Season 3 Information Thread (Spoilers inside)

[princebluemoon1]

Maybe the 13 will be just due to a story arc, like how in Anime there's several arcs that make up the series.

too many story arcs and the series will be confusing, look at bleach. they have too many story arcs.

[dbzponyninja]

too many story arcs and the series will be confusing, look at bleach. they have too many story arcs.

I don't watch or care about Bleach anymore. I don't watch the English or Japanese version anymore.

[princebluemoon1]

I don't watch or care about Bleach anymore. I don't watch the English or Japanese version anymore.

amen to that

[Dessa]

I don't watch or care about Bleach anymore. I don't watch the English or Japanese version anymore.

Which is exactly the point. You used to care about Bleach, and now you don't because it went on and on and on.

8 seasons is too many. I'd put 5 or 6 as the upper limit. After some point, shows just go stale, no matter how good they are. Do we really want MLP to be the Simpsons, with a neverending stream of jokes we've heard a million times before?

Also, Flutterscotch, isn't Faust still listed as "creative consultant?" I know her creative unput these days is zero, but a credit would suggest she's still on a payroll.

[dbzponyninja]

Which is exactly the point. You used to care about Bleach, and now you don't because it went on and on and on.

8 seasons is too many. I'd put 5 or 6 as the upper limit. After some point, shows just go stale, no matter how good they are. Do we really want MLP to be the Simpsons, with a neverending stream of jokes we've heard a million times before?

Also, Flutterscotch, isn't Faust still listed as "creative consultant?" I know her creative unput these days is zero, but a credit would suggest she's still on a payroll.

Personally I never liked Simpsons but I still watch and like Spongebob and that show has been going on for 13 years and I still like and enjoy it.

[Whitehawke]

Which is exactly the point. You used to care about Bleach, and now you don't because it went on and on and on.

8 seasons is too many. I'd put 5 or 6 as the upper limit. After some point, shows just go stale, no matter how good they are. Do we really want MLP to be the Simpsons, with a neverending stream of jokes we've heard a million times before?

Also, Flutterscotch, isn't Faust still listed as "creative consultant?" I know her creative unput these days is zero, but a credit would suggest she's still on a payroll.

Pretty sure Flutterscotch was talking about Bonnie.

Also, if you think about it, this series has been going on for almost 3 decades, and it's considerably improved since 2010, so even a show that was considered for the longest of time to be a cheap merchandise-selling ad can be given an amazing breath of life and quality.

That being said, right now I think they should probably give it a break after the fifth season, and revive it when the G5 toy line comes out (Or if G4 toys are still going, just use a new cast, though preferably in a different timeframe).

EDIT: I've edited my statement based on your comment below me Flutterscotch. I never meant to imply that the generations were specifically tied to the show, or that G2 even had a show tie-in, but I can see how you thought I did.

[flutterscotch]

Yes, I was talking about Bonnie. She confirmed @ mlp fair in 2008, during a Q&A. It was pretty much standard practice if you worked for a toy company, whatever you came up with belonged to them.

Also, WH, generations refers to the toys. People keep applying the term to the shows and that confuses the whole friendship gardens line, which did not have a show. The only reason g3.5 is called g3.5 and not g4 is because there was no break in the narrative for the line itself, but the main molds were redone for the toys. Unless we had a full reinvisionung of the story for the line, and the molds changed, it would still be considered a variation on g4. Until fim and a brand new type of fan happened, I did not come across a single person who considered my little pony tales the second generation.

[dbzponyninja]

Yes, I was talking about Bonnie. She confirmed @ mlp fair in 2008, during a Q&A. It was pretty much standard practice if you worked for a toy company, whatever you came up with belonged to them.

Also, WH, generations refers to the toys. People keep applying the term to the shows and that confuses the whole friendship gardens line, which did not have a show. The only reason g3.5 is called g3.5 and not g4 is because there was no break in the narrative for the line itself, but the main molds were redone for the toys. Unless we had a full reinvisionung of the story for the line, and the molds changed, it would still be considered a variation on g4. Until fim and a brand new type of fan happened, I did not come across a single person who considered my little pony tales the second generation.

Yeah unless there's a break in the story timeline and a new show it will still be considered G4.

