QUOTE(Timothy McCorgi @ Jul 2 2012, 12:56 AM)
I don't mean to come off as offensive on this. To each their own and what not. But I am curious what qualities people see in this show has that have produced such a popular following.
ShadowTiger brings up the warm aspects of the plot, to which I have to ask if anyone here watches Parks n' Rec or Community, as those are some of my favorite shows that I find appealing for pretty much that same reason. The opposite of shows like, let's use an extreme example, House, which seem deadbent on making sure everyone is miserable because the writers can't figure out how to write drama otherwise.
I think the biggest appeals are...
1. The series feels like a proper 90s-style cartoon. The animation style employs techniques which were prevalent in mid-90s Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network shows, utilizing the screen as a comic frame rather than just a picture. The sound effects are just the same. In terms of production style, there is something VERY Hanna-Barbera about this show.
2. People don't generally expect it to be as good as it is. Given the track record of previous My Little Pony shows (personally, I loved the old My Little Pony cartoons, but that's just me. Most people can't stand them), people seem to find themselves unexpectedly entranced by the high-quality of the voice acting, animation, musical numbers and BGM, and most of all the writing. Which leads me to my third point..
3. The writing ACTUALLY has something to say. Unlike most cartoons today which exist solely to tell a funny story, Friendship is Magic has an important message every episode. Not only that, but the message has multiple layers. The surface layer is the message Twilight puts in her letters to Celestia. This is the central point of the episode, the message that the kids get. But then just beneath that there's a slightly more subtle message. This is the one you kind of have to be paying attention for, where if you're not properly engaged in the episode, you'll skip right over it. This message is a bit more profound. This message takes a different form in every episode. For example, season 1 episode 9 "Bridle Gossip". In Bridle Gossip, the underlying message is a statement about xenophobia and racism, which ties into the main message of "don't judge a book by it's cover", but also holds its own unique meaning. For many people, finding this hidden meaning in the episodes is a treat.
4. The show was created by people who are just as nerdy as us fans watching the show. They make nods and allusions to outside works, and we catch every one of them. And trust me, they reference a LOT of things. Everything from Star Trek to The Big Lebowski gets some sort of homage in this show. On multiple occasions characters have taken on a likeness to Gollum/Smeagol - in season 1 episode 19, the leader of the Diamond Dogs (who are the villains in this episode) has a very Smeagol-like voice and refers to gemstones as 'his precious'. Then in season 2 episode 3, Twilight has a mental breakdown in which she begins shouting at her reflection in a puddle. And other references? The ending sequence from Season 2 episode 2 was pretty much a direct copypasta from the ending sequence of the first Star Wars film, season 1 episodes 3 and 22 both have Benny Hill style chase scenes (complete with Benny Hill music), season 1 episode 21 in which Fluttershy refers to Spike as "Huffy the Magic Dragon"...the list goes on.
5. The art, the characters, and many of the moments in the show have severe levels of diabetes-inducing adorableness. In a world as cruel as the one we currently live in, some people need a solid dose of cute once a week.
Edited by DavidReinold, 02 July 2012 - 05:25 AM.
Of course I liked it. ^__^
But here we are.
