South Park: Classic or Dud?

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed
Not all messages are displayed: show all messages (1302 of them)
"South Park" got really tiresome really fast. I mean it thinks its really shocking and subversive but jokes like "You killed Kenny".."You bastards" wasnt even funny the first time never mind over 20 episodes. I hate the way it takes the piss out of everything and that it's too cowardly to have any particular stance of its own.

Michael, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

It was really funny the first time I saw it, but it doesn't hold up to repeat viewings. Plus I declare a fatwah on any metaller who thinks they're funny for going "They killed Kenny...". It's distasteful, but not in a good way.

DG, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

It's best because it takes the piss out of everything without offering a stance of its own. True bipartisanship.

Otis Wheeler, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I like South Park. I think it's a criticism of the notion of original sin, as the kids are basically good hearted and get 'corrupted' by the world around them. But, it's very possible that I'm reading way too much into it. It has it's funny moments, better than Beavis and Butthead for sure.

james e l, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

No stance of it's own? Are we watching the same show? It's a run-on critical commentary on nearly *everything* - including the issues that no one else dares to even touch. A reverse commentary granted, but it's very pointed.

Kim, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I only meant no stance in the sense that they'll dog on liberals and conservatives both, and anything else that deserves attacking.

Otis Wheeler, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Hating everything is a bit banal, don't you think?

DG, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Do they though? They dog on extremes and idiocy and (unjustified) phenomena, but I think they stand somewhere solid inside all that. But why define that? It would be damn boring and narrow if they spelled it out for us. Personal interpretations would suffer. They are a bit jerky tho I guess.

Kim, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

It's mainly been ruined for me by idiot metallers. A thin line, I think, between cult and cunt.

DG, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

"It's a thin line between cult and cunt." In some strange way, that's the greatest quote I've ever heard. I can't wait to take it out of context. Hating everything isn't banal at all, it's great.

Otis Wheeler, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

That's the problem with all reverse commentary I think. It's bad or dangerous because there is always a LOT of people out there that just won't get the joke - and if that's the case, the intention becomes irrelevant. It's either the best or worst thing ever, and you end up being torn in half by the result. Same issue I have with Eminem.

Kim, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

But South Park's attempts to shock are really obvious. The show is just a jaded and cynical. If you're gonna cock a snook at everything do it with some style rather than "I havent seen a jew run that fast since Poland '39!" jokes. A satellite dish coming out of Cartmans arse is funny first time round, but like DG said it doesent bear well for repeated viewings. Once you get over the jokes about eating boxes and how Cartman's mom is a slut, its completely empty and heartless.

Vids out-grosses South Park by light years. "What a load of TUNKY!!" *cue psychotic stare at camera and lolling of head

Michael, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Typical Vids for anyone who hasn't seen it: "Ah Stef, that stone you threw has truncated my tunky mid-coil! My anal aperture's winking like a de-oxygenated guppy fish!" Who needs South Park?

DG, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Even their internet adress is priceless. Spamjavelin!! HAAHAHA!!

Michael, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Ah, there's so much in Vids to make it THE BEST THING EVER. Satan The Lucky Wanksock, their hatred of Guy Ritchie and Vincent Gallo, and of course the all-purpose battle-cry, "ALASHAPALOOD!".

DG, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Guy Ritchie and Vincent Gallo are my two least favorite people in the world. This Vids thing actually does sound like the best thing ever.

Otis Wheeler, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Well, go here. The Flash intro is almost a mini episode. They don't have any video clips up, just the audio from some series and selected samples. You can listen to the audio tracks whilst looking at the stills they've put up, I suppose.

DG, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I remember them calling Murray Walker a wanker. Viva Vids.

Dave, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Wait, that wasn't nice.

Dave, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

re hating everything ie cynicism - this idea seems so old to me I hardly believe its true anymore but just to rush through it - the only thing that can reign in capitalism is government. becoming cynical about 'everything' - but it always manifests itself as especially about humanist institutions like politics - is obviously to the benefit of capitalist materialism. ultimately, in a nutshell, materialism loves cynicism.

ha ha what's the bet I'll get some really cynical reply to this from someone who doesn't even consider themselves right wing?

yeah Stalinism was better, obv.

