South Park - The Complete Third Season (1997)

The third time's the, for want of a better word, charm for South Park on DVD. Instead of mere episode intros as on the first two boxed sets, Trey Parker and Matt Stone finally oblige us with actual episode commentary, or, as they call it, "commentary-mini." On this optional audio track, Trey and Matt goof for about five minutes or so at the top of each episode, certifying some as favorites ("Tweek vs. Craig," "Jewbilee," and "Worldwide Recorder Concert," which is described as "a reverse after-school special from hell"), championing others popularly dismissed by South Park's otherwise loyal fans ("Jakovasaurs," "Sexual Harassment Panda"), and provocatively dismissing all of season 2.

The third season was frantically produced simultaneously with the feature film, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. This was the season, Trey proclaims, "where South Park turned the corner... and became good (as far as we were concerned)." Among their most inspired conceits is the so-called "Meteor Shower Party" trilogy, three episodes that unfold over the course of one night, each focusing on a different kid. "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery" pays homage to Hanna-Barbera-style animation and Scooby-Doo, recasting Korn as the Mystery Inc gang. "Rainforest Shmainforest," featuring a game Jennifer Aniston, cuts rainforest crusaders down to size. "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics" takes its irreverent cue from the album of the same name, and contains an outrageously obscure reference to the 1978 made-for-TV Star Wars Holiday Special. Throughout the season, South Park is, as usual, a gleeful equal-opportunity offender, but the show's true gonzo spirit is truly illustrated in such surreal touches as the employment of live action in "Tweek vs. Craig," the singing of "The Morning After" backwards to save Chef from the spell of "The Succubus," and the Seinfeld-worthy argument over whether the term should be "pirate ghosts" or "ghost pirates" in "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery." --Donald Liebenson Amazon.com

"Screw you guys, I'm going home..."

This seems to just get better and better. Season 3 rocks on with some of the most unforgettable episodes in the whole show.

The "Screw you guys, I'm going home!" routine was started in Season 1 but this season is where it propels into the awesomeness that it is. In "Rainforest Schmainforest", the first episode of the season, Cartman adds that after he says one of his other known lines "N'n'n'n'no, you guys n'yah, I'm going over n'yah!"

There are also Cartman's one-liners that are never repeated in later episodes but are funny as hell. In "The Succubus", a woman is trying to take Chef away from the four boys and are wondering whether they're jealous because Chef likes someone better than them. "Yeah, so?" "Yeah, screw that bitch." And then Cartman says, "Bitch, I hate that bitch!" It is hilarious and one of his best one-liners ever.

This season also features the first trilogy of the series: "Cat Orgy," "Two Guys Naked in a Hottub," and "Jewbilee". They all take place at the same time, following the four boys' separate storylines as they are not together for the episodes. While Cartman's is the funniest, Stan's episodes features two really important parts. Butters is finally introduced as a central character as one of the funniest characters in South Park. On the other hand, Randy shows some of his absolute stupidity in being paranoid about people knowing something that he and Gerald Broflovski did in the hottub.

This is definetly one of the best seasons that Mr. Parker and Mr. Stone have created. A definite must for any South Park fan. No, you MUST buy it or else "Screw you guys, I'm going home!" June 25, 2008

When shall I be arrested ? ........

I live in bonnie Scotland and we Scots have an un-fair reputation for being careful with our pennies ......... then again when you pay twelve of the good Queens pounds for a complete season of a brilliantly funny , on the case comedy which has and will go down as one of the greatest ever written, ( and that twelve quid included delivery) you would have to be nuts to buy it anywhere else.
Some people may find it offensive, rude, childish, vulgar, crude, even racist; ..... but thankfully that's a small minded majority who should maybe find something worthwhile protesting about.
As for the rest of the human race sit back and laugh along with the rest of us and if you still don't think it's funny then here's an idea .................... stop watching it !

December 28, 2007

MORE EXTREMELY FUNNY SOUTH PARK!

This show never lets up. One of the greatest cartoons of all time and one of the most important too! Season 3 is just more classic hyjinks from da boys! March 7, 2007

11yr old loves this show!

My 11 yr old daughter is addicted to this show thanks to her dad. I've never seen it but she was very excited to get these! January 9, 2007

Oh My God! They Killed Kenny (over and over)!

Many times, something will appear in the media - be it a movie, comic book or TV show - that is shocking and winds up attracting the audience merely because of the shock value. Eventually, that quality goes away and the reader or viewer finds there is little else there. For a decade, South Park has defied this rule: not only does it continue to be edgy, but beyond the edginess, there is real humor and often a worthwhile statement as well.

In Season Three, the foursome of third-graders - Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny - get involved in new adventures. Once again, little is safe from creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone: among the subjects of their pointed humor: Pokemon, the rain forest, child molesters, Jar Jar Binks and the Y2K phenomenon (as well as Sally Struthers, God, Jesus and Civil War reenactors.

Probably my favorite episode of this season is Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery, a take-off on Scooby Doo cartoons featuring members of the band Korn in place of Fred, Shaggy, Daphne, Velma and Scooby. Who are the mysterious ghost pirates (or pirate ghosts) that haunt South Park? You'll have to watch and find out.

What also stands out about this season is what could be known as The Meteor Shower trilogy. In this series of three episodes, we follow different characters all on the night of a meteor shower: Cartman is babysat by Shelly (Stan's mean older sister); Stan is stuck in the basement at a party while ATF agents are ready to blow up the place thinking there is a cult inside; and Kenny and Kyle go to Jewbilee, a Jewish camp where Moses visits. More than any earlier episodes, this trilogy shows that Parker and Stone were willing to break free from their normal storytelling and do something different.

Happily, even the weaker episodes (of which there only a few - I'd rate Sexual Harassment Panda towards the bottom) are four-star quality, so this is definitely a five-star set overall. If you've never viewed South Park, this may be as good a place as any to start, but be prepared: if you offend easily, this is not the cartoon for you. If, on the other hand, you like shows that not only push the envelope but go outside it, South Park is a joy to watch.

December 17, 2006

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