Rate and Review South Park:" Butterballs"

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

April 11, 2012: Butters is the target of an unlikely bully. Stan uses this to make an anti-bullying video. Discuss!

[Dobbie]

Erm, like Jewcabapra(?) it was another odd one. The ending was a little shit although the song was enjoyable. I did like Butters' confrontations with his grandmother (the fork did make me feel uneasy though!) especially the last one. The return of Chaos and we get to see a violent side of Butters. Overall Butters was well portrayed in this episode.

I enjoyed the anti-bullying song and the cinematics they used for it (and Timmy!) and they didn't drag on Cartman's joke making it amusing. The 'waiting in the toilet' was funny at first but they over-used it WAY too much, and only the Stan-Kyle segment was the only one that was any different and a bit interesting.

An overall decent episode, the humor was a little lacking but it was an enjoyable watch overall as the story kept me interested. 3.5/5.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Yet another episode which left me feeling meh. Nothing really great, nothing really terrible. Grandma as the bully seemed good at first, but got old rather quickly, as did the anti-bullying guy really being a bully shtick. The only funny bathroom scene was the Jesus appearance. I guess Trey and Matt have some sort of thing for getting the enemy to kill themselves between this and the cash for gold guy though huh? 3/5, probably won't ever watch again.

PS: Butters and Kyle were the real mouthpieces this episode and ending with San Diego was awful.

[Kayla]

what was the ending? my dvr cutoff during the psrt with stan jackin it across the scrrenn like the second time. funny episode, i fucking love the music video, especially cartman's vajayjay scene. butters was a real treat in the episode. i agree the bathroom thing got old, but i was too busy laughing to care. i watch this show to laugh, it can be the stupidest episode ever but as long as it's funny. ive been to most of the places they show in san diego so that was a treat and im still singing the antibullying song. so fucking catchy. what a good birthday present for me

[Friz]

That was such a fun episode. Nice Stop Kony-referencing, excellent songs. South Park back on form. 5/5.

Also, did you know that in America, pfft, over 20,000 students refuse to go to school because of bullying?

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

Butterballs

Bullying is a problem which has dawned society since the beginning of time; people have tried to get rid of it but no matter how hard they try, they will never be able to get rid of it. I don't know... I guess people picking on other people is such an integral part of a society that any efforts to get rid of it will fail. Kind of like clockwork; campaigns fade in and out, stuff is instituted and cracks downs are instigated but despite all that, it still goes on.

Of course, this wasn't made to make a case about bullying. No this is made because the creators saw news articles about a bullying film and got some idea for an episode. I have not cared for the bully film nor has it been mentioned that much on the news (unless your news came from an NBC affiliate.) so you can imagine the impact this episode is going to have on me, usually Matt & Trey manage to find stuff to parody that other people cannot; so hopefully they would be able to do something with this movie right? Right?

Unfortunately, the only thing they manages to do about it is make two vital points about the movie; that it seems like something made for profit instead of the public good and the people behind the movie ultimately care about themselves. That bully movie could of been parody gold but Matt & Trey don't seem to tap it, leaving yo much of the episode being filled with a confused message that either has to do with bullying or the movies with the bullies in general. This episode does have an interesting premise behind it... Butters being bullied but get this; his bully is his Grandma who is trying to teach him a lesson about standing up to himself, I think. The scenes with Grandma and Butters are the best parts of the episode (Matt & Trey seemed to have some fun doing these scenes as they utilize some pretty interesting ideas throughout the episode); mainly because the scenes actually lead somewhere and provide us with a good Butters plot that's ultimately ends with tremendous sweet payoff.

It would be good if that was the main focus but unfortunately the focus is on Stan and his anti-bullying video that turns into a Hollywood flick really quickly. Matt & Trey did have some ideas/theologies, that deep down everybody is a bully even when they're trying to stop bullying, which is what these Bathroom scenes were supposed to represent. The idea is interesting the first few times it's shown but as time goes on, it manages to get old; I mean we get it already, I don't know why they keep doing this. Some say it's because the show is so "in your face", some say that they're trying to hammer the issue in; either way, unless it's a really, really good joke that manages to get funnier with each passing scene, repeating it is just going to kill the joke; and it doesn't matter how many characters you portray, the joke will still get old. The video itself manages to provide mixed messages, is it a serious anti-bullying message or is it a parody? Well I assume that it's a parody but South Park has been known to include some serious stuff so I don't know. I don't know...

