Snake, you are so Random: Let's Watch My Little Pony

[Donomni]

Honestly, I thought this episode was great. Spike, obviously, but if this episode leads to more Rarity as a sly chessmaster, I'd be all for it.

[Azisien]

So I'm four episodes in right now and it's pretty good. Going to keep watching it for sure. Oh yeah, My Little Pony is the only TV I watch. Woo.

[PCD]

Returned, Because I Like It Too

What has driven me insane for so long is the needless inclusion of romance in kid's shows that I never felt added much beyond "look, boys and girls like each other, it creates drama." Namely, as an asexual individual, I've been frustrated by the lack of presence of platonic friendship between girls and boys that aren't already in a relationship.

Spike's crush on Rarity isn't fully ideal in this, but it has yet to become obnoxiously prominent in any regard. There are full episodes where he doesn't favor Rarity over his other friends at all (which some could see as inconsistent writing, but I choose to take it as not being excessively hammered with BOYS LIKE GIRLS or that crushes have to take priority over all friends), and like you said, Spike isn't being treated as the hopeless buffoon over it, either. His dream sequence was something we've all seen before, but very silly and never taking itself seriously. It's being treated as something the girls find acceptable, if perhaps unlikely for anything to come of it, since I certainly can't see Rarity much reciprocating.

Personally, I love Rarity's character. I can see how people would take issue with her girly behavior, not wanting to ruin her pedihoof despite being in danger, or simply annoying her captors being portrayed as using her wits. It certainly isn't a realistic portrayal of a kidnapping, but I found the sequence of her refusing to compromise herself and chewing out her captors for it to be really entertaining. The other girls had their own imagination of Rarity being helpless due to her loathing of dirt and work, but Rarity herself never let her panic get the best of her.

Basically, I love it when there's a character who's very very feminine in a show, but not shown as either weak or pure bitch for it. She really won me over in the Suited for Success episode, which showed off that being prissy doesn't mean you don't look out for your friends. She embodies Generosity for a reason, and though she might sometimes mess up for it, like in Sonic Rainboom, her heart is in the right place, and that's what makes a friend. She's prissy, but not in the way of so many bitchy female antagonists you see on television. I know people will take issue with her character, but honestly all the girls are flawed in one way or another, and it's the combination of their flaws and strengths that make them each great characters.

[synkr0nized]

Oh no I missed you watching more?

[Kim]

Chiptune version of Art of the Dress


FFFFFYESSSS

[Flarecobra]

If you were going to introduice someone to this, what episode would you say would be best used?

[Kim]

Most people seem to say the pilot, but I honestly think the pilot is the worst episode, though it still has plenty of ace parts. The Griffon episode is a good one, I think, as is the dragon one with Fluttershy.

[Solid Snake]

Originally Posted by Flarecobra

If you were going to introduice someone to this, what episode would you say would be best used?

Disagree on the Griffon episode -- despite including a great deal of awesome Pinkie Pie moments, it doesn't really highlight the group dynamics sufficiently to make it the best episode to show a newcomer, in my opinion.

Personally, I'd strongly recommend the episode (and no, I don't remember the name) where Fluttershy confronts the dragon. You know the one. It's perfect because it has the major characters interacting together through the course of their adventure up the mountain, it includes some moments that reveal the personality traits of the respective characters, has great Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy moments, Rainbow Dash kicks a dragon, and...yeah.

...It's my favorite episode in the series, really.

EDIT: Apparently I missed NonCon pointing out that episode after mentioning the Gilda one.

EDIT 2: HOW DID I FORGET MY PINKIE PIE FONT

[Donomni]

It's called Dragonshy(SO CREATIVE), and yeah, it's an excellent episode to introduce people to in regards to everypony.

[PCD]

Winter Wrap-Up is also a good one, since it's got all the girls in there, it gives a pretty good feeling for how things work in the world of Equestria. It's still secondary to Dragonshy, though, since that one has more badass moments, and an actual sense of potential danger. Winter Wrap-Up has the advantage of a stupidly catchy song, though.