Ponywatching is the collected reflections of a grown man, proud dad and newly-minted brony on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. Each episode has a really long full-length essay and a shorter review. Newest essays first. Builds week by week into a big pile on your floor. Have fun!

Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, everypony!

Pony Notes #4: where have the female writers gone?

A random observation on the first half of Season 6.

Pony Notes #3: No Second Prances going to dark places

Spoiler-filled musings on a possible darker reading of a Season 6 episode.

Pony Notes #2: Pin The Tail On Rarity

My sister, the artist; my daughter, the birthday girl.

Pony Notes #1: this time, it’s personal

Rambles on depression, and why I’m doing this blog.

Full Length Essay | The Shorter Ponywatching

A game-changer episode, both for the show as a whole, and for me becoming a massive fan of it. Thoughts on how this is an episode which changes everything, introducing not one but two major new elements which make the show better than ever.

Full Length Essay | The Shorter Ponywatching

Reflections on how this, for me, is the weakest Season 1 episode – and why that’s not a big deal. My least favourite episode of the first season, but there’s still plenty about this one to enjoy.

Full Length Essay | The Shorter Ponywatching

Reflections on a strange, outlying, hilarious early episode.

Full Length Essay | The Shorter Ponywatching

Reflections on why I feel this is one of the better Season 1 episodes, plus the bonus of some poorly-drawn graphs!

Full Length Essay | The Shorter Ponywatching

Examining the fifth episode (the third we ever saw!), as the show delves deeper into themes of friendship; the first “slice of life” instalment. Also: In Praise of Pinkie Pie.

Full Length Essay | The Shorter Ponywatching

More long, long, incredibly long-form thoughts on the concluding half of the opening two-parter, as the show manages the transition from domestic sitcom to epic fairytale fantasy quest.

Full Length Essay | The Shorter Ponywatching

The first and longest essay on the site: how Lauren Faust rebooted a dead franchise, how Twilight Sparkle made new friends for life, and how me and my family discovered the show.