Murkrow

I saw the 50th in a movie theater in 3D. :D

I don't know, it felt a bit weird. Tennant looks really old, btw. But it felt like I was waiting for this huge story on the Time War, but it didn't really get to anything I expected until the last like, ten or so minutes. That's when I was like on the edge of my seat going 'HOLY CRAP'. Overall, I think that what happened at the end was very good and well done, it at once undid everything we thought, but at the same time, it didn't. I look forward to what Twelve does with it. Searching I suppose after the regeneration special.

I did not like the regeneration special. I mean the regen itself was very nicely done, and it tied in story wise with the 50th, but I felt it was a little, rushed/pushed.

I have!

Yep. Have a look at my "About Me" part of my profile.

It seems to be working.

That's how I found out about the series too! I'm really glad someone else watches them, because I always feel pretty silly watching them since they're really just glorified infomercials.

I haven't actually! I heard nothing but good things about it and its soundtrack, so I figured I'd give its soundtrack a listen. (It's pretty great. Here's the link, if you're interested.)

Unfortunately, it doesn't hit the states until February, so I'm planning get it around then. But from the sounds of things, it's definitely a game worth checking out, especially if you're into JRPGs.

Did you also notice the postscript I (half-jocularly, half-seriously) added to my signature?

I don't. Do you?

"Although, I think the reason Spongebob has lasted so long is because Nickelodeon sees it as a sort of flagship show for its cartoon channels. Not all of its other shows are as popular, whereas in my experience Cartoon Network shows a lot of things that are most likely quite popular."

Yeah, probably.

"The Hub isn't that brilliant and MLP proved surprisingly popular [so] there is the chance they'll keep it going to keep the Hub active."

If that happens...
...oh crap.

Oh crap.

Oh crap.

You certainly were quick to catch on - when I first watched Cardcaptor Sakura, I didn't suspect a thing, and I watched it subbed (Animax allows you to choose subbed or dubbed). Of course, the local censors scrubbed out all references to Yukito and Toya's relationship (and banned the episode where Yukito tells Sakura how he feels about Toya) because lulMalaysia.

Have you watched Adventure Time before, though?

"I think if MLP goes too downhill it will get cancelled."

Yeah, let's hope it goes the way of the Powerpuff Girls (6 seasons) or Foster's Home (6 seasons), rather than Spongebob (9+ seasons), Rugrats (9 seasons), or Fairly OddParents (9+ seasons). (Yes, all of these jumped the shark around S4-S5.)

Generally, Cartoon Network "gets it" more than Nickelodeon does.

"Although I expect as is the case with the Pokémon fandom, there'll be those who insist it's just as good as always who accuse people who don't like it of wearing nostalgia goggles, and the people who say only season 1 is any good and anything after that should be non-canon and people who like it are just fanboys who never see any fault in anything they like."

Considering how dysfunctional the MLP fandom is, I think this is inevitable.

Wikipedia says that the lobster ep is S10.

Regarding Animax: no, they're not airing K-on at the moment, but they used to. They also used to air Azumanga Daioh, Cardcaptor Sakura, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, but right now, they air more "action-y" fare such as Bleach, Naruto (original AND Shippuden), and Hunter X Hunter, as well as more comedic stuff, like Sgt. Frog and Hayate the Combat Butler.

Almost forgot: do you watch Adventure Time? If you don't, I think you should - you would like it, given your taste in other shows.

By the way, have you checked out the vids I sent you a while ago?

Regarding HWE: Yes, absolutely. Take note, Larson: this is how you write an episode in conjunction with a holiday (he wrote the lackluster Luna Eclipsed - in case it isn't already clear, I'm not a big fan of Luna).

Yeah, Scootaloo did try to act not scared to impress RD, but at the end of the episode, it was all what the fans call "Scootalove", so... yeah, pandering.

The only S3 eps I'd give an A- or better to were Magic Duel, Apple Family Reunion (I'd put money on the ending scene being classed as one of the most iconic scenes of 2010s cartoons ten years from now), and Magical Mystery Cure (the finale, and even this is subject to change, as McCarthy has tweeted that it's the first part of a three-parter, of which the last two parts are the first two S4 episodes). Still, I think MMC should've been saved for a series finale, not a season finale.

Having said that, Keep Calm and Flutter On (the Discord episode which you alluded to) did provide us with an epic reaction image for when someone lands a sick burn.

Still, I feel that MLP has already contracted "Spongebob syndrome", and this "disease" will, unfortunately, probably be terminal, in my opinion.

Anyway, my main point is this: Corey Powell is not a good writer, because her writing is just so lazy. To me, in any work of media with a script, lazy writing is the cardinal sin. For example, in a rare case which bucks the shark-jumping trend, that's why I prefer S3 and S4 of Adventure Time to its first two seasons: S3-4 had more daring, ballsy writing, while S1-2 had lots of lazy writing (and, indeed, in the beginning, I hated Adventure Time; I like it now).

Regarding Simpsons DVDs, I recommend the following episodes:

(All episodes are seasons 1-5 unless stated, as I feel that it started its ascent over the shark during the back end of S5, and finally jumped it somewhere in S7.)

