the show wouldn't be where it is without the fans,

This is true for most shows, but this show in particular isn't very affected by the fans, despite popular belief. Thiessen and Alberghetti have said that they don't aim for the bronies and that they kept making the show for its target audience, and that no major changes were introduced when it became popular on the internet, which was about the time most of season two was at or after the scripts phase.

I see the community and the show as almost entirely separate entities, with the exception of Derpy, Equestria Girls, There's a Pony For That, DJ Pon3, and Lyra. It may sound like a lot when it's listed like that, and it's definitely more than almost any other fan interaction with an on-the-air show, but it boils down to three background characters and two aimed-at-the-fans commercials.