S4 discussion thread?

Hanley209

So this board appears pretty slow but here's my attempt to keep posts fresh.
S4. Halfway through at this point, thoughts on it? Is the ride ending or is it only getting going?
Also fav episode of this season and least fav

i.e worst

episode.
My vote for fav....toss up between PTS parts1 and 2 and castlemania.
Least fav: Power ponies and filli vanilli.

swiftblade

The best episode, in my opinion, in terms of writing and pacing would probably be "Pinkie Pride". Helped that Weird Al was in it too.

The worst, in terms of writing and pacing, would probably be the Discord episode (Can't remember the name). That was all over the place.

This season is certainly a change of pace. All noticeable influence Lauren Faust had on the show seems to have drifted away completely. The writing is a bit hit and miss.

Still fun to watch though.

Raphael

I think the biggest issue I'm starting to have is that the show is becoming too damn self-aware. Pinkie is being far too pinkie, singing is becoming much more prevalent - hell, they're even referencing memes in show.

Favourite episode was Castlemania, not least because I'm really looking forward to Friendship is Dragons take on it (Screencap comic in the 'what if X was an RPG' vein). Least favourite was probably rainbow falls, because the moral annoyed the crap out of me.

Show is still fun, this seasons metaplot is still intriguing, but I can't honestly say I'd start watching it if this season was my first exposure.

Morag

I really enjoyed the Werid Al episode.

swiftblade

The over arching plot this season, what is in the box, is something to tie it into the new Equestria Girls movie. Watch this space.

So in that sense, I don't have that much faith in that being a sophisticated story element.

If this show wasn't the same familiar animation that we are used to by now, we would think we were watching something else.

I mean, that call back to that one silly (Season 1?) joke on Saturday, was just weird. Basing a whole episode around that was odd.

Hanley209

Pinkie Pride was excellent, it's pinkie's only saving grace this season (Apple's, Apple's, Apple's, Apple's notwithstanding) but i got more outta C-M personally. The last episode was the last straw for me with pinkie

She was just a jerk towards fluttershy, more than that, cruel is the word I'd use. not even funny, which i think they were going for. And Flutter's isn't even my fav pony

.
Also that cadence episode is called Three's a Crowd. Extra disappointing for me as Cadence is best pony :[

Hanley209

swiftblade wrote: »

I mean, that call back to that one silly (Season 1?) joke on Saturday, was just weird. Basing a whole episode around that was odd.

>Implying Bridle gossip wasn't god tier.
Would have been fine with it cept the whole fluttershy is shy thing has been done, and done, and done, and done, and done.
And done.

swiftblade

Hanley209 wrote: »

>Implying Bridle gossip wasn't god tier.
Would have been fine with it cept the whole fluttershy is shy thing has been done, and done, and done, and done, and done.
And done.

It was just a weird flashback. (I love Bridle Gossip by the way) There wasn't much need for it, apart from comedy purposes.

Hanley209

"Raphael wrote: »

Least favourite was probably rainbow falls, because the moral annoyed the crap out of me.

Show is still fun, this seasons metaplot is still intriguing, but I can't honestly say I'd start watching it if this season was my first exposure.

I'd be curious to know the problem with the moral in rainbow falls. Ithat thought that the moral was fine, episode had severe problems in other areas, ie
Bulk biceps not funny, rainbow attempts to screw everyone over to solve the problem, S4 pinkie, etc.
Also to be fair, watching season 1 at this stage I wonder why I kept watching. Nostalgia and seeing how characters have changed since are the best thing about those eps for me now S2 is still awesome.

swiftblade

Hanley209 wrote: »

I'd be curious to know the problem with the moral in rainbow falls. Ithat thought that the moral was fine, episode had severe problems in other areas, ie
Bulk biceps not funny, rainbow attempts to screw everyone over to solve the problem, S4 pinkie, etc.
Also to be fair, watching season 1 at this stage I wonder why I kept watching. Nostalgia and seeing how characters have changed since are the best thing about those eps for me now S2 is still awesome.

I actually started watching during Season 3, which was a season a lot of people hated.

I don't think is getting dramatically worse, I think, at least for me, I'm probably holding it to a higher standard than I did when I first found it. I mean, I fricking loved Pinkie Pride. So they can still pull it off, if they want too.

The tone of the show I just feel has changed. As was said above, it's become sort of too self aware.

Raphael

Hanley209 wrote: »

I'd be curious to know the problem with the moral in rainbow falls. Ithat thought that the moral was fine, episode had severe problems in other areas, ie
Bulk biceps not funny, rainbow attempts to screw everyone over to solve the problem, S4 pinkie, etc.
Also to be fair, watching season 1 at this stage I wonder why I kept watching. Nostalgia and seeing how characters have changed since are the best thing about those eps for me now S2 is still awesome.

IMO, Rainbow should have dropped the Ponyville team for the Cloudsdale one, and the others should have pushed her that way. Rainbow might have been being the best friend she could be by sacrificing her dream of winning at the equestria games to allow the others to have a chance at being there, but her friends should have made her compete with the team she could win with.

Imagine an Irish runner with a Jamaican parent. He can run a relay well enough to qualify on either countries team. Would you really tell him "Ah now, run with the Irish, shure. The other lads'll never make it without you, and while you won't win, you'll lose for Ireland." Personally, I'd tell him to go win an olympic gold medal.

Hanley209

Ah, well ok I'd disagree with you there. I think that if you've said your running with one team, not only for your current home but for your friends, you should stick with that choice no matter the odds of winning/losing/qualifying. It's definitely not acceptable to switch teams just because another team have a better chance of winning.
For me, that's like switching hurling teams to the next parish over because they have a better team and leaving your own parish team to fail because of lack of numbers. Maybe it's my parish parochialism coming out there.
Also it makes huge amount of sense for RD the element of honesty loyalty to stick with her friend and town.
Also basically yeah, I would tell your hypothetical runner to choose to run for whichever country he felt was his home/ the country he felt most loyalty to, not to pick whichever country has a better chance of winning.

Raphael

So you're saying I just suck at Friendship? =p

Hanley209

Raphael wrote: »

So you're saying I just suck at Friendship? =p

Don't feel bad, you suck at just the loyalty bit KLike Rainbow for the first 3 seasons actually. And during pinkie pride.

I love rainbow really, she's my favorite mane 6 pony but...Ya I'm aware of her faults

silja

Has the season finale been shown in Ireland yet? If so, what did everyone think?

swiftblade

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZlNwFXUt40

Seriously though, I found it to be okay. Nothing spectacular, but it was entertaining enough.

Hanley209

I thought it was awesome. Tirek was good, Twilight was angry and the first song was good. On the flipside Celestia's plan was stupid, 2nd song sucks and a crappy new castle looks completely out of place in ponyville. Also Rainbow Power designs looks awful, just awful. In terms of the library being destroyed, Hopefully they'll build a new "Freedom Library" in it's place :] Good finale my 2nd fav after ACW.