Maryann, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Stalinism is/was better - that moustache! Gave Freddie Mercury a run for his money! (Will this do?)

DG, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYY

Geoff, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

ha ha what's the bet I'll get some really cynical reply to this from someone who doesn't even consider themselves right wing?

My vote for Pat Buchanan was based solely on his personality.

Kris, Saturday, 9 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Listen, to go back to the topic at hand, South Park is hella cool. I mean, a lot of it sucks, but the fact that Satan has the most happening hula parties totally makes up for it.

Ally, Monday, 11 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I like South Park. Half the episodes are pretty lame, but the other half are so brilliant that it more than makes up for it.

Nicole, Monday, 11 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

But it's not as good as Vids. ViDs R00l5!

DG, Monday, 11 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Actually, if I may reference another thread (whereupon Mr. Ewing et. al. talked about French TV) - I gained a new appreciation for South Park when I traveled to France for a three-day ultra- cheap sight-seeing tour a couple of years ago. Appreciating the intricate interplay between Wendy Testaburger & Stan Marsh is immeasurably easier when the potty-mouthed chatter is indecipherable & laden with various apostrophes & accents. C'est magnifique! It's no wonder they go ga-ga over Jerry Lewis over there.

And the movie / musical, in any language, is a treat and a half. Actually, I'd have to rank the songs associated with South Park on a level with the best Simpsons numbers.

David Raposa, Monday, 11 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

dude, it smells like arse in here. Of course it does you fat fuck - we're in a sewer.

Geoff, Wednesday, 13 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

seven months pass...
ALL OFF YOUR MOTHER FUCKING COMENTS THAT YOU PEOPLE HAVE MADE IS SO FUCKING STUPID BECOUSE I THINK IT WAS A CLASSIC.

DANNY ROBOINSON, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Well, that settles the matter, I feel.

Chris Lyons, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

one month passes...
South Park is funny as hell.....I dont care what yall think!It does get annoying sometimes....but its usually funny!

Mic Master Phil, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

one month passes...
I have to admit that the new season of South Park is fucking hilarious. Anyone see the NAMBLA episode? or the "Towlie" one?

michael bourke, Thursday, 18 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

You wanna get high?

Samantha, Thursday, 18 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The sex ed episode is also CLASSIC.

Dan Perry, Thursday, 18 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The one with the "league of super-best friends" was very funny!...Last weeks was the one with the psychotic vengeful Cartman drinking tears! Disturbing!

jel --, Thursday, 18 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

And of course a certain Oxford fivepiece as well. ;-)

Ned Raggett, Thursday, 18 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

"Super-best-friends"and Moses as the super-computer...oh yeah!

michael bourke, Thursday, 18 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

the one with radiohead (episode 501 - scott tenorman must die: go download it) is simply devastating. i haven't watched it since the first season and the movie, but that episode...just magnificent.

bc, Friday, 19 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

*shakes fist angrily upthread*

quickdraw postin whippersnappers!

bc, Friday, 19 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

vidz = bTTR

a-33, Friday, 19 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

VT4 is currently showing the first series at 5pm on a Saturday. I wuv Belgium.

Jeff W, Friday, 19 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Moses as the super-computer

Don't watch it regularly but I think I saw this one way back, and the appearance of Moses as "super-computer" is more specifically the MCP from Tron. (Which had David Warner's face.)

Alan Trewartha, Friday, 19 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

aaargh get christina aguillera off my back

Queen G, Saturday, 20 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

HOW ABOUT THE BUTTERZ EPISODE THAT COMMENTED ON THE MOTEHR THAT DROWNED HER BABIES?!?! = CLASSIC GENIUS

CHAKI, Saturday, 20 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The Moses episode was great, especially for giving me the chance to affect a deep, resonant voice and say "I DESIRE... MACARONI PICTURES!" in public.

Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Saturday, 20 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

three months pass...
don't forget to bring a towel!

Mark Molloy, Monday, 29 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

South Park is just great. This most recent episode with the kidnapping hysteria and "I AM NOT A STEREOTYPE!" had me in tears. "YOU GOD-DAMN MONGOLIANS! KNOCK DOWN MY SHITTY WALL!"

