A new My Little Pony series has galloped onto the Discovery Family Channel. New episodes of Pony Life air Saturdays at 11:30amET. Emily Thompson, Vice President of Global Brand Management at Hasbro shares her thoughts on the latest installment in the long-running franchise. (This interview was conducted as an Email Q&A.)

Jackson Murphy: What were your overall goals with this new series?

Emily Thompson: After the series finale of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic last year, we wanted to give fans a special treat to help keep them entertained and excited while we work on the brand new My Little Pony movie (coming September 2021). Our goal was to deliver new snackable adventures featuring the same fan-favorite characters from Friendship is Magic, without stepping our hooves on the great story that unfolded over nine seasons of the show. We like to think of Pony Life as dessert — a fun, sugary cupcake bursting with cuteness after the hearty, satisfying friendship feast of the last series.

JM: How are you able to craft stories that may focus on one particular pony but still incorporate everyone?

ET: The magic of friendship is such a central theme to My Little Pony – the idea that every pony (and person) is better when we come together with friends – and it’s something we try to convey in every story we tell.

JM: In “The Best of the Worst”, themes of staying true to who you are and friendly competition really come through. How did you approach incorporating these themes into this storyline?

ET: It was super important to us to keep our storytelling relatable for this series – every episode is rooted in modern-day dilemmas that our fans might encounter in daily life … we’ve just put a fun, wacky, ponified spin on the solutions!

JM: And in that episode, we see characters moving quickly – racing and then slowing down. Are those fast to slow/speed moments some of the most challenging when it comes to the animation?

ET: The animators are having a blast on this show because the animation is a lot more extreme than what you see in Friendship is Magic – we love that the exaggerated animation adds to the playful and silly tone of this new series.

JM: What can families expect from the companion toy line?

ET: We use our toy line to bring to life some of the most unexpected and wacky aspects of our storytelling so audiences can take home some of the most fun elements from the show – from magical potions, to new characters, or even mysterious balloons! We also want to make sure there’s plenty of room for fans to use the toys – and their imaginations – to tell amazing stories of their own.

JM: What do you think is the lasting appeal of the My Little Pony franchise?

ET: The universal message at the core of My Little Pony is about the power and magic of friendship which resonates with everyone. You can be yourself and your friends will love you and be there for you, no matter what!

JM: How has MLP impacted you on a personal level?

ET: Working on My Little Pony for the last five years has been a dream come true! I love seeing how our characters and stories bring fans together from all over the world in a celebration of friendship.

JM: How does it feel to have the show air on the Discovery Family Channel during this unprecedented time?

ET: We can all use a laugh – now probably more than ever – and I’m so excited for audiences to be able to tune into Discover Family Channel to enjoy the heart, humor, adventure, and sweetness of this fun new show!

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Jackson Murphy

Jackson Murphy is a movie critic and entertainment columnist. He is the creator of the website Lights-Camera-Jackson.com, and has made numerous appearances on television and radio.

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