Tegridy Farms Lacks Integrity

South Park, Season 23, Episode 2, “Band in China” Review

I guess that South Park is sticking with the Tegridy Farms thing for the long haul, to my mild annoyance. Last week’s season premiere had a good premise, but it got mired in its confusing messages, and two plots that barely connected to each other. This week saw South Park focus bash on one thing, though: China censorship’s. It helped the episode have a more cohesive plot.

Kissing Up to China

In his continued bid to make sure everyone buys Tegridy weed, Randy decides to start selling in China. Because no one else has come up with that 🙄. Turns out marijuana’s illegal in China, though, so he gets arrested and thrown in prison along with Winnie the Pooh and Piglet.

I actually had no idea that Winnie the Pooh was banned in China. I don’t really see how the Chinese President resembles him, though. It was a nice way to segue into Disney’s China troubles, which Randy throws himself into.

Stan’s Death Metal

Back in the US, Stan tries coping with living on a farm he loathes and his dad’s ignorance towards him. So he forms a death metal band and tries getting a biopic to leave the farm. He then runs into the same problem his dad has: dealing with the Chinese.

Matt Stone and Trey Parker have been very vocal about their views on free speech: it’s all okay, or none of it is. They’ve proven they’re not afraid to say what they want, even if they get death threats. So this episode has them use Stand and Randy as their mouthpieces to express their views. Through Randy, they chew China out over their censorship laws, while Stan takes aim at Hollywood’s dependence on China these days. The message is clear: they’re ripping on Hollywood for sucking up to China, to put it kindly.

That’s where the similarities end, though, as the two Marshes are different men. Stan refuses to kiss up to China’s censors, and gets the integrity that his dad claims to have. We all know that Randy has no integrity left, as his speech about integrity becomes a sales pitch for Tegridy weed. Randy then sinks even lower by murdering Winnie the Pooh to appease China. Not. Cool.

I Hate Tegridy Farms

I still don’t like Tegridy Farms and want to see it burn down before the season’s done. Now that I know that Stan hates it, too, I may actually see it happen. If Matt and Trey stay the course, I think Stan and Randy will go to war with each other over integrity. If I’m lucky, Tegridy Farms will die. Tegridy Farms has no integrity.

I Give “Band in China” a 3.5/5. Better than last week, but not best the show can do.

Stray Observsations

• Favorite Quote of the Episode by Mickey Mouse: “South Park, do I own that?” “Not yet, sir!”

• We finally see Kenny again!
• The return of the boy band “Fingerbang” and the four boys hang out again
• Kyle and Cartman get out of the detention camp with no explanation or resolution 🙁

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