I don't think T&P works for a half hour. But, I have to give the guys credit for coming up with a major joke on their fans. I don't understand the people who are now saying "I will never watch the show again!"... How can people watch something like Southpark and be that anal about their attempt at a creative move?
I just watched the Monty Python reunion last week, and those guys told a story about how they wanted to have their show go along with the sound gradually lowering all over England for a half hour, and people have to keep turning it up, until at the end there's a big noise. I laughed at that idea, which they said was never done. Well, the Southpark people pulled off the joke. ;)
Lighten up, you lookey-loos.
Mike