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[LousyTactician]

Not in the slightest. I can't stand the first 2 or 3 seasons of South Park specifically because the raunchy shock humor feels pointless and has next to nothing anchoring it to a point.

There are a few instances where I feel attaching episodes to specific news events limited Stone and Parker's creativity. But even Imaginationland, which I agree is some of South Park's best, was a blatant, and hilarious, commentary on the War on Terror (among other things), which was pretty topical at the time (and still is). I might agree that the show would improve some topics were tackled from a more general standpoint, instead of using specific current events. However I'm not sure how Imaginationland is less topical than what we've seen from episodes in later seasons.

 

[Sapiens]

member season teeeennnnnnnnn

member when south park didn't offend my sensibilities?

 

[Veritigo_X]

Being topical isn't my problem with the show, they've made good episodes about recent events. Being lazy centrists is my main issue with the show. The fact that people think they make smart political points is baffling.

 

[jrush64]

150% agreed. It was so much much better. Sure I still enjoy it but not that much. So many classic episodes from the earlier seasons.

I can't even remember shit from Season 19. Not even a single episode.

 

[SpaceHorror]

I thought so for a while, but PC principal was fuckin' hilarious.

 

[johnny956]

Being topical isn't my problem with the show, they've made good episodes about recent events. Being lazy centrists is my main issue with the show. The fact that people think they make smart political points is baffling.

Maybe those people are centrists who say that? I'd imagine a lot people are on topics addressed in the show

 

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

The only time it wasn't really topical was the first first seasons. In one of the seasons you cited as the best there was

• An episode making fun of hybrid cars
• An episode making fun of Scientology
• An episode making fun of drawing muhammad
• An episode making fun of global warming/al gore
• An episode making fun of the dog whisperer
• An episode making fun of World of Warcraft
• An episode making fun of Dog the Bounty Hunter
• An episode making fun of Super Sweet 16
• An episode making fun of Richard Dawkins

 

[Abounder]

Not in the slightest, especially since Comedy Central lost both Stewart and Colbert. The topics also help ground the show's absurdity. I do love the salty reactions from PC principal, lol!

 

[daveo42]

South Park has always been topical. My issue is that Trey and Matt's commentary has gone steeply downhill. As a long time fan, the fact that they devoted an entire season to whining about PC culture is a little embarrassing.

Def this. They got way better at it as the seasons went on, then I guess fell of later. I haven't watched it years, though I still remember how great the Ocean's Eleven Election episode was.

 

[onepiecefan]

I've found the last couple of seasons have been underwhelming, the one with the Black Friday trilogy was the last great one imo. Although I've just watched the first episode of season 20 and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.

 

[ComputerBlue]

I think so. I'd prefer if every episode wasn't topical. As decent as last season was, devoting the entire season to the same thing was a little too much for my liking.

 

[shira]

member season teeeennnnnnnnn

 

[Tuck]

If South Park had stayed the way it was, we'd be having a thread on "Does anyone feel like South Park has lost its creative spark?" right about now.

I know that, because it had lost its creative spark. The few seasons before 18 were okay, but definitely not top tier stuff. Season 18 started a resurgence, then season 19 went full steam ahead on the structure they had started playing around with in 18.

And thats ok. South Park remains a lot of fun, and really funny. The focus has shifted, but they did that to keep the show fresh.

Also I do agree that since GAF is super left leaning, some people take it a bit personally that South Park isn't 100% in line with their views. But if you're ok when South Park makes fun of conservatives, you should be ok when they make fun of liberals too. is okay to laugh, even if you disagree with what they're saying.

 

[NealMcCauley]

Being topical is fine, but I like it more when the plots still mostly focus on the boys and the town. Some episodes just feel too busy with multiple plots, characters, and locations.

 

[shadowsdarknes]

South Park has also talked about relevant issues. Sometimes it's done in a clever fashion.

