Favorites of 2017!

Like last year, I'm doing a favorites of the year blog. Like last year, that means entertainment I found that I really enjoyed in 2017; it does not have to have come out in 2017. Unlike last year, it also means entertainment I went back to this year that still makes an impression on me, as should have been the case last year. Also unlike last year, I'm going to try to provide a tiny blip about why it's all on the list, though in the case of fan fiction, I might simply not remember (I'll refer back to my comments on the stories a lot for help).

Favorite TV Shows I Saw in 2017

1. My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. Wow. Last year, this wasn't even on the list. The show was slowly losing me season 6, and then season 7 turned out to be one of my favorite seasons. What a comeback. And now I've decided that FiM is my favorite piece of entertainment of all time.

2. Cutthroat Kitchen. I don't like any other game/reality shows nearly as much. I've watched six seasons of this, despite it being the same thing over and over. It's not too dumb or too bland. It's over the top but not too much and still professional.

3. We Bare Bears. I see this as the ideal kids show. Sweet but still joke heavy, with a good cast of characters and pleasant art style. Every kid deserves to see a couple cartoons like this one.

4. Hanazuki. This is a really weird one, but it's proof Hasbro can do more than one enjoyable cutesy girls show. There's a surprising amount of danger and continuity in this series. That plus a good art style and great protagonist make this a gem. (Don't judge based on the short that came before the MLP Movie. The show's better.)

5. Bojack Horseman. Returning from last year. A continuity heavy dramedy with a good cast. Season 4 was my favorite season yet. I liked that it was a bit lighter than seasons 2-3, preventing darkness induced audience apathy.

6. Talespin. Just a fun, old school cartoon. Thanks Nostalgia Critic for letting me know it exists (I never had cable).

7. Star Trek: Voyager. I watched mostly just the most popular episodes and had a good time. Seven of Nine is great.

8. Catch Phrase. A clever British game show where the contestants must guess a phrase based on a computer image.

9. The L Word. For a soap opera, this show starts off low key and isn't constant melodrama and freaking out. That flies out the window season two, along with character likability, but for the first season this was surprisingly enjoyable, and has very very good acting.

10. A Series of Unfortunate Events. This one's a mixed bag and I don't recommend it, but I had fun with the wonky thing that it was. I enjoy Violet and Klaus as characters. Perfect, smart children entertain me. Also, best TV intro I've seen in some time.

Favorite Movies I Saw in 2017

1. Schindler's List. I don't have much interest in war and history, and yet this is now one of my top five favorite movies. Beautiful and horrifying. Just as scary as a horror movie.

2. Moana. First movie I'd seen in the theater since Amazing Spider-Man 1, and it was a wonderful experience. Moana is full of Disney cliches, but those cliches are polished to a shine, the backgrounds are beautiful, and the songs are my favorites I've heard from Disney in a very long time. I must've watched How Far I'll Go forty times. Also, I think Moana is my favorite Disney protagonist. She has the right mix of sentimental and adventurous.

3. Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree. It's held up on rewatching, and I listened to the songs many times. It's a shame Friendship Games and Legend of Everfree don't appear to be as popular as Rainbow Rocks. I find them much more fun honestly.

4. The Dark Knight Returns Part 2. I find Batman more interesting as an old guy.

5. Finding Dory. This one's weird, because it's so blatantly pointless yet also so very good. Another enjoyable Pixar movie to toss on the pile.

6. Puss in Boots. More different from Shrek than I expected. It's more of an adventure movie than a comedy. Don't remember it well, but I enjoyed it for sure.

7. Father of the Bride. Caught this on TV while locked out of my duplex. It's a very sentimental movie, but if you can connect with it emotionally, it's quite touching. Not for everyone.

8. Inside Out. One of the best ideas for a story ever. My eyes were watery for a lot of it.

9. Doctor Strange. Fun flick. Easy watching.

10. Kung Fu Panda 2. My favorite of the three. Oddly enough, it's a rather serious story, with a good villain who almost seems aware that the script intends him to lose.

Favorite Video Games I Played in 2017 (The first half of this year was probably the most gaming heavy I've ever been.)

