titan45's Full Review: South Park - The Complete Third Season
Matt and Trey's South Park had already been part of the pop culture scene early since it's creating in 1997, but from 1999-2000, it was literally at the peak of it's success. With the South Park movies being released mid-season three, just about everyone that liked comedy was watching South Park. Even though it was extremely popular, South Park didn't lose any steam in Season 3, instead it became even better than anyone expected, and wilder than anyone could dream.
Season Three features seventeen episodes, the majority of which are considered South Park classics and have been the subject of re-runs many times on South Park compared to Seasons 1 & 2. Using the techniques and tools they learned while making the movie, Matt Stone and Trey Parker finally did what they had wanted to do with the series in Season 3: squeeze as many fart jokes in as they could...er....make the show as funny as it could be. This was the season that South Park really became good on a consistent basis, and included episodes that were and still are on many South Park fan's top 10 lists, even on Matt and Trey's.
By the way, I'm writing this with the consideration that most people reading this are South Park fans and will know what I'm talking about. If you want the lowdown on the whole show if you've never followed it, check out www.southparkstudios.com.
...and now...what you've all been waiting for
Disc One
Rainforest Shmainforest [4.5/5]
Plot: In order to gain an appreciation for the Rainforest, the boys of South Park Elementary are forced to travel to Costa Rica with the "Getting Gay With Kids" Choir in order to protest the cutting down of Rainforest. But, when they enter the rainforest, the kids find out it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Review: A classic opener and sign of great things to come for the season, Rainforest Shmainforest features a hilarious attack on hypocritical activists, some lines even bringing forth images of George Carlin stand-up, a hilarious trip through the rain forest...and Jennifer Aniston. And just like that, you get Rainforest Shmainforest. Cartman fans also get a great deal of jokes from everyone's favorite fat a*shole, who in this episode is very vocal about how much he thinks Costa Rica sucks and how dangerous animals should be beaten with sticks. A downright hilarious opener for the third season, and a sign of great things to come for the rest of Season 3.
Spontaneous Combustion [4/5]
Plot: South Park is in a state of panic when people begin to spontaneously explode. Randy Marsh comes up with a solution to save the town, and wins the Nobel Prize for doing so. But, people soon find out that his cure is just as bad as the problem. Meanwhile, Kyle tries to help his dad get an erection by crucifying Cartman so that he can "res-erect".
Review: A pretty funny episode, although not as great as the rest on the disc. This episode features a hilarious angle where Cartman is crucified because the kids don't know what an erection is, and also features a funny Nobel Prize segment with none other than Dr. Mephisto making his entrance. It would have been funnier to see more focus on the rivalry between Mephisto and Randy Marsh, but maybe because Mephisto is one of my favorite characters. Still, the episode is pretty funny all-around, and cause of spontaneous combustion bit is pretty interesting as well. Randy Marsh gets the spotlight here and his hilarious as the episode's protagonist.
The Succubus [4.5/5]
Plot: Chef gets with a woman as usual, but this time he's working for a long-term relationship. As Chef becomes more and more devoted to his new girlfriend, Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny get angry that Chef isn't spending time with them, and plot to get rid of the new woman, this plan becoming a necessity when they come across her dark secret.
Review: A great episode which features a focus on Chef again, and there hasn't been a Chef episode that has sucked yet. The comedic highlight of this episode involves the arrival of Chef's parents, who have a personal grudge against the Loch-Ness Monster. Cartman is hilarious in this episode, with dilated pupils thanks to his huge glasses and his b*stard of an eye doctor. The episode is also one of those episodes that is more story focused than other episodes (well, most of them are...but) and the story is great. The episode also features an eerily catchy version of "The Morning After" sung completely backwards. Not making sense? That's usually a good sign when it comes to South Park.
Jackovasaurus [4.5/5]
Plot: In the darkness past Stark's Pond, a dangerous creature lurks around South Park. One of them is captured and discovered to be the rare Jackovasaurus. The town decides to save the dying species and breed more Jackovasaurs. When the Jackovasaurs become extremely annoying, the mayor is forced to find a way to kick them out of town.
Review: Matt and Trey's attack on Jar-Jar Binks is alot funnier and alot less irritating than that lanky clumsy dude from Star Wars Episode I. Some fans complain that the Jackovasaurs are annoying, but really, they are far from annoying and actually pretty funny, especially compared to Binks. The episode includes some hilarious shots at France and of course Star Wars Episode I, but also features a quiz show match between a Jackovasaur and Officer Barbrady, which is downright hilarious. Another great episode to an already spectacular third season.
