Goin' down to South Park... Season 10 discussion

[Daimyo]

I don't think my wife or I laughed once at that episode.

[MrBigglesworth]

I loved during the meeting of the priests, when they just casually panned around and showed the priests holding leashes with little boys on the end of them. During that and the Steve Irwin part I lost it.

[Radii]

Totally back on track for me, that was great. Butters saying "Don't ice me, homey" and his entire conversation was great.

[jeff061]

I loved the stooges, I don't know why.

[Bad-example]

The priests with their pet boys was funny, as was the stuff with Butters and the dead rapper. The rest of the episode kinda sucked.

[Ksyrup]

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The cartoon series "South Park" has never been shy of courting controversy, but its latest episode has caused outrage by featuring the recently deceased Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin.

Swearing and random death and destruction are staples of the cartoon, which has been broadcast since 1997. Irwin, killed by a stingray's barb while snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef in September is the latest celebrity to be lampooned by the show.

The episode, aired in the U.S. earlier this week, shows Satan preparing to host a Halloween fancy dress party. Other guests include Princess Diana, Hitler and rapper Notorious B.I.G. Critics have been appalled by the Irwin character's depiction in a bloodstained shirt and with a stingray still attached to his chest.

John Beyer of UK TV watchdog Mediawatch said: "This is such bad taste and the makers of 'South Park' should review their decision to show it. Steve's family are still grieving.

"To lampoon somebody's death like that is unacceptable and so soon after the event is grossly insensitive.''

"South Park" maker Comedy Central defended the episode. A spokesperson for the company said: "It has offended people in the past and probably will again. Regular watchers would not be shocked."

The show holds the record for the most swearwords spoken in one program, and regularly takes pot-shots at celebrities and makes fun of politics and religion.

Some tamer examples include George Clooney, mocked for his politically-motivated Oscar acceptance speech, and lampooning Tom Cruise and John Travolta for their belief in Scientology. One episode with a depiction of a bleeding Virgin Mary so upset the Catholic Church that it was pulled from repeats of the series.




A couple of things...I had no idea the Virgin Mary episode had been pulled. I didn't know Tom Cruise could be in two places at the same time...

Also, the guy making the comment bolded above didn't quite get it, did he, considering they made mention of the "it's too early and in bad taste" issue right in the episode. I thought it was funny just for that, which is the only reason he was there. It wasn't like they were suggesting he was in hell.

[John Galt]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

LONDON, EnglandAlso, the guy making the comment bolded above didn't quite get it, did he, considering they made mention of the "it's too early and in bad taste" issue right in the episode. I thought it was funny just for that, which is the only reason he was there. It wasn't like they were suggesting he was in hell.

I agree with you that the "it's too early" bit was self-referential and funny. But I thought the fact that it really was Steve Irwin at the party meant they were saying he was in hell. There was no mention of people coming from heaven to the party that I heard. So, that struck me as taking the joke a bit too far and being in poor taste.

As for the Virgin Mary episode being pulled, that is odd. I'm surprised I didn't hear much about that when all the right-wing blogs were lambasting Comedy Central for pulling the Mohammad references from an episode.

[LloydLungs]

Well, for the record, in the South Park movie it is revealed that virtually everyone that has ever existed went to hell. I think heaven had a population of just over 1,000. So I didn't take it as a poor taste judgment on the life of Steve Irwin so much as a continuation of the writers' general attitude that, if there is a hell, everyone's down there.

[Ksyrup]

No, I don't think so. Satan invited all sorts of living celebs and stuff, so the party wasn't just limited to people in hell. In fact, that was part of the issue, he was inviting so many people that he wasn't paying enough attention to "his" people. He threw Irwin out simply because he didn't have an invitation. I didn't take that scene as making any comment about where he was spending eternity.

[LloydLungs]

Incidentally, the Virgin Mary episode was banned for awhile, but it's back now.

[John Galt]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

No, I don't think so. Satan invited all sorts of living celebs and stuff, so the party wasn't just limited to people in hell. In fact, that was part of the issue, he was inviting so many people that he wasn't paying enough attention to "his" people. He threw Irwin out simply because he didn't have an invitation. I didn't take that scene as making any comment about where he was spending eternity.

Satan certainly allowed a lot of living people to come. But of the undead, I don't see how someone from heaven was coming to the party. If there was, they should have mentioned it. Otherwise, I think there is a strong (if not clear) implication that Irwin was in hell (since he was clearly not of the living people attending).

And as a side note, I think Satan threw him out because he didn't have a costume, not because he didn't have an invitation.

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, you're right about the costume thing.

As far as the other, I just don't think that was the focus of his being on the show at all. If it was, they would have made mention of it (kick him out and tell him to go back to hell or something). I think it was completely about the "oh no they dint!" shock value of him being on the show and poking fun at themselves for having done it.

