Taking Too Seriously: Did MLP Get Better or Worse After Lauren Faust Left?

[@InkRose]

Woop! That was fun to work on. :)

[@LivingCrusader]

I agree with your comment in the vid IR. Both Faust and McCarthy had strengths and weaknesses in making the show, but that did not diminish my personal enjoyment of it.

[@7Seraphem7]

Ink Rose Loved your bit and... pretty much spot on. it's no better or worse just, different. If those aspects that were unique to Lauren were what you loved, it's going to seem worse, if not, then it might seem better. Not to mention how much of it is a result of Lauren leaving, and how much is just the writers growing more confident, being more willing to branch out. And for Hasbro seeing what a good job they do, and giving them more leeway to just do what they want.One aspect I do miss that is almost definitely a result of Lauren leaving, is during season 1, the ponies acted a bit more like ponies. Just tiny things, the way they moved, reacted, interacted with objects. A lot of them felt a bit more like they were trying to portray them as actual equines. I do mis that, but it's a minor thing compared to all the great we've gotten.

[@sephroth179Rules]

I am curious has anybody conformed her return to me I would like to believe she is returned

[@Templar127]

Sup!

[@SDseb]

Lol ink rose your background was a team fortress 2 map my 2nd favorite turbine :) i like tf2

[@MadMunchkin]

Interesting to hear everyone's opinions on this. Thanks for asking me to take part. :)

[@ZGuy0fSci]

Mad Munchkin kewl beans 4 sure, and how being the 'Soldier' working out?Yal making good progress with that stuff or really more just a side project for everyone? Any plans on Mary Sue joining in?

[@WarsunGames]

Mad Munchkin I just found this video.Still doing work an all.I feel the show got worse but then got better.The problems everyone one are talking about how bad some episodes are i feel are over reacting.Some stories are not rock solid.That i feel is fine.As long as it is a lesson for kids an something to help bond friendships for adults.What the movies are.The first one was somewhat of a test.So they could see what could be done an get opinions.The second movie was incredible.A definite improvement.Things are getting better.But more character development is required and more voice actors.

[@sh_arkii]

Hey Maddie. Love ur channel, you are realy doing a greit job ^_^ Keep up the good work

[@lastnamefirstname5546]

Mad Munchkin knowyourmeme.com/photos/972518-reaction-images GET FUCKING REKT

[@thatsawrapstudios2674]

How much did Firebrand pay you all to say this?

[@DRWolf001]

Glad to see that so many Reviewers/Analysts offered their perspectives on this issue.

[@Thepoliwhirl2001]

There should be an episode that only has ocs and reviewers

[@CartoonMovieMakers]

hi DRWolf001

[@JacobMKeeneAKADrPepperKing]

sketching music Then people would complain about too much fan service, I wouldn't though, just sayin'.

[@Thepoliwhirl2001]

point taken ,

[@Thepoliwhirl2001]

pinkamena, you need a hug......

[@DaWillstanator]

For me, it's hard to say. I love every single staff member who has been a part of MLP cause they truly know what they're doing, even if some of the end products seemed a little off. Its universal that everybody can have their off days. But in Lauren's case, I really do appreciate her for getting MLP off the ground and into circulation, but then passing the reins onto Megan who has been doing nothing short of amazing work keeping up the quality and expanding it to lengths nobody would think possible. Despite Lauren's other ideas for the show not being taken into account, I'm sure she still expresses gratitude and humbleness for people still enjoying the show for what it is and how she contributed to its production. Like Silver Quill, I'm a fan of the show no matter what the season and regardless of any flaws. I try to see each aspect from all angles and if something happens to feel out of place, there's probably a reason for it. At the end of the day, if it entertains an audience, myself included, then the show did its job. I for one am always excited for what the staff brings to the air next, no matter what ^^

[@supermariof0521]

What I don't understand is why some bronies feel the need to hate everything after season 2.

[@thatsawrapstudios2674]

How much did Firebrand pay you all to say this?

[@WeeeWeeeification]

I personally didn't know she left until after I'd finished watching season 4 and I didn't notice any change at all between 2 and 3. It did what any other show would and focused more on character development as opposed to introducing something entirely new and this is a good thing but has nothing to do with Lauren leaving at all.

[@AubriGryphon]

Hmmmm. Interesting question. I agree with Ink Rose for the most part, that it's not 'worse', just 'different'. I do think it's a pity that we never got to experience what Lauren had planned from the start, which I believe would have been better than what we got, but no show plan survives contact with the network, so to speak. Her plan was out the door before the first episode aired, when Hasbro junked her mix of slice-of-life and adventure stories.

[@ShadowRaptor1O1]

Antonyc lost me "The show got worse post-Faust because because it began to lack a 'series-wide grand narrative'." >There was never a series-wide narrative; Season 4 was the only season that even HAD a narrative at all to begin with.

[@SEGASister]

To be honest, I think the show improved since Lauren Faust passed the torch to Meghan McCarthy as showrunner. Besides, no show is perfect, especially in its first season. But to be honest, it's starting to become more like the show Lauren wanted originally. We're having more adventure-style stories, which I honestly prefer over the slice-of-life stories, more ties with continuity, and at the end of every season, I feel excited with what the next one has to offer, something I couldn't say with Season One's finale (as of now, my least favorite of the finales). I can honestly say Lauren Faust would be proud with what her series has become. And as for the question why some fans stay despite the show becoming worse in their eyes, I can't really say for certain. But I have been in the same boat with the Total Drama series. I've always had faith that the show was going to get better, despite its shortcomings. Sadly, in Total Drama's case, it hasn't, up until recently. In My Little Pony's case, thankfully, it has.

[@TheBrickly]

WHY ARE YOU EVERYWHERE?!?!?!

[@SEGASister]

DerpyMuffins555 XD Because I'm subscribed to mostly every analyst in the Rift

[@SEGASister]

Alright, who thumbed up my original comment? X3

[@e1iteyoshi998]

SEGASister Hehe I know the feeling.

[@Benicthehedgehog]

SEGASister well I know gave it a thumbed up cause it actually speaks of what I was kinda thinking.

[@allisongabel4155]

i think it stayed the same, i can't really notice a difference, i didn't even know Lauren left!

[@Dylangone]

Same XD

[@dogguy8603]

what are you talking about the quality of the shows have gone way down this current season is the worst one so far

[@allisongabel4155]

dog guy everyone has there own opinions!

[@superkitty1019]

Same

[@charlotteyuuki1324]

I didn't even know who Lauren was......

[@PizzaFryer]

To be honest, when I started watching the show - 4 years ago - I was interested in the show 40 percent and 60 for the fandom, and my brony friends. Now, It changed 10 - 90 for the fandom. Yet, there were awesome episodes after her leave, the season 5 was pretty cool. The series may not be so inspiring than it used to be; Faust was good at creating anything you could think it is a part of a big complex thing with deep meaning. Now, I had to realize it is just as same as a child show than the others - yeah, it is still better than a lot of others.