(Using a horrible accent to get the word "shitty" on air multiple times; classic or dud?)

Dan Perry, Monday, 29 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

three months pass...
South Park is a show if you dont like it then don't fucking watch it. America is turning gay in front of my eyes. All of the kids being brought up are going to be homosexual with all the restrictions about what is right and wrong etc. etc. Makes me fucking sick...

Johnny, Sunday, 17 November 2002 05:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

Johnny,

Will you suck my cock?

love,
Uncle Sam

James Blount (James Blount), Sunday, 17 November 2002 06:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

B-b-b-b-but South Park is very pro-gay! Big Gay Al is, like, one of the most likeable characters ever!

Anyway: classic, if only for being the first tv show in the history of mankind to accurately portray what kids are really like (i.e. mean-hearted, sadistic bastards.) Also great: the deliberatley anti climatic endings ("yeah man, cartoons kick ass!" is my favourite)

Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Sunday, 17 November 2002 12:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

The last few days have taught me that trying to convince people to watch a new episode of South Park in 2018 is basically impossible, even when I provide hard evidence that the politics are Good, Actually

resident hack (Simon H.), Friday, 7 December 2018 15:01 (five years ago) link

they just have to walk back some of the transphobia and i'll be close to 100% on board

imago, Friday, 7 December 2018 15:09 (five years ago) link

Ok the politics are good but is the show funny

Mordy, Friday, 7 December 2018 15:11 (five years ago) link

this season has been excellent and funny

imago, Friday, 7 December 2018 15:12 (five years ago) link

I mean, I laughed. I especially liked how mutant Bezos had the Mayor in his pocket, which was both funny and timely.

resident hack (Simon H.), Friday, 7 December 2018 15:12 (five years ago) link

also the depiction of a wacky accident on the Amazon shop floor airing within 24 hours of that insane IRL bear mace incident was just too good.

resident hack (Simon H.), Friday, 7 December 2018 15:13 (five years ago) link

yes!!!

maura, Friday, 7 December 2018 15:21 (five years ago) link

I am dying to watch this episode. I fell asleep during the anxiety one.

Yerac, Friday, 7 December 2018 15:22 (five years ago) link

for any curious/doubtful lurkers, the sequence maura and I mentioned:

https://youtu.be/eX4C0CctGSo

resident hack (Simon H.), Friday, 7 December 2018 15:32 (five years ago) link

^^ that's great.

lbi's life of limitless european glamour (Le Bateau Ivre), Friday, 7 December 2018 15:51 (five years ago) link

pic.twitter.com/uGulpztbVt

— Chris Barrus (@quartzcity) December 7, 2018

Elvis Telecom, Friday, 7 December 2018 20:29 (five years ago) link

srsly, best tv series of 2018

imago, Saturday, 8 December 2018 02:02 (five years ago) link

TIL Adam Curtis is a big fan

The Economist: Isn’t religion an organised panic about death?

Mr Curtis: No. I’m not religious but I don’t share the liberal dislike of religion because I think its fundamental point is to reassure us in the face of our own death. That’s what religion does, it gives you a sense that you’re part of something that’s moving onwards. It reassures people. Death is frightening and for a generation who believe that they are alone and were liberated by that idea and had a really good time, to be alone in the face of death is very frightening. So I have a funny feeling that religion might come back.

The Economist: I hope you don’t think I’m being reductive, but it sounds as if religion is a bit of a placebo when it comes to mortality.

Mr Curtis: Well, you are being reductive because placebos are actually as powerful as real things. As we know, in the three-part episode of South Park called “Imaginationland”, Trey Parker very powerfully argues that imagination has been more powerful in shaping the world that we exist in now than anything else. And he’s right. And that’s what we’ve lost to be honest.

https://www.economist.com/open-future/2018/12/06/the-antidote-to-civilisational-collapse?aggregates/the-economist-intvws-adam-curtis-n-b-full-transcript-long-read

resident hack (Simon H.), Tuesday, 18 December 2018 15:04 (five years ago) link

lol what

As we know, in the three-part episode of South Park called “Imaginationland”

Further here: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/nov/14/adam-curtis-documentary-south-park-american-honey

maffew12, Thursday, 20 December 2018 01:08 (five years ago) link

nine months pass...

i will say with all the nba stuff happening this episode was pretty well timed

maura, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 12:20 (four years ago) link

20 years of City Wok and thus is what they snap at haha

imago, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 12:22 (four years ago) link

Tempting!

