The Show
Current events and the general absurdity of our modern world have fueled the animated antics of South Park for a dozen years now, and with titles like "The Chinese Probrem," "Breast Cancer Show Ever" and "Eek, a Penis!" we can be assured that this most recent batch offers no signs of going soft. These 14 episodes which aired between March and November of last year tackle topics like internet porn, sex change operations and AIDS, but perhaps most notorious were the scenes in which George Lucas and Steven Spielberg are depicted in the literal rape of Indiana Jones, creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker's reaction to The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Be warned: This set is uncensored, and the unbleeped F-words fly fast and furious.
The Picture
In the early days, fans and detractors alike commented at length about the rudimentary design of the show, originally created with a series of paper cutouts. It's all digital now, and while the basic style remains, there are some fairly elaborate sequences here like a recreation of the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. There is some strobing in panning shots over detailed action, and closer inspection of still frames reveals a weird intermittent double exposure. In a jittery dance sequence and elsewhere, eyeballs look as they have two pupils, which I guess we're supposed to ignore, but it's a little distracting.
I also noted an unnatural geometric pattern on a dark sky, as well as ringing in backgrounds and in subtle light effects. The good news is that the colors are quite vibrant, more so than I've ever seen in the series (or the movie for that matter), and the faux construction paper textures reproduce with tremendous nuance. The simplicity usually plays as an amazing purity in the 1.78:1 image, and if for example there's a newspaper clipping on the back wall of a room, the text is plainly legible.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker are professional musicians, and as such they exploit the wonders of Dolby TrueHD 5.1 primarily for the score, and the frequent songs. When there are drums, I can hear them beating behind my head, and actually feel the vibration. Strings in particular exhibit both directionality and a delicate resonance. The soundstage really opens up during the production numbers in the "Elementary School Musical" episode, with clean, clear bass and an even more striking dynamic range. Dialogue is clear but otherwise the soundscapes per se are not all that complex. The recurrent establishing tone of the school bell is clear as a… well, you know.
The Extras
The beginning of each episode carries a "mini-commentary" from Matt & Trey, deliberately kept short so as to avoid tedium for all involved. Spread across the three discs are several other "making of" glimpses that focus on the tremendous, fast-paced efforts that go into every show. "Six Days to South Park" (82 minutes in standard definition) lays bare the fascinating, detailed evolution of a single Season 12 episode and the routine race to the finish line. A seemingly similar study of the Obama election episode soon takes on a different feel as the team of producers and animators explains how they put it together in only about 24 hours, to air the night after history was made! This feature is essentially an audio commentary across a slightly rough cut of the 22-minute episode, presented in HD.
"Behind the Scenes of 'Major Boobage'" (13 minutes, SD) collects and compares storyboards, animatics, 3D models and concept art for the season's most ambitious tale, a faithful parody of the movie Heavy Metal complete with hand-drawn animation and a live reference model in a bikini. A variety of expert voices chimes in. Also included with the purchase is a Digital Copy of the entire season in Windows Media Video format, downloadable from the ParamountDigitalCopy.com website via the unique printed code in the package.
Final Thoughts
Video glitches aside, this is a fine set that ably captures the look and sound of the show along with priceless insight into the rigorous creative process. I for one can't always find the time to tune into Comedy Central each week, and so these discs are the best way to catch back up with those foul-mouthed scamps.
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