My Little Pony (TV series)

*My Little Pony*
My Little Pony
	File:Nofriends.JPG
Starring	Ginny McSwain
Country of origin	United States
Production
Running time	10 mins per episode
Original release
Release	September 15 1986 –; September 23 1987

My Little Pony was an American animated television series based on the My Little Pony toys released by Hasbro.

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.

Format

The series featured as the first segment of a program called My Little Pony 'n Friends. The 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 centring 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.

Characters

Main article: Characters in My Little Pony (TV Series)
The Little Ponies of Paradise Estate included:

Earth Ponies, brightly coloured, 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
Sea Ponies, brightly coloured seahorse-like creatures who dwell in Dream Valleys's rivers
Spike, a lone baby dragon who lives with the Ponies after being separated from his own kind
The Bushwoolies, an unintelligent but joyful species of furballs

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.

Partial Voice Cast

Ginny McSwain as Megan
Scott Menville as Danny
Keri Houlihan as Molly
Charles Adler as Spike
Susan Blu as Buttons, Paradise, Phluma
Nancy Cartwright as Gusty, Posey
Jeannie Elias as Whizzer, Masquerade, Magic Star, Cherries Jubilee
Katie Leigh as Fizzy, Gingerbread, Lickety-Split
Sherry Lyn as Galaxy
Tress MacNeille as Hydia, Furbob
Sarah Partridge as Wind Whistler
Russi Taylor as Morning Glory, Rosedust, Cupcake
B. J. Ward as North Star
Jill Wayne as Shady, Baby Lofty
Frank Welker as Pointer, Bray, Additional Voices
Tammy Grimes as Catrina, (Escape from Catrina)

Episodes

Original standalone episodes

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.)
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.)

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

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Little Piece of Magic (1 episode) - Ribbon and Buttons teach the Baby Ponies the value of imagination.
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.
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.
Woe Is Me (2 episodes) - The Little Ponies provide shelter to Woebegone, a wandering hobo who brings bad luck and disaster wherever he goes.
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.
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.
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.
Crunch the Rockdog (2 episodes) - A vicious dog carved from rock charges through Ponyland, turning everything it encounters to stone.
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.
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.

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

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?
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.
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.
Flight to Cloud Castle (2 episodes) - The Pegasus Ponies take to the skies to help a handsome prince rescue his true love.
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.
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.
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.

Overseas Editions

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

Czech, as Malí poníci a jejich přátelé (Little Ponies and their friends)
French, as Mon Petit Poney
German, as Mein Kleines Pony
Dutch, as My Little Pony, retaining the original on-screen titles and character names. Some songs remained in English. Broadcast in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Italian, as Vola Mio Mini Pony
Portuguese, as Meu Querido Pônei
Spanish, as Mi Pequeño Pony. Broadcast in Argentina.
Swedish, as Min Lilla Ponny
Finnish, translated title unknown

The series was also broadcast in Australia in its original English.

Trivia

The voice of Gusty was provided by Nancy Cartwright, better known as the voice of Bart Simpson.
Princess Sparkle from The Quest of the Princess Ponies would make a return to television in The OC as a toy owned by Summer Roberts. She first appears in the 2004 episode The Heartache.

DVD Releases

Main article: My Little Pony DVD releases

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.