My Little Pony (TV series)

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My Little Pony
Format Children's television series
Starring Ginny McSwain
Country of origin Flag of the United States United States
Production
Running time 10 mins per episode
Broadcast
Original run September 15 1986 – September 23 1987
This article describes the My Little Pony television series. For the second, unrelated TV series see My Little Pony Tales. For the My Little Pony toys, see My Little Pony. For the animated movie, see My Little Pony: The Movie.

My Little Pony was an American animated television series based on the My Little Pony toys released by Hasbro. It is currently being shown on the British TV Channel Tiny Pop.

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[edit] Synopsis

Ponyland is a mystical land, home to all kinds of magical creatures. The Little Ponies make their home in Paradise Estate, living a peaceful life filled with song and games. However, not all the creatures of Ponyland are so peaceful, and the Ponies often find themselves having to fight for survival against witches, trolls, goblins and all the other beasts that would love to see the Little Ponies destroyed, enslaved or otherwise harmed.

[edit] Format

The series featured as the first segment of a program called My Little Pony 'n Friends. The second segment would be an unrelated cartoon based on another Hasbro franchise - either Glo Friends, MoonDreamers or Potato Head Kids. The show was originally broadcast each weekday. Generally the 'My Little Pony' segments broadcast Monday to Thursday would form a 4-part story, or two 2-part stories, with standalone episodes broadcast on Fridays. Episodes that continued a story opened with a brief narrated recap: 'In our last episode...'. Almost every segment featured a musical number somewhere in the storyline.

The series debuted in the fourth quarter of 1986, a few months after the release of My Little Pony: The Movie, which had introduced the Paradise Estate and many of the series' main characters. 1987 saw a few new episodes added, mostly centering around the new products in the My Little Pony toy line that year. Two previous television specials were also edited into segments of My Little Pony and Friends: Rescue from Midnight Castle, first aired 1984, and Escape from Catrina from 1985.

[edit] Characters

Main article: Characters in My Little Pony (TV Series)

The Little Ponies of Paradise Estate included:

  • Earth Ponies, brightly colored, talking versions of real horses
  • Pegasus Ponies, with feathered wings
  • Unicorns, with horns that grant each of them a unique magic power. They are also able to move instantaneously through the air in a process known as 'winking in and out'.

Also living in Dream Valley are:

  • Flutter Ponies, shy but powerful creatures with magic in their gossamer wings
  • Baby Sea Ponies, brightly colored seahorse-like creatures who dwell in Dream Valleys's rivers and wear floats that look like aquatic animals
  • Spike, a lone baby dragon who lives with the Ponies after being separated from his own kind
  • The Bushwoolies, a joyful species of furballs that think alike. They seem to be led by a blue Bushwoolie named Hugster.
  • The Grundles, a small race of creatures ruled by the Grundle King. They used to live in Grundleland before it was smoozed and now live in Dream Castle.

Three human children often flew across the Rainbow to join the Little Ponies - siblings Megan, Danny and Molly. The group often sought advice on magical matters from the Moochick, a wise but eccentric gnome who lived in the nearby Mushromp, and his rabbit assistant, Habbit.

[edit] Partial Voice Cast

[edit] Mistakes

  • A selection of common errors:
    • Changes of breed (for example, Lickety-Split turns into a pegasus in one scene).
    • Changes of color in landscape or characters within a scene.
    • Change of voice of a specific pony. For example, Gusty, who is regularly voiced by Nancy Cartwright, may occasionally switch to another pony's voice.
    • Constant variation in physical appearance of characters (pony changes from small to tall, skinny to fat). Also proportional errors in size of babies to adults, and other characters to ponies. Sometimes hair texture changes as well, leaving curly haired ponies with straight and vice versa.
    • Continuity errors involve reoccurring confusion over which ponies take part in a particular mission.

[edit] Episodes

[edit] Original standalone episodes

  1. My Little Pony (1984) - When several Little Ponies are transformed into monsters by the Power of Darkness, a young girl named Megan joins their battle. (Originally untitled, this feature is known as My Little Pony in Dreamland, Firefly's Adventure, Rescue from Midnight Castle or Escape from Midnight Castle in various releases. It was edited into two parts when syndicated.)
  2. Escape from Catrina (1985) - A magical cat forces the Bushwoolies to work to make Witchweed potion, the source of her powers. When they escape, she tries to make the Little Ponies her new slaves. (Edited into two parts when syndicated.)

[edit] My Little Pony 'n Friends, Series 1 (1986)