Tweek Vs. Craig [5/5]
Plot: The boys, all except for Kenny are put in shop class. The boys decide to place a bet on who would win in a fight, Tweek or Craig. The boys then try to coax the two into fighting each other. Meanwhile, Kenny learns things he never knew in Home Economics class.
Review: A great episode which at times makes no sense whatsoever, and one of the few episodes to mix live action with animation. This one comes in the form of the boy's Shop Teacher, Mr. Adler, having dreams about his dead wife. The dreams are really weird and goofy, and I wouldn't blame some people for finding it annoying as hell. But it's just so completely random and stupid that I couldn't help but find it funny. But of course, the real highlight is the boys trying to get Tweek and Craig to fight. There is one scene where Jimbo teaches Tweek to box (Jimbo's version which involves alot of below the belt hits) and pits him against Ned which is absolutely hilarious, and a scene featuring Cartman trying to teach Craig sumo which is just as funny, if not funnier. The whole premise of trying to get the two boys to fight makes for one hilarious episode, especially at the end. But the scene stealer and a nominee for funniest moment in South Park is a scene with Craig and his family during dinner. You'll have to see it believe it...I was almost in tears.
Sexual Harrassment Panda [3/5]
Plot: Sexual Harrassment Panda comes to South Park to teach the kids about Sexual Harrassment, and soon everyone is suing everyone in the classroom for sexual harrasment. This makes the only lawyer in town, Mr. Broflofski, a very rich man. When Sexual Harrassment Panda loses his job, the kids must travel to the Island of Misfit Mascots to get him back and stop all the lawsuits.
Review: Like Season 2's Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus, this is the episode everyone hated. But then again, it's not such a bad episode after all. It's by no means great, but it is funnier than alot of people give it credit for. There's a hilarious joke (although overused) featuring some racist guys at the bar, and of course Sexual Harrassment Panda is pretty funny too. Not quite spectacular, but still worth a watch for some good jokes and it's message against sexual harrassment lawsuits.
Disc Two
Cat Orgy[5/5]
Plot: Cartman's mom leaves for the Meteor Shower Party, and leaves Cartman at home with Shelley Marsh as his babysitter. Cartman desperately tries to get rid of Shelly and her boyfriend who she invited over. Meanwhile, Cartman's cat is in heat and looking for some action.
Review: The beginning of the classic meteor shower trilogy, many find this one to be the best because it stars none other than Eric Cartman. The whole rivalry between Cartman and Stan's pyschotic sister Shelly is hilarious, as is Skylar's awful band Lords of the Underworld and their awful attempts at love songs. Alot of jokes are in here about the Wild Wild West, but from listening to the commentaries, you'd have thought these guys would want to make a total parody of that movie, but it's limited to some funny bits. The whole Cat Orgy thing is pretty dumb and annoying, except for one funny scene towards the end of the episode. The episode is pretty funny all because of one kid, and this Cartman episode definitely steals the show.
Two Guys Naked In a Hot Tub [4/5]
Plot: Stan's mom and dad drag him along to the Meteor Shower party, where he is forced to hang out in the basement with the geekiest kids in school. Meanwhile, Stan's dad and Kyle's dad get in a hot tub and decide to "experiment". Things get even crazier when the ATF shows up, believing that the Meteor Shower Party is actually a cult meeting and a mass suicide.
Review: An episode attacking the shootout in Waco, Cher's crappy music, and more. Part II of the meteor shower trilogy features Stan, who has to hang out with Pip, Butters, and Dougie for the night. The episode is split into three angles, the funniest being the ATF trying to stop the mass suicide by shooting everyone that goes outdoors. Matt and Trey's attack on the Waco, TX shootout, the trigger-happy ATF crew steals the show. Stan and the "melvins" playing Charlie's Angels is also pretty funny, but the scene with Stan and Kyle's Dad is only mildly funny. The jokes are few and far between here, the only one I can remember is Kyle's Dad sounding more like Randy's wife than his friend. A pretty good episode overall though.
Jewbilee [4.5/5]
Plot: Kyle and Ike have to go to Jew Scouts while his parents go to the Meteor Shower Party. Kenny tags along for the ride as Jew Scouts soon gets out of hand. Ike's group is stalked by a huge Grizzly bear, while Kyle and Kenny have some mishaps of their own.
Review: The hilarious trilogy finale finale to the Meteor Shower Trilogy, this episode features the introduction of Moses, who steals the show by taking the form of that giant thing from Tron. While Matt and Trey claim to have run out of ideas at this point in the show, the episode still features creative ideas and hilarious moments, including the whole Grizzly bear scenes, and of course Kyle and Kenny's adventures in Jew Scouts. A great episode, and the last episode during the South Park movie run.
