S22E01: "Dead Kids" preshow discussion.

[Big-Will]

Nope

[kfgg]

It’s literally impossible to guess what will happen in these episodes. Things can change quickly.

They’re vetted by network standards and practices. If anything seems too extreme, Comedy Central will not allow it and they usually work their way around it. Everything has to be desrcribed to them in detail.

They get away with most anything, but Comedy Central will not air it if they feel it will be a danger to anything.

[JVM]

I stand by the bulk of my previous prediction, even if the episode banner looks to suggest something a little different.

@kfgg reminded me -- for an odd contrast, Matt and Trey cited in the commentary tracks for "Volcano" (recorded around 2002) that they felt showing the boys using weapons is something they wouldn't be able to do in a modern episode, and there was an interview with one of the show's editors, once here at South Park Studios (back when it was the studio site and not Comedy Central's site) discussing how scenes of Cartman wielding a gun had to be removed from "Chickenlover" before broadcast, resulting in the clubbing in the final episode.

Obviously, since around the seventh season (definitely by the eighth) Comedy Central loosened those restrictions and we've since seen Cartman with a handgun semi-regularly, and two of the last three season finales, "PC Principal Final Justice" and "Splatty Tomato", prominently featured child characters wielding weapons... and we have "World War Zimmerman" back in season 17, where Cartman seemed to unquestionably shoot to kill Token. (I should probably note that in my personal feelings, only one of those three instances was accompanied by some narrative satisfaction and worthwhile jokes.)

So, Comedy Central hasn't made an issue about this in maybe fifteen years... but of course, it shows that there was a serious sensitivity for a long while, so they may treat this episode a little differently. We'll see.

(Updated the wiki page to include Stan, Butters, and Shelly... although I doubt the latter will play an active role. It would certainly make sense if she did as she's supposed to be an elementary to middle school student as well, but we've only seen her there once or twice.)

[JamesPolo]

The episode seems built on satirizing peoples true uncaringness about school shootings. I mean there is when someone is on TV or feels eyes are on them but if you get someone alone, they will just go on how they don't care and couldn't care less of finding a solution for school shootings. So it seems that Sharon is the only caring character where everyone else is caught being their true selves the way people are without the societal mask. I mean if people really wanted to prevent school shootings we would find a solution but the case is people are more than happy to allow them and obsess over them and even go out and purchase the exact murder weapon used in the most horrible school shootings. The fact is Americans don't care so I think that is what Matt and Trey want to show us.

[triplemultiplex]

Coming out swinging to start the year.
I seem to recall someone on SPS pitching a rather terrible episode idea about a school shooting some years back. Several seasons and dozens of spree killings later, here we are.

I feel them, though. I've become numb to it. Someone shot up an office building near me just last week and when people at work started buzzing about it, my first thought was, "Meh." Only the shooter died and four people were injured. Barely worth a mention for a national news broadcast. Apparently, this is what we've come to accept just so a tiny minority of mostly racists can have their doomsday-prepper gun stash.

There are some threads from last season I'm curious to see if they will continue. Is President Garrison still on the lam? Will Heidi try and redeem herself after breaking up with Fatass? What's going to happen at the school after what went down with PC Principal? I have to think they'll pick up one of those threads for a minute right away. PC Principal/Strong Woman seems like the most natural fit for the premiere, given the teaser.

One of the things I love about South Park is how they will flip the script on a situation with their characters. With Randy and Sharon this week, I think we've got another one of those. Usually it's Randy overreacting to something to the befuddlement of Sharon. Now, we will have the inverse. Though one could argue it's not Sharon overreacting, but Randy (and Stan) under-reacting.

[JVM]

Coming out swinging to start the year.
I seem to recall someone on SPS pitching a rather terrible episode idea about a school shooting some years back. Several seasons and dozens of spree killings later, here we are.

It's definitely going to grab some headlines, that's for sure.

I feel them, though. I've become numb to it. Someone shot up an office building near me just last week and when people at work started buzzing about it, my first thought was, "Meh." Only the shooter died and four people were injured. Barely worth a mention for a national news broadcast. Apparently, this is what we've come to accept just so a tiny minority of mostly racists can have their doomsday-prepper gun stash.

Yeah, this is where I lean as well now. I don't even like discussing the topic given state and local solutions are doomed to fail and a national solution isn't in the cards. I remember when Columbine still had a special infamy for years afterward, and now every year these shootings have maybe a couple months' notoriety before they disappear. Stoneman Douglas and Vegas will be footnotes soon enough.

There are some threads from last season I'm curious to see if they will continue. Is President Garrison still on the lam? Will Heidi try and redeem herself after breaking up with Fatass? What's going to happen at the school after what went down with PC Principal? I have to think they'll pick up one of those threads for a minute right away. PC Principal/Strong Woman seems like the most natural fit for the premiere, given the teaser.