Flaming Moe's
Homer at the Bat
Lisa the Vegetarian (seventh season, but this was actually good)
Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy
Marge vs. the Monorail
Last Exit to Springfield (generally considered to be the magnum opus of the entire series)
Marge in Chains
Bart Gets an F
D'oh-in in the Wind (tenth season - by now, the show had jumped the shark ages ago, but this was a rare gem)
Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment
Bart the Genius
Dead Putting Society
Deep Space Homer

K-on DVD? Pretty cool. Actually, sometimes K-on airs on TV over here - we have an all-anime channel, called Animax.

As I've said before, I think we'll always disagree on our opinion of Merriwether-written MLP eps, so I think I'll leave it at that.

It was the way it was done. She could've gone with a different concept, such as her lack of flight

Also, sorry if my post was too long for you. XD

Double also, thanks to you, I think I'm saying "also" even more than you are right now. :P

I think one of the main reasons behind S3's weaknesses is a certain writer. No, not the much-maligned Merriwether Williams (although I thought Spike at Your Service was the second-worst episode of S3), but, in fact, Corey Powell. Furthermore, upon further thought, Sleepless in Ponyville was absolutely dreadful - the worst of S3, in my opinion.

Here's why I feel this way about Powell and SiP:
- Scootaloo-centric and heavily featuring Luna episode = way-too-obvious fanservice. Although Magic Duel could be counted as such, if I'm not mistaken, Larson once tweeted that when he wrote Magic Duel, he was not cognizant of the cult-like following that Trixie had built up within the fandom. Corey Powell, on the other hand, was a new writer, and, as such, likely knew of the high demand for a Scootalove episode, as well as the fandom's adulation of Luna, and wrote an episode combining the two.
- Even in the case of Magic Duel, even if it was blatant fanservice, there was a purpose to the episode - to provide closure on the Trixie arc (and remember, it was hinted at in Ponyville Confidential). Sleepless in Ponyville, in my opinion, was 100% fanservice and nothing else.
- At the very least, Merriwether followed up MMDW with the excellent Hearth's Warming Eve and the outstanding Putting Your Hoof Down, both of which showed brave, ballsy writing on her part, particularly the latter. Powell followed up SiP with... the bland, safe, lackluster Just for Sidekicks. She strikes me as a writer who's just "going through the motions".

That's not to say that other writers weren't culpable for S3's being weaker than S1/S2, but I think the addition of Corey Powell actually weakened the writing panel. I'm also inclined to agree with you in that "they wanted to hit the 64 episode mark more than they did want to make good episodes" - it definitely seems that way.

I'll make my pre-season grade prediction now:

MLP:FiM S4 will be a D+ and jump the shark.

Regarding the Spongebob movie:

Many fans consider the Spongebob movie to be the last high-quality production by Hillenburg and company, although I actually quite like S4. I do agree with you that Seasonal Rot was setting in well before the movie, though. However, I don't think Spongebob fully jumped the shark until the dreadful Season 5.

The comparison with the Simpsons is quite apt - it, too, jumped the shark around its fifth season. Disappointingly, Groening and his team haven't recognized this, and it's now on S25. :(

Where I live, they're broadcasting S23 of the Simpsons. I recently watched one of its episodes, and, my God, it was fucking terrible. It hasn't just jumped the shark - it put on a goddamn Superman cape and soared over the shark.

Also, Debbie Downer, Negative Nelly - take your pick. XD

P.S. I think that we can say that Spongebob quite literally jumped the shark.

By the way, have you seen this post which I made?

It's basically a more detailed version of what I told you yesterday.

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but when shows, no matter how good they are originally, reach a fourth or fifth season, somewhere along the way, they will almost certainly jump the shark, and this is no exception.

That was certainly a cock-up on my part. :(

...wait, I can't. Oops.

Just pretend it says, "Yeah, I totally get what you mean on this one."

Alright. I'll change the description.

Why don't you PM me with the URL? I haven't been able to pick you out on Tumblr yet.

Here's mine, and here's what to expect on it. Warning: my #1 and #2 fandoms right now are Homestuck and metal (as in the music genre), both of which I know you're not interested in, so don't be surprised if lots of those posts start turning up on your dashboard.

Yeah, there's gonna be a season 4, with 26 episodes and debuting on November 23.

Honestly, though, I'm not particularly enthusiastic about this new season, and here's why.

At around the fourth or fifth season, lots of shows, especially kids' shows, start jumping the shark (hi there, Spongebob). MLP:FiM, while having not yet jumped the shark, has started showing signs of Seasonal Rot (capitalized because it's a trope).

In my opinion:

S1: A-
S2: A (would've been an A+ if not for MMDW and Luna Eclipsed)
S3: B- (and if not for Magic Duel, MMC, and Apple Family Reunion, would've been a C-, and qualifying it for jumping the shark)
Equestria Girls: F

I think I was right when I said that MLP:FiM will be all downhill after Canterlot Wedding, but I never expected the drop-off to be this steep.

So... yeah. I'm honestly expecting the worst (though hoping for the best).

By the way, do you have Tumblr?