Cartman’s happy hotdog home
Following the turbulent COVID pandemic, Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman are just trying to get back to normal. With threats of no Pajama Day, a Russian invasion, a housing inflation boom, and Airsoft playing teens, South Park continues to be a place where times change…and stand still. Randy Marsh finds himself at odds with the Black family over his Tegridy Weed farm, and Stan Marsh learns that he might not have known his friend Token Black at all.
South Park—Season 25 is a Comedy Central animated satire comedy. The season follows the South Park—Post COVID specials which were released on Paramount+.
I loved South Park from the onset and always am interested in what they try to parody and do. South Park also seems to go in waves as you watch it over the years as Trey Parker and Matt Stone sometimes hit the social commentary hard and sometimes step back and have fun without having “deep” episodes. South Park—Season 25 (?!?!) is a nice flowing season in that respect.
Randy’s got some Tegridy competition
The season does do some decent commentary. It continues to dip into the weed selling culture (which sometimes gets a bit old), but it continues to look at what it means for America and those who sell it. It also looks at the rising Russian tension while also examining the trend which started during the pandemic of upwardly mobile people leaving the cities…causing housing crises all around the country for those who are being priced out of homes.
South Park mixes some of these bigger issues with things that are intrinsic to childhood…like Pajama Day and Opposite Day (which were always highlights of the school year as a kid). The Airsoft craze reminds me of an obsession my friends had with Q-zar (a laser tag location) as teens, but ironically all the little kids were always much better and hard to “kill”. It also mixes in the bizarre obsession with St. Patrick’s Day.
Wait…you’re name’s what?
The stand out episode for me (personally) was “The Big Fix” which addressed one of the bigger (racist) jokes of the entire series…which has prided itself on not being PC. While the character of Token Black has always been intentionally pointing a finger at racism, TV casting, and the perception of Black families, it was still a bit of a sticky joke by being that overt (though they did handle it well). This season reverses the joke and makes Stan the only one not in on it while chastising the audience for being like Stan and thinking (because it is how it was credited, said, and portrayed) that the character is “Token Black”…while revealing it is “Tolkien Black” after J.R.R. Tolkien. It was a clever way to update the joke while calling out the bad aspects of laughing at it.
South Park is an institution at this point and the fact that it has survived and aged as well as it has is a testament to the writing and the fact that Trey Parker and Matt Stone can always find material in the real world to spice up their fake world. South Park sometime stumbles, and I hate the shorter and shorter seasons, but overall it is always fun. South Park—Season 25 was followed by another set of Paramount+ specials South Park—The Streaming Wars.
South Park—Season 25 Complete Episode Guide:
“Pajama Day”
25.1 Pajama Day Airdate: 02/02/22
When PC Principal punishes Mr. Garrison’s class and tells them that they can’t participate in Pajama Day, South Park erupts.
“The Big Fix”
25.2 The Big Fix Airdate: 02/09/22
Randy learns that weed farmers who do not hire or involve Black employees are being boycotted or shut down. Randy encourages Stan to spend more time with Token…but Stan has a revelation that he’s never known his “friend” at all.
“City People”
25.3 City People Airdate: 02/16/22
People are moving to South Park, and the housing market is exploding as prices go up. Cartman’s mother decides she has to take a job as a real estate agent…leading Cartman to take a similar path.
“Back to the Cold War”
25.4 Back to the Cold War Airdate: 03/02/22
Fears of Russia are increasing, and South Park is on edge. Mr. Mackey tries to prep the school for a Russian attack and suspects PC Principal is a spy while Butters faces off against a Russian named Davey Solokov in a dressage competition.
“Help! My Teenager Hates Me”
25.5 Help, My Teenager Hates Me! Airdate: 03/09/22
Airsoft is taking over South Park, but it is primarily played by teenagers. Kyle, Cartman, Kenny, and Stan are assigned teenagers, but they quickly find out that having teenagers is hard.
“Credigree Weed St. Patrick’s Day Special”
25.6 Credigree Weed St. Patrick’s Day Special Airdate: 03/16/22
It is St. Patrick’s Day, and Randy is planning a Tegridy Weed sale, but Credigree Weed is planning a similar sale. Butters finds himself labeled as a sexual predator when he mistakenly pinches Kelly-Ann Barlow…who is wearing green.
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