South Park - Season 26

[ShadowRaichu]

Yeah, this season is better than the previous few ones. Still a little annoyed that Tegridy Farms is still around, but at least it isn't being focused on.

[JesusAndYourBush]

I thought the toilet one was ok, but I wasn't really bothered about whatever point they were trying to make; I just enjoyed the silliness of it.

Yeah I sometimes like an episode better when I don't know what they're referencing.  On it's own it's a bit of random silliness but it kindof takes the wind out of the sails for me sometimes when I discover the references.  The fact that it works without knowing the references shows it's good writing though, I suppose.

[backdrifter]

Are we sure they were referencing something?

Seems like "water base ass cleaning is vastly superior but barely known about in the USA" is enough of a point on it's own.

[madhair60]

The ending seemed really overtly about "something"

[idunnosomename]

New episode, DikinBaus Hot Dogs, aired yesterday

Spoiler alert

It's a nice bit of a send-up of Parker and Stone purchasing the Colorado Casa Bonita restaurant after it went bankrupt after the pandemic (which finally supposed reopen this May). As the final pay-off for Cartman living in the Coney Island Hot Dog for the past year, it's pretty good.

I think it's funny enough even if you didn't know that Cartman and Kenny dicking about and not actually doing any work in the restaurant while leeching off Butters is really just Trey and Matt being self-deprecating

[close]

[BritishHobo]

I've really liked the ongoing thing of Cartman having pushed things a bit too far with his mum's job, and her being genuinely fucked off with him hypocritically whining about living in the hot dog. The peak of him self-sabotaging and then refusing to take responsibility.

[idunnosomename]

Here's something I've somehow never seen even though it when it aired on Channel 4 in May 1999 (it seems to have been primarily made for the UK for some reason?) I was a South-Park obsessed teen and really should've taped it. instead I've totally missed its existence until now.

it's a sorta pseudo-mockumentary in that it's a largely legit view into the production between the second and third seasons at the beginning of 1999 before the movie came out (and there are people who still work on it like Eric Stough and Bruce Howell who show up) but there's the overbearing conceit that Parker and Stone are two dickheads who sit in a hot tub with some random guy the whole time and don't do any work. the footage of Mary Kay Bergman doing all her voices is wonderful though.

[JaDanketies]

Very strong series so far I reckon

[Mobbd]

Here's something I've somehow never seen even though it when it aired on Channel 4 in May 1999 (it seems to have been primarily made for the UK for some reason?) I was a South-Park obsessed teen and really should've taped it. instead I've totally missed its existence until now.

it's a sorta pseudo-mockumentary in that it's a largely legit view into the production between the second and third seasons at the beginning of 1999 before the movie came out (and there are people who still work on it like Eric Stough and Bruce Howell who show up) but there's the overbearing conceit that Parker and Stone are two dickheads who sit in a hot tub with some random guy the whole time and don't do any work. the footage of Mary Kay Bergman doing all her voices is wonderful though.

I think it was on one of those rip-off VHS tapes (2 episodes for £12.99!), perhaps even to flesh one of them out.

I remember Matt and Trey in a hot tub, talking about DVDA. That's the main thing I remember though! Will re-watch. For free! Take that, the past.

[madhair60]

This season has been pretty good imo.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I think it was on one of those rip-off VHS tapes (2 episodes for £12.99!), perhaps even to flesh one of them out.

I remember Matt and Trey in a hot tub, talking about DVDA. That's the main thing I remember though! Will re-watch. For free! Take that, the past.

It must have been shown on channel 4 at some point. I've seen it and I never bought any of those rip-off South Park videos (just Simpsons ones).

[dontpaintyourteeth]

I don't remember that pseudo-doc either but I thought that the filler bits from the VHS releases also moved across to DVD? all that "I'm Natasha Henstridge" and "Indian Companion" stuff did anyway. Don't have them to hand to check at the moment

[Captain Z]

I do remember that documentary (also vividly remember the same part as Mobbd). It was part of a "South Park Night" on Channel 4 in 1999 (?), which was also the launch of the second series.

[idunnosomename]

I recall Channel 4 treated south park increasingly appallingly despite trying to latch onto its counter-culture edginess and having idents made with the characters. once its initial "HMV stuffed with Chef Aid CDs, plushies and keyrings" phase finished c.2000 they aired it really sporadically. possibly because the channel became all about Big Brother around then. I'd love to know how far it actually aired episodes but I don't know a good way to research non-BBC schedules.

the Monty Python stuff is brought up twice in that (first time Trey says they're "a funny gang of blokes from Canada" which I found amusing), and allusions made to how popular it was in the UK at the time because we get the humour. but not after the 3rd season it wasn't. not really our fault, but just that the South Park Studios streaming has to my knowledge, never been open to UK IPs, because of various broadcast rights restrictions presumably relating to Paramount.

quite appropriate they squished Pip for good under Mecha-Streisand in 2010 (although that was surely because they realised he wasn't funny anymore than any real slight at the UK)

[selectivememory]

This season has been pretty good imo.

yes

Sorry, nothing else to add, just enjoying it a lot at the moment.

[Captain Z]

Me too, especially the ChatGPT episode.