There isn't much to the episode from those two things and Stan making a movie and acting like a jerk about it; well there is the whole Butters beating up Dr. Oz thing and the ending with San Diego but it all seems for naught as the episode lost me a few moments ago. To it's credit, Butters beating up Dr. Oz does resolve the Grandma plot but still, I was just waiting for the episode to end. I understand South Park is a different show then it was from the past but even it's past episodes had something that gave you a message and entertained you; this just seems like Matt & Trey trying to have fun but not finding the spark, plus the need to spread out a super political message within every episode. (this show becomes more like something to push out their messages then an animated comedy show.) I can say that they've cut down on the conspiracy bullshit but what good is that when they can't make the other stuff funnier?

There is nothing much to this episode besides the whole Butters thing; sure, you can watch it but it gets old & boring really quickly and there will be nothing that will make you rewatch it. Matt & Trey are better then this; what is happening over there, what is happening that's causing them to make subpar episodes like this one?

4.0/10

[leprechaun_dan]

Lol the ending is just amazing. Two songs in one episode = brilliance. I was tapping my toes to the last song; had me laughing for ages. I guess it's an episode in which you must be up-to-date with the Kony 2012 crap and the creator going insane, and if you got it, you would've wet your pants with laughter.

8.7/10 (Second best so far)

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

I guess it's an episode in which you must be up-to-date with the Kony 2012 crap and the creator going insane

I never heard of the Kony 2012 crap until now... What is it exactly and how is it in this episode? I seriously don't get it, and I took notes.

[TriforceBun]

Finally, South Park gets me laughing again this season! I liked this one overall--the theme of the ladder of bullies and the inherent problems with someone becoming famous for being bullied was handled pretty well for the show. And while the first Grandma scenes were kind of predictable and unfunny, the later ones with Professor Chaos, the "gummy bears," and Butters final monologue to her were good payoffs. Stan's bullying song was actually a lot of fun too.

But I have to give special mention to the absolutely ridiculous ending, with the 60's (?) doo-wop type group heartily singing a "Jackin' it, jackin' it" refrain to Stan's naked self doing a crazy dance in the streets of San Diego. That kind of absurd fun is what South Park can really nail at times, and it reminded me of the ridiculous ball-bouncing scene from the marijuana ep a couple years back.

4/5

[Mr. Krikt]

• I really didn't enjoy seeing Butters getting abused like that. It just made me uncomfortable.
• The song was uh... terrible. I just sat cringing.
• "Trademark" ah ha, ha. Yeah, you sure do say that a lot.
• Butter's grandmother done up as a Professor Chaos counterpart made me laugh. I wasn't expecting that.

Oh god, South Park feels like the Simpsons now. Even down to desperate filler material at the end.
I was really hoping they'd make up for last week.

EDIT: Oh, the ending was a reference to the KONY guy. Slightly surprised I missed it but it's still a poor ending.

[Food Blog]

@ Zombies Rise - Kony 2012 could be summarised as a greedy campaign to end a problem that's older than the campaigners, culminating in some irony around the leader. (i.e. I already don't remember. Good example of naivety and how to exploit it.)

I enjoyed this for the pure sake; never heard of the bully song beforehand.

[D DEBBS]

To: Zombies Rise From the Sea

The Kony director resides in San Diego...a month ago, he had a meltdown due to all the publicity Kony 2012 receieved and went to a streetcorner, took all his clothes off and ran up and down the block with the police in pursuit.

Now...the episode itself:

As a San Diegan who was born nearly 50 years ago, I enjoyed seeing the Gaslamp Quarter, Sea World and even the cameo by mayor Jerry Sanders...everything else about the episode was just M-E-H: Stan's song for his video reminded me way too much of the Disney Channel/Nickelodeon...Cartman is typical Cartman (what's with the va-jay-jay? That's the second time Matt and Trey used that reference with Cartman)...Matt and Trey are over-using Butters this season: would like to see OTHER minor characters; particularily Timmy (he's always been a favorite of mine).

[Flimpson Tide]

Where does this episode get its title? Did Butters' grandma call him Butterballs or something? I've noticed that the episodes this season have been named after nouns phrases coined by Matt and Trey that, if you don't pay close attention to their context in the episode, go right past your head (Reverse Cowgirl, Faith Hilling, Jewpacabra, Butterballs).

Loved Jesus' appearance as well as the return of Professor Chaos; I got excited when I knew what Butters was gearing up for. I had no problem with the "bathroom confrontations" because either you found the "coincidence" that they kept recurring over and over funny as I did, or otherwise the bathrooms just served as settings to progress the plot. Unlike other "recurring jokes of the week," the bathroom one was not forced at all. And I got a kick out of Mackey crying over the intercom. 5/5

[irvine_11]

Finally, the first episode of the season that had some actual rewatch value! 5/5

[lolcats]

I noticed every single student from the past 10 years appeared in Stan's music video...

