Few South Park episodes redeem themselves as significantly as their latest, "Cock Magic." As show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone wrap up their 18th season, they decide to dispel any stinging pop culture jabs or cultural relevance, in favor of making some good ole' fashioned jokes about male genitalia. Believe it or not, though, it works.
Mind you, however, this episode's title doesn't quite mean what you think. For in this week's episode, the focus is on Kenny, Eric, Stan and Kyle getting involved in the most extreme form of card fighting there is: cock fighting. This is where crooks meet behind Chinese restaurants across the city to see roosters and chickens battle it out on some kind of card game that's a cross between Yu-Gi-Oh and Wizard. As the competitive card game grows more popular, however, Stan's dad, Randy, misunderstands the name of the game, as one would expect, and believes his —shall we say—unique form of magic tricks from his college days is back in fashion.
Oddly, the episode is at its weakest whenever it centers squarely on the boys. Their central jokes, centered on the competitive nature they have towards nerdy games — all while their female companions get belittled for their interest in playing an actual sport, volleyball— are often predictable and stale. While this kind of commentary is necessary, it feels a couple years too late to be in its prime. As such, the boys serve primarily as carriers for the show creator's double entendre jokes. But even gags centered on middle-aged men tell eight-year-old boys they have a "nice cock" gets a little old after five or so times.
When Randy is in the central frame of the show, however, hold the phones. For his subplot, while simple and fairly low-brow, is about as exceptional as anything South Park has created this season. His magic shows, both at a child's birth party and a key scene towards the climax of the episode, are absolutely stellar, and create some of the best comedy gold Parker and Stone have created in years. In short, Randy not only steals this episode, but makes it work altogether. He does get a little bit of help from some key characters along the way, though.
Or at least one character, that is: Detective Harris Yates. Yates can be a hit-or-miss character, but his desire to stop cock magic, while also misunderstanding how it could be anything but roosters playing hardcore card games, gets some good mileage this week. Even when it gets on the verge of getting old, the one latter aforementioned scene above makes it worth the ride and then some.
Though, after building up a solid season-long joke of having all ten episodes in this bunch be connected, South Park has sadly thrown this potential to the waist-side, especially of late. After building up such promise with the first three episodes, it seems that the only thing the show creators have decided to do is have characters drink gluten-free PBR or mention Lorde in passing. It feels forced and lazy, sometimes both. At this point, it feels necessary that the creators either give up on it entirely or make some good use of their master plan once-and-for-all.
Despite some predictable jokes and a so-so start, "Cock Magic" could very well become one of season 18's brightest episodes. Though it lacks the political and social commentary that has made the show so great over the years, it's throwing-care-to-the-wind mentality this week actually pays off for once. Where an earlier episode like "The Magic Bush" tried to play on this same low-brow genitalia humor, only to get boggled down by an overwrought storyline, "Cock Magic" keeps this decidedly simple.
While penis jokes are no stretch for Parker and Stone, as exhibited in episodes like 12th season's "Eek, a Penis," much like another episode this season, "Freemium Isn't Free," "Cock Magic" finds a way to build itself up, making for one of the most memorable and occasionally gut-busting episodes of the season.
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