One of the storyboard artists over on Deviant Art recently dropped this comment on their page. Apparently "Read it and Weep" was actually "Reading Rainbow" before it's full development cycle was completed.
And the quote:
I have seen a lot of funny fandom comments about how the title should have been "Reading Rainbow". Apparently that actually WAS the working title early on--don't know why they didn't keep it but I assume it has something to do with the rights to the actual show.
Confound this legal nonsense! That would have been glorious!
At least they have us to PMV the hell out of it. I've seen at least 10 "Reading Rainbow" videos since the new episode, and a few before it!
87 comments:
Wha?! It was?!
ReplyDeleteGlorious, indeed.
ReplyDeleteFIRST?
ReplyDeleteFluttershy In The Sky
ReplyDeleteI Can Go Twice As High!
eh, doubt anyone over 12 would remember reading rainbow anyway.
ReplyDeleteThat would have been so epic! still i like the name it has now :)
ReplyDeleteDARN YOU LEGALITY, DARN YOU STRAIGHT TO CONGRESSIONAL HELL
ReplyDeleteShame they didn't keep it as the episode title, but a great episode regardless. I'm sure the crew was anticipating a lot of "Reading Rainbow" fan-creations...
ReplyDeleteI am not at all surprised at this fact. I mean, it makes all the sense in the world. What else do you call an episode with Rainbow gaining an interest in books? And then comes the reality of legalities. Still, doesn't take away from how cool this episode was.
ReplyDeleteFluttershy in the sky.
ReplyDeleteDash can fly twice as high.
Take a look,
it's in a book.
Our Reading Rainbow.
According to Wikipedia, Reading Rainbow might be renewed.
ReplyDeletelmao
ReplyDelete@DKen2021 Perhaps you mean under 12? I'm in my early twenties and I remember growing up with Reading Rainbow.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been glorious!
ReplyDeleteBut, yeah, I don't think the intended audience would have gotten it.
@FlaschenJoe11
ReplyDelete^This
They could have at least dropped a few nudges, like lines from the show, a cameo with Levar Burton, etc.
ReplyDeleteI say we unofficially "officially" dub the episode "Reading Rainbow", because she can go twice as high as Fluttershy.
I was one of the before PMVs!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQe8nw6ZlbY&list=UUtjLnMyQHFkxCosaYBCqMnA&index=30&feature=plcp
Also, just to be different, I am thinking what if somebody did a parody of "I'm on a Boat" with Dash singing "I read a Book!"? It could work.
ReplyDeleteI don't get it. Is "Reading Rainbow" some kind of reference I'm not getting?
ReplyDeleteThis is hilarious. If only...
ReplyDeleteI must be the one kid who had no decent childhood or something because I am 21 and have never heard of reading rainbow before this episode was announced and people started making jokes.
ReplyDeleteI don't even remember what I did with my time as a kid. I honestly cannot remember what I watched as a kid.
I smell lawsuit!
ReplyDeleteNo seriously, they almost stepped in it right there on the left. ;P
I'm going with it was dropped because of that.
@BornIn1142
ReplyDeleteIt was a children's show that encouraged children to read. Here's the opening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6j8EiWIVZs
Serious nostalgia just now.
ReplyDeleteTitles can't be copyrighted, and satire/parody is fair use, so I'm not sure what the real problem was.
ReplyDelete@Adrian Brony I'm right around your age. This was one of the few shows I was allowed to watch growing up, and it definitely accomplished its mission in getting me to read.
ReplyDeleteWE GET THE REFERENCE. WE GET IT. FOR CRYING. OUT. LOUD.
ReplyDelete(I'm sorry, i'm just so sick of the reference I don't find it cool or funny anymore.)
@Coolblue I also understand it was the original episode name, but seriously...
ReplyDeleteWell now I have the Reading Rainbow theme replaying constantly in my head thanks to this news.
ReplyDeleteFunny how Reading Rainbow only made me hate certain books as a kid, since I was pretty much reading since Day 1. Still, the theme was pretty catchy.
ReplyDeleteAlso, SWEET!!!
