This post contains Spoiler for the first episode of the 27th season of “South Park”, which can be streamed on Paramount+.
The Creator Trey Parker and Matt Stone prove almost three decades after the debut of “South Park” Still a perfect feeling for timing.
The opening sequence of the 27th season entitled “Sermon on the ‘Mount” appeared a week after CBS discontinued the “Late Show with Stephen Colbert”. Apparently to meet the Trump government and to pave the way for a merger between the CBS mother Paramount and Skydance Media. Just a few days earlier, Parker and Stone had concluded a new five -year contract for $ 1.5 billion with Paramount. Who secures the streaming rights to “South Park”. This also meant that this new episode was available for the first time the following day on Paramount+. And not as before on HBO Max. Rarely were the stars so cheap to start the greatest possible attack on the greatest possible goal. Exactly the moment you are in the greatest possible spotlight. And they took advantage of it.
Satire on Trump, Christianity and Cancel Culture
“Sermon on the Mount” begins with a local story in the small Colorado town. Cartman is horrified that the NPR government has abolished. A transmitter he only heard to laugh at the wailing liberal voices. While other symbols of Wokeness disappear – such as PC Principal, who now personally brings Jesus Christ to school and renamed Power Christian Principal – Cartman goes through an existential crisis. Because when nobody represents liberal values, their own persona loses their provocative charm. Meanwhile, Stan’s father Randy protests that Jesus appears at a public school. And convinces his hinterwäldler friends that the president may have exaggerated it. They suspect that Potus is Mr. Garrison. South Parks Trump replacement from late 2010. But he retired from politics to spend time with his friend Rick.
In the meantime, an animated Trump is shown in the White House. With a photo -realistic head and fluttering mouth. A typical representation of Canadians in “South Park”. And in the shortest possible time as: a shameless fraudster who uses a fundamentalist-Christian agenda to steal money from the state and the people. A wine narcissist who wants to sue everyone who is not at his feet and who refuses to accept his micropenis size. As well as a dictator who-like Saddam Hussein in the “South Park” film-is literally in bed with the devil. And this time again Satan is not happy in this relationship. He is probably even more unhappy.
Paramount and CBS get their fat away
It is a merciless, uncompromising attack on Trump. Including the animated frontal view of the said micropenis. And at a time when as many media professionals – especially Parkers and Stones own bosses at Paramount – are too frightened to point out that the president behaves like a fascist. Or that he basically only pursues himself and his own interests. The result also goes hard with Paramount. CBS news reporters are shown as too anxious to say something that could annoy potus. For fear of complaints. Even Jesus only came back to South Park because he was sued. And he too is unhappy which crimes are committed in his name by Trump. (By the way, the episode title alludes to “Paramount”.)
Randy’s friends claim that this is not what they voted at Trump for. Compassion is not bad. And it is okay to at least take care of the environment a bit. But finally they too are sued in the ground and have to pay millions to the President. As well as take up a support PSA. Unfortunately, the result is rather suitable to further angry Trump. Both the slightly fictionalized figure in the series and the real residents of the Pennsylvania Avenue 1600.
Then follows a AI generated live action sequence. Trump wanders through a desert. Explains piece by piece. Until his naked, overweight body breaks down in the sand. Finally, his micropenis appears, with googly eyes and squeaky voice. “I am Donald J. Trump and I approved this message.”
South Park says what others don’t dare
Ironically, it is Parker and Stone who are so hard to hand out to Trump-although South Park was basic philosophy for a long time that it is stupid to be interested in anything, and that there is no real difference between the two big US parties. This attitude has shaped generations that grew up with the series – and perhaps contributed to creating an environment in which a self -loving fraud like Trump could be chosen twice.
At the same time, Parker and Stone occasionally showed remorse about their earlier attitude: in 2006 they mocked Al Gores warnings of climate change, in 2018 the goal of their satire was the denial of climate change – Gore subsequently even received a literal excuse from the figures.
However, their long history of mockery of seriousness makes Parker and Stone the ideal platform for such an episode. Colbert was discontinued because Trump did not tolerate jokes about himself – but Colbert preached only to the already honored audience. The fact that South Park now provides this brutal billing-and that is so direct and relentless-has a lot more effect than anything that an openly liberal late night host could ever say. (Not to mention that no other comedian would have staged a speaking goblet eye penis.)
Desperated times require unconventional allies – even if their support is only temporary. Parker and Stone are politically difficult to classify and it would not be a surprise if in the next episode AOC appears in a bikini competition-just to represent the opposite of the common opinion.
Trump does not (yet) react – Parker and Stone enjoy the moment
The White House published an explanation in which it criticized the episode, but Trump himself has not yet commented at the time of this article. Everything he says or posts will only draw more attention to this disadvantageous presentation – and self -control was never his strength.
Meanwhile, Parker and Stone today speak in front of 6,000 people in Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center – their words are immediately spread over the Internet. In view of their usual disrespect towards authorities-including those who pay them-it would not be surprising if they published this episode for this reason: to spoil the FCC the approval of the SkyDance deal or in the hope that Trump will actually sue it. The definition of “Fuck You” money-and a legal dispute would only attract more spectators, not least for a show, about which one hardly talks as loudly as in the nineties and zeros years.
In critical times, some things have to be spoken out loud – even if they are accompanied by silly penis jokes. While so many of their colleagues can not even get through half -hearted reviews, Parker, Stone and South Park simply pull through. The motifs are secondary. Late in the episode, Cartman ends his attempted suicide after Butters convinced him that there is always hope for a return to a world in which Cartman’s hateful trolling is again a minority opinion that is directed against the mainstream. May we all hope for the same.