© 2008 Comedy Central A scene from SOUTH PARK "The Ungroundable"

Television:

TV Review: SOUTH PARK - SEASON 12 - 'The Ungroundable'

Trey Parker and Matt Stone take the bite out of vampires and the teen vampire flick TWILIGHT

Grade: B+
Writer(s): Trey Parker
Director: Trey Parker
Rating: NR

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By CARLOS DELGADO, Contributing Writer
Published 11/20/2008

Season twelve of SOUTH PARK may have come to an end, but it had one last punch to throw before it went out for the season. The victim this time: TWILIGHT. In sticking with their tradition of poking fun at the latest craze, “The Ungroundable” assaults the film, vampire trends, and Hot Topic. As popular as TWILIGHT already is (the movie hasn’t even come out yet draws tons of hits to iFmagazine everyday), it must have seemed like a big juicy vein for Trey Parker and Matt Stone to suck on.

Butters, the most gullible kid in SOUTH PARK, is the driving force behind “The Ungroundable.” He is at first frightened, then fascinated, and soon enamored by the “vampires” invading his school. In true rebellious spirit, he decides to join the “undead” in order to escape the wrath of his overbearing parents. One trip to Hot Topic later, and Butters is transformed into a Goth, err, vampire.

Actually, it is the similarities between the vampires and Goths that make for the second driving force of “The Ungroundable.” The Goth kids hate the vampires because the vamps have stolen their style, the uniqueness, and their very identity. The isolated little perch from which they hate the world is now being invaded by a bunch Edward and Bella loving fanatics who just a week ago used to shop at the Gap. Now they dress in all black and wear fake plastic fangs.

Trey and Matt play with the idea that the vampire fad, inspired by the upcoming release of TWILIGHT, is really just the latest cultural cannibalism of another underground scene. Where they strike gold is the fun they have pointing out the minute details that distinguish the two groups. These are details so miniscule that the average person simply assumes they are one in the same, which is exactly what happens throughout “The Ungroundable.” From the school principal to the waitress, Goths and vamps are just kids who dress in dark clothes.

Again, another trend embraced by sixteen year olds (think HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL) is skewered by SOUTH PARK. As we prepare for another fad to sweep through our youth, Trey and Matt remind us that in the end, these fads are pretty superficial and, fortunately for us, transient. And judging by the nickname “Count Fagula,” I think it’s safe to assume what else Matt and Trey think about these teeny bopper crazes.

Satirical as always, SOUTH PARK finds a way to successfully shine the light of clarity on what is destined to be remembered as just another lame phenomenon: vampirism. What SOUTH PARK did was masterfully drive that point home. And whether or not you like TWILIGHT or not, it is easy to understand how a movie that hasn’t even been released yet but has already generated so much hype and hoopla can have a big target mark painted on its chest. That was simply an opportunity that SOUTH PARK just couldn’t pass up. And thank goodness they didn’t.

 SEE CARLOS' REVIEW OF SOUTH PARK FROM LAST WEEK HERE

Reader Comments

Shelly Marsh from NY sez....
Nice review Carlos. I've really enjoyed the 2nd half of Season 12, the first just seemed really weird and unfunny to me.
11/20/2008 8:26:21 AM

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