South Park: Still Goin' Strong

[Gonzo]

So I've probably watched the least amount of South Park than anybody on this board, but they seem pretty politically conservative now. Am I just not getting the show anymore? It's a distinct possibility, as I remember the "Scott Tenorman Must Die" days more.

 

I thought that Stone and Parker were both pretty strong libertarians.

[TheVileOne]

So I've probably watched the least amount of South Park than anybody on this board, but they seem pretty politically conservative now. Am I just not getting the show anymore? It's a distinct possibility, as I remember the "Scott Tenorman Must Die" days more.

 

I think it's sort of been that way for years.  

[Jiji]

This is by far the most critical of the left they've ever been and it's the focus of the season. They would throw out "aging hippie liberal douche" as a contrast to the red-headed "TOOK'R JARBS" guy. They are still critical of the police and other things but they're unloading on "progressives".

 

 

Probably why it's my least favourite season. The ninjas/ISIS confusion was funny but all of the police stuff was pretty ignint other than the return of Barbrady. They reduce complaints against the police to childish nonsense. The best political note of the episode was definitely when the mayor asks what the cause of the homelessness situation is but is then interrupted by "TERRORISTS!" or whatever. I definitely understand their frustrations with gentrification, soulless middle class douchebags wanting to better themselves through completely hollow, meaningless ways, and that over-the-top PC behaviour is often destructive, aggressive, hate-filled, and contradictory in nature (they did this way better with the death camp of tolerance) but I'm finding little joy in the season. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

I didn't find this episode critical of the left (especially in comparison to previous ones) as it was critical of entitled, spoiled upper middle class (in this case middle class pretending to be faux upper middle) white people complaining about police behavior without any proper context of such behavior (see: Randy and the Fuck the Police montage). Add in the fact that it is white people of both parties that gain the most from the subjugation of minorities and those less fortunate. In my opinion, that was the message being conveyed.

[bink_winkleman]

It's an entire season of the "liberals like to smell their own farts" episode.

[Cliff Hanger]

And don't forget that the police ARE shown to be pretty awful; they pretty much say they're not interested in doing their jobs if they can't beat the shit out of minorities. Only Barbrady appears to be an actual decent, conscientious officer, and he's so incompetent he can't be allowed to keep doing the job.

[Elsalvajeloco]

And don't forget that the police ARE shown to be pretty awful; they pretty much say they're not interested in doing their jobs if they can't beat the shit out of minorities. Only Barbrady appears to be an actual decent, conscientious officer, and he's so incompetent he can't be allowed to keep doing the job.

 

Exactly. Plus, Barbrady is shown to be the cop that just does what he is told without any sort of logic to question anyone's motivations or agendas.

[Jiji]

I didn't find this episode critical of the left (especially in comparison to previous ones) as it was critical of entitled, spoiled upper middle class (in this case middle class pretending to be faux upper middle) white people complaining about police behavior without any proper context of such behavior (see: Randy and the Fuck the Police montage). Add in the fact that it is white people of both parties that gain the most from the subjugation of minorities and those less fortunate. In my opinion, that was the message being conveyed.

This is true and racial politics/themes is something South Park hasn't done a tonne with in the past outside of the odd episode. Well put.

 

And don't forget that the police ARE shown to be pretty awful; they pretty much say they're not interested in doing their jobs if they can't beat the shit out of minorities. Only Barbrady appears to be an actual decent, conscientious officer, and he's so incompetent he can't be allowed to keep doing the job.

Certainly and I didn't forget, they had two major targets: the police and middle class whites complaining about the police then turning their backs on violence towards poor minorities because the presence of the latter didn't make the middle class white people safe while shopping at their Whole Foods (the symbol of pretentiousness and middle class aspirations fleshed out in aping the upper class).

 

I think my disappointment in their critique of those critical of the police may have partially blinded me to the point Elsalvajeloco made. I mean, Randy and the mayor literally turn their backs to the violence. And while the season has been a scathing commentary on progressive culture in 2015, their politics are more nuanced than 99% of TV writing out there. I just took umbrage with their reduction of the negativity towards the police. 

 

I am laughing just thinking about the second time they dismiss Barbrady. How they use him as a scapegoat was perfect.

 

On a completely different note, was anybody else hoping for some imaginationland type nonsense/awesomeness when they killed off Mr. Reality a few episodes back? 

[Cliff Hanger]

Edit: Removed until I can organize my thoughts better. Suffice to say, I'm on board with the Entertainment Weekly/AV Club interpretation of this season, that the issue isn't so much progressive politics as the performative urge where people who aren't actually particularly progressive pretend to be so that people will praise them.

