Season 1 Episodes: It looks like two polls, but just vote in one...

[weesh]

Edit: d'oh, my original plan didn't work, it won't accept a vote in only one poll so I added placeholder options to each poll. <sigh>

This is not a poll to prove the best writing, the favorite characters, most powerful message or anything. It is a poll because it is an nice way to list the episodes and an easy way to participate.

What is the episode that you liked the best and why? Use whatever criteria makes you happy, or no criteria at all and go with your gut! "I don't know, it just is" is as fine an answer as "it changed my life because..."

My Contenders are:

Friendship is Magic (The episodes that got me hooked)

Winter Wrap Up (Best music and nerdiness wins the day)

Fall Weather Friends (Action, excitement, competition, with great shots of RD and AJ)

Dog and Pony Show (Cute, funny, a surprise from rarity without being out of character)

The Best Night Ever (I had high expectations, and they were greatly exceeded, phenomenal conclusion)

And the Winner is:

Fall Weather Friends: in the end, my spirit of competition, justice, and the nonstop enjoyment from start to finish push this ahead of the pack.

[Angie Cakes]

there were a lot of episodes that were really high up on my list, but I ended up going with cutie mark chronicles simply because it's the episode that I seem to re-watch the most. I don't know why I re-watch it, I just do. that must mean I like it then

my other toss up episodes were Bridle Gossip, Suited for Success, Party of One and The Best Night Ever

[weesh]

I ended up going with cutie mark chronicles simply because it's the episode that I seem to re-watch the most. I don't know why I re-watch it, I just do. that must mean I like it then

Well, it is pretty great: a celebration of RD, lots of history, and it somehow includes the cutie mark crusaders without them being annoying.

[Lloxie]

Difficult to pick just one... my favorites would have to be:

1&2: Friendship is Magic - I never tire of watching the start of the series, for some reason.

13: Fall Weather Friends - So much shipping fodder in this one. And even ignoring that, you can tell at the very end of the episode that, even if they're not romantically inclined, AJ and Dash have a true, close, and special friendship.

23: Cutie Mark Chronicles - Just overall a heart-warming and enjoyable episode, not to mention how awesome it is to learn more about our favorite ponies. :3 And Dash standing up for Fluttershy like that really made me smile.

And any episode with a good song in it. Particularly Winter Wrap-Up and Art of the Dress. :3

[RarityDash]

Sonic Rainboom easily.

I just love everything about that episode. The writing, the dialog is just great, the visuals are beautiful and imaginative, the humor is some of the best, it utilizes almost all the characters well, there's excitement and suspense and just a lot of great fun.

Plus it cemented RariDash as my favorite pony ship ever.

Suited For Success and Griffon the Brush Off are probably my runners up.

[weesh]

Fall Weather Friends - So much shipping fodder in this one.

Sonic Rainboom...it cemented RariDash as my favorite pony ship ever.

Bwwaaa?!

First of all, way to mess with my head on two of my favorite episodes!

And secondly, could someone explain the desire to add romantic relationship drama to one of the few shows that focuses on actual friendships? I find the show so refreshing that I am having trouble understanding the perspective of those that care about such things.

I think the show would be improved with the removal of Spike's infatuation with Rarity.

[korok132]

Okay, so my favorite is Winter Wrap-Up, simply because I'm a sucker for cool songs, and Winter Wrap-Up is my favorite song from the show.

As for my two bits on shipping: Unless it's painfully obvious (see: Spike and Rarity) shipping is stupid in my opinion. This goes for any show, not just FiM. The first pair that comes to mind is Aang/Katara from Avatar. It's painfully obvious that they love each other, so really there's no need to ship anything. The creators might as well have come out and said "They love each other, shut up now." As for why people ship for FiM: I honestly couldn't say. There are some episodes that provide some "Les Yay" moments (see: Fall Weather Friends) but... it hurts to actually see people write fan fics about it. Especially so early in the show's life. And for a kid's show nonetheless!

Of course, there will always be people who ship, and there's nothing I can do to stop it, but that's just my stance on it. Please don't kill me.

[RarityDash]

Bwwaaa?!

First of all, way to mess with my head on two of my favorite episodes!

