South Park

RobZilla

Not being an avid fan of American football, I couldn't really totally appreciate the new episode, but it was still pretty good.

Further investigation into the whole redskins controversy and such will probably make a second viewing even better.

Nobodyman

@RobZilla:

Further investigation into the whole redskins controversy and such will probably make a second viewing even better.

It's okay. I'm American and still not a fan of our football, so a lot of the references were lost on me as well.

Anyway, as someone who is only marginally aware of the whole Redskins controversy, here are my thoughts on it:

As you can probably gather, there is somewhat of a controversy regarding the Washington Redskins as "redskin" is, of course, a slang term for a Native American. Some people view this as racist and disrespectful, though I personally have yet to see any tangible result from it (of course, we also have the Cleveland Indians, which may be even more disrespectful).

So the joke in the episode is that the Washington Redskins (the football team) are taking the role of the Native Americans in that they are being victimized by someone else who is using/stealing their name for their own gain.

Funny enough, I live right outside of DC, so the Redskins are the team my family roots for.

Unrequited

Any guesses to what part of this episode will succeed the trend of continuity for the next episode?

MetaMario

Whoa whoa, South Park's back for a new season? Well….darn. Missed it.

Huschel

@Unrequited:

Any guesses to what part of this episode will succeed the trend of continuity for the next episode?

The guy who was sent to keep and eye on Randy/Lorde didn't show up anymore.

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Thank god they've moved on from the dolphin comparison thing since the last time they tackled this topic.

TLC

I thought they were pretty smart, informed and respectful on this topic and I was looking out for dolphinisms but the only people at the butt of the joke where the people who deserved it.

Taggerung

Randy Marsh continues to be the best character on the show. That was a fun episode with a great message. Transgender relations are an easy topic to get wrong, I hope a lot of people got what they were trying to say. It was kind of odd hearing Sharon talk for that long though.

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Yeah, Sharon's speech was really good.

I did dislike how they kind of equated 'cisgender' with being a criticism word. I mean, I can see how you'd think that, as probably the context you come across most often is in being told you don't get it, or you should shut up and listen, etc - then it's still relatively rare for cis people to actually refer to themselves as cis, but maybe we'll reach the point where it'll just be a thing. 'Cis' is more like 'straight' in that sense than the much more negative term 'breeders'. So wasn't entirely on board with Cartman's storyline.

But then they do the thing with Sharon and Randy as Lorde and the discrimination at his (her? I'm really not sure in this instance) workplace. And they sort of show how gender identity uncertainty can be a thing, even if I'm not entirely sure that was their intention. While some trans folk feel they've always known themselves to be trans, a lot of trans people spend a while in that uncertainty period first - 'am I? aren't I? I don't feel like X but does that mean I am Y?' and so on. Again, I'm not sure the nuance was intended given this is South Park, but yes, some truth in television there, even if Stan decides he's just who he seemed to be before.

baby-boo

This post is deleted!

Taggerung

I think Mr. Garison provide the necessary context with the word cis. It's just the word for non transgendered people. I'm not sure how the audience might feel but i feel like after his explanation, Cartman's use of the word as an insult seemed even more ridiculous and childish like everything else Cartman was trying to get away with.

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@Taggerung:

I think Mr. Garison provide the necessary context with the word cis. It's just the word for non transgendered people. I'm not sure how the audience might feel but i feel like after his explanation, Cartman's use of the word as an insult seemed even more ridiculous and childish like everything else Cartman was trying to get away with.

I'm glad it came across that way then :)

"Feeling Good on a Wednesday" is stuck in my head now.

Demon Rin

Oh god… I knew there was a new season out, and it was on my radar to start watching it..... but I just heard about the topic of the newest episode...........

Part of me wants to watch it... another part of me really wants to not lest I be enraged and decide to punch someone...

"NO GOD DAMNIT! IT'S NOT THE SAME AS KYLE'S DAD WANTING TO BE A FUCKING DOLPHIN!! AAAAAAAAAAARGH..."

TLC

@Demon:

Oh god… I knew there was a new season out, and it was on my radar to start watching it..... but I just heard about the topic of the newest episode...........

Part of me wants to watch it... another part of me really wants to not lest I be enraged and decide to punch someone...

"NO GOD DAMNIT! IT'S NOT THE SAME AS KYLE'S DAD WANTING TO BE A FUCKING DOLPHIN!! AAAAAAAAAAARGH..."

