South Park is back with the latter half of its 14th season, and its first target is the mass of sadly stupid and stupidly poor known as Nascar. But the episode also begs the question: who are the REAL dummies here? Are they the Nascar drivers and fans themselves, or are they the pretentious bunch who make a scapegoat out of one unruly Nascar fan to bolster their argument that Nascar fans are the inbred scum of the Earth? Or better still, maybe I’m the retard for reading so deeply into a satirical surface episode. One thing we can all learn from “Poor and Stupid” is that if South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker haven’t used their vessel to rip on a popular subject, it’s only a matter of time before they do.
Nascar has existed since who cares when, and since its inception has been oversimplified by non-fans as a pointless “sport” wherein drivers go fast and turn left. Being the opportunistic comedians that they are, I’m surprised Matt and Trey waited so long to take on the Nascar-verse. “Poor and Stupid” begins with a weeping Cartman who is soon revealed to have ascended to new heights of supreme denial, telling Kyle and Stan that he’s too smart and rich to ever fulfill his dream of becomming a Nascar racer. Kyle and Stand insist that Cartman is as stupid and poor as ever – insults which Cartman hilariously perceives as faith in his abilities to one day drive “a Nascar.” Cue shenanigans!
Obviously Cartman would have never sought success without his two most important tools: a relevant crutch and a gullible Butters. As driver and pit boss, Cartman and Butters ingest Vagisil in attempts to accrue short term memory loss, effectively becoming total dumbasses in the process. In hindsight, I realize this episode really goes to town on everyone – Vagisil users, Nascar fans, the creator of Vagisil, Nascar non-fans… Even President Obama is declared by Cartman to be “fucking gay as hell.”
In the animation department, South Park continues to step up their game. I thought Family Guy’s season 9 debut “And Then There Were Fewer” was impressive, as was most of Futurama’s 6th season, but “Poor and Stupid” was blending 3D elements with 2D characters all day, like a boss. Transitions between the two styles are seemless; it’s one those advances you might take for granted, too, since it represents a logical progression. Whether pined for or not though, the steps being taken further away from conventional animation allows for unique and surprising new scenes, such as Cartman nonchalantly mowing down a field of Nascar onlookers in his Vagisil-sponsored vehicle.
“Poor and Stupid” is rich in humor and as intelligent as most South Park fare. The show picks up as if it never took a mid-season break. The only part the felt awkward was Butters’ mumbling before the credits rolled, and even that was saved by Cartman’s hysterically ironic “you’re always trying to screw me over” comment to the wee Stotch. Needless to say I’m looking forward to what the rest of season 14 has to offer. Unlike most network comedies nowadays, and very much like a fine ass wine, South Park gets better and better with age.
