South Park takes on Heavy Metal!!!
Stan, Kenny, Kyle, Cartman, and their friends are back and getting into more trouble. Be it Cartman infecting Kyle with HIV, trying to come to grips with the rape of Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, cheesing on cat piss, or fighting giant guinea pigs, the kids are constantly finding adventures or having adventures find them. It’s hard being in fourth grade!
South Park—Season 12 aired form March 12, 2008 to November 19, 2008 on Comedy Central. The series continues to receive positive reviews though due to how the show airs, this season was not nominated for a Primetime Emmy (“Imaginationland” was nominated in 2007 from South Park—Season 11 and “Margaritaville” was nominated in 2008 from South Park—Season 13).
Indiana Jones is forced to sit back and take it…
Despite not being nominated, I think there are some great episodes this season, though less of the fun episodes seem to be about the topical political and social commentary that has made South Park famous (or infamous).
Though a lot of the episodes are topical, I enjoyed episodes like “Major Boobage” which was an homage to the ’80s cult animated film Heavy Metal and loaded with boobs and cleavage. I liked the guinea pigs and the mock-up of found footage films of “Pandemic 2: The Startling”, but found the two part episode a bit drawn out. The “leave Britney alone” message of “Britney’s New Look” was good, but just seeing the headless corpse walking around was a guilty laugh. Plus, who didn’t feel ripped off by Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?
When you gotta go…you gotta go…
There are also some clunker episodes (or parts of episodes). Canada on Strike is rather dull (many of the Canadian episodes feel like one-trick ponies), but the internet stuff is fun. “Over Logging” has its moments, but also feels a little flat. “Super Fun Time”, “Breast Cancer Show”, and “…About Last Night” also are kind of tedious.
I love how South Park continues to evolve and become reflexive of itself. Despite being on for years, the show manages to stay fresh, and it is due to this “newness” of the material covered by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. If South Park wasn’t able to turn shows around so quickly, I don’t know that it would work. This season’s non-topical episodes don’t always work, but they are still enjoyable. Head on down to South Park for another season!
South Park—Season 12 Complete Episode Guide:
“Tonsil Trouble”
12.1 Tonsil Trouble Airdate: 03/12/08
A tonsil removal leads Cartman to get HIV much to the humor of Kyle. When Cartman gets revenge by infecting Kyle with HIV, they set out to find the cure from the only source they know…Magic Johnson.
“Britney’s New Look”
12.2 Britney’s New Look Airdate: 03/19/08
Britney Spears is acting crazy in public again. When the kids try to get a picture of her for the tabloids, Britney attempts suicide. Though doctors manage to save her life, Kyle and Stan realize the press won’t leave her alone and try to get her to safety…but the world might have different plans for Britney.
“Major Boobage”
12.3 Major Boobage Airdate: 03/26/08
A new drug is sweeping the nation…cat piss! When the kids experiment with cheesing, Kenny becomes addicted and finds himself transported to another world with each huff. Cats are banned in South Park, but Cartman finds himself housing cats in his attic to protect them. When Mr. Broflovski falls into his old addiction, he finds himself in battle with Kenny for a princess.
“Canada on Strike”
12.4 Canada on Strike Airdate: 04/02/08
Canada is tired of years of being the brunt of jokes. With the country going on strike, Kyle decides he needs to get involved when Ike is forced to carry on the strike. The kids decide to make money from the internet and turn Butters into an internet sensation with the hit YouToob song “What What (In the Butt)”.
“Eek, a Penis”
12.5 Eek, A Penis Airdate: 04/09/08
Mr. Garrison has decided he wants to be a man again. Going to a lab where mice are being used to generate human tissue through grafts, Garrison’s chances are dashed when his penis mouse escapes into South Park. With Garrison gone, Cartman finds himself appointed teacher. Cartman’s cheating ability leads him to be moved to an inner city school for troubled youths, and Cartman sets out to teach them that cheating is the only way to win.
“Over Logging”
12.6 Over Logging Airdate: 04/16/08
The internet is…gone!!! With no internet, Randy takes his family to California in hopes of finding some internet. As the government tries to fix the internet, Randy tries to find private time with the internet so he can look at porn.
“Super Fun Time”
12.7 Super Fun Time Airdate: 04/23/08
A class trip to Pioneer Village leads to a hostage situation when terrorists take over. Fortunately, Cartman and Butters have escaped the situation by sneaking away to Super Phun Time!
“The China Probrem”
12.8 The China Probrem Airdate: 10/08/08
As Cartman fears the rise of the Chinese, Cartman goes Butters to try to save the world from China. Kyle finds himself questioning how he and his friends could have sat by and watch a rape…of Indiana Jones by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
“Breast Cancer Show Ever”
12.9 Breast Cancer Show Ever Airdate: 10/15/08
Cartman makes fun of breast cancer, and Wendy challenges him to a fight after school. Cartman tries to get out of the fight, and Stan is encouraged to defend his girlfriend.
“Pandemic”
12.10 Pandemic Airdate: 10/22/08
Peruvian pan flute bands are sweeping the world, and Kenny, Kyle, Cartman, and Stan decide to get Craig to give them money to start their own band. As governments crack down, the kids find themselves under arrest by Homeland Security. With the stopping of the Peruvian flute bands come a greater threat…which Randy captures all on his new video camera.
“Pandemic 2: The Startling”
12.11 Pandemic 2: The Startling Airdate: 10/29/08
Craig, Kyle, Stan, Cartman, and Kenny find themselves stranded in Peru as giant guinea pigs and bees are attacking all over the world. When Kyle, Stan, Cartman, and Kenny discover a mural in Peru, they learn that Craig could be the key to the mystery.
“…About Last Night”
12.12 About Last Night… Airdate: 11/05/08
Barack Obama has beaten John McCain…and the heist is on! As the Obama supporters celebrate and the McCain supporter mourn, McCain, Obama, and their crew plot one of the biggest robberies of all time!
“Elementary School Musical”
12.13 Elementary School Musical Airdate: 11/12/08
Kenny, Kyle, Stan, and Cartman find they’ve missed out on High School Musical and High School Musical 2 and are trying to catch up as their friends watch High School Musical 3. When they find they don’t get High School Musical’s popularity, they vow never to fall into the High School Musical trend. When Kyle worries about losing Wendy to Bridon Gueermo, he finds he might be forced to start singing. Bridon desires to give up singing and play basketball…against his father’s wishes.
“The Ungroundables”
12.14 The Ungroundable Airdate: 11/19/08
The Goth kids discover Vampire kids are moving in on their territory. Butters learns of the vampires and decides to become one of them to prevent from being pushed around by the other kids and his parents.
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South Park—Season 11 Review and Complete Episode Guide
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