Why I will not watch the Season 4 premiere in livestream, or anytime soon after. (no spoilers) · 10:42am Nov 5th, 2013
Let me start this off with a little reminder: if you have not read this blog, please do. It has good stuff for you to check out.
This blog, however, probably does not.
Now, I made a resolution a while back to stop putting up blogs that are solely concerned with my personal opinions and stick with only posting stuff that is actually relevant to my readers, ie stuff that has to do with my stories, or stuff that has story ideas in it. And what I'm about to say is relevant to my stories, because it has some implications for future works.
I will not be watching the Season 4 premiere on any livestream, nor will I scour Youtube for it the day after it airs. Nor will I be seeking out contact with anyone looking to discuss it. Writing fanfics that include Season 4 canon right after it's introduced is completely out of the question. The same goes for any episode in the following weeks.
You will not be getting Season 4-based content from me, not at first. I don't even know when I will.
Now, unfortunately, given the nature of this topic, I'm forced to start out by saying that this is not a decision based on any preconceptions of the season. I have no problem with Twilicorn, never had one. My distaste for Magical Mystery Cure remains largely focused on the first half of that episode, not the second, but I don't begrudge anyone else their enjoyment of it and I don't feel I should let it bother me. Quentin Tarantino summed it up nicely (click the link in that comment, it's an eye-opener).
I'm not doing this because I think the season will suck, I don't care if it will or not. My reaction is going to be the same regardless. I do not care if Twilicorn turns out to be good or bad. I do not care if Celestia and Luna turn out to die in the first two-parter. I do not care if Rarity turns into a stallion this season. I do not even care if the creators finally address my grievances and introduce a new unicorn colt, or at least give Snips and Snails some better moments. I cannot stress this enough, because I know people will comment on it without reading it, or misunderstand. Also note this whole bit was speculation, nothing more.
If I find a comment saying "It's too early to say if it will suck or not, you're jumping the gun and causing drama" I will delete said comment, because this would clearly come from a person who does not freaking read. None of my reasons will be affected by the quality of the season, be it good or bad.
So, that, said, why not watch it along with the rest of the fandom?
I'll be busy
College work is progressing at a snail's pace (more on that later) and I have far too many stories to worry about already without a new season giving me ideas. I want to finish the TwiDash clopfic before the opener, just so it gets good exposure, but I don't know if I can make that. Even barring that, I want the Spike fics I had in mind to be written at some point, preferably right after the TwiDash thing. If it turns out I predicted an episode (fat chance, I know), I kinda want those bragging rights. If such an episode airs before I can finish, or if someone beats me to writing said Spike fic, then I'll still have the link to the movie the writers based it on. But aside from fics, I want to get back into Blender, finish off the raindeer at long last, and develop some real skills in it. Project Horseapple is on hold, the raindeer is on hold, so many things are on hold it's not even funny. And don't get me started on the stories in the Faux Pas-verse. I have enough on my plate with all that continuity. Speaking of which...
There is no continuity, therefore no pressure to watch
The G4 of My Little Pony is not a consistent story. That's not a riff on the personalities shifting so much -- which, btw, I'm totally fine with, since personality traits oscillate, rather than remain constant -- but a remark on things that have happened throughout the entire series. There is no reason for me to be anxious to see what happens next. This is not Avatar, where there was a clear timetable and a clear progression of the story. Even if a major event happens, it does not fit into a larger narrative. Even if the next season breaks the trend and has a larger narrative, what are the stakes? What unanswered questions at the end of Season 1 made me want to watch Season 2? None, I just kept going because I wanted more. What unanswered questions from Season 2 to Season 3? None. From Season 3 to Season 4? The Equestria Games, I guess? Princess Twilight's issues? Umm... what's supposed to be the draw in these things? What's at stake? This series has always been a blend between a cartoon and a soap opera, leaning more towards cartoons. In a single episode, it can go from cartoony injuries that vanish through whatever means to presenting a monster that's a real threat and creates tension... which is then evaded through cartoon logic again as a means of defusing it.
My point here boils down to this: this show cannot even decide if the ponies we're watching are in their bare skin or are wearing fur. It cannot be expected to really put forth something solid in terms of hook. Just 'wanting more' does not imply I cannot wait. And that brings me to the inevitable point...
