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Rick and Morty: Solaricks (2022)
Exciting and dark premiere
Yes, this was a dark but promising way to start a season. Similar to their last episodes, this one was also very fast-paced so it will probably take a few more views to fully grasp it. A few good jokes here and there but this episode was mainly a continuity/plot-centered episode, so I will definitely stick around. I don't mind them having some absurd fun from time to time, but I'm hoping for this season to continue this focused approach on the dynamics of the family.
Not much more to say without spoiling it, so yeah, this was a good start. I liked it. I'm sure gonna rewatch it and probably regret this review in the not-so-distant future, but for now this will do.
South Park: Credigree Weed St. Patrick's Day Special (2022)
Can you imagine if everyone would've loved Tegridy Farms from the start?
Ever since the season 23 premiere "Mexican Joker" aired (man that was almost 2.5 years ago!), Trey and Matt have been using Randy as a "meta-scapegoat": a way to fulfill their needs of speaking directly to the audience, and their fans. A percentage of the fanbase was not happy with the show aiming their attention fully towards the patriarch of the Marsh family and his new venture on the weed business. If everyone would've loved the Tegridy Farms plot right from the start, we probably would never have had any more Tegridy episodes to begin with. The reason they keep coming back is because these stories write themselves. It's easy for them, and a lot of us still love the Tegridy shtick.
As a long time fan of the show I noticed that the South Park fanbase has changed a lot. Probably even more than the show. There's a lot of shipping characters and people are way more invested in their relationships and if a certain character will interact with another one and what not. This is probably tied with the fact that the world and the people have also been changing a lot over the past years. And, although they've never been known for a subtle satire, these last episodes have shown us a more obvious satire, now with a touch of hopelessness: I think the world, at some point, maybe decided South Park was the enemy and decided to change by going against its message, when in reality it was the opposite. I think Trey and Matt think there is no turning back with how the world thinks at this point. And so, the satire becomes more of a mirror of the reality rather than an exaggeration. Hey, if the people who gives this a 1/10 think only "staff members at comedy central or bots" could like this episode, then why can I be THAT pretentious too?? People who think there's a problem with the modern South Park have become what they swore to destroy. South Park has not changed; we did. But since nowadays a lot of people think we are saving the world or stopping the war just because we are tweeting a catchy hashtag or a hot selfie, we will never accept that we are on the wrong. That we have changed. And that the joke is on us, like it always has been.
Randy thinks his special is great and doesn't understand why people don't love it: is it because of him? Or because we definitely have to love Tolkien's dad Credigree? Of course, Randy is kind of a sociopath (is everything right at home Trey?) who just wants to make money, so it's kinda hard to defend him in this context. But luckily there's another plot so we don't have to. And the other plot is about Butters (oh Butters), who just wants to have fun on St. Patrick's Day, but things won't turn out to be how he wants them to be. Everybody wants the world to be like Butters thinks it is, but in reality, we are turning the world just like Randy thinks it is. Did we forget how to have fun? Episodes like this makes me think that we need South Park now more than ever. Everything, from the development of the plots, to the conclusion, scream of old-school South Park. Maybe there's still hope. Maybe we deserve better than 5 years of community service.
South Park: Pajama Day (2022)
(generic "Old School South Park" title)
South Park is back and I couldn't be happier. This episode was great, and a promising season premiere. After the specials and Tegridy Farms (which I'm still a fan of) I have to admit it is refreshing to watch a good ol' kids episode in the school. On one hand I'm intrigued to see what's next for the show since I feel they spent the last COVID-jokes bullet on this one, but on the other no other show on earth could have made an episode like this one. Meaning that South Park still got it. Loved the role of Wendy on this one, and some nazi jokes made me laugh out loud. Luckily the fact that they are back is not the only good new about this.
Also: the "Pajama Time" song has been stuck in my head since this episode came out, and its not planning to leave anytime soon... anybody else?
Rick and Morty: Rickmurai Jack (2021)
Definition of mindblowing
Forget about the rest of this season. This episode had everything that made both Rick & Morty so iconic and Dan Harmon a one-of-a-kind writer (Oof, I don't know if I want to get his ego so big you can "grab it like a joystick"), with all his strong points being excellently placed here: insightful introspection with some emotional words, meta humor and his special touch to make a story that takes it a step further. What a mind blowing episode. And I think I'm all out of words already. I'm still processing it, I guess.
Rick and Morty: Rick & Morty's Thanksploitation Spectacular (2021)
Not as bad as the last episodes but...
