"My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic": the Bronies are on to something.
Yes, it's true -- while I've been off-LJ, I've gone over to the pony side of the Force, as it were. Since I don't participate in the fandom, I wouldn't say I'm a full-blown Brony by any means, but I enjoy the show and can see why it's developed an adult fandom. I also think it's worth reccing to anyone who hasn't given it a shot.
The original MLP show had/has a bad rep as being sickeningly saccharine, oversimplified, and a shameless toy-selling scheme to boot. At first glance, the retooled MLP:FIM is much the same, with loads of cheesy tie-in toys, shameless commercialization, and a lineup of big-eyed, candy-colored unicorns/pegasi/ponies with names like Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie.
But. What the show also has is:
* Strong, solid characterizations.
* A diverse cast of female role models.
* A witty, and frequently geeky, sense of humor.
* Fun stories, often character-driven.
* Refreshingly un-preachy (for the most part) Life Lessons about cooperation, accepting others, etc.
* Bright, colorful design work.
* Clean, expressive animation.
* Great voice acting.
* Catchy, appropriately-placed musical numbers and songs that actually advance the narrative.
* An upbeat, but not saccharine, worldview.
Yes, it is a kids' show. No, it's not Shakespeare. Yes, they frequently rip off, er, pay homage to Sondheim (but then, you might as well steal from the best). But, overall, the show really and truly shows the ability of good execution to triumph over a crappy premise ("Hey, let's make a show so we can sell little pink ponies to little girls!"). It's a show that most parents probably won't have to suffer through when watching with their young ones. It's a show that even someone (like myself) who doesn't *have* kids can really enjoy; it can be a great de-stressor after a long, annoying day.
And, if one wants to get analytical, it offers fascinating, almost tongue-in-cheek subversions of the tropes expected in a show of this sort. Yes, there are Grand Galas (complete with everyone getting pretty new dresses), Royal Princess Pony Weddings, and all of that -- but they're not what you expect. Really. There are similar inversions of gender roles, a few outright subversive messages (but in a good way, I'd say), and a sneaky willingess to play to their adult fans (characters who become fan favorites are often given more screen time in successive episodes, etc.).
Hasbro has also been fairly lenient about content posted to YouTube -- pretty much every episode of the show thus far is available there, often in multiple downloads. It's a great way to sample (and get hooked). The only annoyance is that good quality DVD sets have yet to be issued, and I think Hasbro's really dropped the ball, there. There are a lot of bronies who would spend a lot of money on such things. Hopefully Hasbro will see the error of their ways in that regard.
Finally, so folks can give the a try for themselves, one of my personal fave episodes is the "reading is fun" PSA, entitled "Read It And Weep" -- it's a charming, character-based story, chock-full of geeky references (especially to Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, and Laura Croft). The summary:
"When Rainbow Dash recovers at a hospital after a stunt flying accident, she becomes hooked on reading 'Daring Do' novels. However, she is afraid to admit to her friends that she enjoys reading, particularly because she previously viewed it as an 'egghead hobby.'"
Enjoy!
The original MLP show had/has a bad rep as being sickeningly saccharine, oversimplified, and a shameless toy-selling scheme to boot. At first glance, the retooled MLP:FIM is much the same, with loads of cheesy tie-in toys, shameless commercialization, and a lineup of big-eyed, candy-colored unicorns/pegasi/ponies with names like Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie.
But. What the show also has is:
* Strong, solid characterizations.
* A diverse cast of female role models.
* A witty, and frequently geeky, sense of humor.
* Fun stories, often character-driven.
* Refreshingly un-preachy (for the most part) Life Lessons about cooperation, accepting others, etc.
* Bright, colorful design work.
* Clean, expressive animation.
* Great voice acting.
* Catchy, appropriately-placed musical numbers and songs that actually advance the narrative.
* An upbeat, but not saccharine, worldview.
Yes, it is a kids' show. No, it's not Shakespeare. Yes, they frequently rip off, er, pay homage to Sondheim (but then, you might as well steal from the best). But, overall, the show really and truly shows the ability of good execution to triumph over a crappy premise ("Hey, let's make a show so we can sell little pink ponies to little girls!"). It's a show that most parents probably won't have to suffer through when watching with their young ones. It's a show that even someone (like myself) who doesn't *have* kids can really enjoy; it can be a great de-stressor after a long, annoying day.
And, if one wants to get analytical, it offers fascinating, almost tongue-in-cheek subversions of the tropes expected in a show of this sort. Yes, there are Grand Galas (complete with everyone getting pretty new dresses), Royal Princess Pony Weddings, and all of that -- but they're not what you expect. Really. There are similar inversions of gender roles, a few outright subversive messages (but in a good way, I'd say), and a sneaky willingess to play to their adult fans (characters who become fan favorites are often given more screen time in successive episodes, etc.).
Hasbro has also been fairly lenient about content posted to YouTube -- pretty much every episode of the show thus far is available there, often in multiple downloads. It's a great way to sample (and get hooked). The only annoyance is that good quality DVD sets have yet to be issued, and I think Hasbro's really dropped the ball, there. There are a lot of bronies who would spend a lot of money on such things. Hopefully Hasbro will see the error of their ways in that regard.
Finally, so folks can give the a try for themselves, one of my personal fave episodes is the "reading is fun" PSA, entitled "Read It And Weep" -- it's a charming, character-based story, chock-full of geeky references (especially to Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, and Laura Croft). The summary:
"When Rainbow Dash recovers at a hospital after a stunt flying accident, she becomes hooked on reading 'Daring Do' novels. However, she is afraid to admit to her friends that she enjoys reading, particularly because she previously viewed it as an 'egghead hobby.'"
Enjoy!