Season after season, episode after episode, you can log onto facebook and see an endless stream of comments stating that tonights South Park was “the worst episode ever”, “terrible”, “stupid”, “shit”, “garbage” or some other version of that phrase. I think these people missed the message of an episode a few seasons back.
A few seasons ago, an episode titled “You’re Getting Old” was released, and it blew fans and critics alike away because of how honest and raw it felt. At first-and I admit to this too-we all thought that it was Trey & Matt saying, “We’re kinda getting tired of making this program.” However, after the last 2 seasons, I’ve come to realize something. “You’re Getting Old” wasn’t a message for Matt & Trey. It was a message FROM Matt & Trey. To their fans. Their fans who now say the show sucks.
Let’s get one thing straight before I continue, shall we? South Park, much like The Simpsons, has been on the air for a LONG time now. The Simpsons is in Season 25 now. They’ve been on the air so long that one of their cast members died recently because of old age and health issues. When both these shows began (1997 and 1989 respectively), the audience for them were MUCH DIFFERENT than the audience today. And not just the audience, but even the people who watched it then and are watching it now are different people because they got old. THAT’s what the episode is referencing. Your taste in humor. Your personal tastes in what you find funny or good are changing, because…YOU’RE GETTING OLD.
And that’s what it is. AND, if you want proof that others are starting to realize that, here’s a screencap from a user on facebook I spotted tonight before I started writing this article:
A few seasons ago, an episode titled “You’re Getting Old” was released, and it blew fans and critics alike away because of how honest and raw it felt. At first-and I admit to this too-we all thought that it was Trey & Matt saying, “We’re kinda getting tired of making this program.” However, after the last 2 seasons, I’ve come to realize something. “You’re Getting Old” wasn’t a message for Matt & Trey. It was a message FROM Matt & Trey. To their fans. Their fans who now say the show sucks.
Let’s get one thing straight before I continue, shall we? South Park, much like The Simpsons, has been on the air for a LONG time now. The Simpsons is in Season 25 now. They’ve been on the air so long that one of their cast members died recently because of old age and health issues. When both these shows began (1997 and 1989 respectively), the audience for them were MUCH DIFFERENT than the audience today. And not just the audience, but even the people who watched it then and are watching it now are different people because they got old. THAT’s what the episode is referencing. Your taste in humor. Your personal tastes in what you find funny or good are changing, because…YOU’RE GETTING OLD.
And that’s what it is. AND, if you want proof that others are starting to realize that, here’s a screencap from a user on facebook I spotted tonight before I started writing this article:
Now, spelling error of “shot” aside, he’s right, and it’s nice to see others realizing this. People change. What we once found funny, we no longer find funny. Case in point, I went back-when Netflix still had Viacom content-and watched some Nick cartoons I LOVED as a kid. Now some are brutal to watch. Some stuff holds up well, like old Spongebob, but a lot of it is just…not good. Why? Because I got older. I grew up. It’s not the shows fault, it’s just life. The show is still funny, and it’s funny to people who like what they’re doing NOW. Comedy is subjective. What’s funny to one person isn’t going to be funny to everybody, that’s why “offensiveness” exists. But to BLAME a show is just downright stupid. For instance, after Marcia Wallace died this last week, I tuned into The Simpsons because I wanted to see the little tribute they were going to do for her at the end. Much to my surprise, the episode was pretty funny. I haven’t even seen a lot of the show after Season 10 because it just wasn’t as good TO ME anymore. Not in general, just TO ME.
But that episode was good. I noticed though the show is much faster paced, and just in general written differently than the seasons I loved, and that’s because it’s being written for an entirely different audience. The people who grew up watching these shows may still watch them, but they aren’t the same exact people.
I get the feeling Matt & Trey got really fuckin’ tired (I listened to the commentary for the episode and of course they’d never admit this on it obviously, but subtext is enough to discuss right?) of hearing every single week “your show sucks” when they’re giving you, essentially, FREE FUCKING CONTENT. That’s GOT to be infuriating to a degree. Here they are, busting their nuts to give YOU free content and you FUCKING WHINE ABOUT IT. Freedom of speech, everyone’s got an opinion, blah blah blah, whatever I get it. But jesus. Shut up. That’s what the episode is basically saying:
"You don’t like our show anymore? You grew up. You changed. STOP FUCKIN’ WATCHIN’ IT."
It’s my personal favorite episode of the series, it’s one of my favorite episodes of television EVER and I think the message of it holds true to themselves, the fans and everyone in the world. We get older and we change.
The end.
But that episode was good. I noticed though the show is much faster paced, and just in general written differently than the seasons I loved, and that’s because it’s being written for an entirely different audience. The people who grew up watching these shows may still watch them, but they aren’t the same exact people.
I get the feeling Matt & Trey got really fuckin’ tired (I listened to the commentary for the episode and of course they’d never admit this on it obviously, but subtext is enough to discuss right?) of hearing every single week “your show sucks” when they’re giving you, essentially, FREE FUCKING CONTENT. That’s GOT to be infuriating to a degree. Here they are, busting their nuts to give YOU free content and you FUCKING WHINE ABOUT IT. Freedom of speech, everyone’s got an opinion, blah blah blah, whatever I get it. But jesus. Shut up. That’s what the episode is basically saying:
"You don’t like our show anymore? You grew up. You changed. STOP FUCKIN’ WATCHIN’ IT."
It’s my personal favorite episode of the series, it’s one of my favorite episodes of television EVER and I think the message of it holds true to themselves, the fans and everyone in the world. We get older and we change.
The end.
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