Does anypony else feel there isn't really a bad episode of this show?

[DiscordsBeard]

I haven't actually seen an episode of MLP I haven't liked. I haven't really loved them all, but I enjoyed all of them in at least some way. Even my least favorite episode of the show, Power Ponies, had some attractions, like the typically amazing animation, good humor (if a bit out of place), and FLUTTERHULK.

The reason I ask is, I'm wondering if anypony else feels this way. I always hear even from strong bronies that there are at least some episodes that are just bad, even though I don't think I would rate any of them under a 5 out of 10. The show is just inherently enjoyable for me, even at its worst.

[RainbowBlast]

I feel the same way you do. There isn't any episode I don't like, I guess some people just like the show that much.

[smileyface1010]

Yeah, I kinda feel the same way you do. Being my slightly analytical self, I can see some episodes are worse than others, but I can always find something good out of the less good episodes. Heck, I don't even have a least favorite episode!

[Bellosh]

I didn't like that Breezie episode, I must admit. Oh, and the Rainbow Falls episode too.

[starswirlthebearded]

There are plenty of bad episodes. The CMC episodes in S1 are especially annoying for me because in all of S1 they were the only ones that really reminded me that this is a kid's show. There are others too.

[DiscordsBeard]

Yeah, I kinda feel the same way you do. Being my slightly analytical self, I can see some episodes are worse than others, but I can always find something good out of the less good episodes. Heck, I don't even have a least favorite episode!

That's exactly how I feel, minus the least favorite thing, of course. I can tell there's a quality difference between, for example, Pinkie Pride and Spike At Your Service, but I still like them both, just one less than the other. I'm glad to see others agree with me.

[RarityDash]

There are definitely some that fall through or are underwhelming, but there isn't much I would actually consider bad. To actually be "bad" to me, I have to see nothing good in them; nothing that compels or interests me. It is void of entertainment or value. It's not just something that disappoints me, but something I actually actively dislike.

I don't think Call of the Cutie, The Cutie Pox, Mysterious Mare do Well, Baby Cakes or Trade Ya! are very good episodes, but I would not call them "bad" per say.

The only episode that qualifies as bad to me, that provoked a wholly negative reaction and left me with the profound sense that I had wasted my time was It Ain't Easy Being Breezies. That was unquestionably a bad episode for me.

[MetalBronyATL]

For me, there is only one episode in the entire series that I find bad, and when I say bad, I mean it's offensively terrible. That episode is Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. I literally found NOTHING good in that episode, and it even almost angers me a bit.

Past that, I don't think there is a truly bad episode.

[foxfire]

I agree there are underwhelming episodes but there aren't any really bad episodes.

[DiscordsBeard]

For me, there is only one episode in the entire series that I find bad, and when I say bad, I mean it's offensively terrible. That episode is Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. I literally found NOTHING good in that episode, and it even almost angers me a bit.

Past that, I don't think there is a truly bad episode.

You know, I don't even find THAT episode bad, strangely enough. I disagree with most accusations for it. Maybe that's because it's the second episode of the show I ever watched, and it in conjuction with May The Best Pet Win made me feel comfortable to call myself a brony.

That being said, I don't want this thread to turn into a debate over MMDW's quality, so let's just agree to disagree, eh?

[smileyface1010]

There are definitely some that fall through or are underwhelming, but there isn't much I would actually consider bad. To actually be "bad" to me, I have to see nothing good in them; nothing that compels or interests me. It is void of entertainment or value. It's not just something that disappoints me, but something I actually actively dislike.

Ah, that's what I was trying to say! There are a lot if episodes that I consider not good or even bad, (I would make a list, but that's for another time) but I always try to find one good thing about each episode. Even my least favorite episode, Mare Do Well, had some nice superhero references and funny moments (yeah, I forgot about that one when I said I didn't have a least favorite episode )

[DanielEricIverson]

Pfft, fornication no. Simple Ways was hideously bad. Somepony To Watch Over Me was messed up, and It's About Time was crazy-pony pandering with a pointless circular moral that made me hate time travel.

This show is far from having a clean track record in terms of episode quality... but at least it is way better than crap like The Fairly OddParents!.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is mostly good. One of my favorite episodes is the "girly" episode "Look Before You Sleep". I've also grown to appreciate controversial episodes such as "Over a Barrel" and Feeling Pinkie Keen".

I also don't have an instinctive hate for "Mysterious Mare-Do-Well".

[Rosewind]

We have good episodes, bad episodes, god tier episodes. I would say my least favorite episodes feature a character learning the same lesson over and over (Spike, Fluttershy) with no character growth, or episodes that make a character behave out of character (Mare Do Well, Rainbow Dash). In contrast, I like episodes that feature substantial character growth that sticks, such as Read it and Weep, May the Best Pet Win, Baby Cakes, and Lesson Zero.

[DiscordsBeard]

We have good episodes, bad episodes, god tier episodes. I would say my least favorite episodes feature a character learning the same lesson over and over (Spike, Fluttershy) with no character growth, or episodes that make a character behave out of character (Mare Do Well, Rainbow Dash). In contrast, I like episodes that feature substantial character growth that sticks, such as Read it and Weep, May the Best Pet Win, Baby Cakes, and Lesson Zero.

I agree with the idea of character growth sticking, of course, but I've found that this kind of permanent character growth is more common than some say it is. For example, I hear people say that Fluttershy learns the same lesson over and over again, but to me, she's learning different lessons in the same field. For example, in Putting Your Hoof Down, Fluttershy learned how to be assertive, and in It Ain't Easy Being Breezies, she learned when being assertive was actually kinder to another pony (or Breezy) than offering your hospitality. Of course all Fluttershy's lessons are going to be about her being shy, that's just who she is, and shyness is a very hard obstacle to overcome IRL. To me, though, she isn't quite learning the same lesson, and the lessons she figures out do stick. Of course, all this is just my opinion, and I do understand other people disliking certain episodes or believing a character is acting out of character. I have a whole argument set up for why Mysterious Mare Do Well didn't have the characters act overly out of character, but let's save that for a more relevant thread. Anyway, I personally find enoyment even in the "bad" episodes, which means they aren't a total loss for me. But hey, to each their own!

PS: Sorry for the long message, I had a lot I wanted to say.