10 Reasons You Should Be Watching My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

This is not an article geared toward all the Bronies and Pegasisters already visiting this site. We know better than to preach to the converted. This article is geared toward anyone who has ever asked a Brony/Pegasister “why do you watch My Little Pony? Isn’t that show geared toward eight year old girls?” Well, kinda. Though we suppose My Little Pony was initially geared towards young girls it has branched into something new. One only needs to peak into Hot Topic to see that the creators acknowledge that this show has found an audience with people of all ages and genders.

People, on both sides of the pasture fence, feel very passionately about My Little Pony. Some people argue that it is ridiculous that grown men enjoy the show (as they play Mario on the SuperNintendo?). We think geek culture has always broken down gender and age barriers and that My Little Pony fits into this tradition. So here are the 10 reasons we think you should be watching My Little Pony. We may not be able to convert you, but we hope you at least walk away with an appreciation for this new fandom.

10. Geek References

You mean My Little Pony may actually be appealing to our inner nerds? Of course it is! There are multiple references within My Little Pony to some of our favorite nerd icons. One fan favorite is of course “Doctor Hooves.” Technically his name is Time Turner but he is clearly a reference to David Tennant’s version of The Doctor (“The Doctor” being Doctor Who of course). In fact Hasbro has embraced this fan favorite and he can be found as a pony Timelord on merchandise. There are other references to nerd icons including The Big Lebowski cast making an appearance in a bowling alley (including a pony version of Jesus) in The Cutie Pox (Season 2, Episode 6). And of course the episode Read It and Weep (Season 2, Episode 16) features Rainbow Dash imagining herself as Indiana Jones.

9. Fandom

If you haven’t figured it out yet, Bronies and Pegasisters have a vibrant and unique subculture. We have a secret handshake (Bro-hoof), favorite characters that we named ourselves (Derpy Hooves, Doctor Hooves, Octavia, DJ Pon-3 and Photo Finish), conventions, and cosplay! Every fandom claims that theirs is the greatest. We won’t go that far, but we will say it’s a pretty cool fandom to belong to and you certainly won’t be alone in your Bronydom and Pegasisterdom.

8. Vintage

One myth that we feel the need to dispel is that My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is similar to the 1980s My Little Pony series. The modern version is very different with a different look, different characters and a different audience. However, there is still something magical about watching My Little Pony again, even the new and improved version. 

7. Rainbow Dash

That’s right. Rainbow Dash gets her very own spot on the list. We think she is just an awesome badass lady. She is the only pony to pull off the Sonic Rainboom and we just know she is going to get into the Wonderbolts (the best flying team in all of Equestria). There is just something so…cool about her. She’s not the kind of pony we can imagine showing up in the 1980s version (too brash, confident, etc). Plus she’s totally a lesbian icon (a tough butch rainbow pony? Yeah. We can’t see it either!). 

6. Feminist

Yeah. We said it. My Little Pony is feminist. In fact, it probably has some of the best representations of female characters on television. These ponies are complicated, they break stereotypes and never rely on men to come in and save the day. They do not fit into feminine stereotypes nor are they all masculine. They celebrate traditional femininity, traditional masculinity and androgyny. And none of the ponies seem to have an issue with this.

5. Pinky Pie

We might get some pushback from the Bronies for putting Pinky Pie ahead of Rainbow Dash, but this author thinks Pinky Pie is just awesome. She’s totally random, hilarious and a party girl. She brings a lot of the humor of the show (who just pulls out the party cannon?) and is incredibly silly. And it’s ok. We wish everyone could have a friend like Pinky Pie to make them laugh. 

4. Morally Complicated Situations

Most children’s shows have pretty straightforward moral messages. For instance “share,” “don’t play with matches,” “don’t microwave kittens.” But My Little Pony is different and takes on very morally complicated situations. It challenges xenophobia (Season 1, Episode 9), takes on colonialism (Season 1, Episode 21) and bullying (Season 3, Episode 4). The ponies end up in situations that don’t seem to have easy answers as opposed to very cut and dried children’s messages. 

3. Music

The songs of My Little Pony:Friendship Is Magic are incredibly catchy. Music is a large element of the show and is often used to move along the storyline. But the music is also a lot of fun. Pinky Pie is often found bursting into song; singing about cupcakes, laughing at danger and about how bison and ponies should get along (after all, fighting gets you nothing but hoof and mouth disease!). Other songs are used to explain situations and almost all of the characters sing their own songs at some point within the series. The music is easy to find by searching for “My Little Pony soundtrack.” 

2. Be a Rebel

So you’ve almost made it to the end of the list and you’re thinking “but I can’t watch My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. Everyone will think I’m Gay.” We hate to break it to you, but being Gay is: (A) not a bad thing; (B) really doesn’t have anything to do with ponies and unicorns (as much as the author would like it to!). In fact, watching My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic really just makes you someone who likes My Little Pony. But we get it. You’re a follower who is afraid of being different from your friends. And that’s okay. Wait, no it’s not! You’re a geek! Since when do you care about fitting in with the mainstream? Be a rebel and embrace the magic of friendship. We promise not to tell your friends (you can keep Breaking Bad on in the background and switch if any of your bros come in).

1. Because You Haven’t Grasped the Lessons of Friendship 

Are you a good friend? Really? Would your friends describe you as a good friend? My Little Pony teaches a lot of lessons about friendship, some that adults can barely grasp. For instance, be appreciative of what your friends do for you (Suited for Success, Season 1, Episode 14), trusting your friend’s instincts (Feeling Pinky Keen, Season 1, Episode 16) and it’s ok to turn down invitations to events (Too Many Pinky Pies, Season 3, Episode 3). And besides learning lessons about friendship there are also basic life lessons throughout the show.