1. Stardew Valley. Was also number one last year. This is my favorite game I've played in the past five years. Charming, pretty, pleasant, addictive, and lengthy. What a nice time sink.

2. Rhythm Heaven. Bought used for five dollars. What a surprise! All you do is tap and slide the stylus, and the game managed to produce a ton of different feeling levels with that. It's intense and very hard, but when I lose I always feel it's my fault, not the game's. I got all 50 perfects in this, and it was easily the hardest thing I've done in any game. Lots of fun.

3. The Last of Us. Was also number three last time. In an odd way, I see this as the real Silent Hill 4. This was a nice way to update survival horror, coming from someone who calls Resident Evil 4 a third person shooter. It's not the story so much I love about TLoU, it's the gameplay. TLoU has my favorite stealth of any game. I enjoy the various weapons, the upgrades, and the hidden collectibles. There's a nice balance of linearity and rewarding exploration. The game looks nice and has a clever ending too. I've beaten it six times now. Survivor was pretty tough!

4. Final Fantasy IX. This was a game I really enjoyed in junior high, lost my taste for after high school, and have now gotten back into. I used to be into this one for its cast of characters, but now its more for the setting and how polished it feels. The game is easy but not too easy, and it's fun learning abilities. There's sort of a relaxed down to earth feel to the game, but it's also epic and strange. I'd completely forgotten about that Terra stuff. The music in Bran Bal is incredible.

5. Rise of Nations. Like an easier, simpler, real time Civilization V. It was fun learning to play and trying out different difficulties and modes. Can get pretty addictive too.

6. Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage. Got the urge to beat it again, and it's the same fun game it always was. Just a good ol' run jump and collect game.

7. Doki Doki Literature Club! It's not what you think. The less you know going in, the better.

8. Batman: Arkham City. Beat it a second time. Doesn't get too easy on a replay. The sort of game where you're traveling to your objective and get distracted by funsies. I like that most of the puzzles are optional. Getting stuck on puzzles that aren't optional is no fun. Good graphics and combat.

9. Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love. Looking for something different? Like maybe an optimistic dating sim that takes place in 1930s New York and stars stage actors who pilot mechs? Why yes, it is a Japanese game! One with good characters and fun mini-games. I like the mechanic of your dialogue choices being on a timer. Telltale games do it too, but somehow it's more fun here.

10. Banished. A sim game where you have a group of settlers in the country, and put down buildings and decide who has what job and try to keep everyone from dying. It's a fairly chill hands off game, moreso than I'd normally like, but here it works. I enjoy putting on Youtube relaxing game music compilations while I play, though the game's music is fine.

11. Final Fantasy III. The remake. Nothing's particularly great about this game, yet I keep coming back to it. I guess I just like jobs, and pleasant simple 3D graphics.

12. Red Dead Redemption. An all around solid game that's easy to fill time with.

13. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call. A guilty pleasure fanservice game. Fun for a while.

14. Pokemon Black. Tried a Nuzlocke and got pretty far. Had fun. I almost always enjoy the Pokemon formula.

15. Ridge Racer Type 4. A simple, short, polished, old school racing game. Fun for a bit.

Favorite Pony Fan Fiction I Read in 2017

1. Going Through the Paces (Piccolo Sky). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/117267/going-through-the-paces This one has gotten a little more attention since the author hit the feature box recently (which is how I found this story), but it's still under 1000 views, and man, I feel like this could've been one of those big fan favorites like My Little Dashie, Past Sins, Fallout Equestria, and (sort of) Cupcakes (which I refer to as "the big four"). This author captures the feeling of the show better than any other I've seen. The story is about the mane six struggling to befriend a pony with Asperger's, a type of autism (referred to differently in the story). It's a subject the show would never touch, yet the story feels so right in a universe with friendship as the main theme, and the author has Asperger's so he/she knows what he/she's talking about. Also, alongside Fluffle Puff and Epcot from Appledashery, Misty Meadows is one of my favorite OCs.

