“South Park” is among the finest cartoons of contemporary occasions, stuffed with biting commentary, hilarious conditions, and a complete city’s value of memorable facet characters. The present’s humor has made it form of a cultural Rorschach check for over 1 / 4 of a century, having earned legions of defenders but additionally individuals who have tried to ban it and yielding many opinions on whether or not the satire is efficient or simply plain offensive.
A part of the enchantment of “South Park” is the way in which it parodies popular culture and celebrities, which have had combined reactions by its topics. Reportedly, Tom Cruise hated his portrayal, as did Ed Sheeran, whereas others beloved to be part of the present, like many of the Jonas Brothers and George Clooney (the latter of whom was an necessary early supporter of the collection).
One of many present’s finest parodies is its three-episode “Game of Thrones” parody, during which the kids of South Park cut up into factions over which gaming console they’re all shopping for on Black Friday, whereas Randy Marsh works with the mall safety to fend off the hordes of psychopathically violent discount buyers.
George R.R. Martin himself is parodied in a kind of three episodes, and when he was requested at a Q&A event about his response to the episode, he was surprisingly constructive. “I am glad they have been comparatively mild with me,” Martin stated. “Once they let you know that you simply’re gonna be in ‘South Park’ and also you bear in mind what they’ve performed to Tom Cruise or Barbra Streisand, you reside in terror, however they have been comparatively mild with me.”
Although Martin didn’t appear offended or indignant concerning the parody, he did have one massive nitpick together with his portrayal on “South Park.” As he advised Clevver News, the present made one egregious mistake on his most well-liked anatomical half. “My character on ‘South Park’ is obsessed about weenies. I’ve to disclaim this as a scurrilous rumor,” Martin clarified. “I’ve nothing towards weenies, weenies are superb, however I’m not obsessive about weenies. I’m positively on the boobies facet of the equation. They picked the incorrect equation for me: boobies, not weenies.”
‘The dragons are simply nonetheless on the way in which’
The “Game of Thrones” parody trilogy is a part of the most effective seasons of “South Park,” and it is an excellent parody, poking enjoyable at its topic’s many flaws whereas additionally being unequivocally a homage to its finest qualities. Within the case of those three episodes, it is easy to take pleasure in them as a real “Game of Thrones” fan, whereas additionally laughing on the means it verbalizes a few of the criticisms of the present, which rang true for not less than the primary handful of seasons.
Watching the parody in 2025, it is hilarious how a few of the children’ complaints — like Daenerys’ dragons taking endlessly to “present up and kick everybody’s butt” — ended up being disappointments within the precise present. The recurring joke of Cartman within the “backyard of betrayal” poking enjoyable on the many, many backstabbings in “Game of Thrones” is persistently humorous, whereas the literal bloodshed throughout Black Friday, with the mall safety workforce echoing the Night time’s Watch, is an efficient homage to the epic battles within the present that captivated audiences all over the world for practically a decade.
And certain, as Martin identified, there are nowhere close to as many wieners in “Game of Thrones” as there are on these three episodes of “South Park.” And but, this dumb joke additionally gave us the only finest parody of the “Game of Thrones” intro music, with a choir singing about wieners in one of many three episodes.
