TV-Reviewed

So, they’ve done it again. We are about to sit through another “Go, God, Go” saga that, for the most part, we aren’t going to enjoy. A couple years ago, Matt and Trey came up with a losing formula that unfortunately hasn’t gone away.

They start with the sensation that they are going to do one of their biting topical episodes – last time it was the Nintendo Wii coming out; this time it’s a vague global crisis in the world of South Park.

Then they insert a twist, partially fueled and acted out by Cartman – last time he froze himself so he didn’t have to wait for Wii’s release; this time he takes Craig’s money to fund a Peruvian flute band. (What?).

Then, the shit hits the fan. They go off on a wild tangent that isn’t funny at all. Last time, Cartman ended up in the future, where gophers ruled a super religious world. This time, the boys are detained at Guantanamo as a conspiracy involving possible alien activity and guinea pigs takes over the world. Plus, if that wasn’t enough, they threw in some very stale allusions to Cloverfield and Blair Witch Project.

There was just no winning story here and it pains me to have to say these things. The Peruvian band thing isn’t hilariously unexpected; its weird and there were never any good joke there. Randy, playing with his camera and documenting his family, for the first time… was not funny. And if I love anything about this show, it is Randy Marsh’s ability to throw himself passionately into a stupid cause or story and overreact.

The one real plus is that within these painful story arcs, they always give one of the secondary characters a fun plot that lets them shine. In “Pandemic,” Craig is brought into the foreground and has a recurring bit where he tells the guys that no one wants to hang out with the four of them because they always “end up in prison or outer space or something.” Craig is a character who has always been straightforward and kinda a dick, but after all these years it felt so rewarding to hear someone in their world call the boys out on how out of control their little schemes always get.

This being a two-parter, one can always hope that they will make a sharp turn into relevancy with next week’s chapter, but it doesn’t feel like it will right now. South Park is always a fun and exciting show to watch – for the most part they can do whatever they want and I’ll be there – but this is just not up to par. Here’s hoping that the crucial role Craig plays in the next episode will elevate this plot. And please, don’t make a stale Heroes joke and do a “Save the Craig, save the world…”

A failed formula and nonsensical plot points make this feel more like the quality of a late run Simpsons or even… Family Guy.

Rating: 6