[Dessa]

Yes, I was talking about Bonnie. She confirmed @ mlp fair in 2008, during a Q&A. It was pretty much standard practice if you worked for a toy company, whatever you came up with belonged to them.

Also, WH, generations refers to the toys. People keep applying the term to the shows and that confuses the whole friendship gardens line, which did not have a show. The only reason g3.5 is called g3.5 and not g4 is because there was no break in the narrative for the line itself, but the main molds were redone for the toys. Unless we had a full reinvisionung of the story for the line, and the molds changed, it would still be considered a variation on g4. Until fim and a brand new type of fan happened, I did not come across a single person who considered my little pony tales the second generation.

So wait, the toys have narratives seperate from the shows? This post really confuses me.

[tacobob]

While not really Season 3, but more of an upcoming Doctor Who spoiler, I still thought this was cute.

Entertainment Weekly pointed out that the next season of Doctor Who will have the good Doctor showing off his ability to speak the 'horse' language. Hmmm. Wonder where he learned it from?

[dbzponyninja]

While not really Season 3, but more of an upcoming Doctor Who spoiler, I still thought this was cute.

Entertainment Weekly pointed out that the next season of Doctor Who will have the good Doctor showing off his ability to speak the 'horse' language. Hmmm. Wonder where he learned it from?

I don't watch Dr. Who but he obviously learned horse language from his time in MLP FiM as Dr. Whooves.

[flutterscotch]

So wait, the toys have narratives seperate from the shows? This post really confuses me.

Somewhat. The backyard stories of the toys do not always match up with the show, as FiM is evidence.

My Little Pony Tales and the subsequent toys, which people seem to be calling g2 sometimes, came out at the tail end of the g1 main line, subsequently with the last round of toys from that line (like the colorswirl ponies and the mermaid ponies, which were never shown on My Little Pony and Friends). Kind of seemed like a last-ditch effort. The My Little Pony Tales toys themselves were just straight G1 molds, a good percentage of them being Applejack and Posey's molds specifically, from the early 80s, and even then ONLY in certain parts of Europe. G1 ended in 1992 or 1993. Forget which. But the fact of the matter is that there was no extensive overhaul of the toys in this time,mother than the additional molds they had been adding for characters that had nothing to do with either show. Just another cartoon that was added and took place in another location, focusing on a handful of friends instead of the goings on in Dream Valley. No gap whatsoever in toy releases.

In 1997 the Friendship Gardens ponies came about, and lasted until 1999 or so. Totally different universe, totally different toys, no cartoon, no connection whatsoever to the previous line, only a video game and the story told on the backcards and game was not tied into any of the other lines whatsoever. That was g2.

Then in 2003 they came out with the ponies living in Ponyville. G3.5 for the most part, continued the narrative from g3, not only among the toys' backward stories, but among the cartoons released with it. It wasn't a huge difference from toys that already existed in miniature specifically called Ponyville ponies that had been released subsequently with the standard g3s in the first place. They just took the Ponyville toys, which were the same characters as their more traditional rooted counterparts, and made the larger, rooted toys look more like their Ponyville version.

[Dessa]

So do old-school MLP fans still insist that the Friendship Garden ponies are g2, or have they buckled to pressure to call MLPTales G2?

[dbzponyninja]

So do old-school MLP fans still insist that the Friendship Garden ponies are g2, or have they buckled to pressure to call MLPTales G2?

Personally I don't know and only somewhat care because I heard that almost everbody thinks Tales sucks and don't plan to watch it.

[Dessa]

Personally I don't know and only somewhat care because I heard that almost everbody thinks Tales sucks and don't plan to watch it.

It's not all that bad. I find it has a certain charm. I challenge you to do the Pony tour and watch one episode each from G1, Tales, G3, and g3.5. Know your history (and in some cases, suffer through it). It'll put hair on your chest.

[flutterscotch]

So do old-school MLP fans still insist that the Friendship Garden ponies are g2, or have they buckled to pressure to call MLPTales G2?

Nope. Still considered g1 on most wikis and definitely among old school fans.

Really, it takes either a break of the line entirely, or a complete overhaul of the series, toys and related media like what we saw with friendship is magic to be considered a whole new generation. I mean, My Little Pony Tales was only one season, and only had the main 7 characters released as toys at the vey tail end of the line. It's a footnote in MLP history.