They handled it with respect and no trans people were the butt of the joke, only transphobic people. At least that's how I interpreted it. Of course I'm not in the position you are in terms of how much this issue affects you but as far as I could tell, and I was looking out for any offensive material, it should be fine. Granted Cartman was awful and offensive about the issue but that was the point and the episode made it pretty clear he was the one in the wrong, he was meant to be a representation of transphobic people. I think you can give it a shot.

Demon Rin

I just saw the episode. I heard about the continuity thing so I watched all 3 episodes of the season…

I.... wasn't offended by that... everybody seemed to be perfectly respectful and understanding of trans issues in the show now... at least verbally. A lot of people said a lot of things that were really WONDERFUL things that needed to be said. I practically cried when Sharon started talking.

But... one thing... and it really honestly didn't like, piss me off or make me hate the whole episode or curse the show or anything.... but it was kinda irksome that nobody who was actually in any way trans was depicted... instead you had Cartman and Randy, who both admitted to only using womens' bathrooms because they wanted to. The message at the end was almost kinda "Yeah, guys will pretend to be girls to get into womens' bathrooms, but just go with it"... I mean, for example, the Tourette's Syndrome episode actually showed the Tourette's was a real disease and that there are actually people struggling with it. This episode SAID there were real trans people really dealing with real issues... but our only representation was Cartman who was pretending, and Randy who... I don't even know what Randy was doing exactly.

I hope the continuity they're playing with here means this gets brought up again.

One saving grace I noticed. They never payed off the whole Wendy-Wendell situation... and if you notice, during Principal Victoria's speech at the end, where she declares the new Bathroom rules. It shows ALL the kids and they are ALL cheering... except Wendell, who is still dressed as Wendell... clearly not cheering with the rest.

MAYBE they'll keep continuity, and MAYBE Wendell is an actual thing now?

Taggerung

Randy would be considered a transvestite. Even if he initially started doing this to use a better bathroom it has clearly become a large enough part of his personality that he is known worldwide in the south park universe as Lorde.

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@Demon:

I just saw the episode. I heard about the continuity thing so I watched all 3 episodes of the season…

I.... wasn't offended by that... everybody seemed to be perfectly respectful and understanding of trans issues in the show now... at least verbally. A lot of people said a lot of things that were really WONDERFUL things that needed to be said. I practically cried when Sharon started talking.

But... one thing... and it really honestly didn't like, piss me off or make me hate the whole episode or curse the show or anything.... but it was kinda irksome that nobody who was actually in any way trans was depicted... instead you had Cartman and Randy, who both admitted to only using womens' bathrooms because they wanted to. The message at the end was almost kinda "Yeah, guys will pretend to be girls to get into womens' bathrooms, but just go with it"... I mean, for example, the Tourette's Syndrome episode actually showed the Tourette's was a real disease and that there are actually people struggling with it. This episode SAID there were real trans people really dealing with real issues... but our only representation was Cartman who was pretending, and Randy who... I don't even know what Randy was doing exactly.

I hope the continuity they're playing with here means this gets brought up again.

One saving grace I noticed. They never payed off the whole Wendy-Wendell situation... and if you notice, during Principal Victoria's speech at the end, where she declares the new Bathroom rules. It shows ALL the kids and they are ALL cheering... except Wendell, who is still dressed as Wendell... clearly not cheering with the rest.

MAYBE they'll keep continuity, and MAYBE Wendell is an actual thing now?

Totally with you on this one. I didn't really process this at first because I was too shocked by them by not being assholes like with the dolphin episodes, but yeah, it's the really big difference from the similarly-structured Tourette's episode. I did wonder from the continuity thing whether they were going to make a character properly trans, but I sort of doubt that they'd do it with Wendell, given how they were setting up the Stan/Wendy relationship plot again this season. And I took the lack-of-cheering thing to be because Wendy was only doing that to get one over on Cartman. But maybe I'll be proved wrong there.

But whoa, yeah, if a show as bro-y as South Park can change its tune so much over the course of a decade, that bodes well.

Demon Rin

@Print:

I did wonder from the continuity thing whether they were going to make a character properly trans, but I sort of doubt that they'd do it with Wendell, given how they were setting up the Stan/Wendy relationship plot again this season. And I took the lack-of-cheering thing to be because Wendy was only doing that to get one over on Cartman. But maybe I'll be proved wrong there.

