The Television Shows That Just Won't Die

So, for christmas I got South Park Season 5 and The Simpsons Season Seven. I've recently finished watching both.

I guess I'll tell you what I think about them...

Starting with the lesser of the two, Season Five of South Park is one of the shows better years, but there's still the occasional clunker in it. The highlights though make it well worth it.

Easily the best of the bunch are Super Best Friends, Scott Tenorman Must Die, Cartmanland, Here Comes the Neighborhood and Butter's Very Own Episode. All of them stand as some of the series best episodes. From the evil cult of David Blaine, to the depths of Cartman's hatred and Butter's twisted family life, it's all pretty hilarious. The only features on the set are the mini commentaries by Stone and Parker. Mostly they're just behind the scenes stuff, but there are a few occasionally informative things they have to say. Probably not worth the asking price, but it was a present, so it was worth it for me, and it's all pretty damn funny.

The Simpsons set, now there's something worth owning. It is hands down the single best season the show has ever had, and if you disagree, well, that'd just make you wrong. just look at the episode list (thanks to someone over at Amazon):

Who Shot Mr. Burns? (2) - In this, a continuation of a storyline started in the sixth season's finale, the identity of Mr. Burns' would-be assassin is revealed.

Radioactive Man - A Radioactive Man movie is being filmed in Springfield, and Milhouse gets the role as his sidekick Bart so desperately wanted.

Home Sweet Home-Dum-Diddly Doodly - Marge and Homer are accused of being bad parents and their kids are sent to live with the Flanders family.

Bart Sells His Soul - During an argument in church about whether or not souls exist, Bart sells his to Milhouse for five dollars.

Lisa The Vegetarian - An encounter with a very cute lamb at a petting zoo makes Lisa question whether eating meat is right.

Treehouse Of Horror VI - In this year's Halloween trilogy, billboards come to life and wreak havoc on Springfield, a recently-deceased Willie attacks children in their dreams, and Homer gets trapped in the third dimension.

King-Size Homer - Homer intentionally gains additional weight so that he can qualify for a disability that will let him work from home.

Mother Simpson - Homer's long-lost mother returns to his life after nearly a quarter of a century, and this makes the family question where she has been the whole time.

Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming - Sideshow Bob returns yet again, this time threatening Springfield with an atomic weapon at the city's air show.

The Simpson's 138th Show Spectacular - Troy McClure hosts a special, featuring rare and deleted footage, fan letters, alternate endings, and plenty of other interesting stuff.

Marge Be Not Proud - When Bart is caught attempting to shoplift a video game, he tries his best to keep it a secret from his family.

Team Homer - Homer gets fed up with the league nights at the bowling alley hogging the lanes, so he forms his own bowling team.

Two Bad Neighbors - Former president George Herbert Walker Bush moves in across from the Simpsons, and trouble quickly ensues between him and Homer.

Scenes From A Class Struggle In Springfield - Marge meets a friend she hasn't seen since high school, who has long since become high-class material.

Bart The Fink - Bart's actions in an attempt to get an autograph from Krusty result in tax problems for Krusty, which drive him to insanity.

Lisa The Iconoclast - Lisa discovers some shocking truths about the man who founded Springfield around the same time a founder's day celebration is planned.

Homer The Smithers - Mr. Burns demands an overworked Smithers take a vacation, and Homer fills in for him during his time off.

The Day The Violence Died - Bart discovers the true creator of Itchy and Scratchy, who he successfully convinces to sue the studio owner. Unfortunately, this causes the studio to go bankrupt, resulting in the end of Itchy and Scratchy cartoons.

A Fish Called Selma - During a law-mandated visit to the DMV to have his eyesight checked, Troy McClure meets Selma, and oddly enough, the two fall in love.

Bart On The Road - When Bart is forced to spend a day observing Patty and Selma at the DMV, he makes his own fake ID, and uses to have all kinds of fun around town.

22 Short Films About Springfield - Essentially, the title of this episode says exactly what it is.

The Curse of the Flying Hellfish - Grampa entertains Bart with his stores of when he fought in World War II, alongside the fathers of many of the best-known men in Springfield.

Much Apu About Nothing - Apu reveals to the Simpsons he is an illegal alien, and this ultimately causes Homer to stop hating immigrants who enter the country illegally.

Homerpalooza - Homer gets a job with a traveling music/freak show, getting shot in the chest with a cannon.

Summer Of 4'2" - For the summer, the Simpson family and Milhouse go to a coastal town to spend time at the Flanders family's beach house.

There isn't a bad episode to be found, and I'd be hard pressed to pick out my favorite of the bunch. Lisa the Iconoclast does contain the absolute funniest line of dialogue ever spoken on TV though, and Bart on the Road probably ranks in my top five of all time, as does 22 Short Films. But they're all classics. In fact, in a Top 25 list every episode except Part 2 of Who Shot Mr. Burns (easily the weakest episode of the season) would be present. And here's a little tidbit for all you Beatles fans out there- Lisa the Vegetarian has an alternate version of Maybe I'm Amazed, inserted into the song is Paul's recipe for Lentil Soup, backwards. There's Homer in 3d, something that pushed the boundaries of animation when it was created, Homer in a mumu, Sideshow Bob's best appearence (in my opinion), the 138th Spectacular hosted by Troy McClure- the best clip show ever made, Team Homer and Homer the Smithers are some of the best Burns material ever written, Homer vs Bush is friggin hilarious and a Fish Called Selma is more Troy, always a good thing. Like I said, the single best season ever. If I had to choose one TV DVD set to take on a desert island it would probably be Firefly (Ha!), but this would be a pretty close second.

-L