Going Down to South Park 04.30.08: Return to Retro Reviews

Posted by Jerome Cusson on 04.30.2008

Proving I'm a South Park fan since 2007

After witnessing the first half of season 12, it feels nice to be able to go back to a more pleasant time, a time before I was accused of not being a real South Park fan. Now we get to back to a time to watch an episode that was loathed and hated, Trey Parker and Matt Stone received death threats over it.

Before we begin, I just want to remind everyone of my new blog, which can be found at The Jerome Cusson Experience I'll be writing about all things sports and provide some additional fun things like movie reviews done by my friend Stephanie and some additional televison recaps. Specifcally, I'll be writing about The Critic before moving onto Freaks and Geeks. Stephanie will be reviewing House and my friend Matt will be writing about South Park. So be sure to check it out.

See, in between the cliffhanger about finding out who Cartman’s dad is, the creators decided to play a little joke on everyone by airing a Terrance and Phillip “Special Presentation.” This worked so well that the airing of the “Eric Cartman’s Mom is Still a Dirty Slut” was moved up a couple weeks to tide the anger. Ten years ago I was quite mad about what happened and after the cliffhanger, I pretty much stopped watching the show for around a year. Now I see the brilliance of what they were trying to, just play a fantastic April Fool’s joke and sort of pick on people taking these cliffhangers too seriously. And this episode could have worked if Terrance and Phillip were more than one note jokes.

The name of the show is “Not Without My Anus.” We begin in a Canadian courthouse and Terrance is being accused of murder. Things aren’t looking very good since this prosecuting attorney has a great deal of evidence. Phillip makes the case for his friend, but not before making a few fart jokes. Wouldn’t be the first time. The prosecuting attorney doesn’t find this very funny at all, and the jury apparently does since they find him innoncent. Terrance and Phillip go home while Scott, the prosecuting attorney, vows vengeance. He even wishes they had cancer. That’s just plain not nice. Good joke from Phillip about thinking the two of them are gay.

Terrance and Phillip complain about Scott on the train ride home. Then Scott is called by Saddam Hussein of all people. Hussein wants to be brought into Canada while bringing the hilarious duo away from Canada. Terrance and Phillip run into their friend Ugly Bon. Despite the fact that he looks the same as them, they make fun of him for being ugly. This reminds me of the relationship Trey and Matt had with Squeak in Baseketball.

Watching all these random non-sequiters, bad jokes, Terrance in a pirate costume, and finding out he has a daughter, I can only think Trey and Matt purposely made this one of the worst episodes they possibly could. There is no other way to explain it. I’ve seen some pretty bad episodes, but this is just plain awful. Terrance and Phillip head to the airport to get on a plane and onward to Iran. Of course, the dynamic duo randomly break into the Canadian Anthem. I will say, their anthem is far better than ours.

Scott tells Hussein that Terrance and Phillip have taken the bait and this whole beautiful plot is coming together. Now T&P are in Teheran and find Terrance’s daughter. They’re not sure of the resemblance until the little girl farts. After looking around to see all the pictures of Saddam Hussein, they realize Canada has been overrun by the evil dictactor. Back to Celine Dion’s house and she is busy with Ugly Bob. I wish I was making this up.

Hussein has taken over and Scott is concerned. Iraq and Iraq are confused as Hussein makes it clear he’s actually from Iraq. You know, I’m sure the citizens of both countries would appreciate that confusion considering that long bloody war they had against in each in the 70s and 80s. Terrance and Phillip find Scott again, and Scott is the victim of more fart jokes. He then tries to give them both cancer using his mine. The United States government takes an interest and we get some political humor. Even they’re confused about whether they’re dealing with Iran and Iraq. Satire at its’ finest folks. Hussein makes it clear that after Canada, he plans on taking over the world. Scott it back and chastises the dictator for the duo being back. After quoting The Empire Strikes Back we see the duo watching American television. We briefly see South Park and Cartman is apparently shocked to discover who his father is. Wow, that’s just a slap in the nuts right there. Way to remind everyone about that little stunt you pulled guys. Terrance and Phillip get a phone call from Scott. The three must now unite (after repeatedly calling him a dick) to get rid of the “Turkish” dictator. Hey, Terrance and Phillip’s observation, not mine.

