Since some of the reggies (*cough*Cov*cough*) have been complaining about no insightful or interesting posts in here, I shall present everyone with a topic..*ahem*.. Am I the only one who's pissed off when people claim to love the show and then don't understand it's purpose? Either they think it's one big catch phrase or merchandising pit, or they become a fan because they're some sort of punk anarchist..and everyone expects every episode (not to mention the creators) to be acid-laced freakshows. I've been incredibly embaressed by some people's reactions to me when I mention the show, and these people usually have only heard about South Park by word of mouth. Does anyone see that the messages in South Park are BLATANT? They STICK THEM IN YOUR FACE. They do it in a non-preachy way, but they still make a 20 second segment for them at the end of almost every show. I'm about done with the ranting now, but honestly, I think this is why the show is loosing popularity and fans. The shock value is gone, and the punk anarchists are abandoning it, and all the bandwagoners are abandoning it because the punk anarchists are abandoning it. Am I right, or am I just over-analytical and strange? And why do you think the show is dropping? Discuss. ^_^
-Kim "Obsessive Freaks Hotline, we're not obsessed, we're healthily preoccupied. We are currently celebrating our one year anniversary, how may I help you?"-Me
"Hm..lowfat SPAM has less grease but more meat, which would make the better lube?"-Me
Frankly, as of this writing, its getting very old. Cartman's personality can only make us laugh so much. Kenny's deaths are lacking and a very tired on-going gag. Kyle's struggling with his "Jewness" aint holding up. And Stan, well Stan doesn't do much beside vomit on Wendy. There are other characters, but very rarely are they involved in more than a tangent role to a story line. As of this writing, most characters are still 2 dimensional. (no pun intended)
I cant say what'll make the show go up the ratings again. All shows have peeks and valleys during their run. SP is just in the valley now. It'll peak again. I look at it like this. When fans desert a show after the ratings drop, they're *NOT* true fans. There are ppl out there, myself included, that will stick by a show, thru the good and the bad.
In article , LittleFish (formerly Dave Benson) writes with this very pen that he holds in his hands...
You're absolutely correct. Even when I see what may be a very unusual ep of it, or maybe what looks like the crappiest one ever, I always try to look on the good sides of it. Like when I first saw Cat Orgy after a three hr download, I was disappointed because it had no Kyle, Stan, Kenny, etc. But then I realised that episodes like this are needed, because Stan and Kyle have many, many episodes that focus on them, but Cartman has only had about 30% of them about him. And Kenny didn't get killed in Cat Orgy, either :)
That's debateable. Since all 3 episodes took place on the same night, you could argue he did. But that little arc is what I love about SP...it's not the same shock every week, there's always something fresh and new. But the shock is what got the ratings...sad. People dunno what they're missing out on. All it takes is a little good taste, and the ability to be entertained by things that aren't like the things before them. Too bad not many people have that. Now...if every show was another "gee, who can we piss off this week?" it definately would suck. But it's not. Btw, one of my favorite moments was the "April Fools" at the begining of Not without my anus. Not the episode itself, but the "you've waited all this time for nothing! hahaha!!!" attitude displayed. I guess when you've slammed everyone, the only people left to piss off are the fans themselves. =) "Drew Thomas" wrote in message news:[email]... And Kenny didn't get
Now, what was it that happened at the end of the "Seinfeld" series...?
Kenny did die on that meteor shower night. But it's the place that matters in the three episodes. He was not with Cartman, and he was not with Stan, so those two episodes get off. He was with Kyle, so he gets to die in that episode.
I think they (the creators/writers/whomever) are adressing this somewhat with kenny not *having* to die every time.. so every once in a while he survives.. (I'm only three episodes into 3rd season..but he survives one of them..ie 50% survival rate so far..hehe) As for Kyle's eternal struggle.. I think that it just provided a good setting to make fun of organised religion in general (which is always funny unless you are religious yourself).
Well, the fact that there are still a lot of "2-dimensional" characters means that there is a lot of room to introduce new storylines.. for instance Stan and Kyles' dads were introduced a bit more in the epsiode about spontaneous combustion.. kitty was explored a bit more in cat orgy.. :)
Well, *being* one big catch phrase *can* still work. The Fast Show in the UK was (and still is) a show which consists almost entirely of catch phrases and is about to start it's (fourth?) series.
However, the introduction of new characters is a necessity in these cases. The Simpsons actually addressed this at the end of one of their episodes where it is mentioned that people in real life aren't just a bunch of caricatures that spout out one-liners... and then of course every Simpsons catch phrase was used in the next 30 seconds!
Well, c'mon... It always HAS been a merchandising pit. I've always said that, and it's getting *worse*!
Heh heh heh... Then they're not very *good* Punk Anarchists! South Park has become entrenched in society now, not a bad feat for a bunch of pseudo-cardboard cut-outs. The phrases used in the show, whereas not original, have now become synonymous *with* southpark!
"Kick Ass!", "Sweet" and "I'm not fat, I'm big boned". DID exist before Cartman rolled along, but now try and say them without putting on his voice! (HARD isn't it!!)
The thing about SP, as you so rightly say, IS that it is Blatant. It is blatantly trying to go against as many creeds, cultures, races etc as it can. But the problem being, that it does it TOO often, when SP first came on the scene people were like, WOW!!!! but now... hey, Seen That...
This has always been the weak point for SP, it relied on the shock tactic initially, and because of this there was no thought to (and I know this sounds boring) the *writing* !
There have been better stories and funnier *episodes* written on this newsgroup than have actually been MADE (Mecha Streisand anyone??).
I've said before, that SP had to look at itself and rethink it's tactics, well, so far it doesn't seem to have done that.
I've also said that Matt and trey may well be looking to make the big bucks and then get the hell out... Maybe they are! Maybe not. But ultimately it doesn't matter *why* they are doing it, but as the programmes creators they *do* have responsibility to make the show grow with it's audience. Otherwise it will stagnate... as it *seems* to be doing!
(I mean seriously, how on earth does a TV series ever get to the point where you are *waiting* for the next episode to be MADE!) Am I right in this... The third series has started in the US, but there have only been three episodes?
When does THAT ever happen? And even more of a point, why do the distributors *allow* that to happen?
Quite honestly, *I* think it's due to the programme makers "don't give a f**k" attitude.
The money has been made, and they don't really care about it anymore. I really think they should hand over the reins. But as long as dollars are being made, guarantee they won't. But by then it will be too late and it'll be too late to save, cos no-one will care.
Who ARE these Punk Anarchists? (Heh.. I actually find the thought of American Punk Anarchists very funny... I've *seen* American *Punks* and they are a joke! Stick 'em back to 1977 when the Clash ruled the scene, The pistols hadn't become a joke and The Stranglers rocked! Ah me... UK in the 70's... Now THERE was Punk!