Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+ This Run's Episodes, How does everyone else feel about them?

[the_jer]

Well said, Kitten

Like I said, Over-Logging, to me, was great. It was a prime example of the show's satire. It wasn't even really a topical satire. I don't want to misinform people that I only enjoy when they discuss an issue. But at the end of the episode, you can tell the point they were trying to make. The internet has become so much of a necessity in life, that if it disappeared, nobody would know what the fuck to do.

Some of their funniest satires are ones that don't really hit on a major topic or issue. I don't know how everyone else feels about it, because I haven't been on here in a while, but Lice Capades was hilarious, because how many fucking times have you seen that story done in some way or another?

It just felt like the first few episodes were lacking in a poignant "I've learned something today" moment. Obviously it's too soon to tell how the rest of the season will turn out.

South Park wasn't the only show that I thought felt different upon its return. I don't watch a lot of TV, but the handful of shows I do watch all seemed to be out of sync with the rest of the shows (that first episode of The Office, for example). Which could very well be directly related to the writers' strike and everyone being out of practice for a period of time. I don't know. Over-Logging redeemed a lot of points for me though, so I certainly haven't lost faith in the show. I just wanted to see how everyone else felt. And I'm glad to see that I'm not entirely alone on the subject.

[tuhinal]

Seems like I'm pretty much on the same level with the_jer on this. I agreed what he said in his first post, and I also found the thing that I feel has been missing throughout the season so far, in Over-Logging. THAT's the kind of South Park I like. The first episode of the season that's been more than average, in my opinon.

[Kitten]

I suppose 'Over Logging 'is more of what I expect from SP too (post on my opinion in specific ep thread -Over-Logging Thread).

I prefer when their point or message is made or told through the story; not by awkwardly stating the bleeding obvious with the self-conscious 'Y'know, I learned something today...' line.

They only have one more ep of this part of the run before they and the crew get MONTHS of paid vacation time off.

On a separate - note but I'm not sure where else to put this - but in last week's as usual weak production blog at SPS whatever worshipful loyal PA mentioned that South Park Digital Studios is being fitted out in office space next door to SPS. Anyone apply for a job??? http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/blog/

[Cannibal Lover]

I trace the change to "Cartoon Wars" where they acknowledged the criticism that the show was getting too preachy while making a serious point about censorship. As if to underscore the change, the next episodes were "A Million Little Fibers" and "ManBearPig", neither of which were political. "Go God Go" continued the change by pulling its punches almost entirely on the subject of God (though focusing on side issues). Since then the focus has been much more heavily on telling a good story as opposed to making a point, although this changed somewhat with "Canada on Strike" and "Over Logging" which marked a return to the serious message. So maybe we've now come full circle and there will be more serious messages again. Personally I prefer just being amazed by how as pure entertainment, the show keeps getting better.

[the_jer]

A perfect example of the type of episodes I like to see is The Return of Chef. Brilliantly done. They made their point abundantly clear without directly saying "Scientology brainwashed Isaac Hayes!" Everyone who saw that episode knew what the Super Adventure Club REALLY was. The episode was very story-driven and yet remained an excellent satire (forgive me for using the word so much) and made its point.

I think what really draws me in on certain episodes is the metaphor used to drive both the story and point.

[southparkpike]

I'm surprised they haven't released a "South Park Sports" dvd.

They've done baseball, football, basketball, hockey, "Olympics," probably something else...

That's the dvd right there. Kind of off-topic, so, this run's episodes are the shit, dude.

[Jessie]

What happened with the aliens and Cartman's ass, again? It's been a long stoned while.

[Will]

I liked them, some more than others. What I liked about this run is the three-plot stories they have going - two of them related and the third not.

In "Eek, a Penis" they had Mrs. Garrison becoming Mr. Garrison again after she/he chases the mouse with his new penis growing from it, the penis-mouse itself running for some odd reason and finally coming to Mrs. Garrison after scaring women everywhere, and Cartman turning Cartmanez to teach some inner-city teens how to cheat their way to the top.

In "Super Fun Time" they have Cartman and Butters ditching the class and doing their own thing; Stan, Wendy, Kyle, and Jimmy trying to help the police nab the bad guys; and the rest of the class being hostages while the bod guys try to find a way out of Pioneer Village.

Of course, who wouldn't want to live out Kenny's fantasy? :D Come to think of it, that's a three-plot ep too... the crackdown on the cats, Cartman giving the cats sanctuary, and the cheesing (in this case, all three are related).