Something still feels off with this season. I expected worse however, with the reviews in here and my friends opinion saying it was worse than the last one; sorry, but nothing in R&M will be more cringe than Rick's spaceship asking for help to lose its virginity (The FDR bit was close. I thought a lot of political jokes were coming). This season so far has been feeling like a compilation of filler episodes. But a review in here remind me of the 70 episodes order, and I remembered reading an article some years ago (My apologies because I looked for it but couldn't find it) that predicted that filler seasons were coming in order to not rush the more canonical stories that fans are so eager to see (like Evil Morty and his origins, Rick's backstory, etc.). Maybe we are witnessing this, although I hope we are not, since they might risk their viewers. I'm hoping for a meta masterpiece of an episode like the Train one from last season to save this. As I was writing this I was thinking of a season finale when they go full meta explaining why this season was a mess and meshing it into a classic R&M adventure. Ok I'm rambling right now. But if anyone can pull it off, it's Rick and Morty.
Rick and Morty: Amortycan Grickfitti (2021)
Not good, and forgettable.
This season started so good, and while I was not a fan of the second episode, I really liked the Planetina episode and the new depths explored on Morty's character (as well as Rick's, though I wouldn't call that depth...). Then the sperm episode happened, and though I agree it was pretty cringy and low for Rick & Morty standards, I still had two or three good laughs out of it. But this? I sorrow the wasted potential on the Rick & Jerry night adventure. And the B plot with Morty, Summer, Bruce and Rick's spaceship was a big no for me (When the ship asks if they could help her lose her virginity I instantly paused to see how much time the episode got left, and how much more I'd have to endure it). Bruce's intro was maybe the only good part (it had some strong Hugo Stiglitz from Inglorious Basterds' vibes to it), but the rest is awkward: the whole Smith family feels a bit out-of-character. Maybe Jerry is the exception, since he is the "star" of the episode, but they add nothing new to his character nor gives us an insight of him that helps us get a new perspective to feel something for him (like in "The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy") other than pity. The ending for both plots are also very rushed. Honestly, it feels like the writer for this episode wasn't that acquainted with the show. Maybe I'd have to rewatch it in case I missed something, although I highly doubt I will. And speaking of highly, my expectations for this season are still up there. The previous season started pretty weak and got substantially better on the second half, so let's hope they keep the trend for this season too.
Rick and Morty: Never Ricking Morty (2020)
A total masterpiece
I know it's been a long time, but I just wanted to say how much I love this episode. Dan Harmon is on an entirely different level when it comes to meta writing. The guy's a genius, and Rick & Morty is his Symphony No. 9. I've watched Community and I loved it, even though I don't like sitcoms. But that's just a tenth of his creativity. There's lazy meta (like Family Guy or the stare-into-the-camera-raising-an-eyebrow meta), then there's good meta (self-referential but cautious and indirect, and not having to underline their own existence as fictional beings) and then there's Rick & Morty meta. I would go into details of why I think this one of the best less-than-30-minutes moments in TV history (and ONLY one of the best episodes of R&M) but I don't want this review to have the spoiler tag on it. But it's genius: it acknowledges the infinite possibilities this show has by making fan of their own fans: they show us they can do everything (every hanging plot, every character from every episode), so why should they have continuity? Why risk it all "sitcoming" it when they can do whatever they want whenever they want? The ending is brilliant and it's the reason why I found the season finale disappointing: at the end they chose to please their whiny fanbase. Nobody's perfect I guess. "Never Ricking Morty" comes close though.
YOLO: Crystal Fantasy: Enter Bushworld Part Two (2020)
I'm now officially a fan of this show.
I've met Michael Cusack's work (and his particular sense of humor) in "Bushworld Adventures", a Rick and Morty-themed special short that still is one of my favorite things on the internet, so I was pretty hyped to learn that he was doing a show for Adult Swim. "Yolo Crystal Fantasy" is what I was expecting: random, bizarre, with a rudimentary art style and causality-driven plots. So yeah, its definitely not a show for everyone and I agree you should be in a certain mood to fully appreciate it and die by laughter-explosion.
The characters, voices, accents (oh man that accent), its original music and their faces are hilarious. Everything is so absurd and unexpected, it's really an excellent comedy ride. I've loved all the episodes of the season, but this finale was the best. It made me laugh and cry. And that's all I'm gonna say about it cause I really don't want to spoil anything.
This guy has a seriously original way to tell a story, and if you add his even-more-original crazy sense of humor and his voice-acting talents you'll have a unique show that you can't miss. Under your own risk, of course. And I'm really eager to see more.
Family Guy: You Can't Handle the Booth (2019)
I still think "Stewie Is Enceinte" is worse.
I just watched this episode, and only because curiosity got the best of me. I haven't watched Family Guy in a long time (not years since I watched some recent episodes, but not in the same ratio) but decided to give it a shot since I was tired of watching South Park all day. And what's a better way to return to a series that watching the lowest rated episode on IMDB?