I'm still very stuck on whether or not South Park is at war with the Canadians are not. There was obviously the nuclear strike, and threats if the President isn't turned over, but will that be followed up on? As I mentioned in the other thread, I doubt it now. The ads are still out there and so is Kyle's Dad.

I'm expecting a mostly reset, but with Vice Principal Woman sticking around, and maybe toying with her and PC Principal, but I also feel like they've mostly run their course, not that I wouldn't welcome some real character development there.

One of the things I love about South Park is how they will flip the script on a situation with their characters. With Randy and Sharon this week, I think we've got another one of those. Usually it's Randy overreacting to something to the befuddlement of Sharon. Now, we will have the inverse. Though one could argue it's not Sharon overreacting, but Randy (and Stan) under-reacting.

Yeah, I think the latter is how they're going to play it.

Sharon: "Don't you care? Some of Stan's friends died!"
Stan: "Mom, me and (New Character) really weren't that close anyway."
Randy: "Yeah, people die every day, don't be so dramatic."
Sharon: "We need to do something. You can't just let people walk into schools with guns!"
Randy: "Sharon, what are we going to do, pass gun restrictions? That's just crazy talk. You're thinking too much into this. It's all just random dance. Seriously, you might want to see a psychologist, hon."

It would be a lot more interesting if they played up the parallel and "flipped the script" properly. It's been a long while since the show's been as self-satirical about its current format and not merely past events.

[MysterionFan79]

Coming out swinging to start the year.
I seem to recall someone on SPS pitching a rather terrible episode idea about a school shooting some years back. Several seasons and dozens of spree killings later, here we are.

It's definitely going to grab some headlines, that's for sure.

I feel them, though. I've become numb to it. Someone shot up an office building near me just last week and when people at work started buzzing about it, my first thought was, "Meh." Only the shooter died and four people were injured. Barely worth a mention for a national news broadcast. Apparently, this is what we've come to accept just so a tiny minority of mostly racists can have their doomsday-prepper gun stash.

Yeah, this is where I lean as well now. I don't even like discussing the topic given state and local solutions are doomed to fail and a national solution isn't in the cards. I remember when Columbine still had a special infamy for years afterward, and now every year these shootings have maybe a couple months' notoriety before they disappear. Stoneman Douglas and Vegas will be footnotes soon enough.

There are some threads from last season I'm curious to see if they will continue. Is President Garrison still on the lam? Will Heidi try and redeem herself after breaking up with Fatass? What's going to happen at the school after what went down with PC Principal? I have to think they'll pick up one of those threads for a minute right away. PC Principal/Strong Woman seems like the most natural fit for the premiere, given the teaser.

I'm still very stuck on whether or not South Park is at war with the Canadians are not. There was obviously the nuclear strike, and threats if the President isn't turned over, but will that be followed up on? As I mentioned in the other thread, I doubt it now. The ads are still out there and so is Kyle's Dad.

I'm expecting a mostly reset, but with Vice Principal Woman sticking around, and maybe toying with her and PC Principal, but I also feel like they've mostly run their course, not that I wouldn't welcome some real character development there.

One of the things I love about South Park is how they will flip the script on a situation with their characters. With Randy and Sharon this week, I think we've got another one of those. Usually it's Randy overreacting to something to the befuddlement of Sharon. Now, we will have the inverse. Though one could argue it's not Sharon overreacting, but Randy (and Stan) under-reacting.

Yeah, I think the latter is how they're going to play it.

Sharon: "Don't you care? Some of Stan's friends died!"
Stan: "Mom, me and (New Character) really weren't that close anyway."
Randy: "Yeah, people die every day, don't be so dramatic."
Sharon: "We need to do something. You can't just let people walk into schools with guns!"
Randy: "Sharon, what are we going to do, pass gun restrictions? That's just crazy talk. You're thinking too much into this. It's all just random dance. Seriously, you might want to see a psychologist, hon."

It would be a lot more interesting if they played up the parallel and "flipped the script" properly. It's been a long while since the show's been as self-satirical about its current format and not merely past events.

Yeah, I feel that would be a great way to kick off the season

[Milo Vonnegut]

Coming out swinging to start the year.
I seem to recall someone on SPS pitching a rather terrible episode idea about a school shooting some years back. Several seasons and dozens of spree killings later, here we are.

That was me. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=75779&hilit=Massacre

(Looking back, I think my attitude came off as despicable)


(I will come back to this post and add more)

[triplemultiplex]

Coming out swinging to start the year.
I seem to recall someone on SPS pitching a rather terrible episode idea about a school shooting some years back. Several seasons and dozens of spree killings later, here we are.

That was me. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=75779&hilit=Massacre

(Looking back, I think my attitude came off as despicable)

I didn't imagine it!