And secondly, could someone explain the desire to add romantic relationship drama to one of the few shows that focuses on actual friendships? I find the show so refreshing that I am having trouble understanding the perspective of those that care about such things.

I think the show would be improved with the removal of Spike's infatuation with Rarity.

Shipping is just fun, I think.

I don't know. I've been shipping characters in things so long that it's kind of hard for me to explain beyond that...

I don't expect anything to actually happen within the show of course, but within the fandom the idea of spinning things in romantic directions I think leads to a lot fun and amusing possibilites in the form of fanfiction and fan art.

Plus it's just cute.

[weesh]

Shipping is just fun, I think.

Huh.

Not what I was expecting, but what was I expecting?!

Maybe that there would be some really good reason for it, except that it is hard to imagine that there is a good reason.

Perhaps it is comforting that you can't come up with one?

Or maybe it is horrifying that you do it and can't come up with a reason?

The confusion has been doubled.

[RarityDash]

Yeah, it really just seems natural to me.

When I become a big fan of something, I like to think about the possibilities present and perhaps explore them creatively through things like fanfic and RP. Shipping is just a fun part of that for me.

[FrankT]

Well, usually I mark the first one I see as the best - and that's #7.

[Mojo]

OVER A BARREL!

Gotta love the only episode so far set in APPLEOOSA!!!

Hope there'll be another ep set there in Season 2.

(At least the buffalo appeared in "Return Of Harmony")

[Astalakio]

I love Cutie Mark Chronicles, because I like the whole connected-before-meeting story, and it was cool to see all of the mane characters as fillies - added some depth. That episode also had a LOT packed into it, if you consider it had the CMC parts, each of the mane six's CM stories, a song from Fluttershy, and the conclusion explaining how it was all linked. THEN the letter to Princess Celestia. Packed.

I also loved Sonic Rainboom, of course, Best Night Ever, and Boast Busters, because Twilight takes a serious level in badass in that one.

[weesh]

...Packed...

Not to mention the amazing Celestia scene...

I totally don't understand boast busters though. Trixie has such a destructive personality that I find it hard to watch.

If she were justifiably boastful that would be one thing, but instead of performing feats more amazing than the challengers, she just belittles and humiliates them.

[Acynder]

Not to mention the amazing Celestia scene...

I totally don't understand boast busters though.  Trixie has such a destructive personality that I find it hard to watch.

If she were justifiably boastful that would be one thing, but instead of performing feats more amazing than the challengers, she just belittles and humiliates them.

Well Rainbow Dash and Applejack were asking for it. They were the ones that confronted and challenged Trxie. Trxie was only trying to defend her act because if she didn't, Everyone would leave her show and she won't make a lot of money. Thus she can't make a living.

[weesh]

Well Rainbow Dash and Applejack were asking for it. They were the ones that confronted and challenged Trxie. Trxie was only trying to defend her act because if she didn't, Everyone would leave her show and she won't make a lot of money. Thus she can't make a living.

I contest that RD and AJ were asking for it. Yes they were bragging and prideful, but neither one attacked Trixie. They were responding to HER challenge. And it was not just any challenge, it was basically a Goliath versus the Israelites insult to the entire town of Ponyville. It was Trixie who crossed the line though. Had Rainbow Dash tried to prove her supremacy by physically subduing Trixie it would have been a huge scandal. But for some reason, trussing up AJ like a pig did not get her thrown out of the village?

[Ancre]

I voted for bridle gossip. It's the first episode with Zecora ! And I just love every moment of it. There's no more reason than that I guess, it's the one I love rewatching the most.

As for the shipping, I find it fun. I like how you can find just about everything in fanfiction, from the life of background ponies, to theories about gap in the story show, to "what if" scenarios, to the distant past or the distant future of the world's setting, to crossover with other worlds, everything. I've always taken shipping as that, an idea to work on just because you could.

[weesh]

I voted for bridle gossip. It's the first episode with Zecora ! And I just love every moment of it. There's no more reason than that I guess, it's the one I love rewatching the most.

