South Park Fall 2009

Let me start of by saying that I love South Park. I have been watching the show since the very beginning in 97, and have been an enormous fan ever since. I say all this in the beginning because I don't want to give the impression that I hate the show in any way. The peak of South Park was in Seasons 5 and 6. These were the seasons where every episode was hilarious as well as topical. Like The Simpsons, South Park hit a stride early and has been trudging along since. These days South Park delves more into the topical without focusing in on the funny. The same could be said for the most recent lineup of episodes during the fall.

This season went deep into topics of this year: Kanye West, the dead celebrities, Whale Wars, the Somali Pirates, the Jonas Brothers and Glenn Beck. The show spent so much time trying to imitate and point out the flaws in each of these issues that they almost forget to be funny. The perfect example of this is Dances with Smurfs. This episode tried too much to show how crazy Glenn Beck is (and I appreciate that), and in the process really didn't make the episode enjoyable at all. Plus, the whole thing with the Smurfs was unnecessary and really brought down the episode even further. Don't get me wrong, the show has the ability to be funny and topical. The Fishsticks episode is perfect example of this. Also, the John Edwards episode is a great example, and it happens to be my favorite SP episode of all time.

The two funniest parts of the fall half of season 13, Butters' Bottom Bitch(best episode of the season) and Japanese guys in Whale Whores, had nothing to do with any topical subjects at all. THAT'S what they should focus on, just doing their own thing. Some of South Park's most famous episodes really weren't topical and all. They just focused on their jokes and that's all that mattered. Episodes like Major Boobage, Towelie, Scott Tenorman Must Die, and How to Eat With Your Butt were not really topical in any way. That's why South Park became one of the most recognized cartoons in the world.

The show has the same formula for every season: 1 or 2 great episodes, 1 or 2 more decent episodes, and the rest are mediocre. Look it up, if you think I'm wrong. It is this formula that has made South Park somewhat stagnant ever since season 8. All that being said, I still and always will love South Park and will continue to watch every episode. Besides, as stagnant as the show is, it's better than anything the Simpsons or Family Guy have been putting out these days. Also, is the Cleveland Show still on? If yes, then WHY is it still on?

Here is my grade breakdown for the fall half of season 13 of South Park:

Dead Celebrities: 8.2

Butters' Bottom Bitch: 9.0

W.T.F.: 6.5

Whale Whores: 8.6

The F Word: 8.2

Dances With Smurfs: 6.0

Pee: 7.0

South Park season 13 as a whole gets an 8.0. It's a big improvement over season 12, where the only good episode was Major Boobage.