“South Park: The Complete Tenth Season” 3-Disc DVD Review
The beauty about South Park is that even a weak episode has a few laugh-out loud moments, and this season is no different. Sure, there may be a handful of weak episodes on this set but, overall, this was one of the most historic collection of episodes from the series. Whether it’s the boys dueling in an online game, Chef’s graphic death, or Cartman calling for the end of Family Guy, this season had some truly amazing moments. And there were a few weak ones of course, but those I’ll get to later. But when the show is on, there’s no one better at making smart, and sharp, satirical comedy.
All fourteen monumental episodes from South Park’s tenth season are now available in this exclusive three-disc collector’s set. Join the boys as they witness the death of their beloved Chef, band together to defeat a virtual villain who is out to destroy the world and wrestle with the disturbing consequences of seeing the Prophet of the Muslim people on a popular cartoon. It’s another heart-pounding season full of satire, hilarity, and more than a few questionable moments. For them, it’s all part of growing up in South Park.
I imagine the big draw on this set will be a few certain episodes, particularly “The Return of Chef,” the two-part “Cartoon Wars,” the two part “Go God Go,” and “Make Love, Not Warcraft.” When these episodes originally aired, those ones (and possibly “Miss Teacher Bangs A Boy”) caused the most uproar among fans, and not in a negative way. In short, these were the episodes that South Park fans could not get enough of. They were inventive, hilarious, and, sometimes, controversial. These are the ones that had fans talking for days on end. I can remember, when viewing the South Park talkbacks on Toon Zone Forums, the board would fill up with pages dedicated to particular episode discussions. I even remember the massive coverage the “The Return of Chef” episode received. And it’s all warranted, too.
“Make Love, Not Warcraft” is probably, and will likely remain, the best representation of online role playing. The endless hours, the annoying players, and how easy it is to basically . . . well . . . really not accomplish anything. This episode is full of great moments, including the gradual weight gain the boys take on due to devoting so many hours to this game, and how serious some people take these games. Of course the real treat is the graphics, directly adapted from the “World of Warcraft” game courtesy of the creators themselves. It was a brilliant move that made this episode shine (and why a similar episode of The Simpsons failed).
Other top episodes, such as the scathing “Cartoon Wars” and “The Return of Chef” are brilliant, showing Matt Stone and Trey parker in top form. There are a few weak episodes though, particular “A Million Little Fibers,” “Hell on Earth 2006,” and “Manbearpig.” “Meanbearpig” may be a damning look at political causes, but it lacks to hilarious satirical zing to make it a true classic. “A Million Little Fibers” feels like filler, focusing on Towelie and Oprah’s devious nether regions. While it is funny to see Oprah’s vagina whip out a gun and exchange some clever dialogue with Oprah’s rectum, the episode gets dull pretty fast. “Hell on Earth 2006,” a good look at the spoiled celerity life style, falls flat as it progresses. There are some great moments, but the cringe-worthy Steve Irwin moment might be a bit much for the envelope pushing creative team. While the show thrives on being able to tackle issues quickly due to the fast turnaround on each episode, sometimes it can also hinder an episode.
But, much like the previous collections, the overall season is worth it. This is another great season. Yes, there are a few weak links here and there, but it’s another fine addition to your collection.
Is the DVD on par with the season itself? The packaging is solid. Below the hilarious “Make Love, Not Warcraft” cover art is the digipack fold out. And yes, for those wondering of the “World of Warcraft” renditions of Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman would be there, it is. The packaging includes scenes from a handful of other episodes, and is repeated on the disc art. The extras themselves are more the usual “commentary minis,” which are informative. The short commentaries for “Make Love, Not Warcraft,” “The Return of Chef,” and “Cartoon Wars” are of particular note to fans. The audio and video is a few shades above broadcast quality, on par with past releases.
For South Park fans, South Park: The Complete Tenth Season is a no-brainer. The show continues to hold strong ten seasons in. More and more, Matt Stone and Trey Parker are pushing the limit with their show, and more and more, it usually leads to unexpected and speechless results. The DVD is of same quality of past releases, with the exact same selection of extras. The focus, as it should be, is on the DVD, and this is one that I Highly Recommend for fans, both casual and hardcore, to pick up.
South Park: The Complete Tenth Season hits DVD August 21st, 2007.