South Park never ceases to amaze me…a keen animated series that showcases disgusting behavior, foul language, and appalling antics, this season actually led me to reading Charles Dickens after watching the Malcolm McDowell-narrated takeoff on Great Expectations (in this version, Miss Haversham has ruthless robot monkeys!). Trey Parker and Matt Stone's 2000 17-episode season of madness finds Kyle, Stan, Cartman, and Kenny covering a lot of insane ground: a mafia-controlled tooth racket (“The Tooth Fairy Tats 2000”), the debate surrounding the appropriateness of the town's flag--which depicts a lynched black figure being ogled by several white figures (“Chef Goes Nanners”), Satan and Saddam Hussein's renewed love--despite the devil's wussy new flame Chris (chronicled in the two-parter “Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?” and “Probably”), and the boys' dreaded inauguration into fourth grade (with hilariously amped-up opening credits that promise “more explosions,” etc.). Other fourth season highlights include the debut of iconic wheelchair-bound buddy Timmy (“TimmAY!”), the mall performance realization of Cartman's boy band dream, and “A Very Crappy Christmas” special, featuring the inimitable talking fecal mound Mr. Hankey. Throughout this well-written triple-disc set, I spent almost as much time grimacing as laughing (not that it stopped me from watching every episode), since the envelope-pushing occasionally got a little out of hand (such as when jealous Kenny tries to terminate his mother's pregnancy with a plunger). Still, this is a landmark TV series with a huge audience and this is sure to be a popular addition. DVD extras include mini-commentaries on each episode by Parker and Stone. Recommended. (J. Williams-Wood)
South Park: The Complete Fourth Season
Paramount, 3 discs, 380 min., not rated, DVD: $49.99 October 4, 2004
South Park: The Complete Fourth Season
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