna, and they still don't have the Blind Bags available in the US, and they sell us $40 cardboard castle/boxes with TWO measly ponies, and...
Yeah... It was a nice idea...
Continuity. NO EXCEPTIONS.
ReplyDeleteI'm completely supporting the Gala mini-arc thing (Ticket Master/Suited For Success/Best Night Ever), plus the idea of a development-heavy comic book is making me all giddy.
ReplyDeleteI'd like a mix of both together. There could be a longer running plot mixed into the slice-of-life stuff. Honestly the show is primarily a comedy so it'd take some really excellent writing to blend the two elements well (South Park has done it well a few times, among Western animation, although they're on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to restrictions on content; I don't know how well anime examples apply since Japanese due to differences in Japanese humor).
ReplyDeleteIt's worth pointing out that the whole idea that kids won't watch TV shows if they can't be seen out of orders is complete nonsense. Some of the most popular kids' TV shows ever had strong continuing plots.
ReplyDeletePop quiz: What are the two highest-rated shows on Nicktoons Network? Dragonball Kai and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Avatar has been in repeats for three years now, and even though only about half the episodes advance the main plot, the episodes are numbered so you CAN'T air them out of order. And yet, the show still kicks ass in the ratings.
Dragonball is even tougher to mix up: nearly EVERY single episode ends on a cliffhanger, and the show is set up to be one long story, so if you miss one or two episodes you get let behind. But guess what: it's still getting crazy high ratings.
The idea that kids will only watch shows with interchangable episodes is pretty outdated.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteAvatar and Dragonball have a slightly older demographic than MLP, and it's not so much the kids who wont watch, but the parents of 3-8 year old children would want something they can sit their child in front of and have them captivated regardless of if they have seen it before. If a show is hard to watch without knowledge of previous episodes, than you can't really sit a 6 year old in front of it, and expect to get some time to yourself (even if it's to make breakfast, or cook dinner).
that would be so awesome
ReplyDeleteI would personally prefer long story arcs over slice of life any day...but I think with MLP:FiM, it needs to be done carefully.
ReplyDeleteThe show shouldn't lose its innocents and child-like attributes. It should keep with moral messages. It shouldn't lose the cute-ness, and it should still be very girly- not "girly" as in old MLP, but "girly" as in still enjoyable for young girls, like how Sailor Moon was for my childhood. (I know when I was like 6 years old, I'd choose Sailor Moon over DBZ & Batman any day, even though I was considered a tomboy by my siblings and classmates)
In fact, I'd rather FiM season 2 be like Sailor Moon. The ponies don't have to run around in mini skirts or anything, but the stories in Sailor Moon were engaging, sometimes sad and of course just wonderful, but still easy for a small child to keep up with. They still had a fair share of slice-of-life elements to it, but also an action sequence in nearly every episode.
TL;DR- The pilot episodes are still my favorite, so they should do more stuff like that, just longer. (I also liked Cutie Mark Chronicles, Sonic Rainboom, and actually a bunch others, but you get my point)
I'm stunned to see that I'm not only in the minority, but that the minority is pretty... small. I don't want to see any multi-part story arcs at all.
ReplyDeleteMany people are bringing up Teen Titans, The Last Airbender, and a boatload of Anime, and while those shows are good, they're all a dime a dozen. FiM retains the children's show formula of being a non-linear, just-for-laughs cartoon that can be enjoyed any time a rerun airs, yet combined with good writing, dialogue, production, and a passionate staff, giving it near universal appeal. This is almost never seen in children's cartoons, and that's what makes it so special. Slice-of-life all the way.
I'm not completely against continuity, but the show has demonstrated enough of it without the aid of flashbacks.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't call story-arc series a dime-a-dozen per-say. There's sort of this stigma that western cartoons can't, and shouldn't be taken seriously because they're just "cartoons", and there-for don't need any ounce of a plot at all.
Then when you keep in mind that "girl" shows are always labeled "bad" here in the west, (hence why you never see any girly shows made just for...well, girls) then...
I'm not saying slice-of-life is bad, or terrible, but it's also the norm for western animation because of the "cartoons are for kids and so they should be simple" so it's really quite common.