That's actually not real surprising. lol The kids wouldn't know for the most part, but their parents would love that bit of nostalgia thrown in there. Too bad due to legal issues it couldn't be kept as such.
ReplyDeletedamn lawyers.
ReplyDeleteI called It!! And so did 100s of other people confound you internet and all the creative people who beat me to the punchline
ReplyDeleteOh lol
ReplyDeleteBest studio ever.
ReplyDeleteOh how I love you Studio B!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are fantastic.
@Adrian Brony
ReplyDeleteTurning 20 this year. I grew up watching Thomas the Tank Engine, Rugrats, Power Puff Girls, Dexter's Lab, Cow and Chicken, Ed Edd 'n' Eddy, and the Simpsons.
In fact, I can summarise my entire lifetime of major hobbies here... Ponies have made me try almost as much as I have done in the past 19 years. I dunno if I should be happy or sad about that...
I would guess this was something where they didn't even bother to check their legal options or contact the show owners. I cannot imagine the owners would have a problem with the episode since it teaches the exact same lesson their show did.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand what Reading Rainbow is supposed to be.
ReplyDeletePlease explain?
Nostalgia is weaksauce and childhood is lame B)
ReplyDelete@The NumbermanIt's an old show that encouraged kids to read.
ReplyDelete@Aidinthel Righto then!
ReplyDelete@The Numberman
ReplyDeleteIt was a PBS series that was hosted by LeVar Burton, that encouraged children to bread. It was really good.
Apparently.
ReplyDelete:D lol.
ReplyDelete@One Radical Dude
ReplyDeleteEncouraging children to "bread" sounds vaguely "Cupcakes"-ish.
@One Radical Dude
ReplyDeleteNOW BREED!
I remember watching Reading Rainbow in elementary school. That was the mid 80s. :p
ReplyDeleteWHAT?! REALLY?!
ReplyDelete*shits bricks*
I'm in my early 20's and I vaguely remember watching Reading Rainbow. On an unrelated note, I sure seem to like the word "vaguely", huh?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I read a lot as a kid and didn't really need the encouragement. I don't think I ever read any of the books the show recommended.
However, I distinctly remember the awkward book reviews that would be delivered by kids generally ranging from 7-10 years old. They were cringe-worthy.
To further clarify, Reading Rainbow was a children's show that presented different stories, that encouraged kids to go out and read the book/other books like it. And for those that don't know Levar Burton, he also plays "Jordi LaForge" in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
ReplyDelete@Cyanide
ReplyDeleteWait, you mean that we are not the intended audience? XD
@Cyanide
ReplyDeleteI don't think the intended audience has seen Indiana Jones or would know what Ahuizotl was either. Why not stick in a reference to Reading Rainbow? Have one of the ponies say "butterfly in the sky" (Fluttershy) or "take a look, it's in a book" (Twilight).
That. is. hilarious.
ReplyDeleteDa Dun Dun!
ReplyDeleteReading Rainbow was hosted by Levar Burton who also played Geordi on Star Trek TNG which also featured John De Lancie as Q.
ReplyDeleteIt's all connected!
@Flutterfan
ReplyDeleteAnd Reading Rainbow was about reading, which is Twilight's favorite activity!
@MyBoyJ
ReplyDeleteIt's like a conspiracy!
I remember the old PBS reading rainbow episodes. If I remember right, it was a kid's show about those freaky-ass reading lions.
ReplyDelete@MyBoyJ
ReplyDeleteI just now noticed the typo. Whoopsie!
My reading rainbow dash video and comic came WAY BEFORE the episode.
ReplyDelete@Sir_cxyrtyx
ReplyDeleteShhh! Don't say that out loud! Here, put on this tinfoil hat so Brent Spiner can't read your thoughts. This goes all the way to the top! Patrick Stewart has been arranging all of this from his secret lair underneath the Library of Congress!
I still lol'd.
ReplyDelete"Reading Rainbow." HAHA
Aww if only they got to keep the name, that would have been epic. Damn legal business :/
ReplyDelete@MyBoyJ
ReplyDeleteWatch as we beak into the basement of the library of congress basement only to find the bridge of the starship enterprise being run by ponies.
It all makes so much sense now...
