Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

South Park: The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker November 28, 2023

Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Cartman, and the rest are back tackling a host of social and pop culture issues in South Park: The Complete Twenty- Sixth Season. I would advise those new to the program not to start here. Go all the way back to Season One and begin there. There's just simply too much backstory and iconic moments that would be missed. And watching episodes in a scattershot fashion likewise diminishes the enjoyment of the series. But those who are up to date with the boys' antics and adventures can look forward to episodes dealing with antisemitism and racism, the celebrity culture focus on Meghan and Prince Harry, and the rise of artificial intelligence.

There is also a considerable amount of time given to address and advance certain character plot points. Cartman begins the season still living in a giant hot dog with his mother. It's a joke that we know has a limited shelf-life and isn't sustainable, and there is some progression on that point. We also continue to get some development with the Marsh family and their potentially growing affluence as a result of the success of Tegridy Farms. Mr. Garrison's relapse and Randy Marsh's predictably poor choices are also on full display as the season draws to a close.

For me, the strongest episodes were "Deep Learning" and "The Worldwide Privacy Tour". "Deep Learning" draws our attention to the impact of artificial intelligence and its impact on the scholastic environment. The boys quickly realize that they don't need to expend much effort in producing papers for Mr. Garrison's class. Instead, they can drop some parameters into ChatGPT and receive a high-quality paper with no real work on their part. Is this a problem in our high schools and universities? Absolutely. And short of bringing back the dreaded "blue books" and having students handwrite essays in class I'm not sure there's a solution. Loaded with laughs and a healthy dose of paranoia, it also ruminates on increasing levels of technology causing us to disconnect from those with whom we should be most connected.

"The Worldwide Privacy Tour" strikes me as being very on-the-nose regarding the circus that was/is Prince Harry and Meghan's estrangement and escape from the British Royal Family. The writers quite aptly point out the blatant hypocrisy of asking for privacy and professing to want to lead a normal life by publishing a book and going on a huge volume of talk shows. In bringing them to South Park, the series highlights just how attention- seeking the couple actually is and how celebrity culture fatigue is very real. Throw in a very fitting travel montage and some of the boys struggling with their brand and the episode is a winner.

South Park: The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season is comprised of six episodes on one disc. The following episode summaries are from the inside artwork:

Episode 2601 - Cupid Ye: Cartman is jealous of the friendship that's developed between Kyle and Tolkien and decides to do something about it.

Episode 2602 - The Worldwide Privacy Tour: The Prince of Canada and his wife try to find privacy and seclusion in a small mountain town.

Episode 2603 - Japanese Toilet: South Park learns about the wonders of Japanese toilets.

Episode 2604 - Deep Learning: Stan is reeling when a cheating scandal hits the school.

Episode 2605 - Dikinbaus Hot Dogs: The South Park boys renovate and open an historic restaurant in Colorado.

Episode 2606 - Spring Break: Spring break is an excuse for Garrison to jump back into his former depraved lifestyle.

South Park: The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

South Park: The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season arrives with a very strong 1080p presentation. This should come as no surprise to fans of the series who have been picking up these releases. If you've been satisfied with what has come before, you will be similarly happy with this season as well. Primaries like the red in Stan's hat and Cartman's coat, and the yellow in Wendy's pants are definite standouts in South Park's color palette. The series's various environments, like Tegridy Farms, Mr. Garrison's kitchen and classroom, and the town itself, are nicely detailed and richly colored. South Park's animation style is not on the level of some of the more immersive and eye-catching animated fare, but it is faithfully and accurately captured here. I did not notice any distracting video anomalies or defects in this presentation.

South Park: The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dialogue and the odd musical sting are the bulk of what emanates from our speakers this season, and the English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD audio track is more than capable of handling it all. While the surrounds are utilized from time to time, much of what we hear is front and center focused which is exactly what it should be based on what the on-screen action is and how it is framed. Sound effects are convincing when they pop up, and the music, when present, does not overpower the dialogue unless the song is truly intended to be the focus of our attention. However, even when the music is pushed to the forefront, it's still a front-heavy situation. The surround speakers are typically only engaged to provide a bit of depth and immersion in certain environments like the classroom and the lunchroom. Even then, it's more for flavor and does not dominate. Not flashy or fancy, the workmanlike track is clear, precise, and free from defects. It doesn't disappoint, but it doesn't "wow" either. English SDH subtitles are available.

South Park: The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

As was the case with South Park: The Streaming Wars, there isn't a single supplement to be found. Disappointing to be sure, as I've always enjoyed previous conversations with Parker and Stone. There is a slipcover that again replicates the case's cover art, and it is again adorned with the "New to DVD!" sticker.

South Park: The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Do the Prince and his wife find the privacy they seek? Can Cartman get out of his hot dog? Will the boys overcome AI and Japanese toilets? These are just some of the pressing questions that Sout Park: The Twenty-Sixth Season seeks to answer while buffeting us with profanity, jokes, and profane jokes. While it is disappointing that there are only six episodes in the season, there isn't a weak one in the bunch. Not nearly as "gross" or absurd as South Park: The Streaming Wars manages to entertain even if it isn't as out-there or edgy. The rock-solid audio and video presentations on the disc are exactly what fans of the series have come to expect and do an admirable job of bringing the city of South Park and its inhabitants into your living room/home theater. Sout Park: The Twenty-Sixth Season is Recommended for fans of the series.