South Park Season 29, Episode 5 Review: 'We Be Clubbin''

Full spoilers ahead for South Park Season 29, Episode 5!

I think we can officially give up on the notion of South Park Season 29 having any real sort of overarching narrative. Episode 5 comes and goes without even a nod to the recurring "GTA VI is coming" gag, much less an attempt to build on the previous episodes in a significant way. The series has clearly swung back around to emphasizing standalone stories and trying to dig deeper into its ensemble cast. On paper, that's hardly the worst idea in the world, but for the third episode in a row, the execution leaves something to be desired.

I actually had pretty high hopes for "We Be Clubbin'." The Tweek/Craig relationship is one of the more low-key charming subplots in the series, and these two are long overdue for some time in the spotlight. This episode acknowledges as much when Cartman realizes to his horror that he and his classmates forgot the duo's anniversary. But for as much potential as a Heated Rivalry parody with Tweek and Craig in the lead roles had, this episode doesn't do enough to capitalize on that potential.

Once again, you have an episode that's guilty of beating the same horse over and over again till it's well past dead. This time the topic du jour is club sports and the predatory way they consume families' time, money, and sanity. In that sense, Tweek and his already anxiety-ridden family are perfect vessels through which to attack the institution. The problem, as is too often the case with South Park, is that the same jokes get repeated over and over again. We can only spend so long watching Tweek's parents wake up at 5:00, rush around the state, whipo out the old credit card, and deal with the other overachieving parents before the humor is just gone.

I mainly wish this episode had actually focused on Tweek and Craig more. What we do get from "We Be Clubbin'" in terms of relationship drama is pretty satisfying, but there's just not enough of that element. I would have liked the episode to fully commit to spoofing Heated Rivalry and get into the actual sports more (though I suppose that's the whole joke - there are no sports in club sports). It might also have helped if we saw more of Cartman and the gang sprinkled throughout the episode. But after the opening couple of scenes, those characters all but disappear from the episode.

Coming into Episode 5, I was also intensely curious to see how the show would reference the recent midterm elections. There's been a strong sense all season long that the writers really aren't that interested in focusing on topical political humor this season, and that's basically confirmed in the opening scene where Mr. Garrison reminds us it's no fun to punch down on "a fat loser." That scene is pretty entertaining in its brief acknowledgement of recent events, particularly as PC Principal drops the Power Christian shtick and returns to his old ways. I was also amused by the attempt to circle back around to the midterms at the end with Tweek's line, "You got swindled by a fat con man who played into your anxieties."

Episode 5 at least its head in the right place. It focuses on current events opnly as much as is strictly necessary before pivoting to a more standalone story geared around two underutilized characters. It just doesn't make the most of its premise or ultimately focus on said characters enough. And so Season 29's rough patch continues. Can the long-awaited arrival of GTA finally turn things around in the season finale? Let's hope so.