[@omniviewer2115]

Fact: The two Star Wars movies that George Lucas did not direct (Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi) are held in higher regard than the ones he did direct. Fact: Most of what people love about Batman and his mythos did originate with Bob Kane; They came from later writers, including Alan Moore and Frank Miller. Fact: What I said about Batman can be applied to any superhero created by Stan Lee. Not sure why MLP should be treated differently. Lauren got things going, but a child must be allowed to grow.

[@batmenace15]

Fact: ANY character or team created by Rob Liefeld, including Youngblood, Supreme, Cable, X-Force, and fucking Deadpool, were all defined by different writers other than himself.

[@pippo17173]

Miles Bockelman I wish people would notice this. I just hope season 5 Will kill any chance for dumbasses who use that argurment of the creator but one will still fight strong if you know who I mean :/

[@billyweed835]

Omni Viewer Personally, Return of the Jedi was my least favorite OT movie but Empire Strikes Back was my favorite so...

[@PatrickOMulligan]

Few people find Return of the Jedi better then Star Wars. Your analogy with Star Warz fails because Gary Kurtz left after Empire and following his departure Star Wars got progressively worse in the hands of Lucas.

[@SpartanPrimeDSTY117]

Commander Firebrand. Probably one of the most Boss looking OCs i've seen. I want that jacket!

[@batmenace15]

I personally think having Faust and McCarthy working on the show together was a match made in heaven with how they play off of each other. Faust is great at coming up with ideas for stories and the worlds they occupy, but isn't very good at fleshing them out and putting them on paper. While McCarthy is great at working off of other people's ideas and building upon characters and settings, she's not all that great at coming up with her own ideas. I think it was Faust's best decision to make her in charge once she left, and even then she encourages the new writers to come up with their own ideas for the show. The ONLY time she ever got mad at the direction of the show was the toy designs of Equestria Girls, and even then she was angry at Hasbro, not McCarthy or the other writers because she knew they were just doing their jobs. You also have to keep in mind that McCarthy is a professional writer who's worked with Faust for years. While every critic is entitled to their opinion, not all critics are writers, and let me tell you, the ideas for "improvements" some people had for the show are just god awful. Like Digi saying Equestria Games should've been a typical inspirational sports episode with Gilda and Lightning Dust coming back as rivals to Rainbow Dash. And CR saying that Magical Mystery Cure should've just been The Return of Queen Chrysalis with Sombra replacing Chrysalis. And I really want to ask this question, who do you think understands the wishes and direction of the creator of the show, some bloke on the internet who watched Powerpuff Girls as a kid and they think therefore they know everything about Faust, or a fellow writer with whom she's worked with for years before FiM aired?

[@pippo17173]

What....The....Fuck? CR.....wait....WHAT!?

[@tsubomikido8960]

_"While every critic is entitled to their opinion, not all critics are writers, and let me tell you, the ideas for "improvements" some people had for the show are just god awful."_ Oh dear god, thank you so much. _"And CR saying that Magical Mystery Cure should've just been The Return of Queen Chrysalis with Sombra replacing Chrysalis."_ ...Dafuq? I've heard strange and terrible ideas for "improvements" before, but...WTH?

[@pippo17173]

Lyakar You know as much as we hate a certain user, won't mention his name, lets agree that he is at least far more in tack then CR.

[@batmenace15]

Here are some of old Chaddy's words of wisdom cr-familiar-faces.tumblr.com/post/45153644878/cr-is-there-a-chance-you-will-ever-go-into-your

[@pippo17173]

Miles Bockelman Good fucking god what the hell is wrong with him when he said that. Also is that before he rage quit comics since he didn't mention candance there and we know how he pretty sums up that sexist mentality about MLP not being women.

[@UchaNekome]

Inmagine Sora going into an MLP world...Sora the pony...SOMEONE GET ON THIS BRILLIANT IDEA!

[@pippo17173]

I think there are enough fanfictions about this by now XD

[@authorbat5562]

Check DeviantArt for that, buddy. You'll find it everywhere!

[@saraolt]

Good to know I wasn't the only one freaking out when I realized the background music.

[@Benicthehedgehog]

does anyone besides me feel like that MLP FiM would fit for Kingdom Hearts? I feel like it does cause of sora saying that his friends are his power and the only other thing that shows friendship is a main character's strength like that is MLP. makes you wonder how Sora would interact with the MLP characters and how Twilight would teach Sora more about Friendship.

[@XIIIHearts]

Benicthehedgehog I honestly feel this way too. Their similar views on Light and Darkness and the importance of friendship both series emphasize would make MLP FiM a perfect fit for Kingdom Hearts. The only things that keep this from actually happening-well what I think at least-is that the games seem intent on only using Disney and Square Enix owned properties and even if they collaborated with Hasbro to have it in the game, every non-brony would be shouting in outrage for "making a terrible game by putting in a little girls world in a 'manly' game." Also the fact that Square Enix has terrible time management

[@darkyboode3239]

Lauren Faust and Megan McCarthy were good, but Jim Miller was the writer who was responsible for really making the show degrade in quality.

[@krystiancharos889]

You don't think Lauren Faust will mind the revision do you? She wasn't involed with the decision of season 9. Plus Jayson Theissen should've come back to direct the last two seasons after the movie was released.

[@darkyboode3239]

@@krystiancharos889 Lauren will probably think the revised version of Season 9 is better. She was involved with Twilight becoming an alicorn, but I don’t think she wanted her to rule Equestria like with the Season 9 we got. Many people say to Save My Little Pony that Lauren originally envisioned Twilight ruling Equestria, although now I’m starting to think it was only the decision of making her Princess of Friendship.

[@spideyviewer327]

I have watched every single episode since joining the fandom back in Summer of 2013 and I never noticed any change in the quality of the writing styles. What I HAVE noticed is that we've been getting more adventure stories and more humor. So where do I stand on this? I'd say the quality remains the same. But that's just me.

[@primroan5354]

Yeah, Jerry pretty much nailed it. Season 1 was the pilot season, and those are rarely - if ever- the best of any show. Not to mention the character depth that everyone claims to love so much only took root in season 1, then started grow later on. Things tend to improve over time. Season 1 had some great episodes, I just think that most things done there were done better in later seasons. - Better budgets if proven successful allowing for more opportunities. - Familiarity with the characters for writers, animators, and voice actors - More opportunities to take risks and have fun - More opportunities to acquire and use more talent such as more writers, voice actors, etc. While I'm not going to put blame on Faust for everything. It's important to note that the show we got wasn't the show Lauren wanted. There was conflict between the higher ups and Faust over the creative direction of the show. That tends leave a mark on the production and I feel it shouldn't be ignored. Season 4 was arguably the first time the show had a direction that wasn't marred by infighting (Faust vs Hasbro in season 1 & 2), AND didn't have it's length halved like in season 3. FiM finally knew what it wanted to be, and had the time to execute on it.

[@Th3Seer]

I would love to see a second part to this episode with other prominent analysts like Tommy Oliver and the Mysterious Mr. Enter.

