Review: South Park ‘Gluten Free Ebola’

 

Spoilers Below

Last week’s South Park was clever, poignant, and funny – so much so that I watched it again before this one aired. Let’s see how week two stacked up.

Mr. Mackay recently adopted a gluten-free diet, believing it to be the greatest thing since sliced bread – although I suppose a gluten-free person wouldn’t really care for bread. A scientist informed the townfolk about the safety of the flour protein known as gluten, but after drinking a concentrated vial of it, deteriorated and died before their very eyes. People across the town, state, and country suddenly became vehemently anti-gluten, and possessors of foods containing it (like Randy Marsh and his beer, or Mr. Garrison and his soy sauce) were locked up in a Papa John’s.

Meanwhile, the boys returned to South Park Elementary after their start-ups failed, and found that their classmates resented them for their pompous attitudes prior to the venture. They decided to throw an awesome party to win everyone back, luring people in with promises of a Lorde concert (her uncle apparently works with Randy) and pretending it’s for Scott Malkinson and his diabetes. However the plans went south when the gluten free craze sank their cake and pizza idea, and Stan’s dad’s imprisonment derailed the Lorde performance.

In a dream, Aunt Jemima spoke to Cartman and revealed that the food pyramid (instead of the five foods groups, which featured a large portion of “toxic” grains) was actually the key to a balanced diet, except it was upside-down. So grains would be the small top portion, then some fruits and vegetables, a larger portion of meat & dairy, and a big helping of fats & oils. The country rejoiced and the party still happened, with everyone eating steak and butter, and Randy dressing up as Lorde and singing.

In Case You Missed It:

1) Since when does South Park have serial storylines?

2) Butters set fire to the school gymnasium, and NO ONE is talking about it.

3) Second-hand gluten is totally real.

4) FACT: Gluten will make your dick fly off. And they can apparently show that on TV. Multiple times.

5) “We are the USDA; without us, people would be eating dirt…and chairs.”

6) “Ohhhh…trippy…”

7) Bonus points for flagging all the crew members in the credits that apparently identify as “gluten free,” including Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

Although this episode wasn’t as creative as last week’s, it nevertheless addressed a pop culture phenomenon that is currently sweeping the (real) nation, and of course rightfully made fun of it. You can always count on South Park to be topical and mean.

It also wasn’t as funny as last week, with fewer quotable lines and not nearly as many laugh-out-loud moments. Still, it managed to include some pretty decent jokes.

I always enjoy a Randy-centric episode, and this one definitely tickled my fancy, especially his overly dramatic prison communication scene with Stan. However my second favorite character, Butters, only garnered a passing mention. That part was definitely a bummer, especially since they didn’t even go into very much detail about his actions.

I think in the end I really like the concept of this episode, but I wasn’t in love with the execution. Solid effort, but unfortunately it came up just a bit short.