Post by Vipervertical on May 19, 2011 2:37:00 GMT -5
Alright, I decided it was time to start a review section for TV shows. This isn't just for any old TV shows though, I'm looking for ones most people would scoff at and never watch them purely on principle. The point here is to find a show like this and watch it, and hopefully find a show that's much better than you expected.
I'm not taking this thread as my personal review station, anybody can post a review for TV shows in this thread, just try to make sure it falls in that category. For example, nobody should review Firefly. Even if it isn't all that popular in most places, this site has a HUGE fanbase of it, so it would be wasted. Also, you don't have to watch the whole show. Just try to get 3-5 episodes in at least. Some shows take a while to pick up and you don't want a faulty review because you're missing your facts. And I implore you, read these reviews. You may just learn something very unexpected in the process. You might find a new favorite show.
Anywho, I guess I'll get us started with the best example of the type of show I'm looking for:
Just look at that title card. This is perfect. The kind of show nobody over the age of 5 would ever watch by choice. Nobody except Xinder (and apparently tons of other people, because its strange and unexpected popularity made me curious enough to watch it in the first place. But we'll get into that later). My Little Pony is just stupid, right? Kids show for little girls that doesn't even remotely make any sense and isn't at all interesting. Maybe it was, but not anymore. Let me just give you a quote from the woman behind this revival: Lauren Faust. I'm not exactly sure what her job title is, but she's worked on a number of other good shows in the past like Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Cats Don't Dance (which was a movie actually, if I'm recalling correctly). Anywho, the quote:
I don't know how many episodes I've watched now -they aren't numbered- but I'd wager it's somewhere in the 5-10 range. And I plan to watch them all. Not just because I want to take in all of the facts about it, but also because the show genuinely entertains me.
The first two episodes aren't all that good, I'll admit. It takes a while to warm up to. When watching them I had to keep pausing and laughing at how straight the ridiculous lines were delivered, and how terribly sickeningly sweet the show just...was. Remember, this is a show originally intended for young girls. If you can't overlook the silliness of magical pink ponies talking to each other, this isn't for you. But suspension of disbelief is a wonderful thing.
Now once you get past some of the silliness and find a point where you're actually just watching it like you would any other TV show, you start to see how it isn't really that bad. Each of the main characters (all female, no surprise) is unique. They have different personalities and realistic motivations and behaviors that go along with that. They have good characterization. You can't simply swap out one for another and have them do the same thing. Because they aren't the same.
I guess the closest thing I can compare My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic to would be Powerpuff Girls. Both are intended for young girls and both are more actiony than you'd expect for such a target audience. The formula seems simple: Make a cutesy show with sweetness and adorable characters while teaching children important lessons. MLP actually tones down the cutsiness somewhat from PPG, in my opinion. But it's still got that in spades, nonetheless.
I could pick it apart some more, but I think I'll wrap this up now before it drags on too long. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is exactly what it says on the tin: A show for young girls that follows the exploits of a group of friendly ponies. But what calls to me is that this show is proof of a very important concept. Anything can be good if you put the correct writer behind it. This show is worth a look. If you don't like it, you don't like it. But take it from me, it might surprise you.
EDIT: www.youtube.com/user/pensivepony This person has all of the episodes. ALL OF THEM.
I'm not taking this thread as my personal review station, anybody can post a review for TV shows in this thread, just try to make sure it falls in that category. For example, nobody should review Firefly. Even if it isn't all that popular in most places, this site has a HUGE fanbase of it, so it would be wasted. Also, you don't have to watch the whole show. Just try to get 3-5 episodes in at least. Some shows take a while to pick up and you don't want a faulty review because you're missing your facts. And I implore you, read these reviews. You may just learn something very unexpected in the process. You might find a new favorite show.