[@anime9424]

Nice touch with the Kingdom Hearts theme! I think that the show has gotten BETTER after Lauren left. Why? Because the storyline is expanding beyond just the focus on the Mane 6! More and more characters are being involved within Princess Twilight Sparkle's life. They even brought us the 100th episode, revolving around the lives of the background ponies, BECAUSE the storyline is expanding! And it continues to do so, even to this very day!!!! My favourite seasons, 4, 5 and 6 have helped me see that! I'm proud to be a Brony and I'll SHOUT IT OUT LOAD if I have to!

[@SuperAnimeFever]

I don't care who makes the episode as long it entertains me I'm good.

[@lilmisssunshine7173]

Honestly? I HATE it when people do that. People who come and make an awesome show and work for years on it and then just up and leave! This isn't even about how the show became after she left, it's the fact that if someone starts something, they have an obligation to finish it, ESPECIALLY when so many people are invested in it! It's just... it's not fair. If I were the creator of something as big as MLP, I would want to see it through to the end and fight whatever crap comes my way, because how could someone just give up their part in something like that, and leave everybody else to continue YOUR show (not that the other staff aren't good and passionate about it)? It's almost like giving birth to a child and finding other people to help raise it and then not sticking around to see that child finish growing.

[@Una1]

While I do believe that the show has gotten better, I am in the camp that says it was not because she left. I would also like to point out that Faust claimed she did not intend for "The Best Night Ever" to be the finale for season 1; "Return to Harmony" was supposed to be the finale. This would have been the perfect way to bring the season full-circle: Twilight was initially hesitant to make friends, but the other Mane Five gravitated towards her as their center. The season was spent with them growing closer as a group, with "The Cutie Mark Chronicles" cementing their friendship. Then Discord comes to destroying that, and Twilight - who has come to realize the true value of her element - fights to unite them again. This would have been a FAR stronger finale; the producers were the ones who held her back.

[@MysticMindAnalysis]

I generally think the show has gone from strength to strength over the seasons, although not neccesarily because of Lauren Faust's departure. Faust set the foundations for this show and established everything that made it special, with Megan McCarthy and all the other writers building on what has come before. I see the show as getting better at world building, exploring new character relations, tackling more mature subjects in a way that is still accessable for kids, and generally keeping everything I came to love about the show from Season 1 for the most part consistant! Of course there are going to be dud episodes every now and again. Every show has them. However even the less good ones still give me plenty to think about, and as long as there is an epic fantasy world for me to deconstruct and get inspired by, I will continue to love MLP:FiM right to the very end!

[@LEGOBoy922]

***** In my honest opinion I don't care about this due to the fact I discovered the show during the off season between seasons 3 and 4, and although I enjoy the episodes, recently I've been staying around more because of the people of this fandom and not just the show itself. So as I said before I don't have an opinion on this matter.

[@FOBEquestria]

LEGOBoy922 Sound logic to me! ~Spangle

[@ZGuy0fSci]

LEGOBoy922 kinda the same for me. ~I Survived teh Hiatus~ but so too largely cus I never even noticed, or to a point cared there was one. I was part of the gap from S.3 into S.4 so a so called ''hiatus'' means little since it was and is the _FANDOM_ that matters for me far more than the show. *a season in the show gives us like 23ep to gain from, the Fandom is ever growing and giving new sources of art, story, or review/work then of that.* I like the show, but the Fandom is what I care about being a part of more. (~sorta a 'Brony'/fan of the show , but def a part of the fandom from the show)

[@Luex21]

LEGOBoy922 I just have to point out that this is literally almost EXACTLY the same way i feel. To say the differences would mean to find needles in the god-awfully enormous haystack that is my mind, so I'll spare everyone the time and say, hell, the show's still pretty bloody good, right? I can't say i noticed anything too terribly different in terms of quality/it's ability to entertain me across the seasons, and that's why, if i had to give an answer, I'd have to say it's the same.

[@lastnamefirstname5546]

LEGOBoy922 who asked you

[@LEGOBoy922]

CptBanana Peeler no one, really. Just felt like putting my opinion on this topic out there.

[@caridadchang7895]

I think that Jerry Peet and Voice of Reason had some of the best arguments, people actually know well what they are doing now and because there is an actual arc to follow one feels more inclined to watch how things go.

[@darthestar8791]

It feels ironic now considering the path Jerry(now Lily) would later go down…

[@Dark_Tale_2077]

(Squees internally as Hikari starts playing in the background)

[@_Bookmark_]

I know right, Josh is such a KH freak

[@NelsonDemifur]

I have to say it improved after she left but not because she left. As most have stated the first two seasons were them just starting. They didn't know if things were going to keep going and they were just developing. After the end of season 2, they knew what they wanted them to be, most of the time. While I would love to see her come back, I think she would, even if a bit, be proud of what the series has become. Of course that raises the question "Would it be better, same or worse if she came back?" That I could not answer because I have no idea the influence she would give. Would I want her back? For one season or one movie. Whichever would be better for the franchise

[@kaylafincher3610]

I think it for better, not because of Faust leaving, but because episodes and characters are more developed now. Just as it should be, but until I can use that spell from the season 5 finale that changed time, my flimsy argument stands. *sigh* I wish I could actually analyze mlp well...

[@kaylafincher3610]

Thomas Conyers Lol yeah

[@Tillyard86]

I get the impression a lot of them felt tied down by how specific the question was, especially Antony C.Still awesomely entertaining though.

[@MegatronPrime321]

While I do love Lauren Faust and am incredibly grateful for her creating this incredible show, I personally the show got better after she left. But definitely not BECAUSE she left. I think the later seasons opened up for more adventure, explored new places outside of Ponyville and Canterlot, resulted in some very strong character development that has actually stuck with them and much more mature morals. And best of all, it took more risks. Like Jerry Peet said, sometimes the first season is the weakest one, and like Voice of Reason said, the end of each season kept me interested in where they were going with these changes.

[@poohbear4515]

I kinda think both. Lauren did much to say the main six of course, but she did leave some things out like more funny jokes, less epic plots. McCarthy could do better. She's putting too much on Twilight and not enough of everyone around her. Sure there's been plenty of other background ponies and stuff, but she is doing too much on that Alicorn Princess. Tho, I do like some of her stuff I guess.

[@SEGASister]

So to you, it just...changed. :)

[@dev9614]

that wasn't lauren call, in her interviews there were stuff they wanted to do but was restricted and changed from their original purposes because of hasbro and its rating

[@BlueEyedSilverWolf1]

Well to be fair Megan does the premieres and finales (with the exception of season 1 and season 2 premeire and season 3 finale) of the show which more often than not focus on Twilight the most, she has written some episodes centering on the other main six, and don't forget they all have a chance to shine in the premieres and finales, and she wrote both Equestria Girls movies where in Rainbow Rocks Sunset Shimmer was more of the main focus than Twilight was, so she handles a lot of the important stuff that goes on in the MLP world.

