“The truth is, I think a lot of people are just too afraid to admit that South Park sucks now. Yeah, everyone knows it. South Park sucks now, and it’s all because of this political crap. They’re just getting totally bogged down in it. Remember when we used to do stuff? Just us guys. Ever since this political crap took over, it’s like what? Like what happened to us? South Park is getting ruined, and all of us Gen Alpha kids are just sitting around watching it happen.”
I couldn’t have written a better review myself. Parker and Stone nailed it. Right from the horse’s mouth. I have loved South Park for decades, but this isn’t the show I used to love. They’ve always been political, but it used to cut all of the folks. Now they’ve zeroed in on a single target, and deserved or not, it’s just a rehash of what we already get on our news programs and papers, for those of you who remember what those are. I suspect that when we are all dead and gone, there will be two things we can count on continuing beyond the end of human civilization. The cockroaches will inherit the world, and they will all be watching South Park, the only television show still running. It’s already been nearly 30 years, and doesn’t it feel like 50? I don’t mean that in a mean way. I’m starting to find it hard to remember what life was like without it. I’m convinced it will survive us all, and AI versions of Parker and Stone will be producing it until the planet is finally vaporized … and I’m not sure even that will stop this show.
After all of those years, they really do feel like friends. I’ve known Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny longer than most real people in my life. Only the Simpsons have been around longer these days. Over those years South Park has always been a series of stories that rarely connect with each other in any significant way. There have been multi-part episodes, and certain experiences have come back up over the years. Still, we’re talking about a universe where killing Kenny had become a running joke and happened pretty much in every episode. Those days are gone, and it’s been a while since Kenny met his demise, and now South Park has joined the ranks of the continuing story series. I do believe that’s one of the signs of the Apocalypse. I’m just sayin’. Of course, I’m talking about these “specials” that have been running since COVID came and kind of went. Now it’s back to a seasons, and we’re down to so few episodes they have to release two seasons together to make it a release. I remember when they’re were as many as 18 a season. But over the years Parker and Stone get more money and put out fewer shows, and lower quality shows at that. That’s what the world looks like. Candy bars are half the size they were and cost 10 times as much. Cereal boxes have gotten smaller and cost … well … you know where I’m going with this. Now South Park is 60% smaller but still costs the same, so there is that. OK. Off my chest. On to the release of South Park Seasons 27 & 28 on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment.
These episodes start out with going all-in on the anti-Trump message. The kids mourn the death of woke, and Cartman is angry because another kid has stolen his schtick. Trump ends up suing South Park for $5 million, which is probably what Parker and Stone get per minute of television show. Of course, they’ve put Trump in bed with Satan. Can you believe we’re recycling the whole Sadam and Satan routine again? I pulled some of that out, and it’s almost word for word. I can also REALLY do without seeing Trump’s penis IN EVERY EPISODE. We got the joke 30 seconds into the first episode already.
They go pretty hard on ICE and Kristi Noem, which was actually pretty clever and funny … the first 275 times they pulled it. It feels lazy to me. They have limited their targets and recycle every joke over and over again. I’ll bet they’re getting a ton of use out of the cut-and-paste function on their workstations.
If there is any good news here, it’s that we’ve finally gotten rid of Randy’s Tegridy Farms. For a short time he tries to pretend it’s all about tech and call it Techerdy Farms, but that ends mercifully and swiftly. I am sooooo glad to see that story arc go the way of the dinosaurs. The rest of it is all low-hanging fruit. There is some potential when they deal with AI and Randy treating it like a real person. That’s relevant and spot-on … trust me. But they abandon the new and clever targets just to push Trump’s face into a pile of crap. The guy deserves every poke you take at him. No one’s arguing that. But do you have to keep punishing the rest of us, too?
This was the worst “seasons” of South Park ever. It’s lazy, and it just doesn’t stop. Now for die-hard fans I’m speaking heresy, and I get it. I was once one of you guys. It gave my heart joy that a show like South Park can still exist. The irony is that the very fact they can do this with no fear whatsoever for themselves, their families or friends proves it’s not quite what they paint it to be. This is still America, and if you want to rip on the government, more power to you. Can you just go back where you changed it up once and a while? “I used to laugh. I used to have fun. But they’ve taken that away.“