Nigel Farage
@Nigel_Farage
The British people are done with mainstream media. So we decided to make our own — this series is called Stepping Up.

My first conversation is with Rod Liddle, who I first met deep in the bowels of the European Parliament back in the 1990s, when he was an editor at the BBC...

Captain ACAB (Neil S), Tuesday, 8 October 2019 12:24 (four years ago) link

lol sorry wrong thread

Captain ACAB (Neil S), Tuesday, 8 October 2019 12:25 (four years ago) link

farage and liddle to start their own libertarian animated sitcom

imago, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 12:26 (four years ago) link

20 years of City Wok and thus is what they snap at haha


well, that’s punching down. this is punching up at a very sensitive target. see also the stuff happening with blizzard / activision


Breaking: Effective immediately, Blizzard has removed Hong Kong Hearthstone player blitzchung from Hearthstone Grand Masters, rescinded all his prize money, and have suspended him from pro play for one year for his recent interview.

Statement below https://t.co/ByI8vrZk1a pic.twitter.com/3h6jKYezMQ

— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) October 8, 2019

maura, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 12:30 (four years ago) link

no, of course. they've really smartened their act recently

imago, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 12:38 (four years ago) link

Execellent way to raise awareness and support for Hong Kong protestors. I was trying to watch the new episodes last night but got sleepy after the first episode of the new season (it was kind of meh).

Yerac, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 12:40 (four years ago) link

if you're under 45 and a climate change denier there's a 100% chance you waddle around the office repeating "man-bear-pig" and thinking you're a yung George Carlin

anyway, good to hear they've changed their tune some i guess

A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Chooglin (will), Tuesday, 8 October 2019 15:10 (four years ago) link

I actually give 'em a lot of credit for reversing course on that. Not that their original position wasn't completely idiotic but it takes a lot for smug libertarian types to actually come out and say, "yeah, we were wrong about this one"

frogbs, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 15:14 (four years ago) link

I just had to look up the name of last year's manbearpig revisit- "Time to Get Cereal" & "Nobody Got Cereal?"

Yerac, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 15:21 (four years ago) link

one month passes...

enjoyed first 3 episodes of the new season

imago, Wednesday, 27 November 2019 01:33 (four years ago) link

first 6 episodes completely wonderful. 7th is where we find out whether they've moderated their stance on trans rights though so i'm a bit nervous

imago, Wednesday, 27 November 2019 23:57 (four years ago) link

the answer turned out to be 'we just wanted to self-knowingly bait the liberals' but i think they're maybe closer to a positive portrayal of an actual trans character, give it another 5 years ffs

nonetheless, the show is generally as good now as it's ever been, both morally and as a satire

imago, Thursday, 28 November 2019 14:01 (four years ago) link

two months pass...

Forgive the thread spam, but I wanted to note that this show's 2019 season is nominated in the 2019 ILX TV poll:

ILX's Best Television of 2019 Poll / VOTING AND CAMPAIGNING THREAD / Voting Ends January 31

If you like this show and you'd like to see it have a good showing in the poll (running in February) all you need to do is submit a ballot including it and your other favorites (4 minimum, 25 maximum, organized by your favorite to least favorite) to forksclovetofu at gmail by end of day today. It'll take five minutes; get to it!

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Friday, 31 January 2020 14:30 (four years ago) link

eight months pass...

Pandemic special is out now - nice behind-the-scenes video showing them shipping workstations to the artists' homes, animators crawling under their houses to install ethernet extensions etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox1x-OzxRII

erratic wolf angular guitarist (sic), Saturday, 3 October 2020 22:24 (three years ago) link

one month passes...