@DKen2021
ReplyDeleteMy five year old (almost six now) daughter was distraught when PBS cancelled Reading Rainbow reruns. (She was three and a half at the time and watched every broadcast.)
@Shinmizu
ReplyDeleteHmm, id like to think theyre just taking it off the air for a while and preparing Rainbow Dash to host it.
Subtitle: "Reading is Bucking Awesome!"
Called it! *pats self on back*
ReplyDelete@Faith
ReplyDeleteThat was Between The Lions. Also a decent show but I'd have to say Reading Rainbow was better, if only for the theme song which has never left my head.
Bring back Reading Rainbow. Subtract Lavar Burton. Insert Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash.
ReplyDeleteGlorious.
At 161 I remember reading rainbow and it was GLORIOUS!
ReplyDelete@Filiecs
ReplyDeleteWow, you watched Reading Rainbow as a centenarian? And we though this show had an audience far outside the target age group!
@Filiecs
ReplyDelete(also, the Guinness Book of World Records really wishes you'd return their calls at some point)
Once again, epic win by the show's development team.
ReplyDeleteOh well I still liked the name they stuck with... But either way the episode was awesome, Reading Rainbow just would have made it's aesthetic value increase by one fith
ReplyDeleteYou all need to lurk TV tropes more.
ReplyDeleteReading Rainbow? If Mr. LeForge didn't show up, I'd have been upset. Haha. Okay, probably not. But that is hilarious that was the original title for the episode.
ReplyDelete@Gothganon
ReplyDeleteI find it funny how your Reading Rainbow vid not only predated the episode by a magnitude of MONTHS (abusing a little Future Sight there, hoss?), but also the top "related" video involves an unholy mixture of Pinkie Pie, Cupcakes, and GIYGAS.
Fortunately, I'm immune to nightmares, but for the lesser minds out there, that could be a fundamentally disturbing idea. I lol'd at it.
called it
ReplyDeleteI had never actually heard of Reading Rainbow before this fandom started mentioning it, but I agree that it would've been a good title.
ReplyDeleteWasn't Levar Burton doing another show for the Hub at this time also? WTF? Oh of all the missed opportunities...
ReplyDelete@Pantaro
ReplyDeleteTake a look, it's in a book
of Reading Rainbow's
@MyBoyJ
ReplyDeleteAnd "Owl's Well That Ends Well" is a Shakespeare reference IIRC.
I used to love that show when I was little. I loved the message that you could follow your dreams and do anything you set your mind to and fly twice as high as that butterfly. I was inspired by it.
ReplyDeleteI doubled-faced palmed as soon as I saw that title. I don't think that would have been a very good title, even if "Read And Weep" COULD be better.
ReplyDelete@Hetairos
ReplyDeleteDo you want them to hear you?! You need a tinfoil hat too! Here, take my spare one.
They want you to think that Shakespeare has been dead for almost four hundred years, but in reality, he was subjected to a rudimentary form of cryogenic preservation involving sausage casings and a trip to the Arctic, at the request of Johannes Gutenberg (who found the Philosopher's Stone). He remained frozen until 1971, when his brain was connected to ARPANET. It then set to work entrenching a desire to read in the world's youth.
Over a decade of failures were forgotten when Shakespeare's brain launched the Reading Rainbow in 1983, but it still needed a way to control an older demographic. It then realized it could create a new series starring a ragtag group of psychic Illuminati derived from both Reading Rainbow, and pop culture phenomenon Star Trek. Thus was TNG launched in 1987.
Shakespeare's brain still controls worldwide literacy programs and the entire Star Trek franchise from the top secret sub-basement of the replica Globe Theatre built in 1997. Why else would they have built that if not to accommodate the increasingly powerful modems Shakespeare needs to relay orders to Patrick Stewart?
And believe me, you do NOT want to know how My Little Pony figures into Shakespeare's plans.
That last sentence should read "you do not want to know how the My Little Pony toys figure into Shakespeare's plans.
ReplyDeletePatrick Stewart also reveres Shakespeare's brain as a living God, and obeys his directives to the letter, as Stewart basically owes Shakespeare his entire career.