I do got to hand it to the FiM team though, they really craft the show in such a way that it's really quite enjoyable as-is.
I actually voted for mix of both.
ReplyDeleteEven tho many have good points about slice-of-life, I truly believe with some sort of story arc it would just make the show cooler.
having just watched this again
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv-RszSOlTY
maby they could do somthign like a spin off series done like anime aimed for older pony fans maby with an entiley diffrent cast of ponies
I voted for a mix of both as well. Maybe the show can be kept slice of life, but what's stopping a few T.V. movie specials that take on an entire story? Sort of like how Fosters handled it with their T.V. specials.
ReplyDeleteSo long as it doesn't involved growing up.
ReplyDeleteLast thing I want to see is yet another generation grow old around me.
I'm one of the small few that voted to keep things as slice of life. It's what got us all here where we are now, after all. The only small change I would make would be to have the mane cast remember a bit more from episode to episode. Which they do an amazing job of already, to be honest, so if I don't get me wish, it isn't going to make me sad. Also, for story arcs, do as they did for the first season. Have just a minor one, with 3 or 4 episodes focused on it. Keep the number of them small, so that they become that much more special in comparison to the rest.
ReplyDeleteWhat draws me to this show is the fact that they make me care about Applejack getting all the apples in for the harvest, or if Rarity can get the dresses made. That they can make me care about such things shows just how intelligently the show is made, and I'm loathe to even consider how bad things could go if they tried messing with it. (Actually, I _have_ seen how bad things can go. I tuned in early once, and caught the tail end of a Strawberry Shortcake episode. My brain still hurts from that exposure, especially on rainy days for some reason.)
I think the best bet for those who want a more adventure/ action oriented style of MLP:FiM would be some sort of direct to DVD movie thing, or maybe a long style episode (60-90 minute time slot). A perfect place for a long style episode would be a holiday special. If I had one big wish for season two, it would be for an hour long Christmas special. Fill us in on what those 'awesome holidays' are that Rainbow Dash mentioned in Winter Wrap Up. I'm very curious to be how they would address the subject in universe.
I think an epic story would ruin the show. Subtle hints like the first series is good but no more than that. I like my canon ponies as slice of life. I think its much more interesting.
ReplyDeleteAlso as seth pointed out, there are plenty of other shows with ultra long arcs.
The new series of Torchwood is a perfect example of how a long story can go really terribly wrong.
I voted for a mix but I would want no more then 2/3 two part episodes similer to Ep1 & 2 and prehaps a underlying theme like they had with the grand galloping gala.
ReplyDeletebut I agree with what Laurence Brown said.
I would be okay with whatever they do with the show (concerning long arc style) but I would enjoy it if there was some kind of running storyline underlying a few episodes or half a season or something. What I think would be really cool if they could pull it off would be to make a movie or side series or something that's long and adventureish, like one of the few fanfictions I like on this site. (Dangerous Business, Past Sins, etc.) Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Slice-of-Life stories and continuity are mutually exclusive. (Ok, actually, no one thought that, otherwise the poll results wouldn't be as they are)
ReplyDeletePart of what had fascinated me on the show was how they already had little bits of continuity and universe-building in the first season. I found that very unusual for a kid's show that on first glance looks like a simple aesop delivery device.
There was the whole GGG bit of course, but also things like Twi' and Spike's ongoing quest to turn Spike into a british gentleman, or the fact that Twilight actually remembered Zecora again in Swarm of the Century, after she had gotten to know her in Bridle Gossip.
Then we have the offhand mention of how Rainbow performed the Sonic Rainboom when she was a filly - which gets picked up again in Cutie Mark Cronicles. And so on...
Those aren't actual arcs of course, but they show that the authors do care a bit more about continuity than they would in a pure aesop or slice-of-life story - and at least try not to step on their own toes.
We need more of that "no-reset-button" kind of continuity in the second season. (And I'm very certain we will get it)
And hey, if some of the background plots somewhere start to become a bit more epic and maybe also tell a thing or two about Nightmare's backstory or the Element's of Harmony, and - I don't know - maybe culminate in an epic season finale, so much the better. But in any case, it's no must.