[@CrittersRule247]

I really don't think it changed but I do believe Lauren is the reason the show started good and is still good today, she gave one rule which was above all others the most important rule you could give when trying to make a show like this work - Give a crap. She made it perfectly clear she wasn't working for babies and wasn't making a little girl cartoon, just a cartoon for girls, her set goal was to make a feminine based show that girls could be proud to watch as children and not loose any of that pride if they watched it again as adults - That's why we love the show, because its quality was designed to last and the Lauren made sure that everyone on board understood that concept, make a good show, she picked many of the writers herself and these people understood her vision and are still telling it to the new writers and therefore the show ill always be made in Faust's vision - The show will always remain at a high quality because of Lauren, so in my eyes she never truly left - Although of course she did but quite frankly I think M.A Larson and Cindy Morrows leavings were more important - Lauren is kind of like a special ingredient, once added, the dish is good forever but different Cooks need to create the actual flavour and their flavours are sorely missed. Which is sort of my problem with Season 3 - No Amy or Meghan or Mitch, they make the best work of the show, being confined to hardly any if any episode was the big change that everyone felt - Not that Dave, Merriweather and Cindy are bad, not by a long shot but they can't carry a Season for too long without it feeling samey. At least Mitch is coming back!

[@KidSnivy69]

Nice analysis

[@Yecowa]

Lauren is like special ingredient, indeed. It reminds me of powerpuff girls recipe. :))

[@tencents6]

Has My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic improved since Lauren Faust left? Honestly, I think it has remained the same as it was in season 1. I never noticed that big a difference in character personalities, plot lines, writing, etc. There is a difference in writing choices, but other than that, the show hasn't really changed that much. MLP: FIM is doing fine the way it is now and I hope it continues to stay that way even if Lauren Faust returns.

[@retrokingranch]

My Little Ass

[@TheAnimationAnalyst]

Considering the better stories and morals we've gotten in the past two seasons, not to mention Season 4 beating out Season 2 for my favorite season, I'd say the show got better after Lauren Faust left, though like some of the others said, I don't think it was *specifically* her leaving that caused the show to get better. It was probably just pure coincidence.

[@MrDzoni955]

I'd say it got worse. It's not bad and i still enjoy it, but i think the problem is that writers now try to pander bronies way to often.

[@pippo17173]

Me: I Think the show got way better after the major change. Mostly because we are talking about a show that is run by ideals that breaks away what makes girls entertainment so bad. That doesn't mean its change its audience oh no as it still for little girls but however, the staff shows they are willing to put change and risks as they go on and this is something that most Tv shows should learn by now that if you want to stay on the air and continue to be good, then some changes have to be made and I love them for trying even if not everybody agrees to it and that is something we like to discuss about. Here is to season 5 and beyond of very good and deep character development.

[@renegadesolstice9640]

I love Faust's writing, i mean she made power puff girls (I'm about to lose all of my manly points but) that was pretty much my whole childhood right there but...alas, I think MLP did get better when she left. Again like many of the people in your vid said, not because she left but because, in my opinion, it got more...mature. like 1-2 was "Ok this is a kid's show lets write it as one" then 3 and so on was "Ok this is a ki-HOLY F#^$ WHERE DID ALL THESE PEOPLE COME FROM, OH H#@$ YEA WE CAN HAVE SOME FUN NOW!" Like, ok it like in Pinkie Apple Pie (Burn me if I got the name wrong my memory is crap) we get a Slenderman, or slendermane or slendermare....a Slendy reference, and there is NO WAY little kids would get that reference, you know unless you live around some messed up kids. but like I said it gotten more mature and more enjoyable because the writers have gotten more time to work on it.

[@AdraTheGhost]

i think it's gotten better, in a generally all around way. Continuity narrative is good, the slice of life is good, the fact that the characters show development from episode to episode as opposed to staying mostly static while still implying a status quo format is probably what makes it stick out better than most shows. The season opener/finale big adventure bits are consitently bigger and a bit larger in scale (though I'm a bit hesitant to include the season 3 finale due to it's smaller scale despite it's large scope changes) I'm really hard pressed to think of something that got worse. I agree with kp on the feeling things have progressed faster than was probably originally intended. Also in response to AnthonyC, and I rather hate being that guy, but the deus ex machina feels a lot more like the one thing the show can't skirt around with the 22 minute run time per episode and the.(and the thing that makes me sound like THAT GUY) it's a kid show meaning somethings are just gonna have to happen in a certain way. All in all No, the show's not worse at all since Faust left.

[@3fatkid]

Contrary to what people think, Lauren wasn't opposed to Alicorn Twilight when they did it, and she said she has full confidence that they can do it without ruining the show, and so far they're pulling it off beautifully.

[@toastdude1587]

I think that the show did got a bit better when Lauren Faust left, but she only had 1 season wrote and in Season 2 she was the consulting producer or director. So, she didn't really have that much episodes to write and isn't a show suppose to get progressily better throughout the seasons. But, I think that it was the same when she left.

[@sadlobster1]

I wonder if Lauren still checks on the show's progress from time to time? I'll imagine she would LOVE Flight to the Finish or Pinkie Pride

[@Armor_Wing]

I have to agree with Ink Rose. I don't think the show became better or worse as a whole, it just changed. Even if she was here, I'm pretty sure there would have been differences due to its enormous popularity.

[@Cometstarlight]

To throw in my two cents, if anyone cares, I think the show got better after Faust left. I don't mean that in a way that she was holding the show back at all. I'm very grateful that she was given the opportunity and creating a great show with a great community...most of the time : P Anyway, I liked the adventure stories of Season 4, I liked it's progression and character development as well as the new things it added to the world: the Equestria Games, Tree of Harmony, Tirek and Scorpan (maybe their own homeland will be explored someday?), and so much more. I also liked the little slice of life stories we got and out of all 26 episodes, I think I only really disliked one or two of them. Again, while I believe that the show got better after Faust left, there's no doubt that we wouldn't be here, as a show or fandom, if she didn't give it a go.

[@somnolentus3267]

I'm in a delicate position when it comes to this topic. I've only come into the fandom relatively recently, near the middle of season four. Because of this and since I was iffy on whether or not I enjoyed it, I sort of watched the show in reverse, from season four back to season one. Though from what I have seen, I enjoyed the later seasons more than the first two. To me they just seem... simplistic. I know it's a kids show here, but still. I enjoy the broader world and more in depth approach of the show in seasons three and four.

[@ThePastAnalysis]

I think the show stayed the same in quality. I can't really compare S1 and S2 to S3 and S4, because the whole seasons were just soo different. With S3 and S4, I think MLP is taking more risks, which has its pluses and minuses. The show has evolved in great ways and also suffered because of this. If I was forced to lean in any direction though, I'd say it got better. I just liked a lot of the decisions that were made after Lauren Faust left and I don't know how those decisions would have gone if Faust was at the head. Part of me is kinda concerned what would have happened if the show staff was different during S3 and S4.

