>>5322
>Though it may be wishful thinking to hope for a show to retain it's original style and feel over time
completely wishful thinking. Would the show even continue if it didn´t have that level of popularity back in the day? You can take that con as a curse of changing the time but keep in mind that the post s3 content might have been a bonus that shouldn´t have happened yet it did. Don´t simply stay with one side of that coin.

>if the writers were less self-aware of the work they're contributing to and the way it's audience perceives it, you end up with something that, in my opinion, is a bit more immersive.
well, this line is harder to discuss but I suppose that the immersion came because of a spirit that was originally intended from the ones who started the creation but over time, the newest writers don´t feel that original charm because they weren´t all that close to it. In fact, I am surprised that there hasn´t been a seasonal rot because of this lack of knowledge and original passion.

There have been immersive situations and free of "meme material" in the latest seasons as well but those events don´t simply happen around Ponyville all the time like those first years because of adding layers to the show that weren´t planned at all.

>The early show wasn't devoid of references and 4th wall breaking
tell that to Pinkie Pie, the most shining example of that. The show wasn´t free of those practices because even Faust was overwhelmed and noticed the huge unexpected reception that she got with FiM. This event by itself could lead them to change their minds at some point and change the aim somewhere else.

>I think part of the original charm was that it was free to be it's own thing since nobody tended to pay much heed or mind to the earlier generations of the franchise, and as such it had essentially no expectations to live up to and no real fanbase to try and please.
like any newborn creation, free of filth or corruption that stays innocent. I suppose that these are the reasons why /mlp/ (for the most part) praises the old seasons: comfyness and lack of contact with the real world. I understand why you have these thoughts. However, nothing stays pure forever, you are going to be influenced and change that innocent nature for something else sooner or later. /mlp/ spends a lot of time at discussing how comfy the early seasons were but I see no one appreciating its growth and adaptability to mature along with the fans. Reaching the top of its game is a hard task....but it´s EVEN harder to keep that level over the years by adding new layers or experimentation to its back.

>Again not to say that what came after was bad. I may be repeating things that have been said by others before a bit.
well, the cyclical discussions come and go. I repeat myself a lot of times as well but I suppose that...one true sign of revealing who you are discussing with (even by having Anon in the forefront) is by noticing the consistent opinions delivered over time.