South Park has unveiled a trailer for the series’ latest special, coming to Paramount+.
Already – in just 30 seconds – all the usual suspects are blowing through seals and holding on to beads.
The new special is called “South Park: Joining the Panderverse,” and while I think you probably already have an idea of where this is going, take a quick look at the trailer itself and then we’ll meet again.
In order. It looks like Messrs. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are embracing the absurd levels that some movies and TV shows offer fans through casting.
What better way to satirize this than by transforming a group of 9-year-old boys into adult women of color?
It’s absurd, and yet it feels like we’re getting closer and closer to something like this actually happening.
And that’s why the show works.
In fact, the trailer, which only lasts 30 seconds, creates the conditions so well that certain outlets are already excited.
AV Club isn’t thrilled with the new South Park special
The AV Club published an article titled “There’s a New South Park Event Teaser and God, We’re So Tired Already.” Yes, it’s wordy, but it gets to the point.
The short post announced the special’s upcoming premiere. However, the author also said that people who criticize or even question such things give them headaches.
“The title, which references Spider-Man, suggests that the show will express its opinion on the increasing demands for diversity in mainstream media (or at least on the allegations that these demands are being cynically exploited by studios to make money), and, hey, you know? “That throbbing headache in the front of your skull while you’re looking at that stuff?” asked the play’s author, William Hughes, in a follow-up sentence for the ages. “We get these throbbing headaches in the front of our skull.”
Well, it seems that some people are certainly concerned that South Park’s brand of satire – which rarely, if ever, misses the mark – might focus heavily on the ridiculousness of some of these over-the-top diversity casting decisions.
Showy casting decisions are almost always lazy greed
It’s also hard to argue that at least some of these weren’t made with the sole purpose of getting money out of the guy who falls for such things.
From the *Jerry Lewis voice* Ghostbusters remake to pretty much every Disney live-action remake to trying to do an all-female Oceans 11 reboot that no one remembers or subconsciously like hides childhood trauma.
There’s nothing wrong with that: this practice is usually a lazy money grab.
Why not create something new and cast women or people of color from the start?
Well, that would take effort and a bit of creativity. Those can be hard to come by in Hollywood these days.
Here’s another superhero movie; like it or go crazy…
But who knows? Maybe they won’t be too strict when practicing. Maybe they zigzag even though everyone expects them to zigzag. I don’t think that’s the case, but you never know.
The new special – which will reportedly also deal with AI – starts on October 27th.
It’s entirely possible – even likely – that we’ll get a lot more angry opinions about this early on October 28th.
Follow X: @Matt_Reigle