(S18E16)I was sick, that's why this review is late. Onward:

I may be a Simpsons apologist, but that doesn't mean I don't understand where people are coming from when they say the show isn't what it used to be. Even those like myself who defend the series for still being one of the smartest and funniest shows on television can still recognize a lesser episode, and this episode was certainly not the best one of the season.

Some enterprising World of Warcraft players have recreated the opening to Battlestar Galactica using graphics and scenes from the game in a machinima video that ain't half bad. Gnomes, Cylons ... what's not to love? Although it really makes me jones for the show to return to the airwaves that much faster. When is a network going to finally get the right idea and put on an entire machinima show? When Red vs. Blue comes to television, then I'll stop ranting. Until then, enjoy a little BSG in your WSG.

Apologies to those of you who have never played WoW, as this won't make much sense. Just embrace the Battlestar love and run with it.

If you are tired of venturing up into the triple digits on your cable box to get some Quake or Halo tournament action, CBS has a little something for you. Game Daily Biz reports that the network, along with CSTV and VOOM HD Networks, is part of a plan to make the World Series of Video Games the most covered gaming event in history.

CBS will air a one hour special called "They Got Game" which follows five up and coming professional gamers as they make their way through the World Series. That will be followed up by a five week series on CSTV (Colleg Sports Television) that covers the tournament as players compete in Counterstrike 1.6, Quake 4, Warcraft III, Halo 2, Project Gotham Racing, and Ghost Recon. The finals will also be streamed live at cstv.com.

That's all well and good, but I don't really see this as any kind of a breakthrough for gaming. It is some form of network exposure, to be sure, but at the end of the day I just don't think there is a big audience for professional gaming. If that audience was there, G4 wouldn't be the mess that it is today. And that's not meant to belittle gamers or gaming. I think someone like Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel has put in the time perfecting his craft and could be put on the same level as other professional athletes. I just don't think there are a lot of people that want to watch him do it. Pro gaming is still closer to professional lumberjack competition than it is to the NFL.

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(S10E08)

Cartman: You can just hang around outside all day tossing a ball around, or you can sit at your computer and do something that matters.

I think I can say with almost absolute certainty that South Park is the first television show in history where a character actually uses the word "pwnage." Since I'm online doing this here blogging thing all the time I caught that particular phrase, though there was a lot in this show I didn't understand, since I've neither seen nor played Warcraft before. The episode gently mocked those who do nothing but play Warcraft, but at the same time, it made it clear what an awesome game it is. It was funny to watch everyone become so immersed in the game they begin to think of it as real life, but it did make me think back to my younger days when a particularly difficult Nintendo game would cause me to throw my controller across the room in anger. I guess we're all susceptible to the allure of these games. Well, not all of us, but those of us with nerdly tendencies. Truth be told, I think that, like Butters, Hello Kitty Island Adventure is more up my alley.