South Park Perfectly Mocks Space Jam 2’s Failure

You might have missed South Park: Post Covid’s hilarious reference to the not-so-hot reception of Space Jam 2. South Park first aired on Comedy Central in 1997, and the irreverent adult animated series quickly rose to popularity, allowing it to remain in production for over two decades. South Park: Post Covid is available on Paramount+, where it was released exclusively in late November of this year. It is the first in a 14-part spinoff series of short films developed for the platform by original creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

South Park has always had a reputation for satirical social commentary, and the franchise’s recent film is no exception. South Park: Post Covid takes place forty years in the future, and deals with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic within the show’s universe, presenting multiple opportunities for relevant pop culture and political references. The events of the short feature are set into motion following the death of Kenny, who is immortal in South Park and has famously died over 100 times. Following Kenny’s mysterious demise, Stan returns to South Park and is reunited with his old friends.

South Park: Post Covid reveals that both its titular setting and its characters have changed drastically. Every business in South Park has “max” or “plus” added to its name, poking fun at the popularity of streaming services, including the ones on which the show can be accessed. Kyle, Stan, Cartman, and the other original South Park kids are now middle-aged, and Cartman is married with children. The characters in South Park: Post Covid often reference the fact that they are living in “the future”. This gives rise to the film’s scathing Space Jam 2 reference, as an elderly Randy explains the bleakness of the time by saying that “Space Jam 2 came out and we all kinda gave up.”

In reality, Randy’s opinion is not unpopular. Space Jam 2 received overwhelmingly negative reviews from both audiences and critics after the widely spaced sequel hit theaters and HBO Max in mid-July. The most common complaints revolved around the film’s heavy-handed brand associations, mindless pop culture references, and poorly developed, low-stakes storyline. Additionally, as some viewers pointed out, Space Jam 2 suffered from a lack of the cultural context that popularized its predecessor. Whatever the cause, distaste for the film was practically unanimous, and it would seem that the residents of South Park are no exception.

South Park: Post Covid’s Space Jam 2 reference is ironically timely, as the plot takes place decades in the future, yet the movie is still fresh on people’s minds. Randy blaming the film for ruining the future provides a hyperbolic commentary that is undeniably amusing, and many viewers can probably relate to his opinion based on their own experiences and knowledge of the problems with Space Jam 2. Furthermore, although many reactions to South Park: Post Covid have not been very positive, the show’s Space Jam 2 reference serves to remind its audience that there is worse entertainment out there.

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