8.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado.
Starring: Matt Stone, Trey Parker, Isaac Hayes, Mona Marshall, April Stewart (I)Comedy | 100% |
Animation | 76% |
Dark humor | 47% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1, 1.33:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (224 kbps)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
South Park's first season delighted fans way back when and ended on a major cliffhanger, perhaps the most gotta-know-right-now! one from the entire twenty-season run: just who is Cartman's father? Fans waited for an answer, and when the night for the season two premiere arrived, fans discovered 30 minutes later that they'd have to wait a little longer. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone decided to play a prank on the loyal viewership and air a completely unrelated Terrence & Philip episode instead, a funny episode that was overlooked in the furor of having to wait a while longer to learn the truth behind Cartman's lineage, which when it was finally revealed was of course comically convoluted in classic South Park style. The controversy would prove to be the highlight of the season, one in which there just aren't many classic episodes. Season two does introduce "cop Cartman" and Mr. Twig but meanders through a string of mediocre episodes with oddball plots, such as those centered on a nurse with a fetus stuck to her head, Charlie Manson, or an episode about the boys contracting chicken pox. There are some highlights to be sure, including some pokes at film festivals, Chef's battles with the corporate music world, and a hilarious riff on television flashback episodes in "Flashbacks." Season two also sees the end of the live-action Parker and Stone introductions, which disappear midseason with "Cow Days."
Weak!
South Park: The Complete Second Season generally looks quite good on Blu-ray, but there are some hiccups along the way that lessen the quality by a bit. The main issue comes by way of jagged lines the crop up during the first episode but become more frequent and bothersome, infesting whole episodes, particularly later on in the season. "Chickenpox" is a tough watch; the issue creeps into nearly every shot, and as characters move -- even if it's just mouth or eye movement -- the uneven lines become increasingly prevalent. While every episode displays the issue is some quantity, none are as severe as "Chickenpox," but "Cow Days," "Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson!," and "Prehistoric Ice Man" are all problematic. There's also some major shimmering visible on Cartman's blueprints for an Ewok treehouse in "Clubhouses." Otherwise, the image looks quite nice. It's sharp and well defined, with the series' trademark construction paper appearance on full display, and characters and environments are usually very well defined and precise. Colors are buoyant and cheerful, well saturated and offering plenty of punch, particularly the core shades that make up the boys' everyday attire. A few scan lines are visible throughout, and flashback scenes in "Flashbacks" are of a subpar quality. There are certainly some concerns, but the season otherwise looks great in HD.
South Park: The Complete Second Season's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack handles basic duties well enough. The show is propelled by dialogue, and track clarity is sufficient to appreciate every nuance in all of the character voices as they're presented front-and-center with no serious issues. There are a few nice examples of wide reverberation, including inside the planetarium in "Roger Ebert Should Lay Off the Fatty Foods" and in the cave during the season's final episode. Music, whether light score or the show's famous theme music, plays with enjoyable robustness, width, and clarity. Minor effects and more action-oriented elements never miss a beat, either, delivering the core sound elements with impressive ease of delivery and definition.
South Park: The Complete Second Season contains only one extra, a music video entitled "Chocolate Salty Balls" (1080p, 4:05). This video can be found on disc two.
South Park's sophomore outing stands as one of the lesser seasons in the books. It lacks the momentum gained by consistently hilarious and memorable episodes, is much more absent the sort of timely social commentary of other seasons, and there's a general feel that Parker and Stone are still feeling and fleshing out the characters, even if season one offered a more consistent rhythm. It's still a solid enough season and well worth revisiting, particularly on Blu-ray. South Park: The Complete Second Season does show some warts on the video end but offers a generally clear, colorful, and cheery HD image. The 5.1 lossless audio track is fine. Sadly, supplements are limited to a single music video. Recommended, particularly to series completists.
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