[ShadowRaichu]

I recall Channel 4 treated south park increasingly appallingly despite trying to latch onto its counter-culture edginess and having idents made with the characters. once its initial "HMV stuffed with Chef Aid CDs, plushies and keyrings" phase finished c.2000 they aired it really sporadically. possibly because the channel became all about Big Brother around then. I'd love to know how far it actually aired episodes but I don't know a good way to research non-BBC schedules.

the Monty Python stuff is brought up twice in that (first time Trey says they're "a funny gang of blokes from Canada" which I found amusing), and allusions made to how popular it was in the UK at the time because we get the humour. but not after the 3rd season it wasn't. not really our fault, but just that the South Park Studios streaming has to my knowledge, never been open to UK IPs, because of various broadcast rights restrictions presumably relating to Paramount.

quite appropriate they squished Pip for good under Mecha-Streisand in 2010 (although that was surely because they realised he wasn't funny anymore than any real slight at the UK)

You know, I do recall reading somewhere that Channel 4 once had the rights to the DVDs, but some screwups meant that there was a period of time in which no DVDs could be released because Paramount were not legally allowed to.

That said, I think you can watch South Park on Paramount Plus at the minute in you only have Freeview.

[JaDanketies]

It is a bit inordinately difficult to legally watch South Park in the UK, and watching the latest episodes legally has been hard for many decades. Yet people who don't like it still claim to be endlessly exposed to it and really familiar with it

[Pink Gregory]

It is a bit inordinately difficult to legally watch South Park in the UK, and watching the latest episodes legally has been hard for many decades. Yet people who don't like it still claim to be endlessly exposed to it and really familiar with it

In my teens I used to record them with Sky+ off the Comedy Central (formerly Paramount) channel, managed to watch most of what had been released - I guess they were playing them in order - and even the newest season at the time (whichever one has the Randy microwaving his balls episode).

Definitely had to go out of your way, though, not as if it was heavily trailed.  I suppose if you knew, you knew.

[sutin]

It is a bit inordinately difficult to legally watch South Park in the UK, and watching the latest episodes legally has been hard for many decades. Yet people who don't like it still claim to be endlessly exposed to it and really familiar with it

I love South Park, and in the '00s there were several channels on Virgin Media (can't remember what ones) that showed episodes upon episodes of it every night. Me and my housemate 2006-2012 used to watch about 5 episodes of South Park on TV every night.

[idunnosomename]

I used to watch them on Paramount Comedy, I think. I remember watching ImaginationLand 1 and then it just disappearing, which was annoying. I think Virgin had a Paramount-CBS deal for their on-demand content.

I actually watched the last one via a VPN via the official site this island is blocked from. the weird American adverts for medicine with lots of narrated side effects, and how woke the military is and how you should join was quite a novelty.

anyway there's another new one airing tomorrow and that's the run for this series, but there will be the feature-length specials too.

[ShadowRaichu]

I also remember South Park being on 5Star around 2017 - managed to watch a little of it one night when I had to go somewhere in the middle of the night.

[sutin]

Here's something I've somehow never seen even though it when it aired on Channel 4 in May 1999 (it seems to have been primarily made for the UK for some reason?) I was a South-Park obsessed teen and really should've taped it. instead I've totally missed its existence until now.

it's a sorta pseudo-mockumentary in that it's a largely legit view into the production between the second and third seasons at the beginning of 1999 before the movie came out (and there are people who still work on it like Eric Stough and Bruce Howell who show up) but there's the overbearing conceit that Parker and Stone are two dickheads who sit in a hot tub with some random guy the whole time and don't do any work. the footage of Mary Kay Bergman doing all her voices is wonderful though.

I still have this taped off Channel 4 from their 'South Park Night' when they premiered the Chef Aid episode ahead of the series (presumably to promote the album).

[Noodle Lizard]

I had that special taped too and remember it well (must've only been around 8 or 9 at the time).

I agree that this season's been better. The toilet one lost me towards the end (it's a real shame that Randy's gone from being my favourite to least favourite main character) but I enjoyed the ChatGPT and restaurant ones, which felt like "old South Park" in a way I haven't felt for a while. Maybe doing that retrospective concert last year reinvigorated them somewhat.

[sutin]

Cartman's restaurant episode just made me grin from ear to ear like I was watching a new South Park episode in 2004, lovely stuff altogether.

[madhair60]

this has been the best season in ages!

[frajer]

Agreed, really enjoying it. Weird, funny and self-contained episodes - just like the South Park of yore!

[idunnosomename]

loved the final one

Spoiler alert

makes you feel sad for Mr Garrison/The President, which is some achievement. the 40k stuff was funny too, although the Andrew Tate pseudo-appearance seemed a bit tacked on. still never like Randy being a turbo-dickhead. here he was a conservative reactionary when imo it's much funnier when he's a hugely superficial smug liberal. but running the two stories together worked well and there was some nice new location art too

[close]

The sound design improved a lot imo after the dodgy bits in the first couple of episodes too, although it was never superb (like some of South Park's sound design can be) it seemed to avoid really repetitive cues and overbearing background music.

Suspect that the contracted special for this year will have the more epic/longform stuff. judging by the image Paramount+ are using to promote this season in the UK it'll be

Spoiler alert

Cthulhu? plenty of scope for that

[close]

[Mobbd]

Just catching up with Japanese Toilet.

Stan: Dad, you are not like JFK. You're just showing off.
Randy: Nuh-uh, I'm like JFK because I'm trying to change things.

Haha!

[frajer]

Heh yeah that was good. Randy was my absolute bestest South Park character until all the Tegridy Farm bollocks, so it's great to see him just being a foolhardy idiot again.