The puppeteers are too loud.
Nostalgia Critic said this one best: "Don't complain in a puppet show that you can see the puppeteer, complain instead that you focused more on him than you did the puppet."
Twitter. Facebook. Cons. Every time I've tried talking about an episode or trying to bring some reason to a debate, someone has pointed me to messages that the writers have left. Well... the writers kill it for me. I'm sorry, they do. I like their writing, definitely, but I don't think I could stand them as people. I've seen some of their messages, at least one colleague in chat has had a real conversation with some of them and... there are people on the writing staff whose values run diametrically opposed to mine. I've seen messages, ads, that appeared to be formulated specifically to cause drama among the fans. I've seen them crack jokes on topics that had people genuinely upset. And last but not least, I've seen them completely miss the mark on Big Issues that they thought they were addressing. One Bad Apple is a good episode, I enjoyed it. What happens there is a good depiction of something that can happen. But child bullying is not that thing. Just one example, don't start an argument over this one detail, please.
I've been linked to a panel where they explained some of the ways they write certain episodes and... I had to switch it off after five minutes, I was getting so angry.
I don't want to sound like I hate these people, because I don't. I don't want them to lose their jobs, I do not wish bodily harm upon them. But I cannot, in good conscience, condone the things they've said or agree with their positions.
The puppet show is good, the puppets are entertaining. I just wish the puppeteers would stop shouting so I'm not constantly reminded I'm watching nothing but fake characters.
But wait a second, Cracker, don't you do the exact same thing when replying to your readers?
Yes. I show myself as the puppeteer, I reveal my intentions as an author. And sometimes people just don't bother reading said intentions and make assumptions about me, just like I'm making assumptions about these writers. But I learned the hard way that authorial intent is not the end-all solution. This post-Empathy Cracker only uses authorial intent to cover himself in case people accuse him of anything. The show writers seem to use authorial intent as a marketing ploy, and in my mind have come to rely more on controversy than on quality. And while I may resort to writing controversial stuff, I at least do not market my stories based on controversy. I don't pretend Empathy has a clear right and wrong, nor do I pretend Changeling Blood is an anti-racism pamphlet.
Bottom line on the difference: if something controversial happens in my stories, I don't make that the only reason to read it. If I make a story wherein Bastion is, say, attacked and nearly killed, I will make sure that a lot of other stuff you're not expecting also happens.
So yeah, I'd rather wait until the hype dies down, so I don't get these things thrown in my face when I enter a chatroom, or have my opinions affected before I even watch. Love the creation, cannot stand the creators. The season can be great, I'm sure I'll enjoy it eventually, but that'll be after everyone's done debating it. Count me out, please.
Livestream is breaking the law
Wow, really? You don't want to watch any livestream because it'd be breaking the law?
No, the guys who made it would be breaking the law, technically. As in, the show creators, not the stream hosts. If the Hub imported its programming to my country as it is in America and (I presume) Canada, it'd be breaking the law.
Confused? Let me just paint the picture here so you understand.
Big network, friendly network, lots of cartoons and comedy shows, good brand. Airs the Transformers movie by Michael Bay at 21.00 in the evening. Crowded movie, action movie, geared towards adults. Approximately every half hour there's six minutes of commercial break.
Same network. Airs the Transformers Prime: Beasthunters movie at 9.00 in the morning, before the Beasthunters season fully aired. Lovely movie, even if you don't know who a lot of these guys are or what happened beforehand (although I facepalmed so hard at the ending, nearly shouting "What, AGAIN?" You'll know why if you know your Transformers), suited for kids and great voice acting in the orginal (by the way, first time I ever heard those guys, no dubs for once). You wanna know how many commercial breaks?
Zero.
Quote from wiki: "European Union legislation limits the time taken by commercial breaks to 12 minutes per hour (20%), with a minimum segment length of 20 or 30 minutes, depending on the program content."
'Depending on the program content' means 'special rules apply for children's programming'. I may be wrong here, I may have slipped up in my research, but as far as I know it's not legal to have so many ads in a children's program. Heck, adult programming wouldn't get away with the ads MLP has. I saw the Season 2 finale on livestream, and I could not understand how so much advertising could be present. It's mind-numbing.
