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South Park: The Complete Seventeenth Season (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

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2K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Ralph Potts 
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Check out our review of the 17th season of this popular TV comedy that follows the misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado.



The Review at a Glance:
(max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )

85



Details:

Studio and Year: Comedy Central/Paramount HE - 2013
MPAA Rating: NR
Feature running time: 220 minutes
Genre: Comedy/TV

Disc Format: BD-25
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.78:1
Resolution: 1080i/60

Audio Format(s): Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English SDH
Starring: Matt Stone, Trey Parker
Directed by: Trey Parker
Written by: Matt Stone, Trey Parker, Brian Graden
Region Code: A,B,C

Blu-ray Disc release Date: September 16, 2014


"Four boys one completely dysfunctional town"


My Take:

All ten episodes from South Park's epic 17th season are stuffed into this exclusive two-disc set. Join Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Princess Kenny as they infiltrate the NSA, thwart patient zero, tame some strange and fight in the greatest battle of their young, hot lives. Throw in some big floppy never-before-seen deleted scenes to dangle in your face and you've got a box set that will make everyone jelly. Yummy yummy!


I was late to the South Park phenomena and didn’t start watching it until a few years ago. I haven’t followed it religiously but catch up by recording them on my TIVO and watching when time permits. My kids are huge fans and have watching episodes from the show’s website but sorely miss the flexibility and commercial free option of Netflix streaming (which is no longer available much to their chagrin). This is a show unlike any other animated series, both in appearance and creative concept. It stretches the boundaries of propriety to its limits and could easily be offensive to those with thin skins. If you look at it for what it is you are sure to be rewarded with deep belly laughs at its unending barrage of crude themes, blunt use of language, and unconventional plots. No stone seems left unturned when it comes to poking fun at celebrities, politicians and society in general. Season 17 has its share of hilarious inappropriateness some of which is priceless.

This season puts the South Park spin on subjects like Social Media, puberty, school subcultures, Black Friday mania, the popular Game of Thrones HBO series, the effects of TV violence, setting up the story for Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s recently released video game "South Park: The Stick of Truth" and more. While it all sounds a bit ridiculous or absurd it has a proven formula that works. The four mischievous imps Eric, Kyle, Kenny, and Stan along with their parents/families/classmates provide us with much to laugh at. I think that what brings about such hilarity sometimes is how much the show makes us take a look at ourselves and some of life’s experiences that resemble those of the inhabitants of South Park. Note that I said SOME because I assure you that not all apply.

Regardless of whether you feel that way or not the show is entertaining, original and honest in its attempt to illicit audience reaction and that is where it succeeds. We caught all of this season’s episodes when they were originally broadcast but it was fun revisiting our favorites here. All 10 episodes are spread out over two Blu-ray Discs with Disc 1 containing episodes 1 through 5 and Disc 2 containing episodes 6 through 10. The set comes housed in a flimsy cardboard foldout keep case with matching slipcover.


Parental Guide:

This show contains thematic elements and language that would be inappropriate for young viewers.


AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100/EXCELLENT = 83-91/GOOD = 74-82/AVERAGE = 65-73/BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**



Audio: 80
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


  • Dynamics:
  • Low frequency effects:
  • Surround Sound presentation:
  • Clarity/Detail:
  • Dialogue Reproduction:
  • Low frequency extension * (non-rated element): NA

Video: 90
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


  • Resolution/Clarity:
  • Black Level/Shadow Detail:
  • Color Reproduction:
  • Fleshtones:
  • Compression:


South Park: The Complete Seventeenth Season comes to Blu-ray Disc from Paramount Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 14 Mbps and lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Channel sound that has an average bitrate of 2.1 Mbps.

This is a great looking video presentation that boasts snappy, vibrant colors that enhance the show’s animated elements. Images are razor sharp with clear definition that brings out plenty of subtle delineation in the characters and backgrounds. This was evident in the patterned texture in the clothing worn by the kids. A similar pattern is shared by objects, backgrounds and to varying degrees in the clothing, hair and other characters. The show’s one dimensional animation doesn’t offer much in terms of depth of image but resolution was excellent which enhanced the perception of small details onscreen. I was impressed with the shading, contrast, and blacks which noticeably stood out compared to the standard backgrounds/scenery typically seen. Other than some minor color banding I didn’t see any video related artifacts worth noting.

The show doesn’t have the type of sound that calls for demanding multi-channel audio but this Dolby TrueHD surround mix certainly made the most of it. Dialogue had lucid distinction and requisite clarity through the center channel so that it maintained a prominent position within the front soundstage. Channel separation and directional spacing across the front three channels was quite good. The track has a front dominant perspective however the surrounds were used effectively to open up the sound field to enhance spatial presence. The show’s music is spread out over the entire system and supplies most of the room filling sound which is nicely underscored by punchy bass that accentuates impact. Detail and clarity were discerning which elevated the perception of smaller sounds within the recording. This mix won’t will blow you away but for an animated TV series it sounded great.


Bonus Features:
  • Mini audio commentary by Matt Stone and Trey Parker on each episode
  • Deleted scenes
  • *Blu-ray Exclusive* #SocialCommentary on each episode
  • Season 15 Episode listing:
  • 1701: Let Go, Let Gov
  • 1702: Informative murder porn
  • 1703: World War Zimmerman
  • 1704: Goth kids: Dawn of the posers
  • 1705: Taming strange
  • 1706: Ginger cow
  • 1707: Black Friday
  • 1708: A song of ass and fire
  • 1709: Titties and dragons
  • 1710: The Hobbit





Final Thoughts:

South Park: The Complete 17th Season is another successful installment in the continuing misadventures of the gang from this rather bizarre little town. The show’s crude style of humor may not appeal to everyone but if given half a chance Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Eric will succeed at drawing you into their world. This two disc season 17 set comes to Blu-ray Disc from Paramount looking and sounding great. The lack of bonus supplements is a disappointment although Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s commentary on each episode never fails to entertain. As a fan I am glad to add this to my collection and applaud Paramount for bringing it to Blu-ray Disc in typical high quality fashion. Enjoy!







Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews



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