As LL points out, pretty much everyone goes to hell on the show, so that's likely where he'd be if it was relevant, but I don't think they were trying to imply that at all. I think the sight gag, shock value, and joke were the sole reason he was on there.

And in any event, the hell issue didn't come up in the article, and I doubt the critics understand the show well enough to be able to have this kind of discussion. I just took his appearance at face value without them making any kind of specific point of where he now resides.

[cartman]

They've made mention of other recently deceased celebrities being in hell before. Back for one of their Christmas specials, part of the "Christmastime in Hell" song was JFK and JFK, Jr. singing "Reunited for the holidays, God bless us everyone". That was only a couple of months after the plane crash.

[Galaxy]

I thought Satan believe that the person was wearing a Steve Irwin costume, and he went over and said "It's too soon". And then the person said he was Steve Irwin.

[cartman]

Here's a link to a video they made for David Zucker at Universal long before South Park was picked up. It was to show to employees at Universal after they were bought out by Seagrams. It has a lot of big name people in it, that I'm amazed they got them to do some of the stuff they did. Enjoy!

hxxp://www.cinemablend.com/new/Matt-Stone-And-Trey-Parker-s-Universal-Training-Video-3625.html

[Coop]

That video is really funny, i remember seeing it years ago.

Narrator: [as the back lot tour drives past the Jaws exhibit] Yes, these elements have all combined to make Universal Studios what it is today. But what about tomorrow? If we don't keep in step with the times, things that once were neat and thrilling can become old, and stupid.
Tram Driver: [as the tram lurches] Woah! Woah woah woah woah, what is going on here? Ladies and gentlemen, this never happens.
[The mechanical shark appears]
Tram Driver: Look out! It's a shark!
[No one reacts]
Tram Driver: Here it comes! A shark is coming!
Narrator: That's right. Old, and stupid.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Coop

That video is really funny, i remember seeing it years ago.

Narrator: [as the back lot tour drives past the Jaws exhibit] Yes, these elements have all combined to make Universal Studios what it is today. But what about tomorrow? If we don't keep in step with the times, things that once were neat and thrilling can become old, and stupid.
Tram Driver: [as the tram lurches] Woah! Woah woah woah woah, what is going on here? Ladies and gentlemen, this never happens.
[The mechanical shark appears]
Tram Driver: Look out! It's a shark!
[No one reacts]
Tram Driver: Here it comes! A shark is coming!
Narrator: That's right. Old, and stupid.

What makes that scene is that Steven Spielberg is the tram driver!

[Daimyo]

In the South Park universe only Mormons are in heaven:

"Mormons, yes, the Mormons was the correct answer"

hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpMrcvag6DA

Originally Posted by John Galt

I agree with you that the "it's too early" bit was self-referential and funny. But I thought the fact that it really was Steve Irwin at the party meant they were saying he was in hell. There was no mention of people coming from heaven to the party that I heard. So, that struck me as taking the joke a bit too far and being in poor taste.

[cartman]

They must be working right up to the deadline on this one. Tonight's episode doesn't have an official title yet. Here is the synopsis:

Cartman's plan to propel himself into the future goes horribly wrong. South Park Elementary faces strong opposition to the topic of evolution being taught to the 4th graders, especially from Ms. Garrison who has to teach it. Eric Cartman can't be bothered with what's going on in class. He's busy manipulating his own personal time-line to align with the precise release date of the newest, hottest game.

[cartman]

Mrs. Garrison's explanation of the theory of evolution was one of the funniest things on South Park I've ever seen.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Daimyo

In the South Park universe only Mormons are in heaven:

"Mormons, yes, the Mormons was the correct answer"

hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpMrcvag6DA

Not anymore... remember in the episode where Kenny saves Heaven with the Holy PSP? They said they had to let in more people other than the Mormons.

[cartman]

Interesting. It is going to be a 2 part episode. I was wondering how they were going to wrap all those loose ends up.

[Galaxy]

The sea otters?

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by cartman

Mrs. Garrison's explanation of the theory of evolution was one of the funniest things on South Park I've ever seen.

That had me laughing pretty hard.

[Bonegavel]

Maybe my laughometer is busted, but this season has been disappointing so far. Seems they are just going through the motions now.

[Ksyrup]

Even my wife laughed pretty hard at Mrs. Garrison's summation of evolution.

[bulletsponge]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Even my wife laughed pretty hard at Mrs. Garrison's summation of evolution.

i missed that part

[Ksyrup]

I'm sure it will show up on Youtube at some point. Basically, Garrison was forced to teach evolution, so she gave this speech while using a fish-to-man diagram about how we all started as little fish until one had a retard baby, and that retard had sex with another fish and produced a retard frog with hands that eventually climbed out of the water and had butt-sex with a squirrel-looking creature and had a retard baby that had butt-sex with a monkey and their retard babies had sex until we were all born. And then she summed it up as something like, "So you see, you're all just the retard babies of monkeys who had tons of butt-sex with retarded fish frogs."

