Let Go, Let Gov
| "Let Go, Let Gov" | |
|---|---|
| South Park episode | |
| Episode no. |
Season 17 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Trey Parker |
| Written by | Trey Parker |
| Production code | 1701 |
| Original air date | September 25, 2013 |
| Guest actors | |
| |
"Let Go, Let Gov" is the first episode of the seventeenth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 238th episode of the series overall. The episode premiered on Comedy Central on September 25, 2013 and was rated TV-MA L in the United States.[2] The episode's story satirizes the 2013 mass surveillance disclosures,[3] and casts Eric Cartman in an Edward Snowden-like role, in which he infiltrates the NSA in protest of the agency's surveillance of American citizens.[4][5] The episode's title is a reference to the gospel song "Let Go, Let God", which has been recorded by various musical artists such as Dion.
Plot
Kyle Broflovski grows increasingly irritated at Eric Cartman's habit of having indiscreet phone conversations while using the speakerphone function of his cell phone. When he complains about this to Cartman, Cartman accuses Kyle of invading his privacy, and comes to suspect that Kyle is an agent of the National Security Agency (NSA), which Cartman believes is tracking the movements and monitoring the phone conversations of American citizens. When Butters Stotch learns the government is "watching everything you do," he begins praying to it, and worshipping it as if it is a deity.
Cartman acquires a new social media device called Shitter, which is being advertised on TV by Alec Baldwin. The device is implanted into a user's brain and sticks out of the top of the user's head, resembling a dipole antenna, and both broadcasts a user's thoughts audibly and sends them directly to the Internet without use of a phone. Cartman decides to use this device while infiltrating the NSA in order to broadcast his thoughts to the Internet, because he explains, "The government won't respect my privacy". Meanwhile, Butters goes to a Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles office and confesses his sins to the person behind the counter. He is subsequently visited by two Jehovah's Witnesses who wish to share with him "the truth." Instead, Butters shares with them the truth about the government and the three of them begin sharing DMV literature with their neighbors, which according to Butters, says that "the government loves you and it wants to forgive you if you just let [it] into your heart." Eventually, others begin showing up at the DMV to confess their sins.
Cartman goes to the NSA headquarters impersonating a job applicant under the name Bill Clinton. The NSA chief hires him to help monitor emails and phone conversations, despite the fact that both Cartman's and Baldwin's inappropriate thoughts are being broadcast to anyone within earshot. Cartman is irritated to learn that he himself has been designated by the NSA as "fat and unimportant" and tries unsuccessfully to convince the chief that Eric Cartman is really a threat. The chief explains that the NSA cannot change someone's status in the Central Computer. When Cartman questions this, the chief reveals the mechanism by which the NSA monitors citizens: They have Santa Claus imprisoned and hooked up to their computers, since Santa can tell when people are sleeping and when they are awake, when they have been bad and when they have been good, etc. Cartman then reveals his true identity, telling the chief that his Shitter will inform the public of the truth and that everyone will think he is "super cool."
Cartman is subsequently heartbroken to learn that no one cares that the NSA is monitoring them and is horrified that he will now have to seek asylum in Russia. He is consoled by Butters, who tells him that the government does not monitor him to punish him but merely wants him to be honest about his mistakes. He convinces Cartman to go to the DMV, where in a ceremony resembling a revival meeting, Butters inducts Cartman into his group. Larry, the DMV manager, allows the group to remain, because he finds it a nice change to see people happy at the DMV and resolves to change the way the DMV is run so that it can become a place where people come for solace, safety and forgiveness. A newscaster subsequently reports that the DMV has been shut down after the DMV manager and his staff are arrested for child sexual abuse. After citizens are directed to seek forgiveness for their sins at the post office, the U.S. Postal Service is shut down as well for the same reason. The broadcaster then states, "It now appears that the only people who can be trusted with confessions and guidance is your local news station. WMZ News will be back in ... a young boy."
Critical reception
Max Nicholson of IGN gave the episode a 6.7 "Okay" score, saying that "the beginning of 'Let Go, Let Gov' featured the best jokes from this storyline" and that "as the arc progressed, the episode veered more and more into preachy territory." [6] Marcus Gilmer of The A.V. Club gave "Let Go, Let Gov" a C−, saying that "instead of reaching for some sort of sharp satire, there's a settling for an easy, cheap joke." He adds that the central story-line about the NSA "wanders a bit with stale riffs and a lackadaisical payoff".[1]
References
- 1 2 Gilmer, Marcus. "Let Go, Let Gov". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
- ↑ "Let Go, Let Gov". South Park Studios. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda (September 23, 2013). "Cartman Infiltrates the NSA on the 17th Season Premiere of 'South Park' on Wednesday September 25". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ↑ VanDerWerff, Todd (September 25, 2013). "South Park casts Eric Cartman in the role of Edward Snowden for its first episode since November". The A.V. Club.
- ↑ West, Kelly. "Cartman Takes On The NSA". Cinema Blend. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ↑ Nicholson, Max (September 26, 2013). "South Park: "Let Go, Let Gov" Review". IGN.
External links
- "Let Go, Let Gov". South Park Studios.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||