Trey Parker and Matt Stone have kept their cartoon series South Park going for 14 seasons – and one brilliant feature film – via a combination of raunchy humour and smart social commentary. Unfortunately, in recent seasons, Parker and Stone developed more outrage than they could safely convert into comedy. It's understandable, considering the combination of an economic meltdown, BP's oil spill and the Kardashian invasions, but the writing staff forgot that preaching rarely makes for great television.
Luckily for fans, the show's creators have returned to form for their 14th season and South Park is as funny as ever. Sure, they take shots at all the usual suspects but there's also a sense the gang's having fun again.
Paramount Home Video Presents South Park The Complete Fourteenth Season on DVD
Whether it's celebrity infidelity ('Sexual Healing'), literary censorship ('The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs'), Facebook ('You Have 0 Friends') or Inception ('Insheeption'), Parker and Stone have their cultural antenna and barbed-wire wit at the ready. But the show is having a lot more fun this time around and you can really see it in the animation – the CGI work in '200' and The Coon 2 trilogy takes things to another level entirely.
Speaking of which, the "accidental trilogy" Coon 2 is the highlight of the season with its spoof of superhero films and comic-inspired artwork. The writing is top-notch and the Looney Tunes parody featuring Cthulhu and Cartman? Priceless.
Parker and Stone also cut loose with their 200th episode, which features every celebrity they've ever spoofed returning to take revenge after Stan calls Tom Cruise a fudge packer, which results in the celebrities unleashing the terrifying Mecha Streisand (guess they couldn't get Robert Smith to return?). By the way, you gotta love Indiana Jones' new outfit.
Of course, the question on everyone's mind is: did Paramount cave in to pressure and place the censored version of Episode '201' on the DVD? Unfortunately yes. Not only is Mohammed's name bleeped (ironically his name isn't bleeped in the previous episode) but the final speech – which Parker and Stone claimed was all about not giving in to intimidation and fear – is completely bleeped. The irony generates its own comedy.
South Park The Complete Fourteenth Season DVD Extras
Trey Parker and Matt Stone offer their typical mini-commentaries on each episode, which just leave the viewer wanting more. There are several deleted scenes which are funny but it's understandable why they ended up on the cutting room floor. Finally, there's the bonus of 'The Coon' from Season 13.
South Park The Complete Fourteenth Season DVD a Welcome Return to Form
Just when critics were about to write off Parker and Stone (again), they somehow manage to kick their own asses and get South Park back on track. Still funny – and offering smart commentary without descending into preachiness – The Complete Fourteenth Season DVD is a welcome return to form which is why it gets a 4/5.
Dominic von Riedemann - Dominic is the Animated Film Feature Writer, and winner of 11 Suite 101 Editors' Choice Awards.
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