I think with the fact that every episode seems to leave strings of continuity in this season that the subsequent episodes pick up (Everyone hating the boys, Butters burning down the gym, Gluten Free, Randy as Lorde et al) I don't think it was an accident that Wendy was still Wendell at the end of the episode and that we didn't get any kind of payoff from that. I mean, I would have expected a "Rubbing it in Cartman's face that he lost" moment at least, but they didn't show that.

I'm fairly confident The Wendy/Wendel thing was purposely not paid off so it can carry over to the next episode as one of their continuity threads. Do I think it's going to carry over in that, Wendy is now Wendell for good or even for the entire rest of the season? I kinda hope so actually, but I'm not holding my breath for it. But I do think there will be some payoff to the Wendy/Wendell thing next episode as their string of continuity that carries on. Probably just some kind of reference from Wendy about her winning the battle against Cartman or something.

@Print:

But whoa, yeah, if a show as bro-y as South Park can change its tune so much over the course of a decade, that bodes well.

Yeah, this by itself is kinda nice. I didn't really feel like I was the butt of the joke, at least not in any of the stereotypical hurtful ways. This felt like something I could laugh along with.

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@Demon:

Yeah, this by itself is kinda nice. I didn't really feel like I was the butt of the joke, at least not in any of the stereotypical hurtful ways. This felt like something I could laugh along with.

Yes, and I did. Until Sharon made me cry. I swear I've listened to 'Push' about 20 times since the episode, even with its scatalogical subtext.

Also got a real kick over some people whining on Twitter and Reddit that they'd wanted the episode to go after the 'SJW crowd' and feel it went after them instead.

Demon Rin

@Print:

Also got a real kick over some people whining on Twitter and Reddit that they'd wanted the episode to go after the 'SJW crowd' and feel it went after them instead.

Wait? Really? Oh wow lol. Has anyone collected this into one article where I can see? XD

RobZilla

I had no idea who Lorde was till I looked her up after I watched the latest episode, but any Randy Marsh heavy episode is fine with me.

Sano

Great episode this week.

! The Wacky Races part was really great. And Dick Dastardy and Muttley doing their usual tricks in the race was really funny.

Taggerung

I wasn't a big fan of this episode. I smiled but i never laughed. I get the message they were trying to get across but they kind of hammered it then just threw the handicap kids on top of it. I think the best joke was the end where the mom pretended she couldn't understand so that they could go on vacation.

Wagomu

As a person who fantasizes Wacky Races scenarios for any series with a large and diverse enough cast, I have to say that South Park really dropped the ball with this one. When you do Wacky Races, that's when you're supposed to throw out all sorts of crazy ideas, wacky even. That's when you take every generalization, stereotype associated imagery on your racers, heighten them and turn them into the cars. I can't believe they didn't even make a joke about the Tesla being an electric car in the race. Like they could have had the Tesla lose a lot of juice after firing rockets, requiring them to make a pit stop a whole city over to find the nearest charging station. Or have the Hummer start out by running over other cars like a tank in the beginning and then runs out of gas within minutes. Maybe make the Japanese self-driving car become self-aware partway through and ditch the race to pursue its dreams.

I thought the South Park staff would have it in them to get it right, but they couldn't even squeeze any wacky out of Dick Dastardly beyond his presence.

Wintermute

Watched the third episode and yeah, wonderful moments and speeches of the whole Marsh-family. In one episode, together with Cartman and Mr. Garrison. That was epic.

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Eh. That wasn't particularly funny - the Wacky Races segment was a great idea done dully - and I am massively disappointed that a week after they covered trans stuff and didn't screw it up, they go and throw in a cheap throwaway trans gag like that. Guess they don't give a damn after all.

Demon Rin

@Print:

Eh. That wasn't particularly funny - the Wacky Races segment was a great idea done dully - and I am massively disappointed that a week after they covered trans stuff and didn't screw it up, they go and throw in a cheap throwaway trans gag like that. Guess they don't give a damn after all.

I know, right?….

People like me are all just pedophiles right?! Raping little special needs kids like it aint no thang. Right? That's a thing people like me do right?!?! South Park said so!!

ugh...... just ugh...

Nobodyman

@Print:

Eh. That wasn't particularly funny - the Wacky Races segment was a great idea done dully - and I am massively disappointed that a week after they covered trans stuff and didn't screw it up, they go and throw in a cheap throwaway trans gag like that. Guess they don't give a damn after all.

Well, you know, Roger Ebert may have been on to something in his Team America review.

