Have MLP Fans and Whovians Become WAY too Negative? · 10:30pm May 30th, 2014
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This...is something that I've been pondering for quite some time. It's something that has frustrated me to no end and something that I really want to talk about. However, I'm not sure how to really go into this. I question whether my thoughts about this are warranted. Is it something that's really happening or is it just my own biased perspective on seeing people brutally criticize and/or insult episodes and aspects I enjoy from both shows? But, you know what? Screw it. I'm going to go ahead and give my thoughts about this so I can just vent out this frustration and move on.
Where to begin, where to begin? I guess I kinda started to notice this a little while after I found out about how A Canterlot Wedding had a divisive reaction and when I discovered all of the CR drama. In relation to the MLP fandom, the rise in negativity definitely started with Season 3, which has now become a popular punching bag within the fandom. Even today, while I admit that Season 3 had a few hiccups here and there, I don't really see why the season even gets labeled anywhere close to bad. To me, it has the same good/bad ratios, strengths, and flaws as the other three 26-episode seasons. I could go on and analyze my opinions of each episode of Season 3 alongside the common complaints but I think I'm going to save that for a later blog or something. For now, I'll state that, like Eli "The Cartoon Hero" Stone, I definitely see Season 3 as the "Season of Brony Freakouts". This was the season that effectively split the fandom in two and began the now-expected trend of a portion of the fanbase losing their sh*t over every little change, revelation, teaser, whathaveyou. They've redeemed Discord?! They made Twilight an alicorn?! They're making a movie about a human Equestria?! They're getting rid of the Elements of Harmony?! They're making another EQG movie?! Celestia's temporarily transferring her power to Twilight?! Golden Oak Library has been destroyed?! THE SHOW IS RUINED FOREVER! I'M LEAVING THE FANDOM! As I've said in the past, it's sad how it's now become the norm for a part of the fandom to flip out over Every. Single. Little. Thing.
And the rise of the "pony analysis" bandwagon hasn't helped things. Now, I'm not outright bashing the pony analysis portion of the fandom as I myself enjoy some of them. If you want to make a video giving your thoughts about an episode all the while showing off an OC pony vector in front of MLP clips and pictures? Fine. If you want to pick apart an episode, season, character, whathaveyou down to the f*cking bone marrow and examine layers and hidden messages that probably aren't there except through your own perspective? Fine. At first, it was a cool little subsection of the fandom. Now it seems that everyone has jumped onto this bandwagon and the phrase "everyone's a critic" hasn't been more relevant. It also doesn't help that some of the pony analysts have taken negative turns throughout the past year or so (not mentioning any names).
And, you know, the thing that annoyed me the most about all those people who left the fandom after Magical Mystery Cure was because they didn't give alicorn Twilight a chance. They instantly deemed it as the death of the show and left. I mean, I'll admit that MMC has its flaws, no doubt about that, but...really?! Well, my only response to those people who left because they believed absolutely nothing good could come from Princess Twilight is this: Twilight's Kingdom. I know that may be just my opinion but, as far as I can tell, that finale's received mostly lots of praise from the fandom (an MLP finale that isn't polarizing?! Shocking, I know). I'm also annoyed by the people who stayed on after MMC but left when Equestria Girls came around. The reason that annoys me is because EQG had next to no impact on the main show afterwards. The biggest contributions it gave were, what, two appearances from Flash Sentry? IMO giving up on MLP because of you not liking EQG is just stupid logic. And do I really need to go over the completely unnecessary hatred that Flash Sentry receives again?