I'd be fine with story arcs, as I enjoy that concept in TV series, just as long as they aren't too long (like the Namek Saga of DragonBall Z) or too short.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm happy with the series the way it already is, a story arc, even a small one, would be just fine with me, as long as it does not stray too far from the series regular format, I'm fine...
A little from column A, a little from column B.
ReplyDeleteSome epic plot lines in the same vein as the first two episodes would be very welcome, but probably shouldn't take over the entire season.
I love long story arcs, but at the same time some of my favorite episodes were of the stand-alone variety (i.e. "Applebuck Season").
Even with this type of episode though, I appreciate the subtle continuity running through the background. Like B127 said above me, the "no-reset button" type. That kind of thing adds depth to the show without shoving your face in it.
Kinda both actually. I enjoy the single-slice Episodes, they're funny and cute and create a nice pace. On the other hoof though, I liked the pilot a LOT! it was the episode that converted me, and I'm a sucker for long story arcs.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I'd say if the series could survive long enough to see Hasbro consider a Friendship is Magic full-length TV-movie, that'd just be super.
They have it just about right right now. Loose continuity (i.e. grand galloping gala) is good IMO, maybe they should lean on it a touch more. Other than that, I don't want a full-on arc storyline.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t mind longer story arcs. These were actually quite common in the G1 cartoon. If you put all the parts of “The End of Flutter Valley” together it totaled TWO HOURS. (Released in 15 minute segments, so you can imagine how many segments there were!)
ReplyDeleteBut do I want the ponies to “grow as characters”? NO. They don’t need to “grow as characters”, they are perfect as they are. I mean, I don’t mind them learning a little lesson at the end of an episode, like “don’t listen to your friends when they want you to design horribly ugly dresses for them”, but I don’t want Fluttershy gradually becoming less and less bashful or something.
TLDR: The only type of story arc I want is "this villain is so badass it will take us three episodes to take him down."
Story arcs would be pretty epic as long as character don't get used as tools for the plot or
ReplyDeleteI like how the episodes represent something
The pilot episodes shows the viewer as Twilight, not giving a damn about friendship and crap like that and in the end the viewer gets won by the ponies and ultimately enjoys the show
Suited for Success was a big shout out to Hasbro VS Lauren
and the Grand Galloping Gala, with the clear message of ''Don't expect the best thing ever'' like all the fans expected the best season finale ever to be a 2parter and Luna comes back and goes Nightmare Moon and ends up in another adventure
Once again it's really about how many personalities the characters have, such as Fluttershy slowly evolves from being the shyest of the bunch with barely any dialogue, until she got her own episodes, aaand ultimately rages in the last episode
My question is...what will happen once all the personalities have been fleshed out?, give them new personalities or get new characters? that excluding the character's back-story
Also i'd simply LOVE more memorable moments like the FlutterGuy scene, or how it simply screams fan-service when FG starts singing
What we'd love to N0T See ;P Is anything which reminds us of the old generation or seems cheesy, such as AppleJack's morals =/ or Snips & Snails's resemblance of your typical henchmen duo
More action scenes would be pretty awesome, stunts too, like a race on snowboards with Dash,Pinkie,Vinyl,Luna,Spitfire & Lyra
or a night club with techno-rave-pop-house music ;P
Also don't try adding over the top emo scenes or foreshadows which don't become real within 1 episode or aren't given enough time. People need to remember them
Wellz i'm done with this comment...
I'd like to get to know the characters better. Long arcs would be great. I wouldn't mind if the whole series was like that. But I'm happy either way.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there is already an established method how you can have continuity for a few "epic" episodes (two-parter, season finale, etc) but keep the other episodes watchable in any order:
ReplyDeleteDo a "Previously on..." and show a montage of all the scenes of the previous episodes that will be important.
(I think Stargate did that pretty often in the later seasons when they wanted to pick up earlier story arcs.)
I think it needs a healthy mixture of both. Slightly more slice of life stuff, with an adventure every so often to mix it up.
