| South Park | |
|---|---|
| Season 12 | |
 Home media release cover | |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Comedy Central |
| Original release | March 12 (2008-03-12) – November 19, 2008 (2008-11-19) |
| Season chronology | |
← Previous Season 11 Next → Season 13 | |
| List of episodes | |
The twelfth season ofSouth Park, an Americananimatedtelevision series created byTrey Parker andMatt Stone, began airing on March 12, 2008. The twelfth season concluded after 14 episodes on November 19, 2008.Saturday Night Live cast memberBill Hader is credited as a consultant starting with this season. Parker was the director and writer in this twelfth season. Stone was also the writer on the third episode of the twelfth season.
This season features a new title sequence, replacing the one used since thesixth season. It recreates the original to begin with before using clips from seasonsfour toeleven which the boys also sing their lines over. These older clips are replaced every half season with newer ones.
In the first half of the season,Mr. Kitty returns to prominence in "Major Boobage" for the first time sinceseason three's "Cat Orgy", while Terrance and Phillip haven't featured prominently sinceseason five's "Terrance and Phillip: Behind the Blow". Canada last featured prominently as a setting inseason seven's "It's Christmas in Canada". Most notably in this season is Ms. Garrison's second sex change, returning her to being a man, as Mr. Garrison again: "Eek, A Penis!" is the last episode to date to explore Garrison's much examined sexuality. "Super Fun Time" indicates that following "The List",Stan andWendy Testaburger are dating again.
The second half of the season begins with "The China Probrem", which marks the return ofSteven Spielberg andGeorge Lucas who are again portrayed as villains, despite seemingly dying inseason six's "Free Hat". There is also the one two-part story: "Pandemic" and "Pandemic 2: The Startling". The following episode "About Last Night" parodiesBarack Obama's victory in the2008 presidential elections the night before. The episode was written and animated under the assumption Obama would win which turned out to be correct. Parker and Stone said they had considered intentionally redubbing the episode poorly ifJohn McCain had won. This episode also revealed the political alliances of several citizens. "The Ungroundable" marks the return of theGoth Kids who last featured inseason nine's "Erection Day".
Kenny McCormick does not die in this season.
The season received oneEmmy Award and, in May 2009, aWebby Award.[1]
The twelfth season ofSouth Park has been met with mostly positive reviews from critics and fans. Travis Fikett ofIGN gave the season 7.5/10, saying that it was "good" and "Season 12 isn't bad, it's just not that great. There are a number of misfires and no truly classic episodes. That's a rarity for a series that often has fans calling up friends the next morning to say "Oh my God, did you seeSouth Park?".[2]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [3] | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 168 | 1 | "Tonsil Trouble" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | March 12, 2008 (2008-03-12) | 1201 | 3.07[4][5] |
| 169 | 2 | "Britney's New Look" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | March 19, 2008 (2008-03-19) | 1202 | 2.97[5] |
The boys try to get a photo of pop singing trainwreckBritney Spears to cash in on the news reporting her latest social faux pas, but when Britney survives a suicide attempt that leaves her with most of her head missing, the boys soon discover the real reason behind Britney's downfall and try to save her from further exploitation. | |||||||
| 170 | 3 | "Major Boobage" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | March 26, 2008 (2008-03-26) | 1203 | 3.60[5] |
In this homage to the 1981 filmHeavy Metal, the boys worry when Kenny becomes addicted to sniffing cat urine in order to get high. Meanwhile, Cartman takes in all of South Park's cats and Kyle's dad relapses into being addicted to sniffing cat urine. | |||||||
| 171 | 4 | "Canada on Strike" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | April 2, 2008 (2008-04-02) | 1204 | 2.80[5] |
The head of the World Canadian Bureau (nicknamed the "WGA") leads the country into a strike over residual money made by the Internet. Meanwhile, the South Park boys try to turn Butters into the latest viral video star, in order to make money to give to Canada. | |||||||
| 172 | 5 | "Eek, a Penis!" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | April 9, 2008 (2008-04-09) | 1205 | 3.50[6][5] |
While Mrs. Garrison goes on sabbatical to reverse her sex change and become Mr. Garrison again, Cartman becomes a strict teacher whose unorthodox methods are needed in an inner city school. | |||||||
| 173 | 6 | "Over Logging" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | April 16, 2008 (2008-04-16) | 1206 | 3.13[5] |
In this homage toJohn Steinbeck'sThe Grapes of Wrath, the Marsh family heads west after the Internet connection goes down nationwide. | |||||||
| 174 | 7 | "Super Fun Time" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | April 23, 2008 (2008-04-23) | 1207 | 3.08[5] |
While the kids are on an educational field trip to a living museum, Cartman forces Butters to sneak away from the class to go to the amusement center, located next door. And during while they both are away and separated from class, museum's cast and rest of class are suddenly heldhostage by a group ofthieves andburglars. Therefore, cast of museum and class must face this onslaught andwrath ofarmed robbery. | |||||||
| 175 | 8 | "The China Probrem" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | October 8, 2008 (2008-10-08) | 1208 | 3.73[5] |
Cartman and Butters invade a P.F. Chang's after Cartman thinks the Chinese will overtake America. Meanwhile, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny are traumatized after seeingthe latest Indiana Jones movie. Note: This episode was dedicated toIsaac Hayes the voice ofChef. | |||||||
| 176 | 9 | "Breast Cancer Show Ever" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | October 15, 2008 (2008-10-15) | 1209 | 2.85[7] |
Wendy is fed up with Cartman's jokes when he makes fun of her report onbreast cancer, and challenges him to a fight. | |||||||
| 177 | 10 | "Pandemic" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | October 22, 2008 (2008-10-22) | 1210 | 2.78[8] |
In the first half of a two-part special, world faces a wave of Peruvianpan flute bands. The boys ask for Craig's financial support to form a pan flute band of their own, while the government tries to decide how to handle the "pandemic". | |||||||
| 178 | 11 | "Pandemic 2: The Startling" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | October 29, 2008 (2008-10-29) | 1211 | 3.08[9] |
Part 2 of 2. The boys are lost in theAndes Mountains where they discover the startling secret behind the attack of the giant guinea pigs. Meanwhile, Randy bravely documents the destruction while trying to save his family. | |||||||
| 179 | 12 | "About Last Night..." | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | November 5, 2008 (2008-11-05) | 1212 | 3.60[10] |
Following the2008 US presidential election,Barack Obama catches everyone off guard when he arrives at theWhite House prematurely. Meanwhile, the Barack Obama supporters of South Park celebrate Obama's victory while the John McCain supporters fear the end of the world and take shelter. | |||||||
| 180 | 13 | "Elementary School Musical" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | November 12, 2008 (2008-11-12) | 1213 | 2.96[11] |
The boys realize they are the only kids at school who are not hit by the newHigh School Musical fad, making everyone in school break out in song. | |||||||
| 181 | 14 | "The Ungroundable" | Trey Parker | Trey Parker | November 19, 2008 (2008-11-19) | 1214 | 3.29[12] |
Avampire fad is spreading at South Park Elementary, thanks to the movieTwilight. Butters believes that the students interested in this culture are actualvampires and becomes tempted to join them. Meanwhile, theGoth kids are finding their style is becoming mistaken with the new fad and set out to stop it. | |||||||
South Park: The Complete Twelfth Season was released as a three-discRegion 1 DVDbox set in the USA on March 10, 2009, nearly one year after it had begun broadcast on television.
| South Park – The Complete Twelfth Season | |||
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 United States |  United Kingdom | ||
March 10, 2009 | 24 May 2009 | ||
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