One of the most annoying things I saw from an ex-MLP fan came in the form of artist SmittyG. Now, I'm not going to lie and say that I was a super OH MAH GOD crazy fan of his artwork (mostly because a fair share of it is Rule 34 that I personally don't have a particularly large interest in...for obvious reasons) but I honestly liked a few pieces of his fan art. However, a little while ago, I was scrolling through some of my old favorites on my Deviant Art account when I noticed that the few pieces of his art I had in my favorites had strangely disappeared. I went to his account and found out both that he was no longer a fan of the show and that he had decided to delete all of his MLP fan art. Now, granted, part of his reason for doing this was that apparently his Tumblr account had been taken down; though I'm not sure what led to it. It's not really made clear as to why it was taken down but, from what I could tell, it was based around his MLP fan art (most likely the Rule 34 stuff). So, in response to this, he decided to delete all of his MLP-based fan art from Deviant Art and actually went the extra mile to also have it removed from Derpibooru, e621, and Paheal. All of this apparently so he doesn't get linked to MLP anymore and so his future Tumblr accounts won't be deleted (because I guess Tumblr accounts get deleted based on the art the artist has on other websites...really?). He called this a "change of identity"; but, to me, this came off as more of a "I'm not part of the fandom anymore so no one should be allowed to enjoy my fan art anymore" move. It's the equivalent of me deleting all of my Doctor Whooves stories because I decided to stop watching Doctor Who (which will never happen...EVER). It's a "punish the fans too" situation. Besides, that move was pretty pointless because all of his artwork can still be found all across the internet. So, Smitty, you're always going to be linked to MLP because the internet is FOREVER. Also, you'd much rather be known as a Rule 34 Littlest Pet Shop artist that an MLP artist? Yeah because that's certainly a step up... -_- ponyKillerX may not be a fan anymore but at least he left his art up.
Also, something happened within the fandom recently that completely disgusted me. Apparently, some people were so angry about Pinkie Pie's bad portrayal in Filli Vanilli that they decided to send death threats to the writer of the episode: Amy Keating Rogers. What the f*ck? Wait, you know what? I'm not censoring this. What the FUCK?! Sending death threats to Amy Keating Rogers?! The writer of Applebuck Season and fucking Pinkie Pride?! All because you didn't like Pinkie Pie's portrayal in one of her episodes?! Now, I'll admit that I didn't like Pinkie in that episode either but it certainly didn't get me angry or make me stupid and butthurt enough to send fucking death threats to any of the staff! I even distinctly remember one of the guys in the "Two Best Brothers Bitch About Ponies" review of Filli Vanilli saying (and I quote), "Worst episode of all time. Hate it. 0-10. Amy Keating Rogers, kill yourself." That was completely and utterly uncalled for! Not even the Whovians, as infamously angry as they can get (seriously, just look up anything involving a Steven Moffat debate or something), have sent death threats to the writers of the show (as far as I can remember or have seen). I can't even remember an instance where Steven Moffat received a death threat from someone in the fandom. I'm going to say that again. Steven Moffat, someone who's received loads of hate from the Whovians (most of it unwarranted IMO) doesn't receive one death threat (as nobody should as death threats are always uncalled for) but Amy Keating Rogers, a mostly well-praised MLP writer, receives loads of death threats because she wrote Pinkie Pie badly in one episode. The angry Moffat haters now have a higher standard of maturity than some people in the MLP fandom. What the flying fuck is wrong with you people?!
Seriously, it seems that it's taken only around two years or so for MLP fans (and ex-MLP fans) to reach the level of negative nitpicking (and beyond) that the Whovians took fifty years to develop! And speaking of Whovians...
Where to begin, where to begin. Well there's the whole RTD vs. Moffat debate, the polarizing opinions of every companion ever, the recent move of the fandom to make Series 6 and 7 popular punching bags, the visceral Moffat hatred, the claims that Moffat is apparently sexist, the claims that Peter Capaldi won't be a good Doctor because he's not young and attractive, and it goes on and on and on. Maybe, perhaps, the negativity within the Doctor Who fanbase isn't exactly new news but it's definitely reached a spike during the previous year. Personally, I never understood many of the criticisms of Moffat's writing. The only episode he's written that feel flat for me and had really large flaws in it was The Wedding of River Song and even that episode had some good points. Now, it all comes down to opinions and I understand that but some people just hold this intense hatred of Moffat. It's almost as if they see him as the anti-Christ of the show. And, just like MLP, it feels that a fair number of fans go into episodes with negative expectations with the hope of nitpicking everything down to the bone marrow afterwards.
Again I ask. What happened to just sitting down and enjoying the show? Why all the negativity? I swear, MLP and Doctor Who have received more hate from their fans and ex-fans recently than they did from all the haters they unfortunately created. You know the situation's fucked up when it's like that.
