Today I came to the realization that South Park's formula and type of humor causes it to age VERY badly. Think about it, in 50 years, is anyone watching it going to be that aware of who Britney Spears is? Or Barbara Streisand? The earlier seasons are already proving my point. A lot of the jokes are starting to lose their humor as a result of some of them being over 20 years old. This is not to necessarily rag on the show, as I am actually a rather big fan of it. But can South Park stay relevant?
>>83633403
All topical or pop culture humor gets dated.
There's still jokes about life or sluts or other stuff to keep it funny.
>>83633403
happy 16th birthday
I don't understand why people think something is "dated" because it focuses on something from its time period.
Yes because while the pop jokes may be dated the overall message behind them are still relevant.
Yes, nobody cares about Britney Spears but do you also remember what's the point of that episode? It was a criticism about how society has an obsessive focus on the lives and drama of celebrities, which is still relevant today.
Stuff like South Park and Simpsons were popular the world around, and many of the references were never understood by non-Americans. So it doesn't matter greatly.
As other anons posted before, just because you may not be 100% familiar with the references, the themes pretty much stand true.
That being said, am I the only one hates the season long story archs. We've had 2 now and both times the endings were horrible
>>83633403
IMO, the very early seasons arent that funny not because of being irrelevant, but because they simply weren't that well written to begin with. There are a few gems, but generally feels like the creators didn't quite give a shit yet.
I'd say around season 4 was when they started actually trying with the show.
>>83634617
Season 18 was barely a full arc. First 3 episodes sorta lead into eachother, and the 2 part finale resumes the Lorde thing, but it was standalone episodes with only occasional small continuity nods during eps 4-8. According to the commentary, the continuity of season 18 wasnt something they were originally going to do, but kinda just happened anyway.
>>83634751
The greater issue isn't whether there's continuity or not, but rather that they should just let South Park die.
>mfw scholars of future time will study South Park relentlessly for historical context
>>83634800
You're joking but that's almost certainly going to happen.
>>83633403
I don't know, the one about Jared getting AIDS and everyone thinking he wants to rape the kids is even funnier now than it was then
I watched some various fourth and fifth season episodes yesterday and I was still thoroughly entertained and most of the time had no trouble understanding the references to current events in spite of me being pretty young when those episodes came out.
South Park will be dated, sure, but I don't think anyone will really have trouble understanding it or finding it funny so long as you were alive and cognizant when the episode was released. Future generations probably won't get it, sure, but the show wasn't made for them, fuck em.
>>83634800
It'll definitely be remembered as a major satirical force. They'll be citin that shit as primary sources.
>>83634800
>implying scholars of the future wont study 4chan
>>83633779
This. What is the difference between a dated celebrity and a made up celebrity when the problems and point of the episode are relevant?
Kinda off topic, but watching the Dinosaurs really has gotten better with age to me because the references feel dated. It gives the show a feel like it's older, but done more naturally. Are there shows that actually get better with age?
>>83633643
This.
By OP's logic, Citizen Kang is the most dated thing the Simpsons have ever done, rather than one of the most perpetually relevant pieces of political satire to air on American TV.
Good satire outlives its set dressing; the message of the Britney Spears episode is still relevant, even if Britney herself isn't, so the joke still works to anyone who can view things with the faintest idea of context.
>>83635498
DInosaurs is great now because I didn't get a lot of the messages when I was a kid. Although likening the mating dance to masturbation became disturbing as the end scene has Earl teaching Baby the mating dance to make him fall asleep.
As for aging, I feel like Get a Life was too weird for its time but got better as time went on.
>>83635498
Most shows targeted at older people will get better as you get older, like as a kid I remember hating MASH, but as an adult I firmly enjoy it. Because as a kid I could not put it into context or understand it.
