South Park Season 12 XII Episode 3 ‘Major Boobage’

The third episode of this season was one to remember. It offered another perfect example of the careful balance between tired jokes and new twists; with a healthy portion of social commentary. First I would like to discuss the main theme of the show: cheesing.

South Park has tackled drug issues in many hilarious ways- from Mr. Mackie’s mind-expanding sabbatical to the portrayal of towelie as the quintessential anti-weed poster-boy (or poster-towel). Matt and trey certainly have a lot to say about drugs in America and have continued their criticism by exposing the harmful consequences of cheesing. For those not aware, cheesing is a REAL thing, though it does not involve cats or urine. Cheesing is the term used to refer to a new drug cocktail popular among the post-Pokémon, pre-pubescent crowd. Middle schoolers have been concocting a dangerous combination of cheap heroin and/or other opiods mixed with over-the-counter sleeping pills. The resulting “cheese” is sold in little packets of paper and snorted.

Also, the show mentions the use of strangulation to get high. Not only has this recently claimed the lives of a number of kids, it also REALLY works. When I was a lowly tween at sleepaway camp I participated in a contest to see who could make their face turn redder. This involved holding your breath and rushing blood to your head. After doing this for an extended period of time, I felt lightheaded and eventually blacked out, vivid hallucination ensued. Like the characters in South Park, my hallucination took the form of animated characters, in my experience they were from the film “Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of Nimh.” (Also one of my favorite books.)

Enough about me, on to the show. Aside from appreciating the social commentary about drugs, the episode provided plenty of classic characterizations, with some new, funny twists. This episode took the whole Cartman/Jewjoke bit to another level while further developing Eric’s character. When Gerald Brovfloski successfully lobbied for the expatriation of all cats in South Park, Cartman shows rarely-revealed compassion in taking in the delinquent kitties. While his efforts to hide the kitties stems from his own selfish desire to save his kitty, eventually he expands his efforts and establishes a kitty shelter, a kitty annex in his attic. Unfortunately, because of the younger members of the South Park audience, the creators drew this holocaust parallel with the subtlety of an oncoming locomotive. However I was pleased with one aspect of subtlety: the quiet, fiddler-on-the-roof-ish music that played whenever Cartman was shown saving kitties. The subtleness was smashed at the end, when Kyle plainly stated what had been carefully building all episode long.

Boobs are another important part of the episode which warrants comment. The South Park creators have teased Kenny’ mammary obsession since season one, when his muffled verse in the show’s theme song could only be understood as something like “I like titties, big big titties.” This idea was further elaborated in the movie, when Kenny enters a heaven full of topless, busty angels. This episode took Kenny’s infatuation to a new level. Not only did the writers equate boobsession to drug addiction, they also thought of about a million new way to draw, show, or say boob. “My daughter’s awesome bewbage.” “Nippleopolis.” And who can forget the tit-jousting on weird ostrich-like birds with racks that would put Lindsay Lohan to shame.

This episode truly had everything: sex, drugs and rock n roll. The allusion to the Heavy Metal film was a bit lost to me since the movie came out before I was born, and since I’m not a D&D-loving freak nerd. The level of the animation was excellent, and accurate; bringing back memories of the critically acclaimed “Fun with Weapons” episode. Also, did you notice the film of the real kitten in the scene when Gerald Brovfloski breaks out his cheesing “kit.” I love it when the show uses live-action (remember wild wacky action bike- the bike that’s hard to ride.) Another hilarious smidge of social comment was the teary confession by Gerald Brovfloski. As he comes clean about his cheesing, his wife at his side conjures up the image of Silda Spitzer stone-faced stoic at her husband’s resignation. The social commentary, character development, and overall funniness made episode 1203 a memorable one. Now you can watch it over and over again at SouthParkStudios.com-DO IT NOW.

South Park Season 12 XII Episode 2 ‘Britney’s New Look’

The second episode of this season was not nearly as successful as some of South Park’s earlier celeb exposés. One would think that with Britney spears as their subject, the writers would have no trouble coming up with hilarious new ways to make fun of the pop-diva turned neurotic mommy turned psych patient turned sitcom “star”. . . .Britney has had more turns than the Byrds.

