For those of you who know me, you may think that the title of this essay is a heresy against my idol Jon Stewart, host of the Daily Show and TV’s most consistent and morally clear-sighted funny man. Of course, I would never want to downplay the enormous effect that Mr. Stewart has had on myself, the country, and the national discourse (his legendary tirade on Crossfire got that ignorant program cancelled), but another Comedy Central show has been going on for longer, proven just as pertinent, and exceeded all its peers in originality…South Park is the subject of today’s Film Friday – which, as of today, is also expanding into Film (and Television) Friday – having just produced its 200th episode this past Wednesday. And boy was it a dandy! Unlike the majority of TV shows that rest on their laurels and produce trite look-backs for their anniversary specials (see: Seinfeld and Friends) South Park, as usual, went above and beyond the call, producing an episode that was original and relevant in addition to being a rehashing of the show’s major themes.
To synopsize: After Stan insults Tom Cruise (who inexplicably works in a fudge-packing factory), the celeb gathers together all of the Hollywood stars that South Park has insulted over the years and devises a plan to sue the town into bankruptcy. The only way Cruise will withdraw its suit? Have South Park deliver the prophet Muhammad to the celeberati - in the whacked out universe of South Park, you see, Muhammad is alive and tangible just like Jesus, Vishnu, and the rest of the religious Super Best Friends. Still, this is no easy task. The last time South Park tried to show Muhammad, they were met with fierce opposition, both in-episode (Muslim extremists threatened to destroy the town) and out (Comedy Central eventually did censor the image of the prophet). The celebrities are after a mysterious “goo” that is unexplained but appears to be some kind of life force that allows for Muhammad to have immunity from any kind of insult (Tom Cruise wishes he were that lucky).
But they’re not the only ones chasing Muhammad. A contingent of Ginger Separatists (what?) want the prophet for themselves, and threaten to blow up South Park if he is not given to them. Begrudgingly, the South Parkians give in, delivering Muhammad to the Gingers in a U-Haul truck so we don’t see him. Enraged, the celebrities resort to drastic measures, activating a new and improved Mecha-Streisand, the season 1 super-villain, to run rampant on the town.
Note: This picture is from a different episode. I just put it up because I thought it was funny.
Meanwhile, Cartman joins the celebrities with his classic hand-puppet-Jennifer-Lopez (it’s kind of impossible to explain this if you haven’t seen it before), who, it turns out, is actually Mitch Connor in disguise. Puppet-Connor hints to Cartman his mother (an intersexual) who was previously thought to be his father, may not actually be his father.
And that’s where it ends… till next week.
Ok, where to begin, right?
The amazing thing about this episode is that it makes very little sense unless you’ve followed South Park since the beginning. Just look at the lengthy, convoluted plot synopsis I had to give – it’s longer than what I write in most movie reviews, and this was just for a twenty-three minute show. To me, what separates the 200th episode from other TV shows’ anniversary episode is the same as what separates South Park from all other satire on television: It continues to build on itself.
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...
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That will have to be part 1. I'm quite tired.
Part 2 will be so much better. You can expect it Tuesday.
Sports Saturday, Politics Sunday, and Deidre await. Will probably not get a Wednesday article out though. Sorry.
Meanwhile, Cartman joins the celebrities with his classic hand-puppet-Jennifer-Lopez (it’s kind of impossible to explain this if you haven’t seen it before), who, it turns out, is actually Mitch Connor in disguise. Puppet-Connor hints to Cartman his mother (an intersexual) who was previously thought to be his father, may not actually be his father.
And that’s where it ends… till next week.
Ok, where to begin, right?
The amazing thing about this episode is that it makes very little sense unless you’ve followed South Park since the beginning. Just look at the lengthy, convoluted plot synopsis I had to give – it’s longer than what I write in most movie reviews, and this was just for a twenty-three minute show. To me, what separates the 200th episode from other TV shows’ anniversary episode is the same as what separates South Park from all other satire on television: It continues to build on itself.
...
...
...
That will have to be part 1. I'm quite tired.
Part 2 will be so much better. You can expect it Tuesday.
Sports Saturday, Politics Sunday, and Deidre await. Will probably not get a Wednesday article out though. Sorry.
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