The direction of the show - I'm optimistic.

There was some pony posting doom and gloom about the quality of the show going down, the season haitus, and all that jazz, and I replied to them on Facebook. But I kinda like what I wrote and thought I’d like to share it with a broader audience for more discussion.
 
“I’m not too worried. I think the quality is going up, actually. Season 1 had lots of low-class looney-tune type gags (piano dropping on Twilight’s head) and yakkity sax chase scenes. Now, it holds a special place because it had some defining episodes, but that’s because they were the first, not necessarily better.
 
The animation quality has objectively gone way up. The topics and solutions have gotten more mature. The plotlines and everything has gotten deeper feels. I mean, look at “Flight to the Finish” compared to anything in seasons 1-3. Now look at this most recent episode with Moondancer.
 
And I’m not worried about them running out of material. When you change the status quo, you suddenly make a lot of new opportunities, and they’ve done just that. The fact that they gave Twilight wings and made her a princess, and even destroyed the Golden Oaks and replaced it with a crystal palace - and introduced the Cutie Map - as much as many people hated this, it shows that they’re willing to change the status quo in the show to keep it original and alive. It means we might even see the CMC’s get their cutie marks. It means the show can continue to change, adapt, and stay original indefinitely.”

…In case it wasn’t obvious, this was an open invitation to discuss the quality of the show and where it’s headed. A lot of ponies seem to think it’s going downhill. I think it’s going uphill. What do you think?

@Cirrus Light  
Ironically I just had chat about this very topic.
 
Anyway my take is that from animation, to story, to comedy, to characters, to locations, to lore, etc; the latter seasons have expanded on everything Faust laid out and added it’s own things too thus making all seasons better. Even Season 3 and the only reason I’m critical of that season is because it was short.
 
Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that when someone says that “Season one is the best” that they’re objectively wrong are inherently Faust-purists, but man from my view (and based on your block text yours too) it just pales in comparison on all fronts.

I’m fuckin’ pessimistic.
 
I have my own set of standards I go to when I invest myself into a new show - I make it a point not to follow anybody else’s standards, just what I feel is right. This has led me to having some unpopular opinions, such as Sonic Rainboom being my least favorite episode, but all in all I’m pleased with my standards and I feel that I can really love this show when they’re met.
 
After a while, my standards change - keeping things static is unrealistic, honestly, because things constantly evolve and this show is no exception. I grew to care mostly about the mane 6 characters, namely Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, and as time went on I didn’t want to explore characters such as Luna or Discord. I just had my own standards and my standards were what I have grown to care about in this show.
 
I don’t care about Luna or Discord or Background Ponies or any of that, though - not saying that people are wrong for doing so if they do, mind you, but I sure as hell don’t. Why should I feel optimistic when what I care about in this show is being shoved aside for characters that I frankly couldn’t care less about? Am I wrong for missing the days when the show felt like it was about the characters I actually gave a shit about?
 
Am I wrong for missing finales like “The Best Night Ever,” which I love for being adventurous and filled with development but also fun and lighthearted, when I see a premiere like “The Cutie Map” which felt like it was trying to be super serious and take on a deep, political meaning that bogged down how much I fun I was having to severe levels? Am I wrong for missing the days when the show felt like it had more going on in terms of expanding the demographic past the primary one than some shoddy and unsubtle pop culture references?
 
Why is everybody so dead set as saying I’m wrong for not being a fan of the current direction the show is taking? It’s not that I’m a Faust purist - a good chunk of my least favorite episodes come from her time on the show, because like I’ve been illustrating in this whole post, I actually cared then and I’m more apt to feeling upset when something goes wrong instead of what I feel now, which is border lining on apathy. I’m a long time and dedicated Sonic fan, too, so when I’ve reached the point of apathy because I’m not pleased with the product than fuck all, something is seriously wrong.

@ghostfacekiller39
 
To be honest, I actually do prefer slice-of-life. While adventure can be neat, used sparingly, It does create a problem when the mane 6 ought to be recognized as national heroes by now, but in order for them to stay relatable and keep plot arcs interesting they’re usually treated much more casually.
 
But I’m not too unhappy with the adventurous arcs, either. They’re pretty good, and you think deeply diving in politics bogged “The Cutie Map” down? Well, I, for one, thought that Orwellian brainwashing, dissent-silencing political regimes were universally frowned on. I didn’t think a dystopia like that was really all that political :p

@Cirrus Light  
Just because it’s something that is universally frowned upon doesn’t make it an entertaining subject .-. I watch the show to have a good time, and forgive me if I don’t find Orwellian brainwashing and dissent-silencing political regimes to be a particularly good time. That was the major point I was trying to get across, not my own personal perception of what the episode was supposed to mean.
 
I liked the show for being lighthearted fun that didn’t take itself too seriously but wasn’t afraid to be adventurous all the same. Return of Harmony was the first time that I felt the show got too wrapped up in itself, then that theme continued with two-parters like A Canterlot Wedding and the Crystal Empire. Too serious, too dark, and I couldn’t have fun with them. I didn’t really care at the time, though, because almost everything that was sandwiched between those episodes were what I liked to see out of the show.
 
I don’t feel that lighthearted fun anymore, though. The only times I truly felt any kind of feelings that were akin to the ones that made me like the show in the first place were in Appaloosa’s Most Wanted and Princess Spike - and those two episodes were just kind of eh in spite of that. I don’t want dark storylines, I don’t want a lot of thought-provoking mature stuff, and I don’t want a bunch of Luna and Discord and Background Ponies, either - I want to watch a show that I can have an enjoyable time watching. I want to see less of characters I don’t care about and I want to see more of characters I do care about. I want things to feel fun for being fun, not feel fun for being deep and mature. I don’t think that’s fun, I think that’s boring. If I wanted something mature, I’d just go balance my budget for this month and fill out my ledger so I knew my current financial situation.
 
I mean, I have my standards for this show. I have what I want to see out of it, and if I’m not getting that and I’m not finding what I’m getting instead to be an adequate replacement, then why should I kid myself and act like I’m happy with the current situation of the show?

@ghostfacekiller39  
Well, you’ve cut right to the point pretty well - it really is what you prefer. Myself, I kind of like how it’s hit on more touching things in recent episodes - the latest two are really powerful examples of that.
 
I think it still strikes a good balance with more relaxed slice-of-life episodes, though. “Amending Fences” I think hit a nice combination of “not-high-stakes-life-in-danger-adventure”/“slice of life” and “emotionally touching.”
 
I think I can see where you’re coming from, though. Season 1 had lighter, though sillier stuff with episodes like “Fall Weather Friends.” It would be nice to see more of that again - though personally I’d prefer just “lighter” and less looney tunes physics. I just said I like the deeper, more feelsy episodes, yes, but all in good balance. We know maybe 3 or so more episodes will be intense in some way or other, but maybe the others will have more of that lightness you’re looking for.

I’m optimistic too OP, at least more optimistic than I am about Arse Effect Andomedia or Starcraft 2: Lets fuck everything up even more or Halo 5: lets fuck everything up even morer

I’ve always been optimistic, but maybe cause I don’t usually take the show too seriously. I don’t turn off my brain, and I respect that FiM is (usually) a pretty smart show, but I don’t think too deeply around most things, only if I want to, and It’s more for fun than for serious. I also give no shits about ‘canon’ debates that everyone stresses over all the time.