You're Getting Old

Other than the serious ending which gets a point, one joke shouldn't warrant a 9 or 10.

Yes, people change as they get older - lots to mine for the creative SP team but they decide to use the same gag and ratchet up the disgust factor. Not SP worthy.

The best storytelling there was looking back on this episode. Genuinely it's just so down to earth, it tells a real story of what it's like to grow up, I heavily relate to this episode growing up myself in the early 2000s. Now myself in my early 20s, I feel the exact same when remembering a simpler time.

What a great episode. I was 12 when South Park first came out. I was totally hyped about it months before it finally premiered. I've been using IMDb for what feels like 10 years.

This is my first review!

I could not believe the ending. This episode contains elements that have never been in a South Park episode before...

It almost reminds me of when The Simpsons used to have scenarios you could actually relate to. This episode deals with some of the most depressing social situations that a scary amount of people go through every day.

Probably the first time I've ever been shocked by this show. Because it was so unexpected.

I actually planned on watching the episode right before bedtime. Instead I ended up staying up late chatting about it. Blah what a loser!

Is South Park ending for good? The end of this episode, after seeing how "cynical" the episode was throughout about how s***ty everything is, makes me wonder are they done?

"Support what, another stupid dream? Because I'm unhappy OK, I've been unhappy a long time?" "I'm unhappy too. We both are obviously, how much longer can we keep doing this? It's like the same s*** just happens over and over, and then in a week it just all resets until it happens again. Every week it's kinda the same story in a different way but it just keeps getting more and more ridiculous." "I don't know if I've changed or you have. I just feel like I might not have a whole lot of time left and, want to enjoy it." "I want to enjoy it too, but I can't fake it anymore. You just seem kinda s***ty to me." "You kinda seem s***ty to me too" "People get older Randy. People grow apart." Enter "landslide" song....

Is this it? Is this the end of South Park? The ending of City Sushi was awkward to say the least and now this ending? Is it over... could it be?????

p.s. - I've loved South Park, but this episode was horrible and felt ominous...

Trey Parker and Matt Stone probably haven't been that open in the last ten years...

This is not an episode, this is a message!

If you consider this and watch it again, it turns out very clearly. The makers of this show made a big statement: "Hey, guess what, we just came to terms with the fact that for some time now we've been cheating on our fans (and on ourselves) - we evolved something that was great into something sh**ty!" - I believe this is one of the greatest moves cartoon-show-creators have ever made. These 20 minutes are packed with metaphors and statements that are so unusual for South Park - already 5 minutes into the episode I knew something was wrong, odd, different... But in the end I smiled and was so thankful for this revelation.

Over the years I was seriously wondering where South Park was going - the topics got repetitive - the average episode quality dramatically sunk starting with season 8 - humor was largely based on aggressive American slapstick rather than the original black (british) sarcastic humor - it became almost entirely dependent on current issues in the world - the exaggerated topics left the makers no "air" to slow down again - it mostly revolved around conspiracy, stereotypes, trends or stupid celebrities - the "points to prove" became either increasingly absurd or too theatrical - the sequential dramaturgy of each episode became almost identical after season 10 - I could go on...

Until season 4 South Park is absolutely timeless, fresh, cheeky, honest and original. Until season 7 it became more sadistic, sociopolitical and versatile. Season 7 itself confirmed the routine that was starting to take action. Up from season 8 you can clearly observe certain "side topics" Matt & Trey may have experienced during their childhood - but the main concerns have already been used. So the only way to get the show going now was to weave the setting together with things happening at that time in the real world. So it became like a "Saturday Night Let's review the past 7 days in a comedic comment"-show that almost cried out to be forgotten when its successor aired. In fact I can hardly quote any statement made from now on... It kinda became sh**ty... Season 9 finally confirmed the new destination: mainstream!

Like Randy said - I've been unhappy for a long time - So have I been. I think this isn't about growing old within the heads of Matt & Trey, it's more about the self-pressure of topping themselves after each episode in a paradigm that they didn't want to have created in the first place. That's why this episode is so "asymmetrical" for a routine South Park one.

Damned, I should get to and end with this. In conclusion: I interpret this as a cry for help. They're stuck in something they obviously can't get out of anymore. Are they growing old? No, they are getting wise. Someone once said "You realized you've become mature after you stopped educating your parents (-> audience)" - perhaps the tranquilizing remedy for this.....is cynicism. I seriously can't wait what's going to be next, and even if it was the end of the whole show, I would be satisfied. Thanks Matt & Trey for this confession!