10/20/2009

in

The South Park boys go to a WWE match and decide to become backyard wrestlers.

Rachel Kolb

The South Park boys all go to a WWE match between John Cena and the Edge, and they decide that their calling in life is to be wrestlers. They sign up for wrestling lessons, and they show up for the first day, confused by what wrestling actually is like. Cartman is surprised to find that real wrestling is, well, kind of gay. The wrestling coach gets angry at the boys, and the boys leave to start their own wrestling match.  
  
The boys set up a backyard wrestling match on their own titled "WTF." Soon, a crowd of rednecks gather with their beers and pick-up trucks. Most of the matches consist of Jerry Springer-esque storylines with Cartman standing in as the evil cheating girlfriend.  
  
Unfortunately, the crowds think that the matches and the storylines are real, and by word of mouth, the wrestling matches start attracting bigger and bigger crowds. Soon, the WWE contacts the boys and tells them that they will be sending out a talent scout and Ed McMahon himself.  
  
With the talent scout coming, the boys start talking about bringing in new blood to take over lead parts from some of the weaker wrestlers including Butters and Token. They hold try-outs and pick out some new wrestlers. Meanwhile, the embittered wrestling coach decides that he will use Ed McMahon's visit to South Park to carry out his revenge against the WWE.  
  
At the match, the wrestling coach shoots a rocket launcher at Ed McMahon, and Kenny gets hit instead. The frustrated wrestling coach gets in the ring and monologues about the problems of being a wrestler in a WWE world. Moved by what he thought was a staged performance, Ed McMahon hires the wrestling coach. The boys all end up fighting, and the show falls apart.  
  
  
  
**Final Thoughts:**  
  
This week's episode was funny, but it didn't have that relevant satirical edge of last season. "Wrestling Is Awesome" was the sort of episode that felt like, aside from a few cultural references, could have been made several seasons back. A so-so episode of "South Park" is still better than most other shows, but still, tonight's episode was a little bit of a let-down. I was hoping for at least a few jokes about "The Wrestler," but no such luck.  
  
  
  
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