Comedy | October 19, 2010 | 22 comments

The passion of South Park, where art thou?

source: http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/episodes/

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themotivateddropout
Over the last season, we have seen a sporadic, but very real, decrease in the quality of the classic cartoon from comedians Matt Stone and Trey Parker. This new season was starting very similar to the last season, sprinkles of laziness over primarily genius. But all the genius is crowded to the beginning of the 14th season, and since 200 and 201, it seems like they do not care anymore.
I couldn't be happier people enjoyed Poor and Stupid, Crippled Summer, or the Snookie episode It's A Jersey Thing. I, however, do not, and can not. I think they were seriously banking on the idea that 200 and 201 would get them kicked off the air, forever immortalizing them for going against the norm. When it didn't work, it seemed like they lost their drive.
I try to not be too critical, especially until I've watched the full season. But there have only been 4 episodes, out of 9 so far, that have remotely matched the artistic charisma and comedic observance of these two douches.
Really, I don't mind if they get kicked off of the air, but only if they get their asses to work making another feature film, and not something like Orgazmo (which was funny but could never be a wide release film). I'd like to see a film in the same vein as Team America, South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut, or even Baseketball (which they didn't direct but fueled with excellent comedic timing and a sweet DVDA song).
But until then, I just want to see one, ONE, episode of South Park that at least reaches the same level of artistic merit and social awareness as the 12th and 13th seasons.

Maybe it's just me and I don't care about pop culture references to Nascar, any TV show featuring Jersey, or contrived humor (as seen in Crippled Summer). I loved the Fatbeard, Whale Whores, The Ring, and Fishsticks episodes of the 13th season, and almost every episode in the 12th, but the 14th seems to be slowing to a putter.

And Insheeption doesn't look too promising.
I'm hoping to eat those words however.

I guess the question I'm posing to all of you is do you think this lack of spark in the recent episodes of South Park are due to being overborne by the amount of time they spend on the show, and the controversy of their most well written episodes, or if simply the duo is ready to move on to greater things?

Is the blandness of the episodes due to bitterness or exhaustion?

And more importantly, does anyone share my sentiments regarding the episodes following 200 and 201?

Will South Park return to greatness or will we need to wait for another Trey Parker directed musical before we see genius again?
  1. groups:
    Entertainment,   Culture,   Comedy,   Movies,   7 more
  2. tags:
    Controversy,  South Park,  Season,  Finale,  2 more
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22 comments // The passion of South Park, where art thou?

  • Haley35
  • jimbones2045
    • +1
      jimbones2045  

    • Where art thou freedom of speech?

      Under a rock?

      In a cupboard under the stairs?

      Probably getting dirt thrown on it six feet underground.

    • 1 year ago
  • idealist
    • -3
      idealist  

    • themotivateddropoput posted this? this is just ridiculous, matt and trey are awesome and are probably just pissed about being censored so much.
      YOUR just pissed cus you have nothing else to do but bullshit.

    • 1 year ago
  • themotivateddropout
    • +1
      themotivateddropout  
    • idealist:

      "I guess the question I'm posing to all of you is do you think this lack of spark in the recent episodes of South Park are due to being overborne by the amount of time they spend on the show, and the controversy of their most well written episodes, or if simply the duo is ready to move on to greater things?"

      This is the question that I posted. I did not post this to bitch about the current state of South Park, but to probe the current community for their speculation regarding the recent decrease of quality in the show.
      Trey Parker is one of my idols, and I would watch any movie or TV show he made without question. I'm not dogging them for what they've made (Me calling them douches wasn't to insult them, just a term of endearment) and I'm not "pissed" about anything they've done. I'm disappointed, not in them, but the companies that control them and the uninterested fan base (or at least it seems that way).

      I have nothing to do but bullshit?
      Where the fuck did you get that from?

    • 1 year ago
  • jimbones2045
    • +1
      jimbones2045  
    • idealist:

      I think your confused. If you read the post then you would know that Motivated is NOT attacking matt and trey. Just their artistic motivations now that they're slacking off. He want's to know what YOU'RE thoughts are on the topic. Not stupid bullshit like this that proves that you didn't read anything he said. Please restate your argument.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
  • themotivateddropout
    • +3
      themotivateddropout  
    • bailey78:

      200:
      http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s14e05-200

      200 is the first part of a two episode arc that sums up a handful of loose ends introduced throughout the history of the show and presents logic in some of the more ridiculous characters and story lines. Here's the summary if you follow the link:

      "While on a school field trip, Stan accidentally INSULTS Tom Cruise and sets off a chain reaction. 200 previously ridiculed celebrities stand strong in a class action lawsuit against the town of South Park. This could be the thing that destroys South Park forever."

      It is a surprisingly well written episode, quite possibly one of the best episodes of any comedic TV show in it's ability to bring everything back in an entertaining way. However, despite the epic buildup and masterful joke writing, Matt and Trey went a little far with their jokes regarding Muhammad, and the episode was subsequently pulled from the air and the website (If you follow the link you'll see the episode can't be viewed).

      201:
      http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s14e06-201

      201 follows 200 masterfully, shocking you with various revelations and bringing all the characters and subplots together for a climactic showdown. The summary on the website states:

      "Angry celebrities, violent ginger kids, and Mecha Streisand are about to destroy South Park and all anyone wants to know is, "Who is Eric Cartman's father?""

      Even with additional censoring from the network, including blocking out Muhammad entirely with a black censor box, the episode never aired. I was lucky enough to have my brother download both episodes before they were taken offline, and half of the dialogue from 201 is bleeped out. Not because of profanity, mind you, but every time Muhammad's name is spoken it is bleeped, and the final lesson learned by Stan, Santa, and Jesus Christ are also bleeped out.

      One day these episodes will be available in their full glory, but until then we have to sit and wait while Matt and Trey twiddle their thumbs.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
  • themotivateddropout
  • bailey78
  • bailey78
  • bailey78
  • themotivateddropout
    • +2
      themotivateddropout  
    • bailey78:

      I think the power of that episode (in it's edited form) was the truly shocking revelation of who Cartman's father was.
      To anyone who's watched both "Cartman's mom is still a dirty slut" and "Scott Tenorman must die" it was a real punch to the gut.

      I think once we see the uncensored version in which we can hear the lesson learned at the end the episode will be even more powerful. But we'll have to wait an see if that's true.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
  • themotivateddropout
  • bailey78
  • themotivateddropout
  • themotivateddropout
    • +2
      themotivateddropout  

    • I guess the question I'm posing to all of you is do you think this lack of spark in the recent episodes of South Park are due to being overborne by the amount of time they spend on the show, and the controversy of their most well written episodes, or if simply the duo is ready to move on to greater things?

      Is the blandness of the episodes due to bitterness or exhaustion?

      And more importantly, does anyone share my sentiments regarding the episodes following 200 and 201?

      Will South Park return to greatness or will we need to wait for another Trey Parker directed musical before we see genius again?

    • 1 year ago
  • jimbones2045
    • +1
      jimbones2045  

    • I love Trey and Matt but if they're gonna half ass it like they've been doin recently they should just stop. I hope that's what is going on. I hope it's just them pissed about 200 and 201 so they're just making shitty episodes. Its that or they're stupid assholes who don't deserve a tv show.

    • 1 year ago
  • themotivateddropout
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