It’s not uncommon for an animated series to have a feature film come out while it’s on the air. Frankly, it’s a surprise that Archer is 12 seasons deep and hasn’t had a movie out in theaters yet. That said, many of those films aren’t considered continuity. At the very least, the movies rarely get discussed in the corresponding TV shows. However, that certainly has not been the case with South Park and its movie, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.
The sole South Park movie came out in 1999, which was only a couple of years after the series debuted in 1997. Naturally, it was filled with offensive comedy and an over-the-top plot that blew a few minds. At the same time, it remains one of the best movies about censorship ever made. And, not surprisingly, there were some incredible musical numbers, something that has made South Park famous over the years.
A long list of main, secondary and minor characters made appearances. Bigger, Longer & Uncut hinged quite heavily on the show’s version of Satan and his romantic relationship with a deceased Saddam Hussein. They ended up together after Season 2, Episode 1, when Saddam was killed after trying to take over Canada. This set up the movie’s plot where Saddam and Satan attempted to use the new Terrance and Phillip movie to instigate their rise to power.
Not only was the movie’s plot a direct extension of the TV series, but the movie also had an ongoing impact on South Park. The odyssey of Saddam and Satan didn’t end in the film. Despite their big-screen breakup, Saddam kept trying to rekindle their romance. It eventually led to Satan becoming a more self-actualized fallen angel who was more comfortable with himself as an individual.
Terrance and Phillip’s journey didn’t end with Bigger, Longer & Uncut either. They would continue to appear in various episodes as South Park‘s depiction of Canada became increasingly bonkers and entertaining. Season 5, Episode 5, was particularly interesting because it featured a retrospective of the duo’s careers together and apart. That retrospective specifically mentioned the events of the movie and the part they played in it.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut was, in many ways, an extended episode of the series. Reputedly, the three-episode Season 11 arc known as Imaginationland was originally conceived as another film, though that was eventually scrapped. But with a new deal on the books that features more seasons and 14 more movies, fans will get more major South Park arcs to sink their teeth into that continue to flesh out the overall story.
About The Author