Maybe it was because I’d already been drinking and acting silly with my best friend during our first girls’ night in ages (we were supposed to watch Scary Movies, but ended up seeing if we could wiggle our ears instead, somehow…), but I thought that the latest episode of South Park, “You’re Getting Old,” was downright hilarious. This is the South Park I’ve missed.

Sure, it had more poo than a Mr. Hanky episode, which wasn’t that interesting—but between the old men mumbling about saving the britches and Stan being labeled a cynical asshole—a condition for which there is no cure!—the majority of the episode made me laugh so hard. Since my husband spent most of the episode staring at me quizzically, I do have to wonder if it was just me (or just the Cherry Pucker) rather than the brilliance of Matt and Trey, but a part of me is really clinging to the idea that this was classic South Park at its best.

I love the idea that everything we like as kids turns to shit as we age, and that everything adults listen to sounds like it to us when we are kids, too. Because that’s pretty much true, isn’t it? Then the two photos side by side of the latest stupid movie (a Kevin James or Adam Sandler or some other piece of crap movie—I can’t remember which it was) and a pile of poo got me laughing for a full minute, at least. Because that’s the truth, isn’t it? Most of what’s pumped out these days—from music to movies—really is garbage, but it’s considered mainstream and pop, so it’s pushed onto us, and the majority of people must enjoy it for it all to make so much money, right?

I felt so much like Stan in this episode. I have friends who don’t want to go to movies with me because, like Stan, I must be some kind of cynical asshole who hates everything, because I criticize them so much. I also don’t like 99.9 pop songs out of 100 that I hear (even though I do enjoy Glee—particularly the more ludicrous, insane episodes), which also frustrates people. Taking a drive with me is no picnic, I’ll concede that point without argument.

The thing is, our DVR cut off the ending of the episode (stupid thing!) and now I have no idea what happened after the whole divorce (didn’t Stan’s parents divorce earlier, too—or at least separate and start dating other people?). If anyone caught the ending, I’d love to hear about it—though I will probably just re-watch it on the link above.

When did the boys turn nine, by the way? Stan is already ten and I don’t remember them aging past age eight. I figured they’d perpetually be eight, like the Peanuts kids were. I guess they age every half decade or so? The nod to giving kids presents “so they don’t feel left out” through Cartman was also pretty funny; I always hated that when I saw it happen. I had two siblings and we all had birthdays in different seasons, so I guess we were used to sharing and watching each other open presents—which is likely more healthy than giving a kid a gift at every party he goes to.