Is South Park the Most Moral Show On TV?

OK, that may be a bit of an odd question to ask after a season-premiere episode that included a filthy-mouthed Mickey Mouse, references to girls “gineys tickling,” and the line ”You like taking the Jonas Brothers’ hot foam in your faces, girls?” But besides being funnier than anything (unless there was a standout I’m forgetting) from the show’s fall season, “The Ring” also demonstrated that the cartoon is best when it focuses on the four kids and when it is driven by a white-hot moral fury.

In this case, a brilliant parody of not only the Jonas Brothers but the entire Disney company ethos attacks the absurdity of using a hot boy band wearing “purity rings” to sell sex to young girls. (To be honest, not having daughters, I’m not immersed enough in the Jonascult to know if I agree with the specific charge, but they make a hell of an argument.)

Like many classic South Parks—for instance, the Mormonism episode—it was unsparing about religion, but the real villain here was a corporate culture using religion, and parents’ fearful desire to protect their daughters, to a lucrative end: ”I’ve made billions off of Christian ignorance for decades now!” brags Evil Mickey. “And do you know why? Because Christians are retarded! They believe in a talking dead guy!”

Watch it now if you haven’t yet, in South Park Studios’ new widescreen viewer. It’s 99.44% impure, and I love it.

dwhitcomb

That was hilarious. I love the shots at Netflix, Grey’s Anatomy, and marriage. There was lots of funny moments. Absolutely hilarious.
http://www.simonvinkenoog.nl/beeld/Yogi%20-%20Annelies%20Rigter.jpg yogi

You forgot Mickey’s “hu-ha” after each thing he said, clasic. Its nice to see South Park hit one out of the park after a lack luster previous season.
sneezeguard

I did feel like this episode was a lot better than anything last season (with the possible exception of the High School Musical episode, which I was always shocked wasn’t the season finale.)
http://www.themusicelitist.com themusicelitist

lackluster previous season? as far as I can see its been getting BETTER every season.
alaskanturkey

I agree with themusicelitist. Canada on Strike! was awesome and Tonsil Trouble was pretty great as well.
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I’m not your pal, fwend!
Brian Johnson

If “moral outrage is the most powerful motivating force in politics,” moral satire may be the most entertaining elements in comedy. The season 13 premiere definitely lived up to the show’s reputation. I’ve posted a few more thoughts at Principally Political.
brallipop

That’s accurate, James. You can tell when the writers are inspired by their subject matter, and I feel like that is the case with “The Ring.” I agree that South Park is best when the boys are in focus, but the adults, specifically Randy, are great foils: last season’s most enjoyable episode to me was “Over Logging.” On the whole, however, it was less focused on current topics and the boys, or at least there were fewer ideas brought up by the topics that were used.
http://jhonsmithco.wordpress.com/ Angel Paternina

You must be kidding…
It’s comically moral, alright, but some years ago was this program was just a joke,

This is the pop-culture-boost-morality that is created to make to make funny money, as everybody just laugh because of the exaggerated of it, it doesn’t quite have a point.
Jon Stewart at least has a well defined position he carry on about subjects, no easy cheap shots, no bully, just plain facts.

Personally, if looking for morality, just read a Gandhi biography. Finding morality ain’t easy, and the search is in us, and it is just as difficult as searching and doing what’s right for us, and the rest.
thebux

I have to disagree. The South Park guys have always been sharp and clever, but the show has become so formulaic. Now every show pokes at the latest pop culture trend–Twilight, High School Musical, Family Guy…etc., etc., etc. The boys lambast and then expose the trend for what it is, and everyone learns their lesson. Blah.
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This episode is particularly weak, I think, because Family Guy and Russell Brand already made these exact same points. South Park is behind the curve.
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