For example, they covered gay marriage by having Mr. Garrison have the kids take care of an egg. And then the governor suggested that everyone be butt buddies instead of married.

That was funny.

 

[Grug]

I kinda lost touch with this show 6 seasons or so ago and need to catch up.

Is there a cliffs notes list out there of episodes to watch and to avoid?

 

[Shanks D Zoro]

I pretty much rewatched the show two times in July and July, so hard to stop with one episode, and it has always been topical except for maybe the first season. I guess what might annoy people is that they are a lot less subtle about, plus have moved away from the wholly unrealistic episodes with time travelling and stuff.

 

[CassSept]

I've found the last couple of seasons have been underwhelming, the one with the Black Friday trilogy was the last great one imo. Although I've just watched the first episode of season 20 and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.

That season you're talking about was terrible up until Black Friday trilogy. Just plain awful.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

1) I don't think this is happening that they've "gotten worse at being topical". I think your inserting your own bias making up a narrative that this proposed middle-of-the-road/centerist agenda is new or novel for the show is new or somehow has tainted the show.
The show has always had weak episodes and uneven episodes. It has always featured back and forth. The only difference going on here is that they have never shitted so much on PC culture which makes me think that this centerist argument is largely a dogwhistle.

2) It is not a good argument to say (vertigo_X) that it is bad, because some dumb people use south park as their political compass or whatever. There will always be dumb people misinterpretating something or someone somewhere. It is completely unrelated to anything of value in that "some" have stupid opinions. That is just being knee jerked over idiots. Not South Parks fault. Nor does it speak to the quality of the show.


PC culture, or the level of which they caricaturize it or make fun of it is neither worse or better than it has ever been. Maybe you have outgrown it, but the writing or points have not reduced in quality from what I can see. And I think they are very, very good at what they do. Stick of Truth is one of the sharpest things they have ever done, and that entire thing cleverly weaved almost 20 years of fanservice into a very entertaining narrative.
So I don't buy that they've fallen off the mark.
This level of critique was not present before Season 19, so I have to conclude that the subject matter touched a nerve and juvenile outrage reactions. And if them making fun of all the progressive can cause this level of anger, then doesn't it sort of prove- at least to a point that there was something to really make fun of?

South Park has always been incredible offensive and tasteless for years making jokes and light of crack babies, pedophelia, children dying of cancers, systemic molestation and every other obscene and offensive topic you can think of, and yet- Nothing has created the resentment and anger that season 19 has. That is telling. And I think it comes down to that some people cannot take a joke that laughs at their expense, but hypocritically can laugh at the expense of others as long as it has fuck all to do with their causes.


You want South Park to take jabs that you want it to, and when it doesn't it becomes the enemy. Fuck that stupid shit. Let the show run its course without being sucked into this dumb shit with having to take a stance fallacy bullshit.

 

[TheContact]

Season 10 was my favorite season. They really nailed it. I wasn't too much a fan of last season. Didn't like the whole PC/ads/gentrification thing and didnt like that each episode fed off the last so directly

 

[Lord Thrappleper The 49th]

I member

Ooohh also member imaginaaation land??

 

[Tuck]

You want South Park to take jabs that you want it to, and when it doesn't it becomes the enemy. Fuck that stupid shit. Let the show run its course without being sucked into this dumb shit with having to take a stance fallacy bullshit.

I agree with this. I think its a big part in why some people didn't enjoy last season.

 

[Infinite]

I think the "both sides" commentary of the show is the real problem. It's just a incredible lazy and disingenuous way to tackle a lot of issues and the show constantly leans on it.

 

[anaron]

old Cartman voice >>>>

 

[Corpekata]

South Park has always been incredible offensive and tasteless for years making jokes and light of crack babies, pedophelia, children dying of cancers, systemic molestation and every other obscene and offensive topic you can think of, and yet- Nothing has created the resentment and anger that season 19 has. That is telling. And I think it comes down to that some people cannot take a joke that laughs at their expense, but hypocritically can laugh at the expense of others as long as it has fuck all to do with their causes.

