South Park – Season 12

Archived review

Season 12 (yes, 12!) of everyone's favourite crudely-drawn animation finished not too long ago, and the show proved that it isn't about to run out of ideas just yet. Sadly though, this year it seemed to have run out of laughs. The show's tackling of current issues, sometimes with subtlety and sometimes with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face, mixed with its usual concoction of lunacy and weirdness, has always been a hit-and-miss formula, but hardly any of the recent episodes could be described as hits. Sure there's some standout moments, but laughing hard once isn't quite so enjoyable when you're bored the rest of the time. Of the most recent batch, only the US election-inspired episode held my interest throughout and that was partially only due to its relevance (the show, complete with sections of Obama's actual victory speech, was broadcast less than a day after the fact, a feat that literally no other scripted show could achieve). No need to call in the coroners just yet though; Every show can have its off-year, and every show can bounce back. Get some sleep Matt and Trey, and wake up feeling fresh for the next batch.