[the_jer]

The one thing I will admit I love about the recent seasons of South Park is just how cinematic they make each episode. That's what made Cartoon Wars and Imaginationland so great. If it weren't for all the legal clearances involved, I think that Imagionationland could've been the second South Park movie. Some of you will argue that it is, since they have the DVD out uncensored, but with a little bit of extra care, that would've been an amazing big-screen movie.

[nobby]

I think every season has its good shows and its duds. I think they hit a low with Manbearpig. Or I just didn't get it--that could be it too. Don't criticize other celebs have political views when you're guilty of the same thing yourself. You have to be careful with parodies sometimes--and I was kind of surprised this season to see Grapes of Wrath, complete with Henry Fonda just kind of standing there the whole time. I wonder how many heads that went completely over? But the same season that gave you Manbearpig also gave you Smug Alert and Tssst, which I though were both great.

I didn't like the Britney episode, but then, I don't like her and all of the media circus around her. Yes--they're not gonna stop until she kills herself--that's pretty obvious and incredibly sad--at least to me. I understand where people might think it's funny, but I found it difficult to watch because it just kind of got on the bandwagon with all of the other media attention.

I rather liked seeing Alan Rickman in the final episode, even if I've never seen any of the Die Hard movies and don't know what he did in them--other than he was a bad guy. But since when are 9 year old 4th graders told to hold hands? Buddy system, yes. Holding hands stops in 1st grade. But I guess it wouldn't be funny if Butters wasn't holding Cartman's hand and refusing to let go because "teacher said"

[southparkpike]

I think every season has its good shows and its duds.  I think they hit a low with Manbearpig.  Or I just didn't get it--that could be it too.


I rather liked seeing Alan Rickman in the final episode, even if I've never seen any of the Die Hard movies and don't know what he did in them--other than he was a bad guy.

:P I STILL say Manbearpig rules for life. That episode was comedic genius. It was so genius it was shitting gold. But I tend to follow the boys storyline more than the celeb cameo, mostly. But even in that ep, I thought the portrayal of Al was hilarious. ;)


You're totally missing out. Part 1 and 3 are magical. Part 2 sucked. I never saw 4.

[rongravy]

I never saw 4.

In 4, he told everybody he was gonna, "Kick their ass!"
Then he pretty much would. He even said it to a chick!
:sp-cartmannohat:

[nobby]

:P I STILL say Manbearpig rules for life. That episode was comedic genius. It was so genius it was shitting gold. But I tend to follow the boys storyline more than the celeb cameo, mostly. But even in that ep, I thought the portrayal of Al was hilarious.  ;)


You're totally missing out. Part 1 and 3 are magical. Part 2 sucked. I never saw 4.

I did love Cartman shitting gold. I just didn't get the whole Al Gore thing. But that's cool. I loved the Great Expectations episode that everyone else hated.

Did you know that Great Expectations ending was changed by Dickens? The original ending was VERY sad. Pip meets up with Estella years later and she's living a very, very unhappy life:
It was four years more, before I saw herself. I had heard of her as leading a most unhappy life, and as being separated from her husband who had used her with great cruelty, and who had become quite renowned as a compound of pride, brutality, and meanness.

I had heard of the death of her husband (from an accident consequent on ill-treating a horse), and of her being married again to a Shropshire doctor, who, against his interest, had once very manfully interposed, on an occasion when he was in professional attendance on Mr. Drummle, and had witnessed some outrageous treatment of her. I had heard that the Shropshire doctor was not rich, and that they lived on her own personal fortune.

I was in England again — in London, and walking along Piccadilly with little Pip — when a servant came running after me to ask would I step back to a lady in a carriage who wished to speak to me. It was a little pony carriage, which the lady was driving; and the lady and I looked sadly enough on one another.

"I am greatly changed, I know; but I thought you would like to shake hands with Estella, too, Pip. Lift up that pretty child and let me kiss it!" (She supposed the child, I think, to be my child.)

I was very glad afterwards to have had the interview; for, in her face and in her voice, and in her touch, she gave me the assurance, that suffering had been stronger than Miss Havisham's teaching, and had given her a heart to understand what my heart used to be. — based on the proof slip reproduced by Edgar Rosenberg in the W. W. Norton (1999) edition of Great Expectations, p. 492.

Dickens was talked into changing it to a happy ending with Pip and Estella living happily ever after. Either way, the end of the novel kind of fades away, so I can understand why South Park gave it a more exciting ending.