So basically, even if we focused on a new groups of characters all of a sudden, as long as the toys were the same and it took place in Equestria, it would still be considered g4.

Also, Dbzponyninja, why do you comment on every single aspect of this conversation like it's a chat?

[dbzponyninja]

Nope. Still considered g1 on most wikis and definitely among old school fans.

Really, it takes either a break of the line entirely, or a complete overhaul of the series, toys and related media like what we saw with friendship is magic to be considered a whole new generation. I mean, My Little Pony Tales was only one season, and only had the main 7 characters released as toys at the vey tail end of the line. It's a footnote in MLP history.

So basically, even if we focused on a new groups of characters all of a sudden, as long as the toys were the same and it took place in Equestria, it would still be considered g4.

Also, Dbzponyninja, why do you comment on every single aspect of this conversation like it's a chat?

That's a good question I never really thought about it before?

[Dessa]

You may find your comments are most appreciated when spoken with more purpose.

Nope. Still considered g1 on most wikis and definitely among old school fans.

Really, it takes either a break of the line entirely, or a complete overhaul of the series, toys and related media like what we saw with friendship is magic to be considered a whole new generation. I mean, My Little Pony Tales was only one season, and only had the main 7 characters released as toys at the vey tail end of the line. It's a footnote in MLP history.

So basically, even if we focused on a new groups of characters all of a sudden, as long as the toys were the same and it took place in Equestria, it would still be considered g4.

That's the thing though, MLPT didn't take place in the same place. The whole world changed around them, and they even developed new powers (sticky hooves!). Meanwhile, the toys DID change, as well as the stories, between 3 and 3.5. It seems a bit arbitrary is all, although I suppose if I collected multi-generational toys it would make perfect sense.

[flutterscotch]

You may find your comments are most appreciated when spoken with more purpose.

That's the thing though, MLPT didn't take place in the same place. The whole world changed around them, and they even developed new powers (sticky hooves!). Meanwhile, the toys DID change, as well as the stories, between 3 and 3.5. It seems a bit arbitrary is all, although I suppose if I collected multi-generational toys it would make perfect sense.

Stories didn't change all that much between 3 and 3.5, and these were totally being produced at the same time as 3 though. That's why it's still technically considered a variation on 3. Because all they did was blow up some existing molds.

And it is rather arbitrary, but it's been in place for the better part of the presence of a pony fandom on the internet. At least since I got on board in the late 90s.And it's something that only recently has been questioned.

MLPT, though had SO little to do with the toy line. People either were the age that they were watching it as kids when it was on, or now they are history seekers watching it because of FIM, the toy fandom has largely ignored it except for the fact that there were 7 Europe only characters to collect.

We should probably move these semantics to a new topic.

[Lux]

Back on Topic:

I'm glad to hear that there will be more seasons after the shortened 3rd. I also like how it sounds that while 3 will be short, the others may not.

I wonder when the other spoiled episodes might be (the return of Trixie, Fluttershy becomming a dragon, a possible Rarity and Octavia one, etc.)

[flutterscotch]

Back on Topic:

I'm glad to hear that there will be more seasons after the shortened 3rd. I also like how it sounds that while 3 will be short, the others may not.

I wonder when the other spoiled episodes might be (the return of Trixie, Fluttershy becomming a dragon, a possible Rarity and Octavia one, etc.)

I am super stoked about short seasons. Short seasons = less filler and a greater frequency of awesome season openers and finales.

[Lux]

I must say that much of the episides of seasons 1 or 2 I liked. I like slice of life stories where we delve a little deper into a characer's life. Very few I actually see as very filler like.

[Whitehawke]

Short season = less episodes = less chance of an episode that plays from her perspective = more chance of Hawke being Dessappointed.

[Rosewind]

Or more chances of AJ getting an episode, but getting it hijacked by another BG pony?

[Lux]

I see what you did there Rose, and I think I hear Derpy crying.

Well, if there's 13 episodes, you take away two for an opener (if it's a two parter) that makes 11.

Now if you have a character specific episode, then you have a chance of one per mane six.

This leaves 5 extra episodes for other stuff (CMCs, holiday, etc.)