[@betterlatethannever4529]

During when Silver Quill spoke it was that song, that song in the background, best Kingdom Hearts song ever. Oh and Mlp has become one of the best series that I've watched season 1-4 and what ever part of 5 were on at the moment.

[@ShaDHP23]

I fall into the category of those who feel the show improved with Master (I consider all established/professional animators and artists my masters) Lauren Faust's departure, although like others, I don't feel it got better BECAUSE she left the show. What's more, I have a theory of how things worked with the seasons getting better then worse then better again. At the start, they had no idea the show (especially considering the given franchise) was going to blow up the way it did, so I get the impression they played it safe and didn't take too many risks (don't get me wrong, some of the episodes took risks, just not as much as season 2 and onward). I feel all the episodes of season 1 (excluding Griffin the Brush-off) were pretty good and got my attention. They were a little clunky and don't stack up to later episodes in my opinion, but I just think they had their training wheels on in season 1. Season 2, however, showed a huge improvement in writing and tone (though had two or the episodes I didn't care for) and truly cemented the show as one of my all time favorites, and few are aware Master Faust did have a little involvement in season 2 (she also claims to have known of the introduction of Shining Armor). In short, the training wheels were off! Season 3, however, was at least one step back for me. With Master Faust gone, Hasbro trying to speed Twilight's transformation (which Master Faust also said she knew of) and Equestria Girls raising fans' eyebrows, I'm sure the team felt pressured and once again played it safe. Season 3 had some good episodes, but it also had the admittedly boring Spike at Your Service and the fairly grueling Keep Calm and Flutter On (an episode I'll admit was necessary and paved the way to greater things). All in all, season 3, while having a good ending, was rushed (ignoring the drop in episode count) and EqG was okay (if rehashed) but Masters Faust and MacCracken gave us Wander Over Yonder, we got the incredible season 4 and the thoroughly enjoyable Rainbow Rocks, so season 3 was just a brief step back in my opinion and is still relatively good in my opinion. Considering the team of writers, animators, voice actors and everyone else take this show seriously, I think we can look forward to whatever season 5 (or the increasingly hyped-up theatrical film) has to offer. I think DHX has realized there's no need for training wheels anymore. Here's to the future!

[@ShaDHP23]

I hate my damn touchscreen and auto-correct... I love him and his videos, but in all seriousness SOMEONE NOTE THIS TO C.R. AT FAMILIAR FACES SO WE CAN SEE HIM HAVE A HEMORRHOID!

[@SaintGat99]

ShaDHP23 CR is an asshole through and through. Yet, sadly, he represents about 30% of the fanbase.

[@7Seraphem7]

ShaDHP23 Yeah, a lot of the changes can't really be said to be because she left, as much as the show just growing and the writers finding their footing, getting used to the world and starting to grow.Plus the one thing a lot of people seem to forget about is season one had that E/I bug, meaning it HAD to be tamer, more little kid friendly, meet a bunch of other rather tight standards. Once that went away in season 2, the writer had more freedom to do what they wanted.

[@ShaDHP23]

7Seraphem7 good call! I completely forgot about the E/I status it had in season one.

[@pippo17173]

ShaDHP23 Screw CR. You should know by now that he is pretty much trying to convince us that the show was never good in the first place. Heck even people who hates season 3 and 4 hates him when he took back his words of praise for the first two season.

[@lec7432]

I didn't even know Lauren Faust left! To me the episodes have their good and their bad, though over all still good seasons. Really I had no idea Lauren left, but the MLP episodes don't seem to have gotten worst with her departure they are actually really cool. To be honest I don't see what's so bad about Lauren Faust leaving. She set a good base and has left a path for other writers to shine through. Lauren isn't the only good cartoon writer in this country after all. Which is why everyone, including me, are eagerly waiting to watch the 5th season.

[@Skylos]

I feel like the first 2 seasons had a much better structure, and you felt like the writers knew what to do. I think this is because Lauren had her ideas and stuff so the writers knew what to do. Then season 3 became very rushed. I think this is partly because Lauren left, but if i remember correctly so did they already have many of those concepts planned. But I think they were originally going to end the series there, which is crucial for season 4. I feel like with season 4, the writers started to get more freedom in what to do, but since this was unfamiliar water for them, the season got kinda mixed. Overall good but sometimes really bad. But it was surely where the show started to get more interesting. I like to think that season 4 was the writers testing and trying out what they could do. And then season 5. Which is, in my opinion, the best season yet. I think that that's because now the writers are more familirar with this artistical freedom and is using it to their fullest. And this is all thanks to them now not having to follow certain guidelines that tell them what to do. So considering Season 5, I think Laurens departure might have been a good thing, in the long run. However, it is kinda hard to say because it all might just be because they let the show run for more than 3 seasons, which is all because of its popularity :/

[@Utomneian]

i was like freaking out almost, i am like super new to MLP, and a good chunk of the reason i finally caved in and tried out the show is that golden name, Lauren Faust, and being aware of Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends being fun cartoons for me growing up, was the final straw that made me decide to start watching MLP on Netflix. but then i read somewhere that she was gone, and so i searched everywhere like "WHY?!", it's demoralizing when you associate someone you praise with a show that you are just barely a fan of, to learn that they are gone :( but hopefully, if i actually do continue watching this show for that long, i feel somewhat reassured by the positive feedback offered for the later seasons.

[@PurpleDragon1995]

I don't have much to say that hasn't already been said. As Ink Rose said, everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. And while I did like prefer the later seasons over the earlier seasons, that's bound to happen, as Jerry said. The show did get better after Lauren Faust left, not *because* she left, but just that it happened to improve after she left. So, go ahead and count me in the "Better" category, because I *certainly* don't think it got worse.

[@vectoredthrust5214]

I'm in the "Show got better" camp. Lauren, bless her soul, got the ball rolling, and launched us out of the gate, but your Firey Joker review Over a Barrel made me realise something: Sometimes the show was very unsubtle, and this was evident during the Faust Era Also, I love the direction the show seems to be going, and S4 is my favourite season. HMS My Little Pony has been under excellent command from Admiral McCarthy, and I eagerly await Season 5

[@Soufriere84]