Anywho, I guess I'll get us started with the best example of the type of show I'm looking for:
Just look at that title card. This is perfect. The kind of show nobody over the age of 5 would ever watch by choice. Nobody except Xinder (and apparently tons of other people, because its strange and unexpected popularity made me curious enough to watch it in the first place. But we'll get into that later). My Little Pony is just stupid, right? Kids show for little girls that doesn't even remotely make any sense and isn't at all interesting. Maybe it was, but not anymore. Let me just give you a quote from the woman behind this revival: Lauren Faust. I'm not exactly sure what her job title is, but she's worked on a number of other good shows in the past like Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Cats Don't Dance (which was a movie actually, if I'm recalling correctly). Anywho, the quote:
I was extremely skeptical at first about taking the job. Shows based on girls' toys always left a bad taste in my mouth, even when I was a child. They did not reflect the way I played with my toys. I assigned my ponies and my Strawberry Shortcake dolls distinctive personalities and sent them on epic adventures to save the world. On TV, though, I couldn't tell one girl character from another and they just had endless tea parties, giggled over nothing and defeated villains by either sharing with them or crying–which miraculously inspired the villain to turn nice. Even to my 7-year-old self, these shows made no sense and couldn't keep my interest. No wonder the boys at school laughed at my Rainbow Unicorn Trapper Keeper.
From what I've seen since I've grown up, little has changed. To look at the quality of most girls' cartoons, it would seem that not one artist really cared about them. Not one designer, not one background painter, not one animator. Some of the more well-meaning, more expensive animated productions for girl audiences may look better, but the female characters have been so homogenized with old-fashioned “niceness” that they have no flaws and are unrelatable. They are so pretty, polite and perfect; there is no legitimate conflict and nothing exciting ever happens. In short, animated shows for little girls come across as boring. Stupid. Lame.
This perception, more than anything, is what I am trying to change with My Little Pony.
From what I've seen since I've grown up, little has changed. To look at the quality of most girls' cartoons, it would seem that not one artist really cared about them. Not one designer, not one background painter, not one animator. Some of the more well-meaning, more expensive animated productions for girl audiences may look better, but the female characters have been so homogenized with old-fashioned “niceness” that they have no flaws and are unrelatable. They are so pretty, polite and perfect; there is no legitimate conflict and nothing exciting ever happens. In short, animated shows for little girls come across as boring. Stupid. Lame.
This perception, more than anything, is what I am trying to change with My Little Pony.
I don't know how many episodes I've watched now -they aren't numbered- but I'd wager it's somewhere in the 5-10 range. And I plan to watch them all. Not just because I want to take in all of the facts about it, but also because the show genuinely entertains me.
The first two episodes aren't all that good, I'll admit. It takes a while to warm up to. When watching them I had to keep pausing and laughing at how straight the ridiculous lines were delivered, and how terribly sickeningly sweet the show just...was. Remember, this is a show originally intended for young girls. If you can't overlook the silliness of magical pink ponies talking to each other, this isn't for you. But suspension of disbelief is a wonderful thing.
Now once you get past some of the silliness and find a point where you're actually just watching it like you would any other TV show, you start to see how it isn't really that bad. Each of the main characters (all female, no surprise) is unique. They have different personalities and realistic motivations and behaviors that go along with that. They have good characterization. You can't simply swap out one for another and have them do the same thing. Because they aren't the same.
I guess the closest thing I can compare My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic to would be Powerpuff Girls. Both are intended for young girls and both are more actiony than you'd expect for such a target audience. The formula seems simple: Make a cutesy show with sweetness and adorable characters while teaching children important lessons. MLP actually tones down the cutsiness somewhat from PPG, in my opinion. But it's still got that in spades, nonetheless.
I could pick it apart some more, but I think I'll wrap this up now before it drags on too long. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is exactly what it says on the tin: A show for young girls that follows the exploits of a group of friendly ponies. But what calls to me is that this show is proof of a very important concept. Anything can be good if you put the correct writer behind it. This show is worth a look. If you don't like it, you don't like it. But take it from me, it might surprise you.
EDIT: www.youtube.com/user/pensivepony This person has all of the episodes. ALL OF THEM.
__THISRES__56546.jpg)