This is a load of horseshit or you have a terrible memory (or are very young). The idea that season 19 is what made people the angriest is a baffling takeaway. It's not even in the ballpark of times like the Mohammed episodes or the movie's release.

 

[Zen_Arcade]

The only real problem with it is that the episodes end up feeling dated a lot of the time.

I wouldn't call the topical episodes better or worse than the non topical ones though.

 

[Calderc]

Classic South Park to me was episodes like Awesome-o, the Michael Jackson one, the anime one, Imaginationland, the Wii trilogy and so many others that I can't remember right now. It's still good, but it hasn't hit those heights in quite a few seasons.

 

[Ralemont]

No, anecdotally South Park reached the height of popularity at my school when they did the season premiere about priests molesting children. I think social and political satire is up their alley and in a post-Jon Stewart world they are probably the most important satirists we have in pop culture.

 

[Tuck]

This is a load of horseshit or you have a terrible memory (or are very young). The idea that season 19 is what made people the angriest is a baffling takeaway. It's not even in the ballpark of times like the Mohammed episodes or the movie's release.

I think he is talking specifically about existing South Park fans.

 

[thebeeks]

My love of South Park revolves around the first 3 seasons. 4-10 have a lot of solid episodes. I don't think I've seen anything after that.

 

[Beefy]

South Park is getting better and better so far, so for me it's a no. I hope it continues.

 

[onepiecefan]

That season you're talking about was terrible up until Black Friday trilogy. Just plain awful.

I don't remember all the episodes from that season, but my memories of the trilogy made me think the season was great.

 

[God Dayumm]

Making episodes on current topics is what keeps a show running for decades. There is only a handful of interesting timeless topics that you can talk about before your comedy runs dry.

 

[Demon Lizardman]

My problem is that the new format might get old with all the storylines stretching out the course of the season instead of each episode having a single unique storyline. The can make fun of any political events if they want, but fucking hell have some variety in there.

 

[Night Angel]

Season 19 was one of the high points of the series for me, so I feel inclined to disagree.

This right here.

I love the new direction the series has taken, and I hope we get another season as good as the last one.

 

[Stormwatch]

I wish they still had more episodes per season so we could have more variety in our topics. It feels like these latest seasons have dragged out some of the topics for too long.

 

[Mango Positive]

Nah, season 19 was the best thing on TV last season and the opener of this season was pretty strong too. People's problem is that GAF is a very left-leaning board. The left isn't used to being made fun of and predictably labels everything that includes them in their satire as lazy/nihilistic/racist/alt-right, etc. Last season pulled off a fantastic philosophical dissection of PC culture as analogous to advertising/gentrification, and this season's 'Memberberries hint at doing the same for nostalgia. But of course, in their mockery of Trumpism they also pointed out that a lot of people dislike Hillary Clinton, whom most people here are desperately trying to convince themselves is a great and wonderous candidate and everyone who won't vote for her is racist/alt-right/[insert buzzword here], so you get the usual regurgitations of 'they say every side is equally bad, how lazy' when recent SP has, in fact, been better than anyone at satirising issues in their full complexity and expressing very clear intellectual points of view, albeit supporting neither the left or right and thus pissing off both (but especially the thin-skinned left on boards like this), who see anything not offering them complete validation and support as being inherently stupid or evil.

Well put.

 

[Adam_Vania]

cartoon wars was so great.

i loved the console wars stuff from a few seasons ago too.

but the new SP feels like going on facebook and being assaulted by political crap.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

I think the "both sides" commentary of the show is the real problem. It's just a incredible lazy and disingenuous way to tackle a lot of issues and the show constantly leans on it.

