(S10E04) This episode of South Park, like the last one, was so densely layered that if I were to start picking it apart for the purposes of this review I would risk becoming lost in my own navel, so I'm not going to do that, because it would bore both you and I to death. Also, to be perfectly honest, I haven't made up my mind about the episode. So what you're going to get is my random reflections.

First of all, revealing that Family Guy is written by a tankful of manatees who push "idea balls" into a "joke combine" was the quintessential South Park gag, and the reason I still keep watching even after ten years. Not only was it a clever and irreverent jab at Family Guy, it also makes a point about freedom of speech, as the manatees refuse to write if they're denied to use even one idea. Speaking of freedom of speech, I loved the scene in which President Bush has to explain to reporters what the First Amendment is.

I also loved the irony of Cartman using terrorism to try and get Family Guy off the air, and the sissy slap fight between him and Kyle was the perfect embodiment of the pointlessness of arguing over the merits of Family Guy, or any other cartoon. The final scene, in which the terrorist retaliate by making a cartoon in which President Bush, Jesus, and others crap on themselves and the American flag was a clever way of saying that everything and everyone is fair game, not just Muhammed (who was never shown, but whatever, the point is still taken).