Parker and Stone's new deepfake video made me lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WfZuNceFDM

closed beta (NotEnough), Wednesday, 4 November 2020 16:58 (three years ago) link

kinda endearing that their style of humor has not changed at all over the years, watching that I feel like I'm stuck in 2004

frogbs, Wednesday, 4 November 2020 17:03 (three years ago) link

nine months pass...

"South Park" got really tiresome really fast.

― Michael, Friday, June 8, 2001 (twenty years ago)

it is to laugh, like so, ha! (Aimless), Friday, 6 August 2021 04:25 (two years ago) link

three months pass...

apparently the next thing shows the characters as if they actually aged normally over the last 25 years?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzEoBrr9gRA

looks fun and lol @ Cartman's chosen profession but everything else seems like Babylon Bee-style humor

frogbs, Monday, 29 November 2021 18:39 (two years ago) link

The premise is that COVID is "nearly beaten" so things will get back to normal "soon". Trouble is, it's 40 years later.

It's a fairly gun romp at times which closes out the Randy stories of the past couple of seasons and has none-too-subtle digs at anti-vaxxers, cryptocurrency and woke comedians along with some interesting characterisation of what the cast are like at that age.

To be honest, I'd be happy if it was the end of the show. It's a perfectly good full stop, in much the same way that You Got Old was.

Long enough attention span for a Stephen Bissette blu-ray extra (aldo), Monday, 29 November 2021 18:48 (two years ago) link

o nice, will watch this

imago, Monday, 29 November 2021 19:03 (two years ago) link

i haven't watched south park in decades but i'll give this a shot

When Young Sheldon began to rap (forksclovetofu), Monday, 29 November 2021 19:06 (two years ago) link

This show is not ending - it's been extended to its 30th season, with 14 additional movies to be made in between.

https://screenrant.com/south-park-season-30-renewed-new-movies-updates/

octobeard, Monday, 29 November 2021 19:41 (two years ago) link

It's okay. They got given a massive sum of money to make a dozen or so hour-long specials. The result is that it feels a bit like they don't need money, ratings or notoriety so they are just doing whatever they want, even if it's not really very funny. The format was already evolving over the past few series but it's now feels very different from classic South Park. Reminds me a bit of when Red Dwarf did a series with longer, unfunny episodes and half the cast missing or changed.

It's plot-heavy and there are not many gags and some of them are old, or just fall flat. Removing the kids seems like it would put the show in every shark-jump top ten list forever. Cartman is totally neutered and Butters isn't present so they've lost the best characters. The parents and teachers etc are barely there so they've removed that important dynamic. Kinda expect everything to go back to normal but maybe not.

everything, Monday, 29 November 2021 20:03 (two years ago) link

It's still pretty good though. 3 bags of popcorn and maybe it'll get better once Butters and the real Cartman show up.

everything, Monday, 29 November 2021 20:11 (two years ago) link

Didn't mean to imply it was ending, just that it would have made a satisfactory coda.

Butters isn't present

Well, he is, but...

Long enough attention span for a Stephen Bissette blu-ray extra (aldo), Monday, 29 November 2021 20:17 (two years ago) link

Yes, I do expect the next episode to be funnier.

everything, Monday, 29 November 2021 20:19 (two years ago) link

There was a point where the show started getting heavily serialized and I was kind of curious to see how that would play out, but the character of "PC Principal" was so detached from reality it was hard to watch so much of him. Yes, even for South Park, it was too stupid.

Nhex, Monday, 29 November 2021 20:56 (two years ago) link

I loved PC Principal

licorice in the front, pizza in the rear (Whiney G. Weingarten), Monday, 29 November 2021 21:41 (two years ago) link

three weeks pass...

The second part was pretty funny. I watched it with a few others and we were all laughing a lot. Still think they wasted Cartman but Butters destiny was pretty lol.

everything, Wednesday, 22 December 2021 02:08 (two years ago) link

one year passes...

Thought this was pretty cool, and like many non-Coloradans, I didn’t know if it was a real place or something they’d come up with for the show:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/06/us/casa-bonita-restaurant.html

Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 6 June 2023 21:56 (ten months ago) link

That story is amazing

young sussy (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 7 June 2023 01:22 (ten months ago) link


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.