2. Tinnitus (shortskirtsandexplosions). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/59187/tinnitus My third favorite skirts story after Appledashery and Apple Cider Doughnuts, though I don't really remember it. My comment reads: "This was a freaky, bizarre, emotional fic. I liked it a lot. I love it when I don't really get what's going on in a story but it's gripping anyway through sheer poetry and atmosphere. It was almost chilling, but there was a sweetness to it. It was an oddly positive story. All I know is that it had a really cool feel to it and I was totally absorbed."

3. In the Garden of Good and Evil (Cold in Gardez). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/75104/in-the-garden-of-good-and-evil I'll warn upfront that this story has a frustrating ending, but I loved the rest of it. Cold in Gardez really likes to weave in explicit sex scenes in a non-pornagraphic, story driven way (Salvation was masterful at this past the early chapters), and this story is an example of that. Part of my comment: "It was a Mature story that was actually mature. Paced and characterized beautifully and never gross."

4. Then Tomorrow Came (PonyAmorous). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/19567/then-tomorrow-came This main thing I remember about Then Tomorrow Came is that this story, similar to The Last of Us, has a morally gray ending where I understand what led the main character down the path they're on. Looking through my comments though, there was apparently a lot of humor in the early chapters, which is nice. I like a story that play both the light and dark sides. Here's part of my last comment: "There's actually a lot of great introspection in this fic. It could've so easily just been "Twi loves Dash, but Dash loves Applejack, and now Flutter loves Twi, wow this is some crazy drama lulz!" but it elevates beyond that due to all the complexities going on in Twilight's brain. Very good stuff. " I think this was my best comment though: "Love is like a villain in this story. It's doing as much damage as any monster I've ever seen. "

5. Something Like Feeling (shortskirtsandexplosions). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/70734/something-like-feeling Some background info on the friendship between skirts and Ponky helps to get the most out of this one. It's a story inspired by that friendship, though could likely be enjoyed simply as a story about two characters who are opposites in many ways.

6. Self-Control (Trick Question). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/391616/self-control This was the first one where I looked at the title and went "What the hell is that?" I forget fan fiction easily and don't reread it. My comment's not the most helpful: "This'll sound weird, but I really like that Spike has a cold in this. It adds some down to earth nuance in a messed up sad story. It's just a quaint little unnecessary thing in a story that could've been nothing but straight pain." Yeah, actually, Spike's calm demeanor is the main thing I remember about this story. I think it's one of those Twilight Zone kind of stories.

7. Shall I Compare Thee (Cold in Gardez). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/340086/shall-i-compare-thee THIS I remember. It's a little closer to porn than Salvation or In the Garden of Good and Evil, but the character stuff is great. It's actually one of my favorite depictions of Twilight. I remember how sharp and bold and almost mean this story was. Rarity is no nonsense here, though sweet when it's most important to be. Part of my comment: "However, it was simply so well written, and so pure and sure of itself, that I overcame the ways in which the subject matter didn't appeal to me. This version of Twilight felt truly alive ... it was certainly a good character story, one that felt very real, and sharp as a tack."

8. In Bloom (Pascoite). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/135236/in-bloom Ah, the story that more than any other led to Pascoite becoming my 4th favorite fanfic writer, after skirts, Gardez, and MythrilMoth (boy, one of these is not like the others). It's not a happy story, but when I look back on it I smile. I remember it, but I don't want to spoil any of it. If you like freaky twists (that aren't too gory or anything like that) then consider giving it look.

9. The Price of Happily Ever After (MrNumbers). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/386399/the-price-of-happily-ever-after I feel like authors hit Rarity stories out of the park more often than any other main six. Big industries like fashion can be brutal, and it's engaging to see Rarity caught in its gears. Part of comment: "Layered, smart, respectable, and professional. A slow burn that just gets better and better." However I also say: "the cartoonish opening scene clashed with the rest of the story I felt; it never quite sat with me" so be prepared for that if you check it out.