[leprechaun_dan]

Where does this episode get its title? Did Butters' grandma call him Butterballs or something?

My guess, which is also debated on IMDb, is that the title is about Butters growing some balls to stand up for himself against his grandma, hence the title Butterballs

[leprechaun_dan]

I never heard of the Kony 2012 crap until now... What is it exactly and how is it in this episode? I seriously don't get it, and I took notes.

I notice how you gave it 4 out of 10.

You should maybe watch some of the Kony stuff including the documentary on YouTube then watch Butterballs again. It'll make you laugh for sure and probably raise your score higher.

[Jesse Pinkman]

only thing that got old were the bathroom scenes, and even some of those, like the one with jesus, were funny.

the ending got a huge laugh out of me, as did the music video.

decent episode with some great laughs. favorite of the season thus far (haven't seen cash for gold or reverse cowgirl yet, so one of them may be my new favorite)

[Inblackestnight]

Finally, the first episode of the season that had some actual rewatch value! 5/5

I'll second that! Up until this ep season 16 had absolutely NO redeemable qualities. With this one not only did I actually laugh for the first time this season but it also had and interesting take on anti-bullying campaigns. There's hope for S16 yet!

[MagicalManFromHappyLand]

I never heard of the Kony 2012 crap until now... What is it exactly and how is it in this episode? I seriously don't get it, and I took notes.

I really, REALLY envy you for that.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

^I still don't know what it is, I have no desire to. I doubt it would've made me enjoy this any further.

[Flimpson Tide]

I haven't watched the actual film, but I've heard enough through the news, college campus events and my own friends that I didn't even have to watch it and I laughed at the Kony 2012 references. I tried watching, but once I saw that for some reason fucking Facebook was pulled in to the first minute of a film about Africa, I was done.

[Jesse Pinkman]

we watched like 5 minutes of it in English, back when it was 'relevant.'

now no one even talks about it. next week is something called 'cover the night for kony' where i guess people were going to continue raising awareness of Kony by putting pictures of him all over towns/cities and the like. i wonder how many will actually do it, because it really seems now no one gives a shit.

[Flimpson Tide]

Well I hope to God they clean up after themselves. Pollution ain't cool.

[Shaunbadia]

It started out great...Cartman's music video analysis, the balls thing, the video that they were producing....then Butters grandmother was stabbing him with a fucking fork!

I don't know quite what to make of this one....I definitely was NOT on board with the "Jackin' it in San Diego" thing....it's an amusing visual.....and I just looked it up and OK...so the guy that made the Kony 2012 thing was seen masturbating in a San Diego street? Fair enough but I don't see why they had to resort to having Stan do the same thing....with a song...rather than giving that part of the story an actual conclusion.

On the plus side, Butters standing up for himself was great...sorta got let down by the Chaos appearence though (His Grandmother's costume? Nightmare Fuel!), although that bit with him telling his Grandmother that she would die someday was really depressing, even if she was an evil bitch.

One last thing....Mr. Mackey crying actually...tugged my heartstrings a bit...don't know why...but it did.

The songs helped bring this up to a 3/5...a 10 year old jerking off in public as opposed to an actual conclusion kept the score from going any higher.

[leprechaun_dan]

^I still don't know what it is, I have no desire to. I doubt it would've made me enjoy this any further.

Well I know a whole bunch of people who hated this episode had never seen or read about the Kony 2012 campaign or The Cypress Ranch Lip Dub

Then those people researched that stuff, watched the episode again and loved it much better than before

[leprechaun_dan]

Also,

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

Well I know a whole bunch of people who hated this episode had never seen or read about the Kony 2012 campaign or The Cypress Ranch Lip Dub

Then those people researched that stuff, watched the episode again and loved it much better than before

But do I really have to get into that stuff? Do I have to constantly look at Reddit in order to get what South Park is parodying at? I'm not a member of the mainstream internet nor do I want to go through the trouble of getting back into the whole "internet culture" business.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Yeah, I feel like an old man whenever I mention this, but I miss the really old South Park episodes that still had pop culture/recent events topics, but didn't devote entire seasons to them.

[leprechaun_dan]

Being an American show, Americans will understand the references a lot clearer. I had a problem with The Poor Kid. I had absolutely no understanding of the Penn State jokes. Until I researched it, and when I did, I found the episode a lot funnier. Nobody's telling you to get into that stuff, it's just that these days it seems as if Trey and Matt are convinced that their viewers are up-to-date with the latest news even though most of us aren't.