[5.1/10] This one is a big muddle. Let’s start with what works. I really enjoy the Cartman/Heidi B-plot. It harkens back to the infamous “Fishsticks” episode, where Cartman not only screws someone over who is better/nice/all around more decent than he is, but then turns things around in his mind and sees himself as the one being victimized.
The way he acts like Heidi is attacking him and convinces himself he’s being emotionally abused is the usual self-centered Cartman business, and speaks perfectly to the character’s demented, Eric-focused worldview. That’s driven home by how much he loves the idea of an Alexa, something entirely subservient that never challenges him and just does exactly what he says.
But that’s really where the episode’s effectiveness ends. It’s interesting to see South Park addressing the fuzzy line between white supremacy and economic anxiety, but it’s not clear that the show has a point versus just riffing on a topic that’s in the news. There’s some funny gags like the “took our jobs!” crowd finding any excuse to wave the confederate battle flag, or trying to be substitute Alexa (itself a nicely absurd solution that’s true to the show’s spirit) but it’s unclear where the show was trying to go with all this.
There’s something about the idea of the “took our jobs” crowd not wanting to do menial work with no respect, but also feeling like they’re too far behind now to catch up to anything else, which ties into the “renovation” theme, and there’s hints of the show poking fun at white identity politics, but again, it’s all a hodge podge with nothing clear or, alternatively, opaque in its complexity. Maybe it would click better for me if I watched the HGTV-style remodeling shows, but this felt like the show just throwing a bunch of observations into a blender, not really knowing how to nail them down, and so taking refuge in another TV-related parody.
That results in a weak start to the new season that makes me worry the return to episodic storytelling takes away the element that gave late-season South Park some direction and focus and gave it a shot in the arm.
Oh boy this season is gonna pull off some feathers.
"Now playing 'They tuk er jerbs" by Joni Mitchell" I freaking DIED lmao. I also laughed at the Alexa gags because I'm 10 years old.
Nice jabs at the MRAs (Cartman/Heidi) and confederate flags too. I'm excited about this season.
Eh, not the strongest of season premieres. Hopefully it will pick up as the season progresses.
Some decent ideas in this episode - Cartman dealing with the confusing emotions of his easy-going laidback girlfriend (!), Randy with his obsessive kitchen wall destruction and the ubiquitous Alexa/Siri/whatever Google’s version is called..
I don’t see the point in whatever you call those electronic slaves (other than to repeat obscenities) so quite happy for Cartman to take the piss out of them.
I remember needy and emotionally confused girlfriends who don’t know what they want other than to point out what I’m doing wrong.
Cartman’s technique can work... but has a limited lifespan. They see through it eventually.
Get out now before you end up marrying her and forever being silently furious...
I’m white but I’ve never renovated a house - because I can’t be bothered and I hate dealing with builders and plumbers.
The sooner Apple comes up with reliable, voice-activated manual labour the better.
i only watch south park because of season 1_18!! new south park sucks!! not even a little bit funny!! you barely smile during watching it! south park used to have a good story line but new south park has nothing to say, just some nonesense stories that is neither funny nor attractive. some daily events that are null.
in the other hand, south park was good when it made with single episodes in each season. new south park has 10 episodes that are related to each other and tell a single story about fighting with technology!!
A very weak episode. Honestly, after last seasons, if they don't improve, I think that's it. I'm done.
WTF!! This is the dumbass episode ever!!!!
Something to watch while high. [9] I have no idea what was going on with Cartman, but it was funny. Randy is a also hilarious and a savage..
They tuk our jobs, Alexa tuk our jobs!!! LOOOL
Please don't let this season be cucked.
Shout by DeletedBlockedParent2017-09-14T03:07:43Z
Somethings in this epsode felt in poor taste to me. It's like the writers didn't want to invoke neo-nazi imagery so instead they softened the mob to be low-IQ hicks. It's an easy target and the show is basically saying "Hah! You're not smart enough for the jobs we have and the jobs you used to work now have all been shipped off to China and India!" Sure. That's kind of the problem isn't it? Nothing insightful or funny about that. In fact it's kind of horrifying, given that low IQ people who have no job prospects historically lead to uprisings. South Park can often be cruel and find humor in that cruelness but not usually when doing social commentary. It also just wasn't funny. Dumb hicks are tired humor. There was nothing risky or all that original. There were some good bits with Seri and the parody of home repair shows. Last season had a weak opener so I hope it will pick-up (but also not devolve as the later episodes of the previous season did.)