KoRN's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery [5/5]
Plot: KOZY Radio is hosting a Halloween Bash featuring a performance by KoRN in South Park. KoRN, though, is terrorized by strange pirate ghosts....err...ghost pirates on their way to South Park and vow to find out what's going on. Meanwhile, Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny dig up Kyle's dead grandma in order to scare off the annoying 5th graders.
Review: Easily one of the highlights of the third season, KoRN fits the bill in this hilarious riff on the "Scooby-Doo" series. KoRN's presence adds alot of energy and hilarity to the episode, and Stan and the gang's "dead grandma" stunt is hilarious. Other highlights include two graveyard security personnel who can't seem to get off the topic of necropheliacs, Priest Maxi, the titles of ghost pirates vs. pirate ghosts and many many others. The episode also features the leadoff single from KoRN's "Issues" which was released the same year as the episode. The Scoby-Doo riff works extremely well, and the episode makes for a great comedy caper. Definitely a classic episode.
Chinpokomon [5/5]
Plot: A new craze has swept America, and it's Japan's very own Chinpokomon. Soon, the kids of South Park are completely obsessed with the toys, leaving the parents in utter confusion over what the fuss is all about. One of the toy store owners discovers the Chinpokomon's dark secret, leading all the way back to Japan.
Review: The classic Emmy-nominated episode, this one is the selling point of Season 3, and for good reason. Featuring a mix of intelligent, stupid, and gross-out gags, this episode pretty much set the bar for episodes to come. Of course the funniest jokes come in the form of the Japanese, who get the Americans to back off by complimenting on the size of their manhood compared to the Japanese's tiny ones. The whole riff on Pokemon is hilarious too, with the Chinpokomon getting names as ridiculous as Shoe, which is none other than a real shoe. The whole subliminal message that the Chinpokomon send across is pretty great as well. Just about everything in this episode can be considered funny, and I said before, this is pretty much perfection for the show.
Hooked on Monkey Phonics [4/5]
Plot: The kids of South Park Elementary are throughly beaten down in the Annual Spelling Bee by a group of home-schooled kids. Kyle falls in love with one of them, Rebecca, and tries to get her to go the upcoming dance with him. Meanwhile, the home-schooled kids take a chance at South Park Elementary and experience social interaction (i.e., getting taped up to a bench) for the first time.
Review: An attack on home-schooled kids, this episode is another great one. Highlight gags include the whole Hooked on Phonics parody (which happens to be the title of the episode), the Spelling Bee, and the whole romance between Kyle and Rebecca which spawns a ridiculously catchy song. The commentary on home-schooled kids is pretty good as well, as they are hopelessly geeky and completely devoid of any social interaction, which Matt and Trey think is necessary. Cartman getting home-schooled is one of the funniest moments on the whole show, as anyone that knows his character will probably have a good idea of what his idea of home-schooling is.
Disc Three
Starvin' Marvin in Space [5/5]
Plot: Starvin' Marvin has been struggling to get his people as far away from Christian Missionaries as possible, and finally he is given a chance to do so when a huge alien ship crashlands in the African Desert where he lives. Marvin drops by South Park to meet his old friends Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, who accidentally send the spaceship to a beautiful and undiscovered planet. Marvin wants to take his people to the new planet, but it becomes a three-way race once the missionaries and the CIA catch on to it.
Review: The first Starvin' Marvin episode was a classic, and Starvin' Marvin in space doesn't dissapoint either. Gags include Sally Struthers, who now looks and talks like Jabba the Hut, as well some hilarious songs from the spaceship. But, by far the funniest jokes in this episode come at the expense of Televangelist and 700 Club Host Pat Robertson, who tries to get Christians to donate money to create a spaceship to convert the new planet. A great episode with classic gags including the Marklars, many other funny bits. The episode has a bunch of hilarious references to Star Wars as well, which fans will be sure to recognize.
The Red Badge of Gayness [5/5]
Plot: After Cartman is kicked out of the boys marching band for the Annual South Park Civil War Re-Enactment, he vows revenge and makes a bet concerning Civil War history, saying that the South won the war. When he realizes the North won the Civil War, he convinces the drunk Confederate re-enactors to really take over the nation in order to finally win his bet and get in Kyle and Stan's face.
Review: Cartman fans rejoice, as Cartman plays a hilarious Robert E. Lee as he tries to conquer the U.S. to win a bet against Stan and Kyle. The whole episode is made by the rivalry between Cartman and his friends Stan and Kyle. The whole confederate re-enactment is pretty funny too, especially Mr. Garrison's sick and twisted game of Grab A*s, and the only casualty of the war (take a wild guess who it is). The episode also features a delirious cameo by (the fake) Bill Clinton, who gets blackmailed by Cartman. The episode also makes fun of Civil War films like "Gettysburg" and more. Another hilarious addition to the third season.
Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics [5/5]
Plot: Mr. Hankey celebrates Christmas by showing his favorite Christmastime Music Videos.
Review: One of my favorite episodes from the third season, this all-musical episode is ridiculously entertaining and funny. Taken from the "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics" CD, this arrangement of wacky and twisted South Park songs rival those brilliant numbers in the South Park Movie. The songs include:
"Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo" by Mr. Hankey and Friends
"The Dreidel Song" by Kyle & friends & family
"Christmastime in Hell" by Satan
A Duet with Santa and Jesus singing songs about them...
and much more kids! Anyway, these songs are absolutely hilarious and downright catchy. It's not really much episode-wise, but it's still friggin hilarious and that's all that matters.
Are You There God? It's Me, Jesus [4.5/5]
Plot: The Millenium is just days away, and people want Jesus to do something big for them. Jesus promises a huge New Year's Bash in Las Vegas with Rod Stewart, but rumors get out of hand people begin to believe that God will show up to the party. Meanwhile, Cartman is bleeding out of his a*s and thinks he had his period, leaving the other boys trying to get theirs.
Review: The New Year's episode is another great show at the expense of religion. Jesus again makes a cameo and is funny as usual. Plus, this is the episode that features God above all. Spectacles abound, this episode is yet another highlight of the third season. The highlight gags are the return of Rod Stewart and Jesus speaking to God about his comeback, comparable to John Travolta. The side-story featuring the boy's "periods" is also very funny, as Cartman, Kenny, and Kyle reveal their feminine sides and try to find which tampon fits them best, while Stan hopelessly tries to do the impossible, even asking God to give him a period.
World Wide Recorder Concert [3.5/5]
Review: The South Park kids are going down to Arkansas for the "Four Million Child Recorder Blow" Concert where 4,000,000 kids from around the nation will play "My Country Tis' of Thee" together. Cartman and Kenny try to find the elusive Brown Noise on their recorders, a noise that causes people to lose bowel control and cr*p their pants. Meanwhile, Mr. Garrison is forced to face his father and his troubled past while down in Arkansas.
Review: A pretty funny episode overall, but not quite amazing. In the episode the kids get into a rivalry with some kids from New York, who have a much better vocabulary, but for the most part this and the 4,000,000 Kid Concert aren't too funny. Yoko Ono and Kenny G are mocked during these segments though, which is definitely funny. The real humor from this episode comes in the ridiculous side story of Mr. Garrison and his father. The whole plotline is so crazy and ridiculous that you can't help but laugh at Mr. Garrison and his family. The whole Brown Noise deal is pretty funny too, which according to the commentary is actually a real noise used during WWII and being researched.
Unlike Season 1 & 2, there are no introduction skits by Matt and Trey, which is a good thing since they were a pain in the a*s to skip over, and Season 2's weren't really that funny at all. Instead what we get are commentaries on each of the 17 episodes, except that these are what Matt & Trey call "commentary-mini", which is basically 5 minutes of commentary on each episode. Matt and Trey cover quite alot here, but it is a bit dissapointing that they couldn't speak more on the episodes. The good thing is that there aren't any chances for silence like in many feature-length commentaries where people struggle to find things to say for half an hour, but it still feels like there's a bit missing. Hopefully sometime in the future we'll get to see commentary CD's like they had for Season 1. Other than that, there are no real special features other than a few previews for Comedy Central shows. These previews include the funny opening scene from the South Park Episode "Something You Can Do With Your Finger", in which Fingerbang performs. There is also a great skit from Chappelle's Show called "Trading Spouses". Still, that's about it for special features. Yet again, the special features are lacking here.
The video for the DVD isn't exactly perfect, but it's pretty damn good overall, and the quality is definitely improved over the last two seasons (although the animation is a factor in this as well), but you can tell it's good since the episodes look much cleaner and more polished than on TV, while Season 1 and 2 were comparable to television broadcast quality. I'm not much of an expert on an audio quality, so I can't tell you much on that other than I could hear the dialogue and that was good enough for me.
Still, the show is what counts, and Season 3 is by far one of the best seasons the show has experienced. Better animations, crazier storylines, and overall just alot more fun. Anyone who hesitated to get Seasons 1 & 2 still may want to check out Season 3, which features more structure and more appeal to all types of crowds. Unless you're a 70 year old conservative, there's something to enjoy in South Park's 3rd Season. If you're just plain pyscho, well, then there's a heck of lot to enjoy in Season 3. Need I say more?
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