Review: South Park ‘Tweek x Craig’

 

Spoilers Below:

South Park Elementary held an Asian-American school assembly, where some of Asian girls were revealed to be drawing various pictures of Tweek and Craig in yaoi style, showing them in a gay relationship together. The newly progressive town embraced the boys’ non-existent partnership, while Craig and Tweek reluctantly tolerated the attention, and Stan was confused about how the Asians choose which couples to draw – leading people to believe that the Japanese decided who is and isn’t gay.

Eventually, Craig and Tweek came to blows over the tension, but later decided to have a public breakup instead, insisting this is the only option they have to get everybody to leave them alone. However, the plan backfired when Tweek made Craig look like he was at fault, and the town was left reeling by the argument. Also, the yaoi artwork didn’t stop getting produced, only changing to reflect Tweek’s supposed sadness and other breakup themes.

Tweek then asked Craig to fake get back together with him for the town’s sake, but Craig rebuked him for making him look like the bad guy. Eventually he relented, and the two rekindled their fictional relationship (and friendship) while the town celebrated. Craig’s dad also learned to accept his son for who he is – even though he really isn’t.

Meanwhile, Cartman had an ongoing inner dialogue debate with his “Cupid Me” who he believed was responsible for Craig and Tweek’s relationship. Also, Cupid Me wanted a relationship with Cartman, which got weird quickly.

In Case You Missed It:

1) “DAMMIT, LESLIE, SHUT YOUR FUCKING PIE HOLE!” Third time, I believe.

2) Butters was wearing a halo brace because of last week’s fall.

3) PC Principal ended his call to Craig’s dad about the “lover’s quarrel” by saying “we’re just going to send them home with some money.”

4) In a Brokeback Mountain reference, Craig’s dad asked Tweek, “Why can’t you quit him?”

5) Did anyone else notice that all of Trey Parker’s characters (i.e Cartman, Randy, Stan, Mr. Tweek) had a lower voice this week? I’m guessing the dude must have been a little sick. These are the things you have to deal with when you make every episode six days before they air.

To fully appreciate this episode, viewers need to understand that Tweek/Craig fan art is a real thing. Yes, the South Park guys asked for fan art submissions for this episode over the last few days (a fun, innovative, and exciting premise on its own), but artwork showing the non-couple together has been around for years. More years than you’d probably think.

With this in mind, the episode completely makes sense. It’s about South Park commenting on a real life situation involving themselves – kind of like last year’s episode “The Cissy,” which lampooned a SPIN article about the previous week’s episode – except last night’s topic was a longer time coming.

The episode also appeared to highlight the kid gloves most people use nowadays when dealing with gay couples. Everybody is so PC that they end up either being overly and explicitly tolerant, or way too invested in couples they otherwise wouldn’t care about. Of course this is much better than the alternative of being intolerant, but still silly nonetheless.

The best part about this episode though, was the actual relationship between Tweek and Craig. They most certainly were not romantically involved, but so many of the situations they experienced, the changes they went though, and the issues they encountered perfectly mirrored those of a couple. The line between an act and reality was blurred numerous times, and required the viewer to step back a few times to shake off the temptation to believe they were together. That music wasn’t helping.

And speaking of changes, I really got a kick out of Tweek and Craig’s strategizing. First they were taken aback by the relationship they never knew they had, then they realized so many people believed they were a couple that it was easier to fake break up than convince everyone they are, in fact, not a couple and not gay. Tweek’s story about their breakup came totally out of left field, completely surprising and upsetting Craig. He later had to forgive Tweek for the bad press in order for them to repair their damaged relationship – friends for real, lovers for everybody else.

And the kicker? This was all done more for the benefit of the town then for Tweek and Craig themselves.

I do have one gripe though: I could have done without Cupid Me. I know some people like the character and would disagree, but I didn’t especially care for him in season 16’s “Cartman Finds Love,” and I felt like he was completely unnecessary to last night’s show. I almost always enjoy Cartman’s ridiculous delusions and quirks, but this one is just annoying.

Not annoying enough to sink this ship though.