Now that South Park is in its 22nd season, you’d think Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s satirical animated series about the denizens of a tiny Colorado town most likely couldn’t be as biting as it once was. Yet with episodes dedicated to mass shootings at schools (again) and child molestation by Catholic priests (again), the Comedy Central staple is still considered one of the most offensive shows ever made. This week, it seems Stone and Parker want to keep it that way with “The Problem with a Poo.”
According to a press release, fan-favorite “Mr. Hankey must defend his character or lose everything that is important to him.” How? By appearing before a committee in a televised hearing, not unlike the recent Senate confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh, who was recently confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court despite massive protests. Per the official logline:
Mr. Hankey’s offensive behavior puts him in jeopardy of being fired as the Director of the Annual Christmas Pageant. Meanwhile, at South Park Elementary, Strong Woman and PC Principal face a whole new set of challenges in their relationship.
That’s not all, of course, for as The Daily Beast’s Matt Wilstein noticed, the episode’s title (“The Problem with a Poo”) bears a striking resemblance to the title of comedian Hari Kondabolu’s documentary (The Problem with Apu) about The Simpsons, which aired last year on truTV. The comic has yet to comment publicly on the matter. As for the episode’s potentially poking fun at its broadcast rival, it wouldn’t be the first time the two shows have traded “friendly” blows.
“The Problem with a Poo” premieres this Wednesday at 10 p.m ET on Comedy Central.