I've been a fan of the show (& sometimes unwillingly a part of this fandom) since Season 1. Thus, I've seen all the things and heard the arguments. My own personal opinion? *The show got better after Lauren left.* Let me explain… Season One, while good, is in hindsight very childish. A lot of that has to do with Hasbro/Hub going for an e/i rating - a _very_ strict standard; that's why it's so rare outside PBS - and the rest to the usual creakiness associated with any new show (with a few live-action exceptions that don't last more than one or two seasons anyway). Much as I _hate_ agreeing with Jerry Peet on anything (which happens far more than I like), he's correct in saying Lauren Faust is not a great writer. The three episodes she wrote are very Hollywood in their execution. What I mean by that is that they are very predictable in not only their plotting & resolutions, but also their pacing. They work, but little more than that. Not much in S1 surprised me. Insult Meghan McCarthy all you want - she gave us Twilicorn after all - but at least she was willing to mix it up, and Mitch Larson seems even more so. Season 1 is a much more "even" set of episodes. It lacks any truly execrable stories like "Rainbow Falls", "Spike At Your Service", or "Baby Cakes", but - "Party Of One" aside - it also lacks any of the later highs like "Hurricane Fluttershy", "Magic Duel", or "Pinkie Pride". In hindsight, though, a lot of episodes in S1 that fans liked at the time don't hold up now. "Boast Busters" is pretty bad even though it introduced an excellent character in Trixie. So is "Look Before You Sleep". Ironically, episodes that fans _didn't_ like hold up better. "Griffon the Brush-Off" holds up pretty well, and I'll always defend "Over A Barrel" as _the_ most underrated episode of the entire series. "Feeling Pinkie Keen" deserves the criticism it got for its broken moral, but even it has its decent moments. Lauren's departure, which happened to coincide with dropping the e/i requirement, allowed the show to grow. Josh accuses Meghan and Larson of focusing too much on Twilight, which is true, but it was _more_ true under Lauren, where Purple-"Smart" was _required_ to appear and speak in every single episode (honestly wonder if Tara Strong had that in her contract), which actually hurt some stories like "The Show Stoppers". There's a reason why fans refer to the ex-fans who insist _only_ the episodes Lauren herself had a direct hand in were good, as "Faustfags" - those folks overlook the flaws of early episodes, which is ironic since Lauren herself is a fairly harsh self-critic. Chad Rocco is easily the prime example, but there are (or were) many others in the now-moribund Anal-ysis community. Inevitably, those people just get fed up and leave, probably for the best they do. Season Five might be my favourite season because, although there are four or five episodes in its second half I have yet to see, I have so far not outright hated a single one. That is remarkable. Sure there are some episodes I've liked less, but nothing in S5 has pissed me off like "Rainbow Falls" did. I'd write more, but I'm tired and no one will read this anyway.

[@takeoutcentral]

i think that it stayed the same as lauren left, there was still continuity in the series as she left, and there were still epic moments in the show, like when tyrekk showed up, compared to the moment that discord first showed up in season 2, yet the directors still portrayed some of the characters main focuses and goals to achieve, and different background characters, like Vinyl and Octavia, Lyra and Bonbon, and Derpy and the doctor.

[@mvanvid4433]

I don know, but I think in season 4 and beyond, they focused more on the mane six, and it felt like princess Celestia is making the mane six do everything and she and Luna ain't helping much.

[@kingartemiz2xxx786]

It does kinda make sense to keep Celestia and Luna out of the action(mostly), and have the Mane Six rely on themselves rather than keep running to those guys to solve their problems.

[@travis8195]

"I've asked several individuals there opinion"-josh scorcher. there are 10 people he asked. I can't count the number of times he does this.

[@sonicgen20]

As for me, I vote that the show has gotten better since Faust departure. Not hating on Faust or anything, I'll always be greatful for her creating this show but the show seems to be in better hands now.

[@andrewkful]

I got into MLP right at the time Lauren Faust left. No regrets.

[@isabellastar2902]

DON'T HATE ME!!!! I think it got better. Sure, Lauren Faust was the one who started it all up, but........ Megan Mcarthy helped it blossom. So, yeah!

[@samandmrcheese]

I think the show got a lot better after Lauren Faust left. Season 1 was okay Season 2 to kicked the show into overdrive Season 3 was hit or miss Season 4 was AWESOME and it undoubtedly gets better from there! Here's to Season 5!

[@endorb]

*me, reading up a bit after watching the entire series on netflix in 2 days* Wait, so somebody left the staff around season 2? could've fooled me

[@whynot-tomorrow_1945]

ikr? It took me weeks to figure that out.

[@endorb]

whynot-tomorrow? well, I didn't start until that first episode Josh took too seriously. That was about the same time I started watching the series

[@whynot-tomorrow_1945]

Wait.....who's Josh? Which series? I just.....what? ,: \

[@matt0044]

I think that's because when you're not in a fandom that keeps up to date with behind the scenes news, things won't stick out as much.

[@endorb]

whynot-tomorrow? Josh/commander firebrand (the pony that does these taking X too seriously.) It wasn't until about the time he started doing these that I watched the whole run of MLP through.

[@lauraharris815]

I never really thought the tone changed. In fact that's what I loved about this show to begin with. Not to mention the great stories every episode takes us through, and most importantly three dimensional characters that actually GROW, proving you don't need to stick to a status quo to be successful! (I'm looking at you Spongebob) Remember how Mr. Enter said Steven Universe is a better successor to Teen Titans than Teen Titans Go!? Well, I think MLP is an even better successor in that regard. The perfect blend of comedy, action, and slice of life. I almost forgot how much I loved this show ;)

[@googamp32]

So, Mr. Enter didn't weigh in his opinion on this issue? Shame, really. It would have been the second best thing to having a collaboration video with the two of you.

[@crimsonking4379]

YES! A MR ENTER AND JOSH COLLABORATION MUST HAPPEN!!

[@vgpuppybot3905]

IronPride & friends You guys have no idea how long I have wanted this to happen.

[@junglehero1274]

Yes please! Though to be fair, they both have unbelievably different styles of reviews: Mr. Enter is mostly just about telling what works and what doesn't in an episode, and Josh's reviews are mostly about the comedy. It would be interesting to see how those two different styles would mix

[@dejaypage1575]

I think on his Season rundowns, I think he'd be in the "Same" camp, but I'm not him so I can't be sure.

[@dejaypage1575]

***** LINK PLEASE :DDDDDD

[@SilverGreyscale]

To be honest... I think it got better but I don't see it as Faust leaving and going "Get someone else to take my place" more like SEGASister commented earlier, passing the torch over to McCarthy, I gotta say, it was nice to get those character specific episodes so we could get to know our main characters a bit more, the first two episodes kicked the series off in an awesome way and they gave us a little bit of each character, like what they're strengths were and such. So it got better, I marathon'd the whole series up to this point (Twilight's Kingdom) and like Firebrand said, there were some bad episodes in each season, and like someone else in this video said, I think it was Silver Quill, I dunno, but, ofcourse the first season wasn't the absolute best, I mean, actors that probably never worked together, writers who probably never worked together either. Like any series it got better with time, and like I said earlier, I didn't see it as Lauren Faust leaving her baby in the hands of others, she past it over to Meghan, almost like she started this show and then letting Meghan continue..... And A question to any future viewer: How do YOU think the show would have seemed if lauren stayed? I think it would have been probably filled with more Adventures but it would be tiresome, Imagine a whole season with adventure after adventure... I dunno about you but I'd be pretty bored

[@SEGASister]

That's true :)

[@honeytonguemamao6816]

PWLG UnicornLPer Dr. Wolf has a video talking about 'What if Faust had stayed?' Maybe you should go check it out, and hear what his thoughts are.If you haven't already.