In episode 2, she turned a shotgun on herself Kurt Cobain style. Matt and Trey’s sly cynical satire came through big in their portrayal of a headless, brainless, mouthless Spears parading around the world as if she was her same old headline-stealin’, coochie-flashin’ self.

The problem for me was the headless Spears with the flapping tongue-I just didn’t think it was that funny. It was funny at first, maybe, and then after a while it just got old. Usually a show can make up for a tired bit by adding in jokes or one-liners, anything to keep you laughing. Not in this episode. Typical comical exchanges between the boys were virtually non-existent. Instead Stan and Kyle were just constantly lamenting the sorry state of the world that allows a headless, voiceless Britney to groan and mumble her way through a performance. SOCIAL COMMENTARY- I get it, alright, it’s funny, SOMETIMES.

The funny thing about South Park, as a series, is not the biting social commentary but the depth of the characters and their interaction. Exploring the nature of human evil through Cartman is a reason to tune in, it’s the reason I tune in. Stan’s dad is a paragon example of the internal struggle every dad feels between paternal pride and selfish laziness. The Britney episode did not reveal anything new about the characters I love so much. It did not use these already well-developed characters to teach me anything new about myself, or society. It told us something we already know: the media likes to exploit people.

The whole conspiracy theory at the end was way too vague and contrived. For those of you unfamiliar with Stephen King, the whole human sacrifice for the corn “harvest” was an allusion to Children of the Corn- which scared the shit outta me when I was 12. However the story was neither scary nor funny in South Park, rather it seemed as if it was just a substitute for crab people; who probably would have been funnier instead. Imagine a crab person jumping out of Britney’s headless corpse. Also, I think I’ve had enough of the Latin chanting: all of those Satan episodes, the golden PSP, and the Easter Bunny episode (“Hippitus Hoppitus.”) Latin chanting is getting tired, it could be funny, but it can’t carry an entire plot thread. Seriouslai, this episode was a bit of a let-down. Hopefully tonight’s will have me slappin’ my knee.

South Park Season 12 XII Episode 1 ‘Tonsil Trouble’

Let it be known that I am a south park fan, a fanatic through and through. I have been watching the show since the mid nineties, and I love everything about its content and subject matter; where its been and where its going. Tonight’s episode was a masterful launch for Season VII.

The funniest character, in my opinion, is Eric Cartman. His struggle with HIV was a tour-de-force in classic south park material. First and foremost, the classic Cartman vs. Kyle rivalry has been a successful plotline for many-a-memorable episode: “Cartoon Wars” and “ManBearPig” just to name a few. Tonight’s version of the storyline was artfully reconstructed and well-executed.

Other classic jokes included Butters in the role of Cartman’s coconspirator. Particularly moving-and hilarious- was the moment when Butters kissed Cartman on the cheek. Classic, classic Butters. Man I love that hilarious, blond, sunuvamanwhore.

Dead-on impressions of Hollywood celebs are another classic weapon in Matt and Trey’s arsenal. Michael Jackson and John Travolta are my personal favorite past likenesses: “J-J-Jam-on.” Tonight’s portrayal of Jimmy Buffett was dead-on. “AIDS Burger in Paradise.” Only in South Park. Magic Johnson was not as memorable, but still held up to the rest of the show.

One potentially negative aspect of tonight’s show, as I discussed, was its classic structure. The plot and some of the jokes were old ones. However I feel that the South Park guys gave it a sufficient new twist, allowing the show to escape its played-out format.

Equally played-out but deftly downplayed was the inclusion of a ‘message.’ Tonight’s being the cure for AIDS. Despite Jimmy Buffets song, it was not a Cure Burger in Paradise, but liquefied cash administered intravenously. Terribly unfortunate for the poor Ethiopians, who have no cash to liquefy-or to buy an indoor exercise pool, army of specialists or bedroom full of bills, like Magic Johnson.

The only other caveat of the Season 12 premiere was the overall funniness. “Casa Bonita”, or “Awesome-O”, for instance, were two episodes that had me hunched over, slappin my knee and stompin my foot. This one wasn’t quite up to the same level of constant hilarity. However, overall, I loved its new interpretation of a classic model, along with its impressions, character elaborations and revoltingly hysterical exploitation of the terrible suffering endured by the fatty and the Jew. This was one for the ages.