Even the Orange Islands had a unique feel to it thanks to Tracey and the surfing on Lapras' back through the islands. With Johto they just went back to the trio and started traveling with the same old clothes and pokemon.
I always thought adding Tracey to original trio in Johto would bring up different dynamic to group making things more exciting.Too bad poor guy ended up as least developed character in history of anime.
As a kid back in 2001 or so when Johto began airing in the dub, I was very excited for it at first and thought it was going to be a great saga in a new land. It didn't take me too long to realize the quality of the anime had dipped, and the show lost its Kanto style of writing and then the tedious episodes starting coming in full force.
Maybe so,but in Master Quest quality was restored with writers fixing on several mistakes.Its unfair to put in same boat all seasons because they werent written same.Also original trio still had good dynamic with Ash,Misty and Brock personalities meshing well.More than i can say for DP group.
I remember several moments where you could feel how they were friends having fun together.Like when Misty encouraged Brock to do first step about girls,when she tend to tease Ash along with getting into clash sometimes.When Brock got sick with both companions having to manage without him showing close connection and concern about him etc.
Ash was still naive but also more "smart"with other two keeping him in check.Misty showed plenty of personality traits interacting great with several characters being still stubborn and hotheaded,but also more serene and playful with passionate love toward several things(like fishing,water types,battling etc)coming in first plan.
While Brock was keeping everything on hold from falling apart being source of wisdom and knowledge.
It can be noticed how close group was when they had to separate in "Gotta Catch Ya Later".
Only reason why we didnt had their dynamic appearing on daily basis is because in many of cotd fillers they were out in background not having chance to be active sadly.
As Johto would progress its flaws would become very apparent, way too much tedious filler, the pokemon on the group were being handled very poorly, the main cast was going through very little, if any, character development and it took us 3 years to get through a region with only 1 storyline which was Ash's Gyms.
Thats more matter of opinion,than anything else.I agree how several episodes were pretty bad,but there were several enjoyable fillers as well(like "Hook,line and Stinker","Heartbreak of Brock","Some like it Hot","Focus Pokemon"etc,etc).
Out of pokemon Ash Bayleef,Cyndaquil and Heracross got pretty good treatment compared to Totodile or Noctowl.Misty Poliwag got good chunk of focus,went through some development(like losing confidence as Poliwhirl)being most used pokemon.Corsola wasnt treated bad either receiving fairly good spotlight for short time she was there(less than on season).
Out of Brock pokemon Pineco and Golbat werent treated badly compared to likes like Onix or Geodude.
And main cast got some development.Ash became less impulsive compared to kanto using some unique strategy and his head(see match vs Pryce,Clair or Jasmine).Misty became more mature and level headed getting over complex of inferiority(caused by sisters),while also bcoming better as battler.
Brock remained unchanged as always,but he did improve when it comes to breeding displaying knowledge.
For the people who are nostalgic for it that's fine, they're free to enjoy Johto all they like. But for everyone else we're more than content with what the show became afterward, regardless of the current thoughts on Best Wishes regressing the anime a bit.
If mr.Shudo cared and if writers had same experience they had in DP,.ohto would probably be one of best sagas we ever had.Looking back its real pity that original trio was never used to full potential,because writers had popular abd successful cast.THey only needed to handle storyline properly doing more with cast dropping ball on it.
Granted iliked AG and DP(so-so),but there wasnt really needed change in cast necessarily after Johto to get things back on right track.
And considering how majority of veterans want original cast back,shows how they are willing to give them second chance having material to do some intriguing arc with first group.