Now...I think I'm done. Sorry for being all over the place with this blog but I just really wanted to vent my frustrations. Do any of you agree with me, by any chance? Have you noticed negative peaks in these two fandoms recently? Or is a fair number of this just an unintentional product of some biased opinion of mine? Either way, like with the CR blog I made way back when, I just wanted to vent a little, get my thoughts out, and move on. I still love being a part of these two fandoms and, of course, I still love watching these two shows. I'm definitely excited about what the futures of both shows have in store. I'm just hoping the negativity I keep coming across dies down in the future. Hopefully.
Have a nice day, everyone and everypony. I'm going to go watch something funny and then do some more writing. Who knows? I might even get another chapter finished today...
......Eeeyup.
~OvO~
Now I feel bad how I freaked out over "Magical Mystery Cure".
But you know in the end I gave Equestria Girls and Season 4 more than a chance, and I did not regret it. 
But you know to be honest, I don't feel this is something that happens in just the MLP and Doctor Who fandom. It happens in so many other ones as well, even the death threats. You think this is bad, I don't know how much you know about Star Wars fans.
Yeah, the MLP fandom's shitheads are really starting to become apparent. I can't say much for DW, though, as I haven't really been in the fandom lately.
I read the entire blog...
I agree so hard about the MLP stuff. ( I Don't watch Doctor Who... )
I now wan't to send an email to Amy. I can't imagin how she feels about it all.
To the people who sent those emails or what ever it was you used to be... lets just go with stupid...
Really? Grow up. There is no need for anything like that just because of a show. When I saw the episode, I didn't want to kill Amy, I wanted to punch Pinkie Pie in the face... so, so hard.
About leaving the fandom.
I think it is a really stupid thing to do. There was a reason you started to watch the show. I bet if you were to find out what that reason was, it is still in the show.
And don't be over critical of the show people... it is still My Little Pony, just be happy it is as good as it is right now, because it could vary easily be worse... (Remember G3?)
There are times when I want to Dropkick the whole fandom, this is one of those times.
How can all of these asshats be so fucking stupid!?!
The more critical a fandom is the more loved franchise. Not overzealous fandoms just don't exist..
2160114 Not the most diehard fan of Sonic, but isn't the idea of guns a little bit out of place in a game with an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog that can canonically run at the speed of light.
Werehog, You lack of shock over a half human Sonic confuses me, or sonic team didn't even research enough to know that "Were" means man. Ah Sonic team.
Hmm I thought people would be more concerned about the stupid boxing tape even though he never punches anyone. Not to mention the scarf.*Dies a little*
Stop everything The sonic boom Sonic has Tape On His Shoes. Whelp, I believe that the character artist has a tape fetish.
th08.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2014/037/e/1/sonic_boom_render_by_nibroc_by_nibrocrock-d75eu9p.png
2 am and commenting on pony things. Goodbye literacy, Hello insane babbling.
2164129 His shoes have been faster than light itself (canonically). I don't think they wear out.
Also there is a difference between "trying something new" and "hitting your head against a wall until the blood spells out guns, something to to do with genetic experiments with amnesia, and alien death god things.
It's
SonicShadow Team, what did you expect, a Sonic game? LOL2164790 So much tape, and scarves *Dies a little more*
But I don't know I haven't really been able to think about anything other than tape and scarves *Dies a little bit less, but still some*
As long as they don't do anything stupid...
techandgaming247.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Sonic-Boom-New-Character-Sticks.jpg
What in the holy name of god is this?
A boomarang, my god.
Puns.
Whelp that's enough life for me. *Dies*
2160114 Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants, which is now in its 15th year on the air, is a wildly popular cartoon series that has also been the subject of immature hostility from "Old" SBSP fans.
2310223 Thanks for reminding me about this, I just stopped having nightmares about the boomerang thing *Shivers*.
About Sega not having sonic as it's mascot. Name one other Sega character? If you can Imagine them being the image of a company.
2310990 I know what they are, a purple thing on the Sonic wiki duh. sp3.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608015795645777767&pid=15.1&w=126&h=145&p=0
EDIT: Really the second result is the sonic wiki...