Fair point, but the inherent deep flaws in the episodic system of western animation's style of cartoon production are the chunk of the show's flaws that stem from the machine.

You know who else belongs to the machine? Writers that come up with the songs.

What can you say about the songs, first and foremost? Rhyming and rhythm is bad, that's what!

---

Pagetopper, ho◊.

edited 27th Dec '11 11:18:04 PM by thefran

I don't consider the episodic nature of most western animation to be a flaw. While it may seem that way to a dedicated fan who wants more and more out of a show, it allows me to catch a random episode of a show that I've never seen before and still make sense of it, which is something that I simply can't do with more continuity heavy shows. Not to say I don't like continuity, I love it, but both styles have their advantages.

The episodic nature is definitely detrimental to the show since it causes inconsistency in setting and characterization.

When does it do that? While the characterization never really changes, it doesn't have reason to. The lessons learned in each episode aren't incredible, life changing ideals that would change how a character acts. They're smaller, more reasonable things that fit the show's episodic "slice of life" format. They're pretty good about not backpedaling and ignoring past episodes either. I don't really see much to complain about in that department aside from wanting larger, more epic plots, which is understandable, but this just isn't that kind of show.

edited 27th Dec '11 11:52:13 PM by PerpetualLurker

huh◊

Dashie in Over a Barrel and Dashie in MMDW are pretty much different characters.

Fluttershy is WILDLY inconsistent.

This is regarding both the setting and the characterization in question

edited 28th Dec '11 12:09:22 AM by thefran

That has nothing to do with the episodic nature of the show removing character development and more to do with poor writing. Plot heavy shows can drop the ball on characterization between episodes and arcs just as easily an episodic show. Setting is a bit inconsistant, as the geographical features of the area surrounding Ponyville tend to change whenever it's convenient, but it's not something that detriments my enjoyment of the show too much.

Edit: I just want to say ahead of time that I am thoroughly enjoying this as a friendly debate, and I don't want to offend anyone by arguing with them. The internet makes it rather hard to get intentions across, but I hope for this to be a harmless discussion and not a full blown argument.

edited 28th Dec '11 12:17:47 AM by PerpetualLurker

If I say MLP:FIM has poor writing I will be beaten to death with expired popsicles in this very thread.

The problem with episodic shows it that you can't keep something introduced in one episode in other episodes.

edited 28th Dec '11 12:31:28 AM by thefran

A good show can very easily have instances of poor writing, and I don't think anyone will disagree with you on the subject of MMDW's characterization being at least a little bit off (though it doesn't bother me as much as most people). FIM is good a vast majority of the time, which is good enough for me.

And they've kept plenty of things introduced earlier, like the CMC, Zecora, various pets, the mane cast all writing letters and and not just Twilight, the Gala, and that's just off the top of my head.

edited 28th Dec '11 12:36:55 AM by PerpetualLurker

oh yay a mention of mare do well how nice.

As long as it doesn't become the center of the discussion, we'll be fine. I'm sure everyone is too tired of arguing over it to do it again.... I hope >.>

Edit: Anyway, I'm off for the night. Sorry for eating half a page with a thread-murdering debate.

edited 28th Dec '11 1:26:51 AM by PerpetualLurker

Remember bronies, please ask permission of your favorite pony before trying to hug them.

What pets, Angel? Angel is not a pet.

Winona and Owlicious only had a passing mention in May The Best Pet Win, and Tank is nowhere to be seen.

Yes, and don't forget to listen to them, okay ? :p

...Well, back to work, let's figure out that darned timeline.

You forgot about Gummy. And even if Angel may be more of an assistant, he's the closest Fluttershy has of a real pet.

edited 28th Dec '11 1:50:35 AM by DhanaRagnarok

How the hell is angel not a pet?!

Fluttershy is Angel's pet.

Yes.

FLUTTERSHY IS NO MERE PET, FOOL

Fluttershy is actually a member of Spetznaz.

See?

In other news, Pinkie Pie is absurdly hard to write.

What'd I miss?

It really doesn't feel like Pinkie SHOULD be difficult to write

edited 28th Dec '11 5:12:59 AM by gingerninja666

That depends on what kind of story you are trying to write.

Pinkie Pie is hard to write well. Ginger, you said you watch Dan's show Victorious, yes? Have you seen his other shows? Almost all of them have at least one wacky zany character. There, you can see a wide variety of attempts to write characters who are far out.

I'd say none of them succeeded, but some might disagree.

It is hard to write her properly discussing serious things without breaking character.

Oatmeals.

Strangely, in those shows, the zany character is always the only one that I find even remotely TOLERABLE!

Spencer in iCarly

Psychowitz in Victorious.

but I know what you mean. I still say that Merriweather writes her pretty well

edited 28th Dec '11 5:51:04 AM by gingerninja666