This one is quite good. Every Zecora moment has been great so far, it is one of the better Apple Bloom stories, and it causes much thought to be put into what each character considers their most important asset. I love that RD loves flying so much, that even when she sucks at it, she would still rather fly than walk!

As for the shipping, I find it fun. I like how you can find just about everything in fanfiction, from the life of background ponies, to theories about gap in the story show, to "what if" scenarios, to the distant past or the distant future of the world's setting, to crossover with other worlds, everything. I've always taken shipping as that, an idea to work on just because you could.

My question is that given the desire to write about characters (in general, not specifically) that you love, what possible benefit is there in taking someone else's characters than creating your own? It feels like walking with crutches when both your legs work great. Why not model your character after one or more others that you admire, and still flex your creative muscles a bit?

[RarityDash]

My question is that given the desire to write about characters (in general, not specifically) that you love, what possible benefit is there in taking someone else's characters than creating your own? It feels like walking with crutches when both your legs work great. Why not model your character after one or more others that you admire, and still flex your creative muscles a bit?

Well, I do both extensively. I write fan fiction about characters I love and I write entirely original stuff sometimes too.

Really, I don't think it's any less creatively viable to come up with new stories based on existing characters. When you have really good characters in something, it's only natural people will want to write about them, I think.

There's a lot of existing passion when writing about beloved characters. I'm very proud of a lot of OCs I've created, but do I love any of them more than Applejack, Celestia or Rarity? No, not really. Having passion for what I'm writing about, I think makes what I'm writing better.

[Hippo]

I find it interesting that Cutie Mark Chronicles has the most votes right now.

[weesh]

I find it interesting that Cutie Mark Chronicles has the most votes right now.

That is a surprise. It is a wonderful episode, but I had only barely considered it to be a contender. I think I am so annoyed by the crusaders that even when they have a good episode it leaves a bitter aftertaste.

I love origin stories, but sometimes it is better to not know, then to know it is a little lame. Applejack's was awkward, Pinkie's was made no sense, and Rarity's started great but had a terrible conclusion. The costumes looked baaaad with the gems.

[Hippo]

That is a surprise. It is a wonderful episode, but I had only barely considered it to be a contender. I think I am so annoyed by the crusaders that even when they have a good episode it leaves a bitter aftertaste.

I love origin stories, but sometimes it is better to not know, then to know it is a little lame. Applejack's was awkward, Pinkie's was made no sense, and Rarity's started great but had a terrible conclusion. The costumes looked baaaad with the gems.

Well, my context was referring to the poll we did a few months back when Cutie Mark Chronicles was voted 4th favorite episode, after Party of One, Sonic Rainboom, and one other one I can't remember.

[Thoth]

Well, I have quite a few favorites:

Friendship is Magic Part 1 & 2: Just has a really nice feel of introductory, and is one of the few episodes that has a tailor-made "quest" plot besides Dragonshy. And, c'mon, the ending is ABSOLUTELY HEARTWARMING...

Bridle Gossip: An all-around hilarious episode. The dialogue is well-written, the development comes clean and quick for the characters, and obviously the episode is full of fun jokes, from the ever-popular Evil Enchantress song to the famed Flutterguy, xD

Feeling Pinkie Keen: I'll never understand why this episode was so hated by half the fandom. This is actually a very entertaining episode! Pinkie being the same pony we all love, Twilight stooping close-to-insanity to figure her out, and a script that just flows easily from scene to scene. It honestly comes off to me as the smoothest-transitioning episode of the series.

Suited for Success: The first episode I ever saw of FiM. It's written wonderfully, has and EXCELLENT song, and frankly impressed me with how everything was so well-done voice acting and animating-wise. You ask me, if a first impression lasts, it HAS to be good!

If I had to pick a favorite, however.....I'd probably go with Feeling Pinkie Keen. I just find that episode to have a much better re-watch value.

[knight]

...I cheated. I can't pick between two episodes. I apologize if I totally ruined your poll for forever.

[weesh]

...I cheated. I can't pick between two episodes. I apologize if I totally ruined your poll for forever.

IT WAS YOU!

I was wondering what it didn't add up!

In retrospect I should have had only a single poll with 7 episodes missing and an "other" option. I bet I could have picked out some appropriately mediocre options