Hypothethical G1 cartoon revisions - what would you find acceptable?

[Silver Glade]

Hey all!

So, I'm sure most fans of the G1 cartoon (I'm mostly referring to Friends in this discussion, but the same questions apply to Tales as well) will readily admit that the series has its fair share of technical flaws.    I don't think there is a single episode of Friends that doesn't have some error to it (the wrong character speaking, really wonky animation, etc). 

So, if you had the authority and resources to clean up the original G1 series, what tweaks and changes would you make?  Personally, I would go all out and reanimate pretty much everything to give the ponies more equine and less awkwardly chunky character designs, and have them move a bit more fluidly.  I would keep the soft, rounded G1 aesthetic though - no drastic overhauls like G4-ifying everything!  I'd retain the original voicework (maybe remaster it to clear up the quality a bit), but I'd augment the sound design and background score for sure.  I'd add in some subtler sound effects (or change them to match the scenario better - e.g. no sharp, hard surface clop sounds while walking on a forest floor, etc.), and would compose a handful of musical themes to throw into the mix.  That's one thing, in my opinion, that gets old fast - the same minor key piece for "we're in trouble!" scenes, or transition music pieces, etc.

While I would restore the Midnight Castle and Catrina specials to their entire uncut forms, I think I'd be a bit more brutal to some storylines that were clearly just meant to fill in airtime.  Especially the ten-part "End of Flutter Valley" episode - it's impossible to sit through the entire thing!  It takes a very thin premise and stretches it out to an unbearably long runtime.  So I'd edit that one down, for example, to give it a length that suits its story. 

I think it'd be fun to add in some more ponies from the toyline, if only in non-speaking background action.  Just to fill out the world of Dream Valley a little more, rather than seeing the same 20 ponies over and over! 

And the last change I think may ruffle some feathers too much, but I'd totally change Megan, Danny and Molly into some other sentient species, just to remove the pesky human element in the show.  It'd still be ridiculous that the ponies would lean on Megan so much to rescue them from crises, but at least I wouldn't have to look at that silly ruffled outfit of hers.    I'd probably change them to anthropomorphic canine characters, like a trio of cute mongrels.  Because why not?   

[Tap Dancer]

"Cleaned up animation" is the only thing that would be good, IMO. If they want to make the colors brighter and the picture more crisp, go for it! However, I don't think they should add or remove characters or change the music.

[Carrehz]

I voted for cleaned-up animation and more ponies used as backgrounders (altho I think they had a pretty good selection of ponies in the show already, haha!).

I dunno, I wouldn't want a drastic overhaul of the series or anything. I like the G1 cartoon as it is, animation flaws and all

[Mirnyj]

I voted for adding new characters to the background. But that was just because the cleaned-up animation option had clearing out the errors in it. Do not touch the errors, they are soooo much fun to spot! 

[LadyMoondancer]

Cleaned up animation, no humans, and make everything in RaMC style.  No hippo ponies. Also, yeah, better / more variety of music.

And I agree, tighten up the storylines, especially End of Flutter Valley.  "We're captured!  We've escaped!  We're captured again!"  OMG stop.

[prancingstag]

Voted for cleaned up animation. I wouldn't mind seeing colour correction, resynced vocals, maybe some of the more awkward cuts redone. But when you get to the point of changing plots and characters, you might as well just start a reboot show in a similar artstyle and take it where you will. Leave the old shows as a testament to how it was done at the time, flaws and all... its really charming in its own little way. I think George Lucas has more than proven to the world that director's cuts aren't always the best thing.

On one point, though, about changing the humans into anthros. I would have liked to see them as Pony Friends! I think Megan would have made a great lioness, to be friends with Kingsley. Being 'queen' of the jungle would have given her authority and bravery when it came to helping the ponies. Molly could have made a dainty, unsure, slightly clumsy young giraffe. And Danny could have been a cheeky, agile young zebra. They would be a group of close friends rather than family in this case.

[Malicieuse]

I wouldn't want to see much changed unless they are actual errors.
The show used to have a ton of animation errors that never should have been there in the first place. Like one scene were the characters stop walking but the background still moves for a bit. That's pretty bad.

Also, i sometimes wonder if i'm one of the few people who actually like the human characters. To me it made Ponyland feel more "real" and connected to our world. XP

[scarletjul]

I'd clean up the animation and maybe the sound.  That's about it.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

It's a piece of MLP history - I would change nothing! 

[Al-1701]

I'd clean up the animation.  I would especially complete the effects of the movie.  What happened to the TE ponies was a disgrace.

Other than that...maybe some minor tweaks.  I wouldn't eliminate the humans entirely, but I would definitely demote their roles.  I'd oak The Glass Princess and the End of Flutter Valley in gasoline and throw on a bonfire because flames are the only thing that can smite such foul creations (though that's not so minor).  Make The Return of Tambelon and The Magic Coins longer to further explore those stories.

If I was going to go all out and rewrite the whole thing, I would make Wind Whistler, Fizzy, and Gusty more prominent.  I'd assign everyone some kind of role in the community.  Magic Star is the leader and ponies go to her with for guidance instead of the uber wunderkind.

[ponycake]

I don't really like the series except for the specials. Never did like the episodes even as a kid except the one with Woebegone. The stories were bad I thought and the animation was ugly, the songs were bad, the villains were bad, I so wish all of that was changed and the whole thing looked like Rescue at Midnight Castle or Catrina. It'd be cool to see it completely redone, except I probably wouldn't like it if they did it today because they seem to do more quirky stuff today instead of just cute and sweet like the 80s did.

I was thinking recently what if all the episodes were something amazing like RaMC and it's so sad to me that they weren't. I did like Tales pretty well though. That wasn't as much of a mess as the others.

[Silver Glade]

Cleaned up animation, no humans, and make everything in RaMC style.

Ooh! I like that idea of rendering them closer to RaMC style!  They actually looked like horses in that special... LOL!

I have to admit that the RaMC ponies are just a wee bit too "skinny" looking in their designs for my preference; I'd do something round-ish but not blobby, with defined equine anatomy to make them look just enough like horses to invoke the "plausible impossible." 

Maybe something along the lines of moxtixen's art of Star Hopper -

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[Einhornbaby]

I voted for cleaned-up animation and more ponies used as backgrounders (altho I think they had a pretty good selection of ponies in the show already, haha!).

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Though its been quite funny trying to spot the error-ponies, id really prefer them not to be there at all lol.
Otherwise Id like it to stay as it is. Maybe a few more toyline-background ponies! That would be great!

[Carrehz]

Also, i sometimes wonder if i'm one of the few people who actually like the human characters. To me it made Ponyland feel more "real" and connected to our world. XP

I like them, too :<

(I also like "The End of Flutter Valley", which, going off this thread, seems to be unpopular as well. :c)

[Brightglowpony]

Cleaning up the animation would be my top choice.  I always liked the style and flow of the original G1 specials (Midnight Castle/Katrina) best.  Another pet peeve was the use of incorrect grammar (ex: baby ponies saying "Me want this!") and I wish some of the shrill and high pitched voices were toned down a bit.  Despite that, these cartoons were a huge part of my childhood and I still love them and am grateful for the people who put them together frame by frame