South Park S15E08 - Ass Burgers

I know I'm, like, a bazillion years to late with this but I just saw the South Park premiere and am genuinely moved. The show produces a lot of shit but it's also very self-aware. The previous episode stated a lot of things, mostly because it insinuated that the writers were done with the show (which they weren't). This episode carries a similar underlaying theme for those who want to find it.

For instance the episode continues the story of Stan seeing the world as complete shit. It's quickly concluded that because he's utterly depressed he must have aspergers. 'Cause that's the same. Before he knows it, Stan is involved in a Matrix-spoof that sees him trying to find the recipe of Cartman's newly found hamburger joint. 

I love that the description of a South Park episode sounds like the dumbest, most offensive concept ever but that the story is still cleverly constructed and puns everything with a deep rooted sense of honesty. 

Stan, before he agrees, quickly responds to the secret group trying to persuade him to join them, that he's "not going to do this". Because in reality he has done this before, many times. The group also continuously fails to pin point the enemy. It really doesn't matter for the story, heck, regardless of what the threat is, it'll hardly be anything believable. Hollywood throws so many retarded "enemies" around that it might just be about anything. 

Further on, the ending of the episode is extremely powerful. We're right back at the moment that Stan accepts change, which is so hard for any show to do. We're offered a prospect of Kyle actually staying with Cartman's burger joint and having that take off and Stan finding new friends which would lead to new adventures. It's a pitch for a new season right in front of the audience. But that's the strong part of the episode, for a second, we actually buy it. We're actually just as excited as Stan is. So excited we forget that this is South Park. And besides every celebrity, show, movie, event or whatever cultural phenomenon comes next, the show first and foremost tries to screw the audience. 

So nothing changes. In a few seconds everything turns quickly back to normal without much further ado. Which isn't necessary because in the end, that's what we all wanted, that's what we all expected. It's a final shout out to the show itself. Being that cynical, being that self-aware that you can point out your flaws, only to return to them. Bravo.