My question to you guys here is :
Do you like watching South Park? If not, why?
I understand that the jokes in it can rub a lot of people the wrong way especially when they make fun of religious groups, race and current day first world problems.
Personally I’ve enjoyed the show ever since I watched earlier seasons on DVD years ago. I just find the humor and some of the moments give you that shock kind of laughter “They really put that in there??”
So what’s your view? Do you watch it? Do you hate it? You thought of watching it?
Let me know!
Yup. Although I have no clue what it’s release schedule is these days.
(You should change your title to be the question)
I personally love it. It’s not the cleanest of humor, but it’s just a pure satire of our society, and I love it. The show has changed as it’s aged, it goes up and down, but I love how they’re not afraid to call out bullshit we put up with. Season… 22 how every scene starting on the school had gunshots and children screaming? Hilarious to me, because it’s so ridiculous how we just put up with school shootings. It’s outrageous, and it’s meant to offend, and idk I just appreciate it.
When everyone else is trying to appease corporate committees and shareholders, Southpark just says fuck it and writes what they want.
When everyone else is trying to appease corporate committees and shareholders
Counterpoint: The money South Park makes by pissing people off directly impacts Comedy Centrals profits. It’s in Comedy Central’s best interest to have South Park be offensive, because attention and engagement is more important in the modern world than whether or not people actually like something. Capital doesn’t give a damn about how they appease corporate committees and shareholders, as long as money is being made: South Park makes money hand-over-fist being offensive. There’s literally been an unending stream of copycat “offensive adult animation” ever since South Park hit the air. They’re emphatically not sticking it to the man. They are the man.
South Park is almost 30 years old. They are the industry. They are still around because they make money. If they actually offended the sensibilities of corporate committees and shareholders, they wouldn’t still be on the fucking air. Both Matt and Trey individually have wealth valued at well over half a billion dollars. Add them both together and you have a billionaire. But sure, they’re still somehow “subversive” with money coming out their fucking ears.
Which I would say is a position they have lucked themselves into honestly. We all know, the viewers, that the more risky you are as a show the more captivating it can be, which I think southpark proves. They took a lot of risks, and got themselves into this spot where it’d be ridiculous of CC to get rid of them now because they are a cash cow. New shows however, corporations never connect the dots and tell them things are too risky, to take the safer more bland route, and of course they are shocked when they don’t do as well.
There’s literally a stream of cartoons with intent to offend as many people as possible. They’re all trash, but let me see how many I can look up real quick starting with dumb shit like Brickleberry or Paradise PD.
Like, literally being as offensive as possible is the entire fucking schtick of Adam Corrolla’s Mr. Birchum, which just came out.
Honestly, the ones that are try-hard offensive fucking fail miserably. There’s a lot of them. Stop pretending that taking risks is all it takes. You also actually have to have a pulse on social issues, which the South Park creators simply no longer do. People can be offensive and not funny. In fact, it’s way easier to just be offensive than it is to be offensive and funny. Most only succeed at being offensive.
Companies want content that enrages people because they know that people get more involved with content they hate than content they love. They absolutely pour money into South Park copycats that try to go “anti-woke.”
I’ve been watching it the day it came out in 1997 and while it had it’s ups and downs, the show still mostly holds up today. And even the brand new stuff still sometimes makes you go “They really put that in there??” which I think just shows how brilliant the show is.
In general, yes. I’ve kept up since it first started airing, and it has its highs and lows, with some seasons better than others. But overall I like it.
Generally, I find that the best seasons were 5ish to 15ish. Before that it was a bit too simplistic and crude, and the joke about Kenny dying got old. After that there was a bit too much focus on politics. Sure, it always has to some degree, but I didn’t find the Tegrity Farms , PC Principal/babies, and President Garrison storylines that good.
One exception dto the above is that episode (I don’t remember when, or what the name was), where everyone started treating The Economy like some diety that they shouldn’t anger. It was a response to the 2008/2009 economic issues, so I guess it must’ve aired shortly after that. I just find the entire arc of that episode hilarious, from the economic forecasts and monetary values being dictated by a weird ritual involving a headless chicken, and to Kyle sacrificing himself by taking on all people’s debts.
Honorable mentions of episodes I really like: Casa Bonita, Awesome-O, Cartman dies, Good times with Weapons, The Coon (and the related episodes). And of course, the Game of Thrones parody. And I absolutely love the plot/naming twist of “The Big Fix”. And what was the name of that episode that is partially depicted in the style of a Blair Witch found footage, where Craig really doesn’t want to be part of the story/plot, but ends up as one anyway.
The first seasons were great, good to re-watch. But it’s like they kind of gave up since season 10 or so. The characters, topics and the humor are all different now.
Now that’s a rare take. Usually the first 2 seasons are regarded as the worst and have very childish humour compared to later ones.
Season 10 is pretty much the start of peak South Park. It had the Cartoon Wars two parter and the iconic Warcraft episode. Also introduced ManBearPig and the “Nice” meme …
I think my least favourite season would be the 20th which is the whole Garrison as Trump story line. They really wrote themselves into a couple of corners with that one. Though the troll-trace subplot is amazing.
I know a bunch of people who lost interest over time around the same time as me, it’s when they had this season-long storyline. Not sure which season it was.
The kids act too adult now, Chef disappeared, other common characters are rarely there anymore or changed completely (Garrison turned into Trump?), then the weed stuff / Tegrity, Warcraft – all not that great IMO.
