Hello,
I think that I know why "Damien" didn't seem all that funny. Basically, with the last few episodes, there was something new. It had been almost two months since we had seen a 'new' episode. We wanted to be shocked, surprised, amazed like we were with Mr Hankey. Folks, after so many episodes, what was shocking and funny to us way back when "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" first aired, is simply the norm now. We are accustomed to it. Imagine that "Damien" was aired 4 months earlier. It could have been incredible. Jesus fighting Satan on pay per view.....my goodness. That would have blown away. Remember how great "Pink Eye" was? Then think of how you were slightly let down by "Stavin Marvin." We expected the next to beva step up. Instead, it was on a similar level. When "Mr Hankey..." aired, it was explosive. It crossed the line father than we had ever imagined. Had "Damien" aired when it was originally slated...............wow. But now, we are conditioned to being thrown a curve, that when we were presented with this par show, it seemed sub par.
Adam