You know what is lazy? saying this is lazy, toxic, trivializing, disingenuous for no real good reason.
South Park is not trying to tackle anything. It's a childish show with shit humor with nothing to do other than offend and outrage. This is you inserting your own shit and then judging it via loaded terms that means fuck all.

Someone explain to me why the fuck South Park needs to be the champion of social commentary? Or why it's lazy or when it was something more.

This is a load of horseshit or you have a terrible memory (or are very young). The idea that season 19 is what made people the angriest is a baffling takeaway. It's not even in the ballpark of times like the Mohammed episodes or the movie's release.

Hardly. The exposure of the internet has increased the airwaves. I don't recall the movie being that dramatic. Not in Europe at least.
And the muhammed episode? They ended up censoring it in the end. I've never seen anyone say they stopped watching South Park over that.
Do you got any better examples because these are piss poor.
Again- And if you look at what they're making fun of in Stick of Truth, some of it being some of the most obscene and disgusting shit I have ever seen in pop culture. Nobody bats a fucking eye at what they are being "lazy" towards. What they are "trivializing". What they are being "disingenuous" in their tackling off.

 

[j-wood]

I agree with the OP. I miss I guess original story lines? I'm not sure how to put it.

I just really dropped off the South Park train when ever episode was basically devoted to what was going on in the world.

 

[Pizza]

I think South Park is one of the best modern sources of social commentary. Daily Show/Colbert Report were also good about critiquing both sides of an issue, but since those two shows are blood skid marks on the road of time, there's not a lot left.

PC principal was great, and SOME people are actually like the PC characters (not a frat but still) and that hypersensitive corner of PC culture absolutely deserves some mocking, because those people are nuts.

South Park is at it's best when the absurdity and social commentary make a fucking great double helix of giggles like Randy as Lorde

 

[deli2000]

I get that they're trying to go somewhere new with the series, but the ongoing season long storylines really hurt individual episodes in terms of them feeling complete.

Also, maybe it's me growing up with UK satire as a kid, but it kind of saddens me to see people saying that Trey & Matt are "The most important satirists of our time". I mean surely we can do better than '16 year olds facebook timeline' levels of social commentary.

 

[Sanjuro]

I like both. I feel the show is fluid enough creatively where they can just basically do whatever they wish. It's not a hard format.

 

[Zyae]

Yes.

 

[Puck Beaverton]

I think social and political satire is up their alley and in a post-Jon Stewart world they are probably the most important satirists we have in pop culture.

I like the show but this is depressing.

 

[Pendas]

I like the new season structure, it allows them to tackle individual issues over longer periods of time than condensing them to one episode.

 

[Spieler Eins]

At some point they stopped making funny stories to pack their commentary into and instead rehashed one or two jokes 3-5 times over the course of an episode (even though that aspect hasn't been so bad lately). Something sadly isn't funny only ,,because it's true".

At least there was Stick of Truth. The best they've been in a decade.

 

[MagnesD3]

member when South Park wasn't topical ohh I member

 

[Pizza]

Also, maybe it's me growing up with UK satire as a kid, but it kind of saddens me to see people saying that Trey & Matt are "The most important satirists of our time". I mean surely we can do better than '16 year olds facebook timeline' levels of social commentary.

I think they're a little more nuanced than that: some of the best satirists have always wrapped their critical message in childish humor. The Canterbury Tales is an old-ass book full of social commentary that would've got the author killed for sure, but because he was a likable dude and left his message ambiguous while making his critique clear he didn't get his ass kicked. Also the book was full of stuff like people farting in each other's faces so if someone pointed at that mess and said "hey this is directly mocking the religious establishment!" They would've been the asshole.

I don't think there is a lot of good satire critiquing America as a whole, so I don't think it's wrong to say that South Park is up there among the greats

 

[Principate]

Haven't watched any of the recent southpark, but from what i've watched topiical southpark was still. They turk jewwwbs will always be an all time great quote. Used to quote that with my friends more than I can care to remember.