Wow, people still watch South Park!? I’m sure they’re still killing it. Just kind of fell off the radar for me.
Not really killing it imo. Most episodes are extremely "both sides"-y which makes them have this milquetoast approach to issues and an unclear perspective. The jokes are often kind of cringe, imo, and the whole thing feels very bland. So its like a political/social satire comedy show that is designed by committee to make mild japes at both sides but not make them too uncomfortable.
It used to be an edgy comedy show (sometimes too edgy for mainstream audiences both then and now) that would lambast social and political figures, but it wasn't just a satire show - it had a separate identity from that. And it was funny, usually. It pushed a lot of boundaries - the media was always talking about South Park as though it was this super scary show that will turn your kids into hooligans and destroy the moral fiber of the country and should be banned.
So maybe it's partly that you can't easily be a super rebellious standout show pushing the envelope every week for 27 years, that they wanted to appeal to mainstream audiences and adopted this bland centrist viewpoint, and that the media landscape is full of edgy-ish comedy shows these days and so it's harder to stand out.
I am by no means a huge SP fan though and have not watched but like 3 seasons since the old days. So if this take is off and the show has gotten more interesting I'd like to know
South Park has always been Right Wing. Trey and Matt are self proclaimed "Libertarians". There's a significant overlap in the Venn Diagram of Joe Rogan bros and South Park fans. "They make fun of both sides bro" and yet some of their most enduring cultural contributions are downplaying climate change and dehumanizing trans people.
They may clutch their pearls about MAGA now, but their promotion of political apathy among Gen X and Millennial men is part of why we have MAGA.
I remember there was a brief moment in the early 00s where the term "South Park Republican" had some cultural cachet until everyone realized it was just edgy libertarianism for contrarian shitheads.
Aren't they former libertarians? I feel like I heard they realized they were idiots and changed, but I could be wrong.
Its possible. I recall reading somewhere that they regret the ManBearPig episode. Good on them for being able to change and grow.
Still, unfortunately the damage has been done.
Watch the most recent episode. I, like you, don't really watch South Park anymore but holy shit was it funny.
The Trump stuff killed it. The callback to Saddam, the absurdity of everything going on, the show really hit the nail on the head of how it feels in America right now.
Don't forget that Al Gore made them sad and they created Manbearpig as a response. It was some decades later that they admitted that they were wrong on the topic of climate change and regretted what they did.
They don't do regular seasons anymore, and haven't for several years. Instead, they will do some special episodes each year on a specific topic. These are more like miniseries than regular episodes and I have enjoyed them.
Honestly the latest seasons were fabulously on topic, well worth the watch in my opinion
The very first sentence of the article...
South Park kicked off its 27th season on Wednesday after a hiatus of almost two and a half years
Yeah, they moved from streaming on Comedy Central (and southpark.com, which was free) to Paramount (which is paid). It's been a shit show ever since, limited to 6 episodes or so a season (if you're lucky). Then the hiatus after Covid and the specials. It's been a rough ride, but they're still kicking.
The next 5 seasons are contracted and paid for at 10 episodes per season
After their season long "both sides" trump/clinton fuckery in 2016, best I can do is a slow clap.
Clinton was avidly pro the US going to full blown war with Iran.
Compared to Clinton, Trump has shown restraint in foreign policy.
What part of unilaterally bombing a nuclear facility in a country historically hostile to the US is restraint?
Can you show us on the doll where reality touched you?
Compared to Clinton, Trump has shown restraint in foreign policy.
You said this like it was facts?
They had the chance to show how ridiculous trump was back then; when it might have made a difference with their "libertarian" fanbase. Instead they softballed any criticism of him. They showed who they really are, fuck em.
They had the chance to show how ridiculous trump was back then
????
Trump has always been obviously ridiculous. You guys need to get over this idea that the people voting for him are going to have some magical come-to-Jesus moment and join the rest of us in reality after watching an episode of South Park or reading a non-"sanewashed" news article.
God I love Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Been watching South Park since I was a kid and they haven't stopped delivering.
Their Trump mockery went stratospheric at the end which caused me to jump around the living room in sheer exhilaration.
They removed his organs!?
Hell yea
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