Cut to Celine Dion’s house where she is with Ugly Bob. Saddam Hussein walks in and announces he’s fully taking over during a football game by putting up the Iranian flag. We get it guys. No one can tell the difference between the two countries. He also wants Dion to sing the Iranian national anthem. Where’s the Iron Sheik when you need him? Funny moment as Dion puts the bag back on Bob’s head.

T&P wait for Scott and look for treasure. Scott tells the duo that they must sacrifice themselves at the football game by strapping a bomb onto themselves and taking out the dictator. The duo decides to take on the challenge while Scott is happy they will be dead. Terrance and Phillip are back at the house farting and whatnot. Since Hussein is clearly one for chemical warfare, every Canadian can fart and this will take care of Hussein and his Iraqi invaders. Hussein makes an announcement about officially taking over as Celine Dion sings the Iraqi national anthem. Hussein ultimately loses because of the Canadian citizens using their own powers of flatulence. Scott is pissed because T&P aren’t blown up. Of course he gets a fart in the face
because it’s just that kind of episode.

We end with everyone singing the Canadian National Anthem.

The “Screw You Guys, I’m going home” for best line/moment of the episode: Terrance and Phillip’s first conversation where they pick on Ugly Bob. Funny stuff

The Pip moment for worst line/moment of the episode: It’s 1998, not 1988. There is no way anyone is actually confused between Iran and Iraq. I know what Trey and Matt were going for, but it did not work here. Maybe it was just part of their attempt to make this the worst episode ever.


The “Oh My God, they killed Kenny!” moment: This is the second episode of South Park where Kenny doesn’t die. It helps that he wasn’t in it.

The 411: If there was ever something I could consider as unratable, then this episode is the best example of that for the simple fact that I firmly believe Trey Parker and Matt Stone were trying to make the worst possible episode as part of their April Fool’s joke. I’m not accusing them of tanking it. I’m saying they intentionally wanted to screw everyone. But I keep seeing that box down there telling me to assign a rating. I can’t just not rate this. Oh, I can if I just do

BONUS EPISODE REVIEW

Because I love you guys so so much(SARCASM ALERT), I’m gonna do two episodes for the price of one. Actually, I’m doing it because I already wrote the first one since I didn’t realize there was going to be a seventh episode of season 12 airing this month, but it’s all good. Let’s look at Chickenlover, a very solid episode that exposes the underbelly of the town.

Mr. Garrison version 1.0 has taken the class to a reading bus to select some books. Cartman of course can’t stand reading and Kyle can’t seem to find anything he likes. Stan has better luck finding some romance novels with big words and nude women judging from Kenny’s reaction. The driver of the Booktastic Bus (great name I know) talks about how great reading is. Cartman tells him to shut up. The kids throw the books to the side and walk outside.

Officer Barbrady is driving around with cameras watching him. He’s talking about not being in a Podunk little town when he arrives to find some moron is having sex with a farmer’s chickens. The cameras are still rolling and everyone, including the kids, are pretty mortified. The Cops producers are so thrilled by what they’re seeing that they decide to get lunch and shoot some cameras at the pond. Barbrady is understandably frustrated. Barbrady finds a note and reads it incorrectly. One of the farmers rightly points out how Barbrady seems to run this town, telling everyone to move along and never getting justice for his victims.

Kyle and Stan also seem to notice this and wonder what’s wrong. It’s becoming obvious as Mr. Barbrady is driving around town that he can’t read. He even tries to order food at the bank. The teller calling him an idiot was pretty funny. Even the news is beginning to hound Barbrady and the mayor as to what exactly they’re going to do about this situation. We go to a press conference and Barbrady finally admits that he indeed cannot read after a great deal of provocation. Barbrady decides to retire and the whole town goes into anarchy. The boys are very disturbed by what’s going on and Kenny almost dies because of it.