I was surprised of how low this one was, and how bashing were the reviews. How bad could it be? Well, the humor it's kinda the Family Guy I remember (extra-obvious meta jokes, "witty" commentaries by Stewie and his banter with Brian), but this is not an episode like the rest. It's original, though that necessarily don't make it automatically good. For instance, it's not a hilarious episode; I laughed once or twice (Stewie's reaction after Brain kept correcting him for saying "banister" instead of "baluster") but I'll agree with a review in here that stated that it was a really lazy episode. I mean, criticizing a Family Guy episode by calling it "lazy" would appear that I've never watched the show, cause it's kind of a trait of the series' humor, but this was specially sluggish. The script really seemed that they made no effort at all, with uninspired jokes, dialogues and twists. Plus, and this more of a personal opinion, I like my meta jokes more subtle, because when they make it extremely obvious I feel it cringey. And this episode is pure over-the-top meta.
But hey! It's cringey, it's lazy, it's not that funny, but that was the case for Family Guy in recent years. And let's be honest: when was the last great Family Guy episode? And, at the same time, its kind of a well intended episode (for lack of a better word). It's not bizarre, disgusting or painful to watch like "Stewie Is Enceinte", an episode I rank not only the worst of Family Guy, but the worst half hour of any cartoon I've ever watched in my life. Although, to be honest, to be a better episode like that one is not a really hard achievement to get.
South Park: Christmas Snow (2019)
Oh man I feel so triggered.
Season 23 has come to an end with an unforgettable Christmas Special that develops in truly unexpected ways. The first of them? Tegridy is back,
We all thought Tegridy season was over after the sixth episode, which was literally named "Season Finale". Now I'll admit I loved the Tegridy plot, and "Season Finale" was my favorite of the run. Throughout this whole season they've been working on their meta qualities, throwing lots of references since the first episode (member when Randy said "you know what? crap South Park!"?) and reaching their epitome on the mentioned "Season Finale", where Randy not only fights the system but also takes the role of Matt and Trey's spokesman: first they are in denial, alleging that "South Park is nothing without Tegridy Farms", but then they start to reflect on the person they've become. They even try to blame the president for affecting their moral-meter, but at the end of the day accept their mistakes, give a heartful speech about why they got into the business and what this is all about, and promise to be back with something simpler and with more 'tegridy. They look the fans straight in the eyes and say everything they had to say. The next episodes featured no Randy at all, and though they were really good (" Burglars" in particular was a classic) I still missed Randy and his Colorado farm.
But apparently Matt and Trey had some unfinished business with us audience, and decide to bring Tegridy back for christmas. In the episode, South Park asks Randy for help to bring back the christmas spirit, and he comes up with his worst idea to date by sprinkling Tegridy weed with some magical christmas snow: cocaine. I wish I could've seen the face of the Tegridy haters when Tegridy Farms first appeared in the episode. These were the same people that were desperate for the boys to take control of the show again, and they even appear in this episode!! But their role is very minor, as they only limit to helplessly witness how all their parents turn into junkies (which is pretty much our role aswell). And not only that, but they even bring Tweek and Craig to the front!!; I've read in fandoms how some fans were begging for a Craig's Gang episode. So they're obviously aware of their fanbase, but they just choose to not please us today.
And as a Tegridy fan, I think the same applies for us. The point (if there ever was any) of the episode was that, if we still loved Randy and Tegridy, we didn't understand a single thing. Randy was a villain this whole season, and it took me the whole town turning into cokeheads to understand it. With a little help from some Christmas Snow, South Park now loves Tegridy, and I finally understand that it never was about weed (nor Tegridy, though that was out of the question by now): Randy was in it for the money. Why I understood it just now? I know what you may be thinking: "Oh so weed jokes are funny but coke jokes are not?" Well, you got me there! I think we can all agree that marijuana and cocaine are not the same thing, and I kinda think that was the joke of the episode: to show us that, if we can make something that we never dreamed of legal, then we can make anything legal, and with the same steps since, you know, "it's 2019 dawg". I think this episode really destroyed everything that Randy and Tegridy had made up to that point, specially the Randy we saw on "Season Finale". And if comparing one drug to another and reflecting on how wrong I was for rooting for Randy wasn't triggering me enough, I kept waiting for someone to really save Christmas, but not even Santa nor Jesus can escape the temptation of some Tegridy.
This episode was hilarious. The third act developed so unexpectedly and the ending was so anti-climactic (with no one learning the lesson, or not even close to see any problem at all) I'm still no sure if it was the most anti-South Park episode ever, or if it was so anti-everything is the most South Park we'll ever have. I also think the reason for this finale was to trigger as many people they could, and giving how meta this season was, their main target were us all along. I don't even want to think on the possibility that maybe I'm getting old for South Park (please god no) but, as a classic South Park (S05E10) plays on my TV while I'm writing this, I can't help but think how far this show has come and how much they still got it. If this is the new South Park, then I welcome it.
And now comes the hardest part, and wait 10 months for a new episode.
South Park: Season Finale (2019)
The Full Pack
Man this episode had everything. I mean, they really haven't forgotten anyone as they target potheads, people who thinks this season has been super-meta, both Tegridy lovers and haters, the "whites" and pretty much their fans and people who still watches the show. South Park has changed, but they still got it.