South Park Season 12 XII Episode 6 ‘Over Logging’

South Park seems to be on a roll when it comes to ripping off other movies. Pretty much every show you can think of has done this, especially shows that have been around for a dozen seasons. However SP manages to work multiple film references into one show. Many shows do this as well. Take the painfully mediocre show that will go unnamed, whose initials are FG. The difference with South Park is the show has multiple references worked into its plot, not just mentioned randomly. Mine is a recounting of the long established “random jokes” argument that SP fans have used against FG fans for millennia. It is more than a cartoon controversy, more than joke-telling schism. This division is as universal as Paul’s “silly love songs” versus John’s protest hymns. I am and always have been a Lennon man. Sorry Paul, I’ve seen you live, and loved every minute of it. But Give Peace a Chance, come on, do it for me.

The movie references in this week’s South Park were plentiful and thoroughly woven into the show’s plot, themes and message. The first obvious allusion was to a disaster movie of some kind. It wasn’t immediately clear to my buddies and me weather the show was referring to 28 Days Later or I Am Legend. Who knows? Who cares? The point is, the show took the world ending plot, worked it in, didn’t dwell on it, but still had something to say about it. The next apparent movie reference was more in-depth, more detailed and very entertaining. The cartoon turns to a rich sepia tone as the characters announce their plan to go “Californy Way.” The Grapes of Wrath was a classic film released in 1940 starring Henry Fonda as the patriarch of a clan of Okies headed west in search of jobs and fertile land. The story, based on an acclaimed John Steinbeck novel, hearkened back to the hard times of the great depression and focused on the downtrodden determination and fortitude of the hard-working farmer.

As Randy Marsh and the residents of South Park lament- “My internet done up and went away”-they are speaking to a larger meaning about the vulnerability of our society in our dependence on digital. Adding another irreverent and classic SP slant was the porn story line championed by Randy Marsh. When encouraged to realize his stick figure fantasies he “searched” for some for a varied, well-rounded assortment of dirty dirty porn. Japanese girls exchanging fluids, namely vomit; Interracial gangbang; shemales; bestiality; and finally Brazilian fart fetish porn. As if these “search” terms aren’t vivid enough for the average viewer to imagine, the show takes it one step further, in classic SP fashion. . .

Randy Marsh sneaks up on the trailer at the transient cap in Californy. Sitting on the desk inside is what he seeks, a computer. He slips through the window and in the precious few minutes he has manages to search for almost every one of his fetishes. The best part is the participatory nature of the experience. The audience gets to listen in on puke noises with Japanese voices in the background; a woman seeming to have a wonderful time with a loud elephant; and what can only be described as the sounds of Brazilian fart porn. The big payoff of the whole experience is when the residents of the transient camp burst into the trailer only to realize that there was no tiger attack. Good ‘ole Randy Marsh tries to pass it off as ectoplasm, but clearly covering him and the environs was nothing other than his own excessive spooging. . .

There was one more film reference that was admittedly brief and random, almost falling into the manatee ideal ball FG category. Like the melodic interlude of a Beatles song, the occasional random allusion is necessary, it lightens up the humor, gives you instant gratification before the final comedic payoff. The government’s efforts were futile in fixing the internet, they tried every means of communicating with it. In this case “the internet” was an enormous wireless router. The communication method was a guy at a piano tapping out a distinct melody. This scene was a clear reference to Close Encounters of The Third Kind- a 1977 Spielberg film about talking to aliens using lights and sound. Richard Dreyfus, flying saucers, mashed potato mountains, should I go on? See it. Wundarbar.

There is admittedly a reference in the show that I did not pick up on. At the end, in the requisite cathartic conclusion, Randy was dressed in a Native American outfit and had a particular manner to him. I didn’t get it and would appreciate any feedback as to its meaning.

The finale of the show was the realization of Kyle’s genius yet predictable plan to unplug and re-plug “the internet.” It worked, everybody happy. Bottom line: Appreciate the internet but don’t rely on it too heavily, there is a whole big analog world out there. Only use the internet for porn twice a day.