"Like a cocky teenager who's had a couple of drinks before the party, [Matt and Trey] don't have a plan for who they want to offend, only an intention to be as offensive as possible."

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@Nobodyman:

Well, you know, Roger Ebert may have been on to something in his Team America review.

"Like a cocky teenager who's had a couple of drinks before the party, [Matt and Trey] don't have a plan for who they want to offend, only an intention to be as offensive as possible."

I think they honestly view themselves as equal opportunity offenders. Which would be fine in a world where everyone is treated equally, but that's not the case. And I don't even think that's true anymore…South Park hasn't been about being as rude as possible since its earlier seasons.

Wagomu

Well, South Park has a tendency to follow up their moralistic juggernauts with a reversion to stupidity, probably thinking it helps to shit their head out from up their own asses. The Cripple Camp episode that this one grew from was the chaser to the Mohammed debacle in 200/201.

Wintermute

@Wagomu:

Mohammed debacle in 200/201.

I can't believe that this black bar wasn't intentional. It fits the episode so well and is ridiculous as every silly costum Mohammed could wear.

Enzeru

Oh boy, the handicar episode had me rolling. Best one of the season so far.

Robby

The best is after they won their first emmy they did an episode all about shit jokes and kispayed "emmy award winner" every time a massive pile of poo was on screen.

They do tend intentionally do some of their worst, most straightforward, stupidest episodes after doing something smart or controversial… just to keep it clear that "hey, we're just a dumb show, don't take us too seriously, even when we do have a point."

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The poo thing isn't really a valid comparison though because that's just grossout humour. It's not really tapping into existing discrimination at all.

Whatever. I'm just really disappointed. We can do without reinforcement for the harmful stereotype that trans women are more likely to be rapists than raped themselves.

TLC

You know instead of having that person being a trans woman, couldn't she have just been a woman? Both are offensive but at least the latter doesn't reinforce prejudicial stereotypes and might even do some good by showing that yes, even women can be rapists. Have her come out of the bathroom wearing a giant strap-on. That would have been funny especially in how unexpected it was instead of just going for the easy low hanging fruit that they did instead.

Demon Rin

You know… thinking about it, if I'm trying to play Devil's Advocate and see it from another angle, technically it wasn't a non-consensual act because the joke was that Nathan was propositioning HER. The Joke, I guess, was that he was trying to sexually harass her, but she was into it... I don't think we were supposed to focus on the fact that he's a kid, which makes that statutory rape.

Taggerung

This was better than handi-car. Not hilarious but it had me in a good mood the whole time it was on. I felt like they were trying to tackle too many issues at once though. If there was a message it got lost in there but just taking it as the town taking something too far once again it was enjoyable.

Kaboom

So last night's episode was the best one of the season so far, if you ask me. Canada episodes are always fun, and South Park's the only context I know of where it's nice seeing Satan again.

TLC

That episode sure escalated…

Taggerung

There was no subtlety. They just said the point they were trying to hammer home. I always think it's better when they can work that kind of dialogue into actions or what is shown instead of stating it so explicitly. Then again I really enjoyed Satan explaining addictions to Stan. It was ok overall.

Nex 0

Wait, South Park has ever been subtle?

MDL

One of my favourite episodes is when they boil the concept of voting down to choosing between a giant douche and a turd sandwich.
If you don't see the point in voting, the town claims you hate America and banishes you.

Vote or die motherfucker, vote or die.

AlucarDraculA

Pertinent:

Taggerung

That was the perfect kid to play butters. nailed it. Overall I enjoyed the episode. I always hate seeing butter's get messed with by cartman but then like cartman says, butter's is in his own way, kind of an asshole. I think my favorite part was Steve.

Kitsune Inferno

Well, that was the most delightfully absurd episode of the season.

Sano

South Park got renewed up to Season 23.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/07/08/south-park-renewed-through-season-23-in-2019

MetaMario

The 19th season starts tonight at 10 PM EST, everyone.

black-leg jex

gg south park. Looks like we are going for another season long continuous story. Both have been fantastic so far though

Jabberwok

Two very strong episodes so far. I wonder if PC Principal will last the whole season.

I wish Canadien Trump had gotten more time to lampoon.

Robby

The funny part is apparetly, surely unintentionally on Trey and Matt's part… the current Canadian prime minister was in fact elected in exactly such a fashion, and now everyone hates him.

It was just them doing a Trump joke (and it'll be interesting to see Garrison run that arc for the next 8 episodes) but still interesting to see happen.