South Park - The Complete Second Season
Now that enough time has lapsed, we can all have a good laugh overSouth  Parkcreators Trey Parker and Matt Stone's amusing little April Fools  prank, in which they kicked off the show's second season not with the  conclusion to season one's cliffhanger that would reveal the identity of  Cartman's father, but with an all-Terrance, all-Phillip, all-farting episode,  "Not Without My Anus." The ensuing outcry illustrated just how seriously its  devoted fans takeSouth Park. There is little evidence of sophomore  slump in this three-disc collection of 18 episodes that continue the  coming-of-age trials of third graders Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny.  There  is considerable shock value just in the episode titles alone, among them  "Cojoined Fetus Lady,"  "Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson," and the  infamous "Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut." But mostly, the episodes  are just--in Cartman's words--hella funny. "Spookyfish" is a creepfest  about a killer fish, possessed animals, and alien alter egos (in which the  so-called Evil Cartman is much nicer than the real Cartman) presented in  Spookyvision, with pictures of Barbra Streisand framing the screen. "Chef's  Salty Chocolate Balls" is a hilarious send-up of the Sundance Film Festival  and the indie film scene that marks the return of Mr. Hankey, the Christmas  Poo, and ends with the burial of Robert Redford in excrement.As always, hard-earned life lessons provideSouth Parkwith fertile territory for  skewed and subversive social commentary. In "Chicken Lover," Ayn Rand'sAtlas Shruggedis an argument against literacy. "Underwear Gnomes"  makes a strong case for corporate takeover of local family business.  It is  difficult to respect Warner Bros.' "authoritah" with the scant DVD extras.   There are no commentaries, but Parker and Stone are present to introduce most  of the episodes, each of which they proclaim to be their favorite. But their  incarnations as abusive retirement center entertainers and as the hosts of an  all-bacon cooking show fall flat. Bring back Rootin'-Tootin' Trey Parker and  Pistol-Slingin' Matt Stone from theSeason Oneset!--Donald  Liebenson