Is G1 Good?

[Pinkie Pie's Husband, Grumpy Enchantress]

I thought that I heard that G1 was just horrible crap like G3 but, apparently there are more than a few fans of the show. I think some people here said they like it. What's good about it?  Is it just a nostalgia thing or is it actually good? Is it like FiM? I've never seen it, should I watch it?

[Al-1701]

G1 varies wildly in quality.  The animation isn't all that great in the series itself as it was bottom the barrel even for the 80's (Hasbro was putting their money to driving Transformers and G.I. Joe into the ground and funded MLP and Friends with whatever money they found under the sofa cushions.)  I judge the episodes more on the writing.  Going by that...

The first two specials are good with the very first special being unapologetically awesome.  The characters of the first special were also developed by the people being the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, and I really wish they had used that style all the way through.

The movie suffers from massive pacing issues and an unwillingness to be about anything.  It's got some funny scenes and is as watchable as any other movie Hasbro made at the time.  The animation started going downhill here which is a shame since the style was beautiful.  However, ponies in the wrong places was rampant and they never bothered to finish the Twinkle Eye ponies' eyes.

As for the series itself.
I would watch the episodes written by Michael Reaves (The Return of Tambelon, The Magic Coins, The Quest of the Princess Ponies, Flight to Cloud Castle) as well as Crunch the Rock Dog by Linda Woolverton.  They're the series at its best.  You can also watch the episodes written by David Wise (The Revolt of Paradise Estate, The Magic Door, and the episode starring the Big Brother Ponies no one remembers the actual name of) if you to see some really weird crap.

[Felix Hawthorne]

I understand that G1 had some redeeming qualities, though I'm not sure what...

But G3, I hear nothing but bad things about that. The only time I see G3 fans emerge is when somepony is tearing it a new one.

[xXScootaDashXx]

I've personally never watched G1, but i've watched G3 movies like "Princess Promenade".

[rarity82mlp]

Well I divide G1 into two categories.

Rescue At Midnight Castle - Great, awesome.

The rest - okay, some episodes better than others.

[Neon Flash]

G1 is pretty good. Al explains it better than I would. ^^

The only G3 movie I've seen fully is Runaway Rainbow, and I enjoyed it. I even bought the DVD a little while ago.

[Mele Kalikimaka]

People seem to like the villains (Why not? The good guys are mostly as interesting as dry toast). Occasionally screens pop up on Derpibooru that look interesting, then I remember how hard the specials and movie were to sit through.

[Gilda]

I watched Rescue at Midnight Castle and it was maybe the best MLP thing of all.
I don't remember if I even watched Escape From Katrina, that's how memorable it was. The movie had some memorable bits (witches trying to turn Dream Valley back to the harsh Dungeons & Dragons world it was before the ponies carved out a happy sugar land!) but was no Midnight Castle.
There was also an episode whose title I can't remember where the ponies have to stop the racist penguin king from freezing Dream Valley. RACIST PENGUIN KING.

[PirateCat]

There was also an episode whose title I can't remember where the ponies have to stop the racist penguin king from freezing Dream Valley. RACIST PENGUIN KING.

Baby its cold out or something like that.

[Felix Hawthorne]

I watched Rescue at Midnight Castle and it was maybe the best MLP thing of all.
I don't remember if I even watched Escape From Katrina, that's how memorable it was. The movie had some memorable bits (witches trying to turn Dream Valley back to the harsh Dungeons & Dragons world it was before the ponies carved out a happy sugar land!) but was no Midnight Castle.
There was also an episode whose title I can't remember where the ponies have to stop the racist penguin king from freezing Dream Valley. RACIST PENGUIN KING.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LET MAB LIBS WRITE YOUR SCRIPT FOR YOU!

[TheColtofPersonality]

I say G1 is okay, not spectacular mind you but okay.
For 1980's standards its average, but man it has not aged well.
Sure the 80s were known as the age of cheap animation but G1 of MLP was near the bottom of the pot.

[Al-1701]

I've said they funded the MLP cartoon with whatever change they found under the sofa cushions.  They were too busy driving Transformers and G.I. Joe into the ground to invest in My Little Pony and Friends.

[Felix Hawthorne]

I say G1 is okay, not spectacular mind you but okay.
For 1980's standards its average, but man it has not aged well.
Sure the 80s were known as the age of cheap animation but G1 of MLP was near the bottom of the pot.

I'm starting to realize that the 80's cartoons were...yeah.

There was even a gag about 80's nostalgia in a Cracked Photoshop contest, where there was a DVD cover with all the cartoons on it. ANd the warning label said "Warning: Not as good as you remember".

It got bashed a lot since it took a jab at bronies and that overshadowed everything else, but it's very true.

[IceShadow1199]

G1 is okay but G3 sucks.

[Koopa Queen]

Coming from someone who enjoyed the show from her youth, the G1 cartoon really didn't age all that well. But, that doesn't mean it's bad all-around. The TV specials are probably the only decent things to come out of it. The movie is pretty trashy, but it does have its moments. For the show, same opinion as the movie.

Overall, despite being really dated, the G1 cartoon is still watchable. It's not as bad as the G3 crap.

[Mei]

I've watched it before and it's...

not that great.

[Applejack2011]

I love Midnight Castle too.

[Flame Facade]

Seen some, it's tolerable... At some moments can pass as a G4 prototype...

[Mei]

I find it boring, but much better than MLP G3.5.

I can at least get through an episode of G1 without having the urge to bang my head against the wall.

[Applejack2011]

I also love Rescue At Midnight Castle.

[Zuma]

It's watchable. But it's from the 80s. Cartoons from then weren't necessarily the best imo.

[SunGuppy]

I like G1, judging by what little I've seen of it, which consists of two movies and a couple episodes. I thought the characters were fun and the movie songs weren't bad at all. Some of it had a little bit of an edge, which was nice to see and unexpected.
It's a lot better than G3, which, to me, is such pap that I gag on almost every scene. They really needed to read some of those scripts before they okayed them for production. I know the target audience was little kids, but little kids aren't that undemanding! I appreciate the fact of G3 without particularly liking the finished product.
I haven't really seen any of G2, but I'd be curious to give it a look.   

[ムサシ]

I haven't really seen any of G2, but I'd be curious to give it a look.

Sorry to disappoint, but there's no G2 cartoons.

The only media adaptation G2 ever received was a PC game, unfortunately.

[SunGuppy]

Sorry to disappoint, but there's no G2 cartoons.

The only media adaptation G2 ever received was a PC game, unfortunately.

Whattt?? No cartoons? I've been living in a world of lies!!! 

[ムサシ]

Whattt?? No cartoons? I've been living in a world of lies!!! 

I know, it sucks. I really like the look of G2s, so it's sad that they were never animated.

G1's got another cartoon though, My Little Pony Tales. Instead of fantasy like the first one was, it's slice-of-life. Happened during the very end of G1. It featured brand new characters who hadn't even previously existed in toy form, although toys of them did end up getting made and were sold, but only overseas.

I want Bright Eyes' toy some day, I really like the interesting color scheme she has.