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South Park - Post Covid
USA 2021
produced by Eric Stough, Bruce Howell, Adrien Beard, Vernon Chatman, Trey Parker (executive), Matt Stone (executive), Anne Garefino (executive), Frank C. Agnone II (executive) for Comedy Central
directed by Trey Parker
starring the voices of Trey Parker, Matt Stone, April Stewart, Mona Marshall, Kimerly Brooks, Adrien Beard, Delilah Kujala, Betty Boogie Parker
written by Trey Parker, created by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, music by Jamie Dunlap, animation director: Andrew B. Rhoades
TV-series, animation South Park
review by Mike Haberfelner
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The third Covid-related South Park special: It's 40 years
into the future, and the Covid-pandemic is finally almost over - and then
world-famed scientist and philanthropist Kenny McCormick (voiced by Matt
Stone) dies - and of Covid no less -, and of all people he was closest to
finding the way to stop the pandemic once and for all. So now his
childhood friends Stan (Trey Parker), Kyle (Matt Stone again) and Cartman
(Trey Parker again), who've long been estranged from one another, have to
settle their differences to find out what's behind Kenny's death, and how
he tried to stop the virus. But that's easier said than done, especially
since Stan, who has moved away many years ago, doesn't like to return to
South Park, especially since this means meeting his father Randy (one more
time Trey Parker) again, and Kyle can stand Cartman even less now that he
has turned from being an antisemite to being a rabbi and familyman.
Ultimately though the three manage to settle their differences long enough
to find out Kenny's secret is hidden up his corpse's butt, and they
retrieve it to find out Kenny wanted to travel back in time to stop Covid
where it started. In a separate story thread it is revealed that Covid
actually started in China when Randy had sex with a penguin, and since
then the Chinese have done everything to help Covid to spread in the USA.
But Randy might also have the solution to all the problems, since back
when he grew weed strong enough to fight Covid - but then his farm was
burned down, and by Stan no less, who might or might not have been on
China's payroll. That all said, there might be another player in the game,
Professor Chaos ... Now if you like South Park
the series, it will be hard to not like this episode, simply because it
features plenty of the show's trademark humour, with the
40-years-in-the-future aspect added as an added attraction. And while some
of the jokes seem to be straight out of Futurama, others,
especially those related to the series itself, really hit the mark in
their own right. That all said, where this special really fails is in its
story - rather than following a structured narrative, it just seems to
throw Covid conspiracy jokes at its concept to see what sticks to result
in a highly uneven. And sure, this would have worked as a half hour
episode of the series, but as an hour-long special this episode sure could
have done with a little more consistency. Still, as a fan of the series as
such, it's hard to not find plenty to like about this one - even if it
leaves things to be desired.
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