[TheVileOne]

Edit: Removed until I can organize my thoughts better. Suffice to say, I'm on board with the Entertainment Weekly/AV Club interpretation of this season, that the issue isn't so much progressive politics as the performative urge where people who aren't actually particularly progressive pretend to be so that people will praise them.

 

Maybe Entertainment Weekly and AV Club people are saying that because the episodes hit close to home.  Just saying.  They aren't booing.  They are saying "Boo-urns."

[Elsalvajeloco]

I actually agree with Cliff Hanger's original response, but they ARE going after that AV/EW/Deadspin crowd that would normally be all over Trey and Matt's ballsacks with praise. So it would make sense that those are the places that are trying to be hip and seem more "open minded" about this season.

 

I saw one recap of the "Safe Space" ep on one of these websites, and the reviewer was cool with everything but the minor shot at the plus size models. Apparently, that one thing (which could have been very brutal) was too far but the other stuff was alright. It's amazing how a show like this can be successful by deconstructing their own fanbase.

[jstout]

The AV Club's reviewer (don't know about the commenters) really hit the nail on the head with the review of this episode, though.

 

I dunno that it's necessarily an attack on liberals. I would fall under the "liberal" tag and I wouldn't be caught dead in a Whole Foods or a place like CiTiPa Town. And so what if it is the same ground as the "smelling your farts" thing with Priuses? How long ago was that? This show's been on forever, thank goodness, you can probably get to a point where you can start saying "South Park already did it."

[TheVileOne]

Or maybe some of these bloggers who would normally fall in with some of these movements of the ultra PC scauses are getting a little uncomfortable about this season because it just might be holding up a mirror to them.  You see, they really care about others and are doing it for the right reasons.  Obviously, the show is not making fun of them.

[WholeFnMachine]

There's a war coming Jimmy, and I want to make sure I'm on the right side.

 

Loved last night's episode, Jimmy & Nathan were fantastic. 

[StuntmanCrowley]

Absolutely tremendous episode, and a continuation in what is, imo, one of their strongest seasons ever.

[Jiji]

See, that episode fucking ruled. It had like four plots going, all intertwined, playing off of each other brilliantly. Pussy crushers was perfect. The stuff with PC principal and Jimmy was perfect. Critiques of native ads and clickbait was so perfect. Their best effort this season and if the earlier episodes of the season were this strong, I'd have no complaints. 

 

Edit: I forgot to give some love to the Paulo Freire/Pedagogy of the Oppressed shout-out when the PC broz were having their existential crisis meeting.

[cool arrow]

Anyone who thinks this season isn't about "progressive" politics isn't paying attention.

[Curt McGirt]

Jimmy killed it on this one. Too good. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

I would like to believe the "ad or news" thing they did with Jimmy was a reference to The Parallax View.

[Johnny Sorrow]

That episode was fucking awesome. I was laughing my ass off and totally digging the beginning of the season all coming together. Who did the voice of the Real News leader? It sounded familiar .

[Rev Ray]

That episode was fucking awesome. I was laughing my ass off and totally digging the beginning of the season all coming together. Who did the voice of the Real News leader? It sounded familiar .

 

I'm guessing Bill Hader.

[Jiji]

Yeah, Hader seems tight with Matt and Trey. They did a behind the scenes thing not too long ago and he was even sitting in for writer meetings. He's done some voice work for them before too.

[TheVileOne]

I really dig that really busy stars like Bill Hader and Will Forte still have time to work with their friends and do voice work for animated shows and the like.  Anyone like Moonbeam City?  Also enjoy that show.  

[Kevin Wilson]

I am really not sure how to feel about that season. There were some good jokes and parts for sure, and I enjoyed it, but I am not a big fan of having one storyline that lasts the entire season. I think that was done better last season, where it was a continuing story but each episode still felt like it could be enjoyed without seeing all the other episodes. It was more strange than great. I understand after 19 seasons they want to do different things but in a lot of ways it didn't feel like South Park by the end, the kids almost had different roles in some episodes. But it felt like in parts the humor was sacrificed to tell the story they wanted to tell, which was fine but didn't seem special enough to sacrifice some laughs. The final episode wasn't really funny and only a few times went for legit laughs, it was more of a drama with the South Park characters with more "ironic" humor (finding it easier to talk when holding guns for example) than what I would expect.

 

I guess I'd give it a solid 7/10 as some of the episodes were really funny, but I am currently binge-watching South Park and it doesn't touch the first six seasons (where I currently am) to me.

[Petey]

I loved the first eight South Park seasons, really disliked season nine and I think one or two after before falling back into love with it. I enjoyed a lot of this season but I agree that the finale wasn't really funny as much as it just seemed like the show was trying to be a ridiculous drama.