  1. The End of Flutter Valley (10 episodes) - The Witches from the Volcano of Gloom ally with an army of giant bees to get their revenge on the Flutter Ponies. The bees steal the precious Sun Stone - if the Flutter Ponies can't get it back, their home will be destroyed. This was a direct sequel to My Little Pony: The Movie.
  2. The Ghost of Paradise Estate (4 episodes) - A creature who lived in Dream Valley before the Paradise Estate was built returns to destroy the Little Ponies' home.
  3. The Great Rainbow Caper (1 episode) - A pair of gadget-loving monkeys take Danny and Surprise prisoner, demanding the Rainbow of Light for their release.
  4. The Glass Princess (4 episodes) - Self-obsessed witch Porcina wants to turn the world into glass, to see her reflection everywhere. Three captured ponies are key to Porcina's plan and must stop her using their own magic to destroy their friends.
  5. Pony Puppy (1 episode) - When a lost puppy saves Baby Tiddlywinks from a river, the ponies feel they must look after it - but it's already twice as big as they are.
  6. Bright Lights (4 episodes) - The Baby Ponies are delighted when rock star Knight Shade performs for them - but the concert is a front to steal their shadows and feed his dark master!
  7. Sweet Stuff and the Treasure Hunt (1 episode) - Sweet Stuff feels left out trying to play with the unicorns and Pegasus ponies, but soon realises she has talents of her own.
  8. The Return of Tambelon (4 episodes) - The ancient city of Tambelon disappeared 500 years ago. Now, it returns to Dream Valley - and all of the unicorns mysteriously vanish.
  9. Little Piece of Magic (1 episode) - Ribbon and Buttons teach the Baby Ponies the value of imagination.
  10. The Magic Coins (4 episodes) - The Little Ponies are delighted to discover a treasure chest of magic coins - until an ill-thought wish leaves Ponyland without water, putting all their lives in danger. To undo the spell, they must appease the troll to whom the treasure really belongs.
  11. Mish Mash Melee (1 episode) - After a magical mishap, Fizzy, Shady, Wind Whistler and Gusty must live each other's lives until they can restore the balance of nature.
  12. Woe Is Me (2 episodes) - The Little Ponies provide shelter to Woebegone, a wandering hobo who brings bad luck and disaster wherever he goes.
  13. Fugitive Flowers (2 episodes) - The arrival of walking, talking flowers puts the ponies in the middle of a war that could destroy Dream Valley - and they're not sure whose side they're really on.
  14. Would Be Dragonslayer (1 episode) - Spike is harassed by a young boy trying to become a knight. The Ponies help him to find a good deed that doesn't involve slaying their friend.
  15. Baby, It's Cold Outside (2 episodes) - The Ponies are delighted as snow falls in summer, not realising that it's a plot by the Penguin King to freeze Ponyland and destroy those that can't survive the cold.
  16. Crunch the Rockdog (2 episodes) - A vicious dog carved from rock charges through Ponyland, turning everything it encounters to stone.
  17. The Revolt of Paradise Estate (2 episodes) - A magic spell brings the Paradise Estate to life - and its furniture declares war on the Little Ponies.
  18. Through the Door (2 episodes) - A door is opened to the world of fairy tales, and the ponies meet such legends as Robin Hood, Aladdin's genie and Hercules.

[edit] My Little Pony 'n Friends, Series 2 (1987)

  1. The Quest of the Princess Ponies (4 episodes) - Lavan, a lava demon, kidnaps the Princess Ponies and steal their magic wands. As Lavan grows in power, Ponyland's magic is thrown into chaos - can he be stopped before everything is destroyed?
  2. Spike's Search (1 episodes) - Spike goes in search of his roots and joins a dragon horde, but finds he does not agree with their bullying ways.
  3. The Golden Horseshoes (2 episodes) - When a mysterious illness strikes the unicorn Mimic, the search is on to find the four Golden Horseshoes, scattered all around Ponyland - their ancient magic is her only hope.
  4. Flight to Cloud Castle (2 episodes) - The Pegasus Ponies take to the skies to help a handsome prince rescue his true love.
  5. The Ice Cream Wars (1 episode) - When a feud between two chefs leaves the Sweet Shoppe without ice cream, the Baby Ponies are determined to establish a truce.
  6. Somnambula (2 episodes) - An ancient witch lures the ponies into a fantasy world where all their dreams seem to come true. In truth, she is stealing their magic to keep herself young and powerful, and the ponies are withering away.
  7. The Prince and the Ponies (1 episode) - The ponies are delighted to be invited to dine with royalty - until they discover they are to be kept as royal pets.

[edit] Overseas Editions

The series has been translated into several different languages for European and Latin American markets, including:

  • Czech, as Malí poníci a jejich přátelé
  • French, as Mon Petit Poney
  • German, as Mein Kleines Pony
  • Greek, as Mikro Mou Pony, their names were also translated.
  • Dutch, as My Little Pony, retaining the original on-screen titles and character names. Some songs remained in English.
  • Finnish, as Pikku Ponit
  • Hebrew, as HaPony HaKatan
  • Hungarian, as Én pici pónim
  • Italian, as Vola Mio Mini Pony
  • Lithuanian, as Mano mažieji poniai
  • Polish, as Mój Mały Kucyk
  • Portuguese, as O Meu Pequeno Pónei (in Portugal)
  • Portuguese, as Meu Querido Pônei (in Brazil)
  • Spanish, as Mi Pequeño Pony
  • Swedish, as Min Lilla Ponny

[edit] DVD Releases

Main article: My Little Pony DVD releases

[edit] Related Series

A very different set of Little Ponies featured in the 1992 series My Little Pony Tales. This series removed the more fantastic elements of the original series and had the ponies living essentially as human beings.

A new series of My Little Pony movies launched in 2005 with My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas. It was followed in 2006 by My Little Pony: The Princess Promenade and My Little Pony: The Runaway Rainbow. In 2007 My Little Pony: A Very Pony Place was released, featuring the mini-episodes Come Back, Lily Lightly! Two for the Sky, and Positively Pink.

The G3 line has other shorts as well: the pilot, A Charming Birthday; Dancing in the Clouds, Friends are Never Far Away, Pinkie Pie's Ladybug Jamboree, and Greetings from Unicornia.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

My Little Pony
My Little Pony: The Movie
My Little Pony Tales