So that's another reason for me to avoid livestream: it'd be nullifying the laws that protect me from such inanities.
But lastly, and this one's really embarrassing, not to mention worrying...
Procrastination issues.
Yeah, really. This isn't just being busy, this is needing to get work done and every single distraction hitting harder than normal. Heck, I've been typing this thing for about an hour when I said I'd be outlining my thesis. This, what you're reading right now, is not good for me. I'm going to have to stop doing that, but even the simple task of getting started is proving more difficult than I imagined. I stopped going into (some) chats, wound up entering others and wasting time on blogs I know people usually don't even read.
I cannot add to that. I cannot add outrage at writers, wasting time discussing the new episodes, new fanfic ideas and canon to my list of distractions. Not when I've got experiments to worry about, appointments, and a real problem that is only getting worse with me writing this.
So there you have it. Hope no one minds I'll be sticking to the current canon for my future stories. I'll try to get myself in gear, both for stories and college.
Cracker out.
huh.
You raise some very valid issues with the show staff. I'd like to think that maybe they are just trying to fill the giant gap between season 3 and 4, but obviously what you complained about comprises more than just that. And I consider you lucky to have less ads on television.
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR THESIS!!!!
1484403
Thanks. I'm... I'm not in a good place at the time of writing, seriously.
1484466
I'm tempted to delete that comment, just because I said I would. I seriously hope you're not doing what I think you're doing.
1484471 awwww. Anything I or other members of the community can do to help? We love to help each other out with the magic of friendship! (And I'm saying that completely unironically.)
and yeah, that other comment is asking for it.
1484484
I'm getting college-based counselling, so here's hoping that helps. As for the community, my hanging out with the community is part of the problem. I've already cut a lot of social contact, and I'm faced with having to force myself to become completely isolated, and even that doesn't rule out stuff like Youtube or just working on the wrong thing, let alone writer's block.
If you know anyone who's really good at organising and has tips on managing a crapton of projects, or anyone with a good blog on overcoming scientific writer's block... by all means, send it through. I think I just need to let go and write whatever, figure out edits later. Maybe my head'll hurt less when I've had some sleep.
1484546 maybe this will help? http://pitchpublishprosper.com/beating-writers-block/
I'm a tutor, but I implore you not to go to me for help organizing, as I am EXTREMELY unorganized. My only useful advice as far getting stuck is this: start in the middle and work your ways outward?
Best of luck.
1484571
That might just help.
Thanks.
1484583 No problem
Wow. Nice speech. Especially the part about authors. Approve. But don't give them too much mind, we should be glad that a show with such a strong commercial orientation turns out to be so good.
1486777
Oh yeah, definitely. That's the whole point: I'll still watch when the hype dies down and my procrastination issues have passed. Again, for anyone else reading this, I'm not making assumptions or judgments about the show, there's only been one episode that I really cannot stand to watch, and that one's appealing to a lot of other people, so I don't mind its existence at all. It's behaviour that you just know is going to pop up that I cannot deal with right now.
It's not even all the writers I get annoyed by. I know one of them was in the same boat I was for that damn fic with bullying in it, except he got called out on some religion nonsense. That writer had to put out his views on it, to calm people down and make things clear. It's when they get people up in arms or make inappropriate jokes, or conversely neglect to let an episode speak for itself that I get annoyed. (Deliberately not mentioning names)
I know I shouldn't let things get to me. It didn't used to, that's the whole problem. I came into this fandom on the back of a minor breakdown. My 'normal' self has not been seen in this fandom, but that one could handle stuff like that and laugh at it. Granted, that one also made some very odd pornography... eh, we'll see what happens.
Thanks for the feedback, I am trying to put things in order. Speaking of which, with any luck the Quorum Sensing sequel will be finished tonight, writer's block willing. After that it's thesis and TwiDash.
woooow that's a lot of mostly irrelevant information being posted in here , could have saved me several minutes by compressing all that to "im busy and it's not highest on my priority list" lol.....
1540565
Sadly not an option, since people make assumptions otherwise. Thanks for at least acknowledging the personal problem that spawned this message. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've been trying to get this bloody deer to squint for ten minutes now, and I intend to get it done before bed.
1540573 lolwut?....