(source?)
tl;dr version: watch some ponies if you choose to do so. If not, that's cool too.
Ok.
So while I think the whole trolling everyone with Ponies thing is utterly hilarious, I'm not actually kidding when I say I like the show. In fact, I like the show a hell of a lot more than I like cards right now. I can pinpoint the exact moment that the ponies took the lead by a nose (Ha! A horse pun) ahead of cards. The nanosecond I saw the card backs of 2011 Topps Lineage. Absolutely effing drek ugly garbage. And overall as a set, I like (well, just like, not like like) the idea of Topps Lineage. Hell, I'm still trying to complete my 2009 Upper Deck Timelines set. Those stupid card backs just utterly killed new cards for me though. I don't think I've even bought a pack of Allen & Ginter since then. Just stickers. And ponies. The daughter gets the ponies. I haven't actually gotten to the point where I'm buying ponies for myself. Yet.
The show I'll watch. I've already gone on record that I like the Powerpuff Girls, and this show is basically the Powerpuff Girls multiplied by two and transformed from lovable superheroes into cute ponies with crippling mental problems who are able to learn and grow and kick the asses of monsters terrorizing Equestria through the power of niceness and Friendship with a Capital Eff. It's funny, it's sweet, it is NOT CYNICAL OR IRONIC OR WRITTEN FOR STONERS like 99% of the other cartoons out there and it's something I can share with my daughter. It's just a pleasant, well done show free of cynical snark for a change. So I like it, and for the forseeable future you're going to see Ponies. I may or may not snap out of this at some point in the future. Who the hell knows. I may end up having a nervous breakdown and start collecting stamps again. I will still be posting cards though, and I've actually got an idea for some card posts that might be fun planned to come up in the next week or two.
In the meantime, Ponies. If you flat out hate ponies and just can't be here anymore if there shall be ponies in any shape or form, then sorry. Do what ya gotta do. If you don't care for ponies, and just want to see cards, I'll give ya cards. Nothing new because I'm pretty much done with that, but vintage and stickers will be seen a plenty. If you do in fact like the Ponies, or are merely curious about just how the hell a middle aged guy who was recently completely obsessed with cardboard pictures of men performing feats of athletic skill could suddenly come out of the stable as a Brony, here's some links for ya.
Every Season 1 Episode: If you're going to watch only one, make it Dragonshy (Ep. 7) or Sonic Rainboom (Ep 16). Still interested? Watch the two-episode pilot (Ep 1, 2). Still still interested but not quite ready to watch the whole series? Ticket Master, Suited for Success then The Best Night Ever (Ep 3, 14, 26). Still undecided? Watch the Cutie Mark Chronicles (Ep. 23). That one will either hook you for good or drive you away forever. They are best watched in order, however.
Season 2 starts an hour after this post goes up and will probably have already started by the time the majority of you stumble across it. You can watch it on The Hub if you have a super-deluxe cable package with all the channels. Season 2, Ep 1 debuts at 9am. If, like most of Humanity, you do not have the hub, you can find a stream here. Or maybe here. Look around a bit and you'll find somewhere to watch it. The episode will likely be on YouTube before the day is done.
If you'e especially brave you can go to Reddit/r/mylittlepony, or Equestria Daily, or one of the many Ponychans, or (Heaven help you) 4Chan /co/. I'm not linking any of these because quite frankly they are all utterly terrifying each in their own individual ways. Here There Be Dragons (and Ponies). If you like the show, there's some absolutely brilliant and hilarious shit in there, but there is also an equal or greater amount of cringeworthy, horrifying, oh my Dear God WHY, utterly un-unseeable nightmares in these places. As with any fandom, there are always a goodly amount of trolls and lunatics out there, so be careful.
So that's about it. the show is good, the YouTube parodies are funny, the music is actually pretty cool, the ponies are adorable and at long last, a TV show aimed at girls is actually good. If you've read this far, you're probably ready to see a leaked clip from the new episode.
Q knows the power of Friendship...
SPOILERS!!!!!
Holy crap the episode is already on YouTube.
Part 1 Part 2
Better quality 720p version
space reserved for the inevitable 1080p version