The mayor realizes just how important Officer Barbrady actually is to the town. The only solution is to have him take reading classes, so that’s exactly what happens. He joins the other boys in school. Isn’t it an amazing coincidence he ends up in the same class as the boys? Barbrady needs to go to the bathroom and Garrison doesn’t respond well. Garrison and the kids in the class begin the process of teaching Barbrady how to read, and he doesn’t do well. Mr. Garrison continues to make fun of the poor officer. Elsewhere, the chickenf**ker strikes again.

After an act break, Garrison has all of the kids give a book report. Eric is picked to go first. His book was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and he clearly hasn’t read it. A few years later and he would have been able to see the movie instead. Barbrady is then invited to give his book report and he appears to have actually done his work. The story is entitled Go, Dog, Go and Barbrady seemed to enjoy it. His reading of it was incredibly funny. Garrison even gives him an “A.”

Barbrady enjoys recess and the kids wonder if he’s enjoying a little too much. They’re really teasing the joke of Kenny dying really well. The mayor chastises the mayor and even threatens his job if he doesn’t hurry up and learn how to read. Well, the guy already resigned. I don’t think it’s that big a deal. And it’s not the chicken**ker, but the chickenlover. Nice name. It’s kinda like the title of this show. The kids take the initiative to teach the officer how to read. Cartman takes an interest in being a man of the law. Yes, it’s that episode. Time for some people to respect his authoritae. Everyone except Cartman tries to solve the chickenlover case. They even have to deal with the crazy book bus driver again since the next clue is contained in one of the books.

They head off to Stark’s pond and Cartman takes care of business. We get a wonderful continuity error with Cartman not wearing sunglasses in one shot and then wearing them in the next. Cartman stops Randy Marsh (who wasn’t as funny as he would eventually become) for speeding even though he really wasn’t. Randy doesn’t respect Cartman’s authoritae so he gets nightsticked in the knee.

Someone has had sex with another chicken at the pond. Barbrady and his little deputies find another clue and they have Barbrady figure out what the word is. Yay, he can read. The problem is solved. No… they still have to find out who the chickenlover is. Cartman participates in a prostitution sting and actually busts someone. That someone gets nightsticked as well. Barbrady is reading a story and realizes reading is lame. He wants to quit, but after having a moment with Garrison in his head, he figures the sentence out. Cartman deals with a domestic disturbance at Kenny’s house. Kenny is laughing while his parents beat each other up. Cartman delivers some justice to them and then heads off to the zoo.

At the zoo, the chicken is taken hostage by the chickenlover. Cartman hauls ass, and we find out who it was all along. The bookmobile driver wanted to teach Officer Barbrady how to read and used this chickenlover scandal to do it. That’s pretty sick and twisted if I do say so myself. Cartman does finally arrive and wants the bookmobile driver to respect his authoritae. He is then relieved of his duties, and Barbrady decides to enjoy a good book.

Back from break, and we learn of a parade held in honor of Barbrady. Funny moment as Jesus is the one driving the car. Barbrady then announces that reading sucked because of an Ayn Rand book he read, so he decides never to read a book again. Everything is okay. Even Kenny is finally killed.

The “Screw You Guys, I’m going home” for best line/moment of the episode:

Cartman: (multiple times) Respect my authoritae!

The Pip moment for worst line/moment of the episode: Reading, contrary to this episode’s message, is actually a good thing as long as you find the right book.

The “Oh My God, they killed Kenny!” moment: Kenny is killed by a Christmas tree.

The 411: This was a very funny episode with Barbrady being showcased over the boys. I think people tend to underrate these early episodes because they’re usually on the zanier side, and don’t really tackle any important issues. I, however, think season two is where this show really began to find itself. Good start after a bad April Fool’s joke and a mediocre cliffhanger resolution.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]