South Park: Britney’s New Look
By fred | March 20, 2008
(S12E02) South Park is a very unique show, there are really no other like it. Of course it is a sitcom, and it’s primary objective is to make us laugh, and there’s no doubt that it succeeds at that every time in ways that not many others can do. When it comes to animated comedy, I think South Park is simply the best. And comparing all sitcoms all together, animated or not, sure there are some others that are also really hilarious (names like 30 Rock or The Office comes to mind…) but this little show is up there as well.
But what is also really fun with this show, is that it doesn’t only try to make us laugh, it also (most of the time) comes with a message, it has something to say about the society we live and/or current events. Doesn’t mean just because of it they’re any better, there’s nothing wrong with stupid jokes put together one after the other, if they’re actually funny. But here we have full stories, characters growth, and that satirical aspect, and all of that is also one of the reason we love the show so much, and let’s be honest when it comes to it, they’re the best.
And this week in South Park, Colorado, all attention was on Britney Spears. But Trey Parker and Matt Stone are never going to go the cheap way and just make fun of a celebrity just for the sake of it, they’re better than this. Unless of course it’s Paris Hilton we’re talking about, but she totally deserves it. This week’s episode focused on Britney and the way everyone is treating her, watching her every move and turning the most irrelevant thing into news item.
But it wasn’t just about the media attention, because sure the paparazzi are the ones stalking her and taking pictures of everything she does, but they wouldn’t do it if no one cared, and no one was buying the magazines publishing those pictures. Yes, media are interrupting the Presidential debate for “much more important” news flash, the Britney Watch. But they only do so because the debate was boring, it was a punishment for the kids, and adults weren’t so enthusiastic about it either.
But as soon as Britney’s name popped up, Randy leaned towards the TV to make sure to find out what she had done this time. Very soon the boys were turned into paparazzi themselves, and it only lead to Britney shooting herself. Bringing us to the only little thing I found odd in this episode : Cartman’s reaction. Him running away not to get in trouble and leaving his friends behind sounds about right, but not like that. Cartman isn’t one to be shocked and anything, make no mistake if this boy was to ever grow old, he would be the worst serial killer ever to walk on Earth.
He’s the kid who killed the parents of another kid, and then had him eat them up, as a revenge. The Cartman we know would have taken a picture of two and run away yelling “I got the picture, I want my money, I want my slaves!” That was the only little thing that I found odd.
The fact that Britney didn’t actually die, was actually pretty hilarious. That’s South Park, making you laugh because someone tried to kill themselves and are now disfigured. Don’t you love that show ?
Then things escalated with people always trying to exploit Britney for their own profit, never actually thinking about her or that she was a human being. Which is why whatever happened to her, all the media focused on were scars on her boobs, always insisting on how humiliating this whole thing must be for her, and that they didn’t know what was happening to her. Even after her suicide attempt, all they could do was make fun of her “new look” : “You won’t believe want Britney’s done now! The trouble pop star has just been spotted with a crazy no-top-of-my-head look !”
And it wasn’t just the public eye, or the paparazzi, but also the very people who were supposed to take care of her, to protect her from such a mess, even her own manager was only trying to use her for his own benefit, bringing her to the studio and sending her on stage at the MTV Awards !
And to keep the brilliance of this show up, they went even further with having people fully aware of what they were doing to Britney, and even more so actually wanting her to kill herself. Although I have to admit that I felt that during this last part of the episode, they decided to put their message ahead of comedy, because although it was a great thing to do, the entire scene with Britney’s death didn’t had anything really funny in it.
But it doesn’t matter, because what was happening was oh so great ! The way they explained that everyone, that is everyone of us, were actually part of a major conspiracy involving no less than human sacrifices. In ancient times, and to feel better about their selves and safer in this world, people turned to deities and sacrificed people by stoning them to death. Nowadays, we simply to so through magazines and photographs. How freaking awesome was that, and the ending with everyone chanting over the next victim…
Oh, and of course, there was also this giant squirrel who now thinks he’s a person !
Posted in Reviews
Shows: South Park
dude, i love south park.
but you suck their wangs! haha ;P