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South Park:
The Complete Season 14
Studio: Comedy Central
Year: 2010
US Rating: NR (Parental Advisory – Explicit Content)
Film Length: 313 Mins
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Video: 1080p High Definition
Audio: Dolby TrueHD English 5.1, Dolby Digital: English 5.1, English Stereo
Subtitles: English
Release Date: April 26, 2011
Review Date: May 1, 2011
“Nice work Conner, the old “hasn’t anything changed” speech works on white people all the time”.
Introduction
South Parks’ fourteenth season – a distinct return to top form – will be forever remembered for the incredible 200th episode (a landmark in and of itself) and the controversy ignited by creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s audacious storyline involving a certain religious figure whose likeness is forbidden from being seen (in animation or, as the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten is well aware, in printed political cartoons) according to many members of the Islamic faith. Parker and Stone as a cheeky as they come with a creative middle finger sneakily extended to most common conventions and taboos regardless of how controversial – or dangerous – such endeavors might be. Parker and Stone touched on the subject of controversy in showing images of the Prophet Mohammed. In 2006, following the threats against Jyllands-Posten (and the targeted threats against the cartoonist who created the images), South Park aired an episode reportedly with a character of Mohammed – obscured with the censored bar that one commonly finds covering body parts. The block censoring the character irked the creators but was done to protect them by the show’s producers and Comedy Central. For the 200th episode (a two-parter), Stone and Parker seemed to have taken that time to heart, cleverly approaching the social commentary of including the Prophet Mohammed character hidden in a bear suit (a humorous loop hole).
A warning from a group called Revolution Muslim prior to the episodes airing last year forced Comedy Central’s hand (though their decision is still a subject of much debate). The Muslim group invoked the Dutch filmmaker killed by radical Muslims for his films critical of Islam (among other religions) and, taking the threat (or as the group insisted, prediction) seriously, the episode was cut. It remains cut for this Blu-ray release (despite the set proclaiming itself ‘uncensored).
The Show: 4 out of 5
South Park is preparing for its 15th Season to air on Comedy Central. How a show about four mischievous, potty-mouthed kids who frequently save their town, the world, reality, dreamscapes, and other has lasted this long is astonishing. Absolutely nothing is off-limits in the cross-hairs for skewering, mocking, lambasting, and ridicule to the core. This season, Facebook, fast-food, book censorship, NASCAR and, once again, Barbara Streisand, are the subjects of creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s piercingly accurate lampooning. Through sardonic perfection and their persistent naughty proclivity, South Park continues to sit atop a preciously lonely mountain of wickedly good satire.
Cartman, Kyle, Stan, and Kenny haven’t aged a day or changed a bit, and that’s just fine. The racist, anti-Semitic, selfish zaftig grump, Cartman, persists in parading his selfishness proudly. Kyle, the smart, caring one of the bunch, and Stan, the other more rational boy, must suffer their self-serving round friends, as well as the mumblings of their dirt poor fourth friend of the bunch, Kenny. The extended group of entertaining characters includes Towlie, Butters, Jimmy and Timmy, and each have become as indispensable as the core four. Around this collection of kids arise terrific lewd-language laden fun, commentary on life and society, and fun – unadulterated fun.
The sign of a quality season of any television show is the difficulty in narrowing down a select few highlights from such a rich collection. After 14 seasons it would be perfectly reasonable for viewers to expect a prolonged dry spell (The Simpsons is a great case in point), but, creatively and by measure of daring, South Park remains at full gate. Cartman returns with his a gruff voiced ‘superhero’, The Coon, every celebrity and notable figure previously mocked by South Park return for revenge, and New Jersey gets a healthy dose of insults. South Park – for all its foul-mouthed excursion and drug, potty, and bodily fluid infused comedy – is a brilliant show abounding in razor sharp satirical expeditions, sparing nothing and no-one. It isn’t a preachy show, though there are mountains of morals to be found in unlikely forms. We laugh and Cartman but he isn’t an anti-hero – he’s just a jerk that we laugh at. There’s sanity coming from the mouths of Stan and Kyle – pointing out the ludicrous behavior of the townsfolk that all too often eerily reflect the moods, biases, and flaws of America at-large.
Although one may take issue with the ‘uncensored’ moniker given the changes to the landmark 200th and 201st episodes, but in every other way it is. All the language bleeped during showings on televisions free for our ears to here, though I once again admit that I actually prefer the bleeping in this show for some reason, but laugh heartily even without it.
Disc One
Episode 1: Sexual Healing
Episode 2: The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs
Episode 3: Medicinal Fried Chicken
Episode 4: You Have 0 Friends
Episode 5: 200
Episode 6: 201
Episode 7: Crippled Summer
Disc Two
Episode 8: Poor and Stupid
Episode 9: It’s A Jersey Thing
Episode 10: Insheeption
Episode 11: Coon 2: Hindsight
Episode 12: Mysterion Rises
Episode 13: Coon vs. Coon and Friends
Episode 14: Crème Fraiche
The Video: 4.5 out of 5
South Park: Season 14 is presented in 1080p High Definition widescreen, 1.78:1, enhanced for widescreen televisions. As with previous season in Blu-ray, the image is simply superb. Free of any noticeable issues, clean, free of aliasing issues, with strong colors, deep blacks, good contrast, and clean the entire season. The bright and warm colors of the show is another element that adds to the humor – friendly and bright animation with blue language and often dark subject matter – this high definition presentation helps up the funny. This is the best way to catch this show, hands-down.
The Sound: 4 out of 5
This Blu-ray release comes with a Dolby TrueHD English 5.1 audio track, in addition to Dolby Digital 5.1 English and English Stereo. The TrueHD audio is good, especially with the musical score when in full swing. Dialogue is free of issue in the center channel. The surrounds experience some activity (some directional effects, echoing loud speakers and more), but generally this is a front-focused track.
The Extras: 3 out of 5
Deleted Scenes (6:09): 6 deleted scenes from the season presented in HD – some are in their preliminary animation stage.
Mini-Commentaries by the Creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone (on all episodes): These are always entertaining; particularly their thoughts on episode 200 and 201 where they do not shy from commenting on the controversy surround it and how they are still “upset and pissed off about it”. Sadly, even the commentary is subject to beeping (and not as a joke it would seem).
Bonus Episode: #1302 “The Coon”: The original episode from the season’s 13th season featuring Cartman’s turn as the superhero is included.
Final Thoughts
South Park remains hilarious – even after 14 seasons and 200+ episodes. Fans of the series won’t need a review to nudge them to pick it up, but I caution that if you aren’t at least acquainted with the show and it’s good taste-testing ways (and perhaps don’t have a sense of humor that can see past the surface silliness to the deeper points and commentary beneath), some previewing is advised.
The production values of the episodes, beyond the intentional craft paper look, are increasingly more impressive, and the hilarity quotient continues to ride high. Once again, this is show (and this season) is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Overall 4 out of 5
Neil Middlemiss
Kernersville, NC
