Just Watch 5 Episodes...

You know what pisses me off? When people write about the unique nature of the fandom and include the line "a show aimed at 12 (or whatever) year old girls." But they haven't watched an episode. If they had then I would tell them to watch 2. Then 3. At this point it's probable that without coaxing, they'll watch a couple more.

This is key. I believe that 5 episodes (must be in sequence) is what is required to get the idea of what is going on. As my profile suggests, in years I'm probably one of the oldest brony's out there, at least the calendar says so as does my mirror, but inside - I'm far younger. At Baltimare with my daughter and wife, I was making comments about Harshwhinny getting no love (based on what I wasn't seeing) and people were giving me very strange looks. I can discuss the show with anyone. I can even digress, as you can see...

Here is what I'm getting at - at my age, finding that I like this show has caused a great deal of internal struggle. A GREAT DEAL of internal struggle. I love the characters, the art, the stories, the fans. Yeah, yeah, yeah. My wife is sick of hearing "I think I know what it is about the show..."

Last week I finally figured it out. Well a big part of it.

They're all flawed. All of them, and they know it, but in the way that we all know it. In a million little ways Twi, AJ, Dashie, etc, are aware of themselves and they reveal it in such incredibly subtle ways that after you have watched about 5 episodes you begin to see it. Why do each of you check your stories rankings etc all the time? Because your NEEDY!! Most writers are very needy. It's a flaw, but we all have it and it's great. Why doesn't Twilight get all that upset when she gets teased for being an egghead? Because she is one and she laughs at herself for it. AJ pushing that inkwell out of position and just about giving Twilight a coronary was NOT a typical scene from a show aimed at 12 year old girls. As adults we get it, but a kid might think "oh she has really good hearing" An adult might think "that reminds me -I should download the first season of "Monk'"

This show has colorful ponies who are funny, yeah, well, I know people like that. The deal is this - if you watch Seinfeld, Kramer and George and Elaine are goofy and funny to us. Why? Because they are flawed - INCREDIBLY flawed, BUT and this is the thing - they don't know it. They have no clue how others see them, but you and I do. We're in on the joke - we get it, but they have no clue. Look at Cliff from Cheers - we're all with Norm and Sam, laughing at Cliff who is completely unaware of how he is perceived. We are constatnly reminded that this isn't really how people behave. (Yeah I know Larry David and Kenny Kramer, I get it) but their characteristics were amped up for the show.

The ponies laugh at themselves and do it very subtlety. Rarity knows she's a diva but never does she do it with a wink, she almost does, but doesn't cross that line. That is great writing. The billions of nods to the fandom is another great part of the show. The shows writers clearly Google "Rule 34" - Rainbow Falls and Princess Twilight Sparkle part II. Oh stop it! You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about you perv! But the pony's play along like the good sports they are.

If you don't understand that last sentence they you're missing out on my favorite aspect of the show.

I keep saying that the characters are 360 degrees. You can throw them into the sea, and dive in after them with a GoPro camera and film them from any direction and you'll see pony. (you know I'm writing metaphorically right?) They are not 2 dimensional, they are fully fleshed out. Any of us would take any of them as a friend at any time. If Fluttershy landed in front of you right now, you would be able to talk to her meaningfully about things right? Same with any of them. Would you want George, Elaine or Kramer for a friend? Somehow you know there is a dark side there that is beyond the sit com. Even on Friends - the supposed adult version of Friendship is Magic. I don't think I'd like to hang with any of those. - they're 2 dimensional, like most other TV characters. How does the team at MLP do this without being sappy or saccharine? That is their art.

The first piece I wrote but didn't publish was an interview with Twilight for Playboy. I asked her about her role on the show and what she thought of the fans etc. It came from one of my favorite aspects of the show that goes right to the heart of it.

The one thing that is emblematic of the show. If someone asked me to summarize the brilliance of the show in two words what would they be?

Lens flare.

Think about it.