[@SilverGreyscale]

As a fan of the good Doctor I will take a look at it, thanks for the recommendation Honeytongue Mamao I appreciate it:D

[@petticoatpastels8576]

I think it got better

[@hkim2953]

Gotta say, I loved how you brought various opinions together in a single video. I think everyone shared unique viewpoints on the topic and really gave us a lot to think about. The count at the top helped us keep track of where everyone stood. I would be interested in seeing more videos like this.

[@FritzyBeat]

Brilliant video guys, a ton of awesome opinions, and I enjoyed listening to every second of it and hearing all your opinions ^_^

[@lara_n3rd875]

In the seasons that Faust worked on as said in the video were mostly based on the mane 6 as a group but the seasons after showed more character development through 1 character based episodes like Pinkie Pride and Make Friends But Keep Discord compared to the episodes back from season 1 + 2. Although seasons 1 + 2 are a lot different to what we have know I still appreciate the work Lauren did writing and creating the show, her talent in creating characters is truly amazing. To sum it up, Seasons 1+2 were good but in all honesty Seasons 3 + 4 were just a little bit better in many different ways. BTW- Love the video :)

[@Cometstarlight]

Kingdom Hearts music! : D

[@Lobomaru02]

Going back and rewatching season 1 after so long gave me an early installment weirdness vibe once I really took note of the differences in the respective styles of Faust and McCarthy. On the whole, I have to say that, while I will always be a fan of Lauren Faust's work and am grateful that she revitalized the flagging MLP series, the show got a lot better after she left. But I do agree with Jerry Peet that this is not due to her leaving in and of itself, the dates just coincide.

[@StormsparkPegasus]

I'm not really a fan of Lauren's work (though I respect her as an artist). Though she was instrumental in "getting the ball rolling" so to speak, she also had a lot of bad ideas and held the show back. It got MUCH better after she left (by better I mean going from like 9/10 to like 12/10, shattering the scale). And kept getting better until S5. After S5 there was kind of a plateau. 6 and 7 didn't continue the trend of "getting better every season" but they at least stayed roughly equal. The show was still more or less 12/10 at that point (breaking the scale). S8 was a pretty big drop, but since the show was SO GOOD before, the drop wasn't substantial enough to make it "bad". There was one unforgivably bad episode in S8 (Non-Compete Clause), and a few "meh" episodes, but overall I think the good outweighed the bad, and there were a couple real gems like the Kirin episode. S9 fell off a cliff. There are only 3 episodes in the season I can tolerate (Point of No Return, Common Ground, Going to Seed). Overall the season is basically 1/10 for me, and I don't accept the main arc or "ending" as canon. That whole season (except for those 3 episodes) needs to be nuked from orbit. I think the 2 folks (primarily) responsible for the show being so good for so long are Jayson Thiessen and M.A. Larson. It didn't go to poop immediately after their departure, because their presence was sort of felt for some time after, but hoo boy was S9 awful. Despite FIM being (overall) my favorite show of all time, I consider the last episode the single worst episode of ANY show I've ever seen. Insulting, disgusting trash.

[@krystiancharos889]

You don't think Lairen Faust will mind the revision do you? She wasn't involed with the decision of season 9. Plus Jayson Theissen should've come back to direct the last two seasons after the movie was released.

[@Robin280497]

For me, it stayed around the same. I didn't even know Lauren left after Season 2, because I became a Brony when Season 3 was already finished...or at least aired.

[@icommenttoplay1301]

So far I have found season 6 boring and uninteresting. I just feel the show is starting to lose its momentum. Twilight who was my favourite has really downgraded and I think the title of princess has finally got to her head. The addition of Starlight is just a replica of Sunset Shimmer with less interesting character traits. I never liked her in season 6 and just find her annoying. Personally I think season 4 reached MLP 's peak with some great episodes in season 5. With the release so quickly after season 5 and two of the writing staff gone, I think the show is starting to lose its magic that I once gave it. Cannot wait to hear your thoughts on season 6 when you come round to it .

[@karmalotus22]

I think it's still worth watching but mostly agree with your points. Starlight is likable to me though her redemption arc is not nessecary.

[@karmalotus22]

+Mangle The Pirate Yes, most people who watch a modern cartoon these days like a lot of other ones too. Plus both shows are extremely popular, if you look up crossovers you'll see liking both isnt rare.

[@icommenttoplay1301]

Just finished watching Gravity Falls and its amazing. Now a Faller amongst other things.

[@kirara2516]

10:00 is that Kingdom Hearts music in the background I hear? nvm. It was. That'd be something I'd like to see in the future. A shoutout to something KH or FF related in the MLP, even if it's a tiny Easter Egg or quick two second shot of a background pony version of Zack Fair or Aerith or something. My personal opinion on the show is, I think it's pretty much stayed the same. I enjoy episodes from all seasons just like I dislike (well, not dislike) some episodes from all seasons. In any case. I'm looking forward to season five. :)

[@ImaCartoon4ever]

Honestly, I'm both half and half on this topic. I love Lauren F. but I think the show might not have been able to become as popular as it is today is she was still on the team. We might not have seen some of the best episodes of season 4 if Lauren was still in charge since some of the stories we saw in season 4 were all from the other writers and not Lauren's. Then again, we might have had a better and much longer season 3 if she had stayed since I'm not sure if she would approve of humanizing the mane 6 for a movie, so we might not have had an Equestria girls movie. Which, in all honesty, I would have been ok with. The second movie was a major improvement, but couldn't have happened if the first movie didn't. So certain aspects of the show I think would've gotten better if she left or stayed.

[@LWolf12]

I believe the show is getting better, for a lot of the same reasons Jerry is gave. Season one was clunky but slowly improved as it went on. But Gibbon was right with Season 3, being shorter did hurt it. Though I did enjoy a lot of the episodes in it.

[@doujinloverXD]

I'm in the camp of better as I did like the more depth in characters we got in later seasons and it seems like they stayed more or less true to what Lauren wanted just did their own version and worked hard to strengthen it in the key areas it needed. Also love the KH soundtrack used in this. ;3

[@tvftw1]

Still don't understand why they gave Italy the best intro.

[@BionicWiggly]

I also came in late to the show so, I was able to watch all four seasons in a relatively compressed timespan. To me, there were some rough patches right in the middle of the set (2.5-3.5, maybe) but, even some of the filler episodes were strong. My question would be, what the hell is going on with Season 5? Holy shit!

[@doctordisney5755]

I think it got a lot better after myself. I judge the quality by how much I enjoy it initially and how likely I'm going to go back and watch the season again. The only real reason I watch the first two seasons is to look how far we've come

[@BasicallySalad]

When you said that faust was the "mother of MLP" i got an idea. Imagine the show is a child and Lauren is the mother. When we are around 20 we move away from home. (kinda the same thing as Lauren leaving) But what our mothers has teached us as children still affects us in our adulthood. So yeah what she did in season 1 and 2 still probably heavily affects the show :)

[@TheVideoClubeTheBEST]

(Google translate) I watched in marathon series, all at once without knowing that Lauren Faust had seuqer left the show, and did not notice any difference of fallen or better on the show, so I continued to improve at the same rhythm! (Original Braziliam portuguese) Eu assisti a série em maratona, toda de uma vez sem saber que Lauren faust tinha seuqer deixado o show, e não percebi nenhuma diferença de decaída ou melhora no show, para mim continuou melhorando no mesmo ritimo!

