Reviewed by Michael Edwards
Stars the voices of Will Matthews, Peter Paige, Billy West, Wilson Cruz,
Taylor M Dooley, Emily Brooke Hands, Margaret Cho, Liza Del Mundo | Written by Q Allan Brocka
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £19.99 DVD Region 2 | Runtime 115 minutes | Directed by Q Allan Brocka
Can you remember how you felt when you saw South Park for the first time? I bet it was a strange combination of guilt and hilarity that brought you close to wetting yourself. And the sad thing is that it was such a long time ago now that you're likely to have forgotten that very special feeling. However, prepare yourself to relive that childish glee that releases all your frustration in the world because Rick and Steve is candid, crude and, best of all, absolutely hilarious.
The short series revamps an original concept that first aired in 1999 when the world wasn't quite ready for a lego style cartoon that took as its topic for lampooning such subjects as sensitive and diverse as gay stereotypes, AIDS, disability, drink and drug culture and interracial relationships. Luckily for us we're all that much older and wiser now and can laugh our asses off as hyper intelligent and sensitive Phillipino Rick and chiselled gym-a-holic Steve play out the relationship dilemmas that plague their otherwise perfect lives. Set in the fictional gay suburb of West Lahunga beach, their antics vary from the urge to have a threesome, debating the merits of donating sperm to their lesbian friends and dealing with a moody, middle-aged man who is wheelchair bound and dealing with AIDS.
Perhaps the greatest quality of the comedy however, is that the wit is incisive and clever without crossing the line to being downright offensive. Whether it's because, like South Park before it, the quirky, low-budget animation style has a simple appeal that cannot fail to charm or whether it is simply that the jokes manage to be playfully distant enough to be close to the bone, there is no doubt that this is a comedy that's well above the standard of recent years. If you're tired of Family Guy, American Dad and all the other animations relying so heavily on contrived randomness this might be the escape for you. But be warned, everything is fair game for the comic genius of Brocka — so leave your sensitivities at home!
EXTRAS **** Two making-of featurettes about the puppets and animation which are far too dull for this DVD, but maybe cool for animation buffs; a bunch of interviews; and the whole selection of early "digisodes", which are light bites that'll make sure you're satisfied when the series has finished.