10. Sunset Shimmer's Guide to Pissing Off Your In Laws (Dubs Rewatcher). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/364257/sunset-shimmers-guide-to-pissing-off-your-in-laws I remember this being a solid down to earth character drama, and liking that Sunset has a bit of a rage problem (it fits with my favorite scene in Friendship Games). I also remember, for whatever reason, disagreeing with a lot of complaints in the comments. If I remember right, they seemed to feel that Sunlight and Twilight do nothing wrong in the story, which I felt was not true. My comment doesn't shed more light. If you like serious Sunlight fics . . . then you've probably already read it! It has almost 7000 views.

11. Touch Me, Please, Don't Touch Me (Dubs Rewatcher). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/383619/touch-me-please-dont-touch-me Have you ever been depressed? REALLY depressed? You may well find this story engaging. If not, you may instead say "Where's the plot, and the ending?" Part of my comment: "This is the GOOD kind of simple writing, that has impact and energy."

12. Unwell (HazamaBrony). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/106486/unwell I remember assuming this story would be REALLY dark and freaky based on the cover art, and it's not, really. "This story has a very interesting structure. Twilight is clearly the protagonist, but almost none of the story is from her perspective. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything quite like it." "Most of the time, when something seemed a little bit off, it was addressed in a chapter or two. Twilight and Doctor Hooves were characterized particularly well, the pacing was good and flowed well, and there was plenty of stakes but also some good jokes to prevent melodrama." Be aware that it ends in a To Be Continued.

13. The Color of the Stars (Cold in Gardez). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/368526/the-color-of-the-stars I don't remember this for shit and my comment is vague. "Lots of subtle characterization and bits of world building, plus a nice twist."

14. Friendship is Strawberries (Georg). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/386670/friendship-is-strawberries Barely remember at all. "A warm and loving story. It occurs to me how odd it is that I haven't read many stories that have this sort of beautiful bond between the mane six..." Sounds like a sweet one.

15. Rookies (sPark). https://www.fimfiction.net/story/383972/rookies When I click on a romance story, this is the baseline for what I'm hoping to see. A believable conflict between two characters that isn't too melodramatic. "This was a heartfelt, genuine, character driven slice of life story."

Youtube: I can't really make a list for Youtube since I got a lot of the same stuff out of it this year that I did last year, but I watch more Youtube than TV. There's generally videos I want to watch every day, and I like having them on while I eat. After a long period of only occasionally being into Best Friends Play, I'm fully back into it now, thanks to playthroughs like The Last of Us, Until Dawn, and LA Noire. Those first two are my favorite playthroughs by them. Nostalgia Critic continues to do his thing that I like. I'm happy he has so much side content, which I sometimes enjoy more than the main videos. Digibro released some randomly amusing videos on his office furniture. I prefer him talking about random junk to talking about anime. Jaiden Animations continues to delight with her wholesome, human comedy stories, though my favorite video of hers is the searing and serious Why I Don't Have a Face Reveal. The Game Grumps side series Doodle Doods made me laugh like mad and I wish it hadn't ended. I found a couple amusing lets players, Call Me Kevin and Dunkey, the former of which released the funniest thing I saw all year, Harry Potter Book but it's Written by a bot, which I'd recommend to all Harry Potter fans. I also discovered LiliPichu, a sweet looking little Korean girl who swears up a storm, and her friends on Offline TV, a bunch of funny dorks who fail at life. I continue to watch a ton of CinemaSins, which isn't really funny or really a review, but it works as easy watching to throw on.

I sadly discovered nothing new in the world of pony videos that was all that awesome, the first year where that's the case, but the video SFM Bacon rampage is randomly funny and the only SFM video I like, cause it uses the creepiness of SFM to its advantage if anything. I do rewatch PMV I Swear, I Lived and Numb/ Pony I Want to Be (the latter of which has to be seen to be believed) a lot. I get nostalgic for the days of Digibro, Tommy Oliver, TBBBAP, Fiery Joker, and TheMysteriousMrEnter all reviewing the small horse program at once. It was like having two separate entities to look forward to each week.

As someone who ignores the worlds of politics and celebrities as much as possible, as far as I'm concerned it was another good year!

Comments

[394VikingPinkiePie]

I'll be checking out most of the fics you recomended, they sound really good