[@exosuite]

I got on this train ride at the season 2 canterlot wedding, but I think the show has improved through out.

[@timpetersen2923]

My opinion? Lauren Faust set the example in the beginning, so the new directors who came after her had an example to follow. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the new director will follow Lauren Faust's footsteps down to the exact detail. In each season, there were a few of those episodes that were kind of "eh". I mean, no season of any given show is flawless. When Megan McCarthy took over, she gave us some new concepts and ideas that made things in the show more interesting. If I were to say anything, then the show would have probably stayed the same. It's in between improving and staying the same, but I think it's leaning more towards staying the same.

[@gradybrown9301]

I'm gonna join the Same group. The show has always been great though every now and then I do have to slap my head at the things some charaters do. But I'm gonna agree with SilverQuil that my favorite seasons were also 2 and 4. I think it would be great if they brought Lauren Faust back for some special episode. Like the 100 episode.

[@ambercat993]

I think it stayed the same because for a while I didn't even know who stayed or left or anything (staffwise) and I didn't notice any big changes

[@fatmanfalling]

From what I know Lauren Faust wanted each character to complete their goals over the course of the series. Season 4 was basically... Damage control, for lack of a better term. stuffing all the last vestiges of Lauren's "plan" in to several trashbags and dumping them over the side of a boat. The episodes are probably still going to be very good for the most part. Testing Testing 1,2,3, Maud Pie, Filly Vinalli. Those were season 4 episodes! So who's to say that season 5 won't have comparably good episodes. But Pinkie Pride, Twilight's Kingdom and Rainbow Falls were all season 4 episodes that permanently damaged the show's potential. The show is going to circle the drain of status quo because the characters don't have goals anymore, or the characters can't have goals anymore because they're basically the royal council now. And Apple jack isn't exactly Petyr Baelish And Pinkie Pie isn't exactly Lord Varys... So I don't see any potential for growth anymore

[@profundisify]

I'm with Jerry Peet here. I think the show it's better now, but just because it has evolved. Every season has has great and "mñeh" episodes, and even the worst (I personally think it's the third) deserves to be called a "bad" season. Faust did a great job creating the characters and the world of Equestria, so of course she was important, but the rest of the cast has proven during this years that they can make great episodes within a great show. Would it be better if Faust had stayed? Well, who knows!? I can't know what would had happened in an alternative universe, but I do know that I like this show right now. My favourites seaons are the second (with Faust) and the fourth (without Faust), and I don't have any reason to think that the fifth won't be at least as good as those. So, do I miss Faust? Sure, I do. Do I think the show is bad without her? Not at all. So plus 1 to "better" from me. But, as Jerry says, not because Faust left the show, just because I think it has improven and matured.

[@SirDoodicus]

When I started watching the series I didn't know that Lauren Faust left, or even was part of the staff (I started watching around the time season 4 was reaching its end). As I continued to watch the series from season to season I enjoyed it all the same, season 4 was the point when my love for the series increased, so I guess you could say that it got better when she left, but I think that was more because the writers were just getting better at writing the episodes, not because she left.

[@themagicianmaster100]

Am with Ink, Gibbontake, and silver. OH and I loved how you used some of the KH music in this video :)

[@animationrainritewolf8388]

If this me in 2015 (I didn't watch this show show back then until I saw some episodes between 2016-2017, as well as the EG movies at the time and only watched the show fully in 2020), I'd say the show got better since Lauren left because I watching bits of 1 and ESPECIALLY 2, it was a slog to get through, it wasn't til' A Canterlot Wedding peaked my interest in this show (whereas my first discovery of MLP:FiM was the First EG movie), 3 showed to be good (despite the short time span) and 4 improved, whereas 5 was my favorite season. Though Season 6 and 8 was basically the show's lowest points (Season 6 was filled with consistently average episodes, Season 7 was really good without it's arc, Season 8 did everything Wrong, Season 9 managed to salvage this series gracefully)

[@lexiepound1062]

I started getting into the show around sometime last year, after Faust had left and after Twilicorn, personally, I'm an episode person, not a season person, I like the episodes I like, no matter the season, so I don't see much of a change

[@cookiefamilyof5]

In my opinion, I think the quality stayed the same. I personally think both styles have their pros and cons. I'm just glad there is such an amazing show out there like this one. : )

[@nathanjarrett728]

I came into this fandom somewhere during season 4, I watched the whole show in a week, I only watched the pilot because my brother dared me to, I wasn't really expecting to like it but, after I'd watched the opening two parter I wasn't quite invested, but I watched on out of interest, I think suited for success is the episode that sold the show for me, I think it got better, and season 3 is responsible for my favourite episode, Keep Calm and Flutter On.

[@authorbat5562]

I will gladly say that Lauren leaving the series was the beginning of the show improving in my eyes. Though at the same time, I can also gladly say that her leaving the series made me respect Lauren more as a person. She put her trust and faith into her staff as she left. I can even imagine something like a touching scene of her mentally pepping the others and saying "My friends, it's in your hooves now. I know you can do it. Farewell for now." It happens in fiction and non-fiction. A great hero creates a legacy, but then has to go for one reason or another, but still has someone to pick up the torch and carry on that legacy. Lauren Faust is a hero in my eyes. I've felt that way ever since I was a kid and I still feel it now. Except much stronger since I actually know how that feels, being a writer myself.

[@BlackflameWanderer]

Well Josh I agree with you, so many good episodes are in season 3-4 and it's amazing how the writers managed to make Mlp flourish without Lauren Faust. Yet she will be missed dearly.

[@IndeedYaBoi]

Voice of Reason and Joker summed up my feeling on this pretty well. I don't know if there is much I can say that wouldn't be a repeat of what they said. I just think things improved, not because of Lauren leaving, but just because the staff got better as they went.

[@CecilyJisi]

Dang it, Josh. It's videos like these that keep dragging me back into this fandom! #SEASONFIVEHYPE

[@Jammerstelthzoe]

I have to say that even though it's sad that Laura Fost left even though I started from toward the end of season two I still believed after looking back that the storyline had gotten a bit better I mean there's a bit of sites in life and I know there were a few Nick pics here and there a.k.a. season three but still these new writing staff have been amazing on putting out some of the pop cultures some wonderful story line and have character growth in between specially in season four so I don't really see much of a difference but still as long as the writers continue to make MLP special to all Bronys and pegasisters then May in five be a great one to watch

[@davidlewis7145]

I honestly think the show got quite a bit better after Lauren Faust left. I liked some of the decisions that were made with Meghan as showrunner, and I am eagerly awaiting the day when Season 5 finally airs (as well as the day in 2017 when we'll finally be getting an actual pony movie).