That was the gist of it. Except it much funnier the first time around...

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Bonegavel

Maybe my laughometer is busted, but this season has been disappointing so far. Seems they are just going through the motions now.

I'm with you on this. The evolution description was great but the rest of the episode, eh.

[Ksyrup]

I thought that and the "I Have Faith" dunce cap were great, while the rest of the episode wasn't so much funny as an advancement of the story to set up the 2nd part next week.

[Daimyo]

I liked this episode. Ms Garrison teaching evolution was great and for some reason I couldn't help but laugh at the talking sea otters at the end. I think the general storyline of Cartman going into the future to get a Wi only that they're extinct was pretty amusing. I also liked the Life of Brian reference with the "United Atheist Alliance" fighting the "Allied Atheist League" (or whatever they were called)... at least I assume it was a reference to LoB since the creators are huge Monty Python fans.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Daimyo

I also liked the Life of Brian reference with the "United Atheist Alliance" fighting the "Allied Atheist League" (or whatever they were called)... at least I assume it was a reference to LoB since the creators are huge Monty Python fans.

I caught that too. Made me chuckle...

[General Mike]

I enjoyed tonight's episode. Good stuff.

[cartman]

I think they got their point across with the second part of this episode.

[Ksyrup]

Yep. good stuff. Not a "laugh out loud insanely" type of episode or anything, but still funny and a solid message storyline. The intro was great, and Cartman trying to reason with himself in the past was terrific ("That guy's an asshole!").

[cartman]

For those that missed it, here is the explanation of evolution. Good stuff. (language isn't safe for work)

hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ulfa4NSgzk

[cartman]

Season 10 wraps up tonight. No new episodes until the spring. Here's the synopsis of the season ender:

Stanley's Cup

Stan Marsh has hit rock bottom. He's got no job, no bicycle and his only way out of a bad situation, is to coach the local pee wee hockey team. Once a hotshot pee wee hockey player himself, Stan Marsh has tried to put those days behind him. But he's still living with the memory of how let his team down when he missed the winning shot in the big game. Now, he's about to find out that being a coach means facing your past. He's determined to show his kids what it's like to be a winner!

[cartman]

That was a pretty dark episode.

[Galaxy]

I'm not sure what to make of it.

[JeeberD]

You have GOT to love any episode that rips on the Dead Wings...

[duckman]

Originally Posted by cartman

That was a pretty dark episode.

Yeah, it was. I think they were showing how stupid some of the sports movies are with their happy endings.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by duckman

Yeah, it was. I think they were showing how stupid some of the sports movies are with their happy endings.

Aren't a good amount of sports movies based on real life? They took a couple of jabs at Steve Irwin.

[Schmidty]

I used to love South Park's witty irreverence. Even recently.

Now, I despise it's total and utter lack of heart.

Cynicism can be a virtue, but when used as crutch, it's just sad commercialism. That's what SP has become.

[miked]

What a pointless episode. If one has to dig that deep to figure out the humor, it's lost its point. On another note, I usually don't take cartoons very seriously and love South Park, but I really didn't find anything amusing about childhood leukemia being that I know several people affected by this.

[A-Husker-4-Life]

Overboard with the Cancer bit and good lord could they stop making fun of Steve Irwin already. Overall this episode sucked and the WOW show was the best of the year.

[Ksyrup]

I fell asleep before the very end, but WTF happened that everyone is questioning the humor in the episode? From what I saw of it, it looked like a pretty standard episode based on a movie genre where they amplified and blew out of proportion the typical plot lines, etc. The cancer thing wasn't supposed to be "funny" other than the fact that Stan, as a 9-year old, had to try to deal with it as the coach of the team (with the parents asking him to talk to the kid, etc.).

Basically, this seemed like a similar episode to the Asspen episode, where Stan (I think it was) gets challenged to a ski race down the huge mountain by the guy he doesn't even know. That's the ep where the "montage" song came from.

What happened in the end - they lost and the kid died or something?

[jeff061]

I think this was the best season in at least the last 5 years. They are always hit and miss, but while some were better than others, there were no misses this year in my opinion.

[duckman]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

What happened in the end - they lost and the kid died or something?

They end up playing the Red Wings for one period and get crushed 32-2. Yes, the child dies as the Red Wings celebrate.

[stevew]

The Bad News Bears-esque(Breaking training?) "Let Them Play" chant made me LMAO.

[ISiddiqui]

I thought it was an amusing send up of underdog sports movies. The cancer kid was the guy everyone was pulling for and when they won at the end would miraculously get a will to live. But, in the end, they got crushed by the Red Wings and well, underdog sports movies are dumb if not based on real life.

I loved the fact that they were doing the show down with Adams County, who looked like they were organized and disciplined and then when the puck dropped they were falling all over the ice like the Park County team .