How can I watch Ponies and keep a clean conscience?

[MajorTomServo]

So, I want to watch My Little Pony to see what all the fuss is about, but I dont have cable. If I torrent it or watch it on youtube, the makers of the show dont get any money. What should I do? Pirate it and buy official pony swag? Watch it on youtube and mail them $10? Wait for DVDs? Or just get over it and watch it anyway? Tell me what you think.

 

[Thurston]

iTunes.

But, not available in Canada. Sigh.

 

[Aidinthel]

Well firstly, I want to thank you for not being concerned about your man card or feeling gay or whatever, which is what I feared upon seeing the thread title.

(Edit: D'oh! iTunes! I forgot. How embarrassing. Yeah, just buy from iTunes if you're that worried about it.)

As for your question, keep in mind that Hasbro doesn't really care about the show itself because the company makes the vast bulk of its money from merchandise sales. So buying some official merch if you like the show (they have some nice shirts over at We Love Fine) would make them perfectly happy. Also the actual PEOPLE who make the show love the community and are really just happy to have so many fans.

There are a couple dvd releases, but they're not very good. Specifically they only have a few episodes (and not the best ones either, IMO) and no extra features. I also believe the latest episode is usually available on the official website a few days after airing, but that doesn't really help to see the full series.

And if you do take a liking to it, I feel I should point out that we have a rather large user group here on the Escapist:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/MLP-Friendship-is-Magic
Feel free to drop by, but make sure to turn chat notifications off when it prompts you as group chat tends to move quickly.

 

[Aidinthel]

Just watch them on youtube and buy the merchandise and you will be loved and tolerated

Or don't, and be loved and tolerated anyway.

Also, I tried to resist the impulse to correct the OP's spelling, but the proper pluralization of "pony" is "ponies".

 

[MajorTomServo]

Just watch them on youtube and buy the merchandise and you will be loved and tolerated

Or don't, and be loved and tolerated anyway.

Also, I tried to resist the impulse to correct the OP's spelling, but the proper pluralization of "pony" is "ponies".

Egad! D: You'd think with all the time I spend on the internet I would have learned to proofread...

 

[3 legged goat]

Buy figures from toy stores, buy shirts, buy on iTunes, and mail them $10!

 

[Loop Stricken]

(Edit: D'oh! iTunes! I forgot. How embarrassing. Yeah, just buy from iTunes if you're that worried about it.)

Can't, not up for purchase in the UK.

 

[Neverhoodian]

In a word, "merchandising."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvmZ9SPcTzU
(Youtube wouldn't let me embed)

Buy some toys if you're so inclined (try to go for show-accurate ones). I visited my mother a little while back, and she gave me a surprise gift: my very own toy Fluttershy.

If that doesn't suit you, buy a shirt from WeLoveFine. They've got lots of awesome designs to choose from.

Of course there's always the option to buy the episodes off of iTunes. Personally, I'm waiting for the day when they start releasing season collections on DVD/Blu-Ray.

 

[Aidinthel]

(Youtube wouldn't let me embed)

You have to use [ youtube=*the stuff after the = in the Youtube url* ]

Like so:

 

[Kae]

There's plenty of merchandise available from that show so it really shouldn't be hard for you to make up for that petty crime, though if you really like that show I guess you should wait for the DVD or alternatively get DVD when it comes out and buy some other merchandise in the meantime.
[sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub]*Sigh* I thought this was going to be a thread about serious stuff, like attempted murder guilt or something like that, you know the problems only bad people like me have?[/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub]

 

[Aidinthel]

This is now a pony thread

I'm pretty sure it was a pony thread from the beginning, but nonethless- *abruptly realizes that all his pony images are on the other hard drive partition*

...brb.

Here we go:

 

[Mr.Numbers]

Oh, I have something perfect to add to this.

Nothing says drunken forum fun like horrifically abusing stock images!

So I drew up a Mad Libs a while ago:

Spoiler

Anyone fancy a little horrific abuse of context and word balloons?

 

[Valanthe]

(Youtube wouldn't let me embed)

You have to use [ youtube=*the stuff after the = in the Youtube url* ]

Like so:

Okay, Ponies + Mulan = the most epic thing I've seen all week...

granted it's only Sunday... but still...

 

[Neverhoodian]

snip

Sorry, guess I wasn't clear enough. I mean this happens:
So anyway...ponies.

Spoiler

 

[Aidinthel]

Okay, Ponies + Mulan = the most epic thing I've seen all week...

Yeah, there's not much that can top that. Though personally I prefer that My Little Portal song, if only because I love Portal.

Anyway, let's keep the pony train rolling:

 

[Mr.Numbers]

Theme music for any pony thread.

Because ponies

 

[Aidinthel]

(Edit: D'oh! iTunes! I forgot. How embarrassing. Yeah, just buy from iTunes if you're that worried about it.)

Can't, not up for purchase in the UK.

Is the OP in the UK? His profile doesn't say.

 

[Nouw]

Merchandising! As Spaceballs brilliantly said, merchandising is where the real money comes in or something similar.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have my eyes set on various Pony shirts from WeLoveFine.com. To spend my money, or to not? They better ship to NZ!

 

[Random Fella]

I wish I had the balls to buy some merchandise
I am extremely closeted around ponies in real life
Literally no one that knows me personally knows I like them
And as for random stuff to post
The songs from the parody "Friendship is Witchcraft" are better than the real versions

Spoiler: songs

So good

[small][small][small]Also Rarity is best pony[/small][/small][/small]

 

[Valanthe]

You know when I watched something on youtube I never really thought about how it means they don't get revenue for it. I guess I was just kinda thoughtless and took it for granted.

Yeah, This is why when legitimate things get shut down by their rights holders, I don't really complain too much (I might grumble when they kill part 2 of something, but leave part 1 to taunt me, but that's just annoying).