ReplyDeleteAh...Hm...I don't think it should be too insane, like Dragonball Z, but something closer to Pokemon could be nice. But then again, I don't watch ponies like I watch anything else. Maybe I could get into a long format pony show, but I don't watch TV as a general rule. I probably never even would have watched ponies had they not been available on YouTube. (Thanks MenloMarsailles!) This kind of Hulu-type setup is maybe just what I need to watch a long-arc storyline. I could usually enjoy a Pokemon episode, even only watching some random episode in the middle of a season. Dragonball Z, not as much. You usually ned to watch two consecutive episodes for it to be worth it. And from what I saw of Pokemon, watching two consecutive episodes, or even an entire series, does improve things a little, as you understand why they are on a journey, even if the details are usually independent.
ReplyDeleteAlso, @LadyM and @Jocuro:
ReplyDeleteI think characters don't necessarily have to change or "grow" to become deep. What MLP did so far was basically do the opposite thing of flanderisation:
They took a number of character traits, combined them in a somewhat believeable way - and then proceeded to show ALL the different facets and consequences those character traits can result in.
Even though the characters didn't "change" and always kept true to her basic traits, they could still surprise you with doing things you wouldn't have expected to do before.
It's like that how Rainbow in Ep.2 heroically saves Twilight - and then keeps bragging on about it until everyone is fed up with it. Or of course how Pinkie is all sugary happyness when surrounded by her friends - but almost breaks when she thinks she had scared away them.
Anyway, this has probably already been analyzed to death. DL;TR: I think you can "get to know" characters, even without character growth.
The difference: Deep Characters - squeezing out everything from the character traits you have; Character development - somehow introduce new character traits.
I'm not really sure here. I normally love overarching plots and dislike one-stand episodes as well as slice of life. But I really enjoyed FiM in spite of that. And I didn't like that pilot all that much. So maybe long epic/adventurous stuff doesn't really fit the show well? As someone already said, it would be bad if FiM lost it's innocent and light-hearted atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, since they are going to introduce villains anyway, they might as well throw in some multi-part episodes. I remember I loved those in shows as a child. I guess I agree with what LadyM said.
I don't see why continuity wouldn't work, in fact, I think it would add a nice change of pace to the series.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I wouldn't want it like some anime where all the episodes continue after one another aside from filler, you don't really see that in these types of cartoons, and I don't think it would work out that well. I'd just like two or three episodes continuing from one another, I'm sure that wouldn't be to much to ask!
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteOn the opposite end of the long arc would be Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, which to my knowledge never had a two-parter. It worked very well, but only for about three to four seasons.
Personally, I would not. I'd like to keep the way the show's been running, due to the fact that, well, they're already partially keeping a large plot going, as in Twilight Sparkle learns throughout the entire series how the world works, and all about friendship. I...reeaaallyy am not a fan of 400,000 side plots where if you miss one freakin' episode, you have to hunt it down and force your way back to the new episode. Just not my thing. And by a marketing standpoint, the target audience (The five year old girls) probably would lose interest, and Hasbro may take that wrong and shut the entire show down, even with Bronies. There's my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI like how they did it in season 1. It was a slice of life presentation that you could easily jump into in the middle. They didn't depend upon flashbacks and incidents from previous episodes to present a complete plot, and frequently changed up the theme between different balances of comedy, drama, action, and adventure.
ReplyDeleteFor example, Party of One is heavy comedy with a bit of drama. Over a barrel is heavy adventure with a moderate dose of drama. Winter Wrap-Up was more action-driven but had a nice piece of drama infused into it. Sonic Rainboom had an excellent dramatic build-up that was perfectly executed with the season's most memorable action sequence.
The slice of life style of storytelling gave much greater versatility to the writers as they weren't confined by previous events or an overarching storyline.
But that's not to say there wasn't a congruent storyline throughout the series. While most episodes went on to their own thing, there was always the impending Great Galloping Gala being gradually constructed in the plot background throughout. So season 1 did a good job at accomplishing a balanced series of plots that were primarily 'Slice of Life' but had a minor addition of 'Arching Story.'
To be perfectly honest I'd love to see a long style format, but I think it would be a bad choice for the show.
ReplyDeleteThe reason stems from the fact that if they go down a story arc that isn't any fun for a section of the fan base, they're now stuck waiting through the whole arc (maybe the whole season!) without decent ponies and they may never come back. (Bad news for the guys in marketing let me tell you.)
