South Park: The Streaming Wars Part 2 (2022) review

Dir. Trey Parker

By: Steve Pulaski

Rating: ★★½

It’s outright bedlam in South Park. The streaming wars have resulted in a catastrophic drought, with waterpark mogul Pi-Pi having strongarm control on the streams and emphasizing the use of urine as a water-replacement. Of course, Pi-Pi has launched his own mega-streaming service called PiPi+, with a marketing campaign rife with celebrities ala Matt Damon because, as he taught us in his famous crypto ad, “fortune favors the brave.” Without many options, Cartman — now with comically large fake breasts — teams up with Tolkien and Butters in order to take Pi-Pi down.

Meanwhile, Randy has gone full Karen. He boasts the classic “let me speak to your manager” haircut, and has all the time in the world to yell at people now that Tegridy Farms is rendered dead due to the drought. But Randy hungers to get back to his geologist roots, for doing so could bring water back to South Park.

Such is the premise for South Park: The Streaming Wars Part 2, the follow-up to last month’s “TV movie event.” The fourth installment in Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s lucrative Paramount+ deal is simply not consistent with the laughs of the previous installment. The irony of Trey and Matt lampooning the lackluster “content” on streaming services while cranking out a plethora of extended South Park episodes for one of many streaming titans sounds like something Trey and Matt themselves would call out.

The Streaming Wars Part 2 does indeed have its moments. While they do feel as if they’re padding out what could’ve been a slightly longer episode of the show, the cameos featuring celebrities like Reese Witherspoon, Larry David, and Gwyneth Paltrow endorsing pee are quite funny. ManBearPig’s extended family is revealed, and Pi-Pi has some scene-stealing moments as well. But once again, the boys feel sidelined in favor of more Randy-centric shenanigans. Kyle has merely three or four lines in this special. Kenny is nowhere to be found. And Stan feels like an after-thought, elbowed out of the plot so Randy can, yet again, take centerstage.

If nothing else, The Streaming Wars Part 2 ribs itself for how long the series has kept the Randy/Tegridy bit alive, and how it’s overcooked it to the point of annoyance. Here’s hoping this is really the end of the stale gag and Randy being the series focal point, although I have my doubts.

My review of South Park: The Pandemic Special
My review of South ParQ: Vaccination Special
My review of South Park: Post COVID
My review of South Park: Post COVID: The Return of COVID
My review of South Park: The Streaming Wars
My review of South Park: Joining the Panderverse
My review of South Park: (Not Suitable for Children)

NOTE: South Park: The Streaming Wars Part 2 is now streaming exclusively on Paramount+.

Voiced by: Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Directed by: Trey Parker.