The problem is that even if they one group of the fan base, they won't satisfy everyone. What I enjoy is entirely different from what everyone else likes. So my ideal story arc might be someone else's jumped shark.
The best compromise to this then is their current episodic format with maybe one or two double episodes per season. That way they're far more likely to please a larger cross-section of the fan base with the series as a whole and I don't have to look forward to the prospect of an entire season of "Pinky Keen" (nor does everyone else have to put up with an entire season of "Party of One" even if it was the best episode of anything ever. :3 )
No arcs. Then you wind up with something like Bleach. And I'll be damned if Bosch comes in and ruins this series.
ReplyDeleteI always thoughtthe show woulda been at least 20% cooler is episodes 1&2 had been expanded to fit the whole season, or at least a 5 or 6 episode arc.
ReplyDeleteI think we should do a follow-up poll to gauge exactly how big the story arcs would be, on average. The options would be:
ReplyDelete26: meaning the entire season is basically a 9.5 hour story.
8-13: splitting up the season into 2 or 3 acts.
4-7: splitting the season further into "chapters".
2-3: every episode is part of a relatively short story arc.
1-2: About half of the episodes are one-shots, and half are two-parters.
1: Every (or nearly every) episode is a one-shot.
0.5-1: About half the episodes are 22-minute long stories, and half are split into two 11-minute shorts.
0.5: All (or nearly all) episodes are two 11-minute shorts.
0.5-2: The grab bag, as it were. Some episodes are two shorts, some episodes are 22-minute one-shots, and some are two-parters.
This is going to be long but bear with me please.
ReplyDeleteI like the way the series is now with the slice of life format. Different episodes have different combinations of drama, comedy, adventure, action, and slice of life. But I would like to see a bit more continuity with the series. The problem with a purely episodic story format is that in the long run it leads to character stagnation. FiM has such unique and interesting characters that inhabit such a vibrant and complex world I would had to see them squandered.
I know that pure continuity is the standard for children's programming, but executives have to realize that kids are not as simple minded as they think. When I was little I watch the same shows as my older siblings and cousins (they had several year on be) and I had no problem fallowing the stories. And need I remind you of the YouTube video that was posted awhile back of that little girl who had committed the series to memory.
We must also remember that this is the digital age that we live in and kids today are a lot more tech savvy then they were ten years ago. With various devices and services that allow the recording and/or viewing of television, it is easier then ever to re-watch old and missed episodes of your favorite programs.
What I would like to see is a mixture of episodic and long story arc. Something like the Gala of season one only stretched out more. The episodes are written so that they they stand on their own but when viewed together they form a much larger narrative.
If the need arises to remind the audience of important plot points, there will be a break in the airing of new episodes to re-air the old episodes that are plot relevant and/or have a "previously on" segment. One that quickly recaps all the relevant plot points.
I'm not asking for My Little Lord of the Rings, or a complete shift from the current format to one that solely follows a single major story arc. Just something like Season One, only more streamlined.
It's not so much about adventure as it is about having multi-part stories. I don't want a season-long main story arc - they're doing to well with what they've got going now to make that kind of change. Instead, I'm thinking throw the occasional two-parter (perhaps 3?) be it adventure or slice of life. Kinda like how Doctor Who does it.
ReplyDeleteOverarching stories would be nice, but let's be realistic; the series will stay episodic outside of quasi-continuity between episodes (Ticketmaster/Suited For Success/Best Night Ever).
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
Gotta agree with this. With a few changes here and there, OTEOTM could easily be a two part episode.
Hated that I missed the poll, but I my life has been hell with a long-hours job for the past few days, so I've been too tired to check out this site.
ReplyDeleteIn detail, 80% slice-of-life eps. and 20% story-arc eps. would make for a good mix for this show.
i would love to see more storyline, even if its just two or three different instances.
ReplyDeletei really liked what they did with the gala! ticket master, the dress episode, and best night ever tied together, and that was nice~
but i wish i saw...more. like i was wondering why we never saw anymore or pinkie's twitching?
or why werent there more seasons? there was only one winter episode :c