User Reviews

This week's South Park featured the return of Canada's own Terrance and Philip, and also the homosexual character of Satan! Unusually, though T&P weren't just brainlessly farting on one another, and Satan wasn't fighting with Saddam Hussein. In this episode they were actually the moral voices trying to rid the wrong behind Canada's freemium scheme, which has our hero Stan Marsh hopelessly addicted.

For those not familiar with the term, freemium apps are "free" smart phone applications- usually games- that asks you to pay in order to progress in the world of the game. The point Trey and Matt make here is very true- freemium isn't free. In fact, thorough explanation from the head of the Canada's video game department tells us that freemium counts on their addictive personalities to get money out of their users. In another very funny South Park exaggeration, the freemium addiction is compared to alcohol and substance abuse, and Stan ends up spending five figure amounts on 49 cent game upgrades like some heroin addict. I found it hilarious how Randy's double life as Lorde has now been firmly established in the series. He says, "Even with my Lorde money how am I going to pay for this, Stan?"

There were a few side stories that drifted away as the episode went on. There was the set up of Jimmy working for the freemium company and also T&P trying to find justice in the Canadian video game department. Both didn't go far and seemed to fill up time until Stan's addiction was introduced. This is when the episode got crazy in the "South Park shoot-em-up" end sort of way. A new character, Canadian Satan, is introduced and the best part, Satan occupies Stan's body as flamethrowers are fired at each other. Maybe not the cleverest of endings but definitely a colorful, ridiculous and entertaining finish.

And there you have it: this week's episode pokes fun at the freemium apps, substance addiction, and Canada… again. I know a guy who has worked on various Comedy Central shows and he's not the biggest South Park fan—he's Canadian. This week's episode was great in that it brought back some series favorites in what concluded as one of South Park's most absurd finishes.

Matt and Trey......What more can we say, pure genius. Being a Canadian, I lose it with laughter every time they take a dig at Canada. "Freemium Isn't Free" is current and right on the money when it comes to mobile App games! I love how they keep sticking with the Randy/ Lorde sub plot, and Satan explaining everything to Stan was hilarious."Can you collect all of the Canadian Coins?" is all I ever here now when receiving push notifications from any game on my tablet. You can really tell how the show is progressing with this episode, Matt and Trey show that even characters that they created a few seasons back are still funny and making relevant jokes. BEELZABOOT!!!!!!!!!

Freemium Isn't Free is a great episode! It starts with Stan getting introduced to the new Terrence & Phillip mobile game. Soon, Stan racks up huge bills that his dad now has to write one song to earn enough money to pay it. I enjoyed how this episode really shows that you can get addicted to just about anything. I love how Randy is clueless (or in denial) about his drinking addiction he still has. I also love how New Canada is being made using the "free" money that they are getting from the players of the game. It was nice to see Satan again. The rope pulling gag could have used one more reveal (Rule of 3). However, other than that, this is a fantastic episode with very relatable moments. I can definitely relate to Stan. I used to play the Simpsons Tapped Out mobile game (and well as the Family Guy: The Quest For Stuff mobile game) and I made some purchases that I wish I could take back. At one point, the games would not let me logged onto my accounts and I lost all of my purchases. Thankfully, I finally deleted the games. I highly recommend this episode to EVERYONE!

To be honest, Freemium Isn't Free has become one of my favourite South Park episodes, but that's because of the commentary they make on the addiction that mobile games can produce. The issue Stan comes across regarding his addiction to making purchases on Terrance and Phillip: Give Us Your Money (a title that to be honest, makes it look like a self aware cash grab), can be relatable, though I am a bit surprised at it was made when Terrance and Phillip state it was done without their permission. When I spent a lot of my money on mobile games, I felt like I was in the situation Stan got into when Randy and Sharon called him out for spending so much money (even more than I'd ever purchase on a mobile game), and he has to come to terms with it. I also found it interesting that Jimmy revealed that he fell into the same pitfall, spending all of his money on a mobile game he enjoyed. As an example, Dungeon Keeper Mobile (a game that was released on the same year as this episode), was notorious for it's shameless micro-transactions, and I'm surprised they didn't make satire on it, given that it was released 10 months before this episode. The commentary on comparing mobile games to drinking alcohol is an interesting aspect as well, and Satan giving commentary on gambling in an interesting point in the story, though I don't know why he needed to possess Stan's body to fight Beelzaboot. Sure, the commentary on the addiction of mobile gaming can be tarnished since South Park: Phone Destroyer was released three years after the episode aired, which is a mobile game with micro transactions whose ending is determined by how much money you spent on the game before beating the story, but I still highly recommend this episode. If you or someone you know (except kids, South Park is not for them) has an addiction to mobile purchases, watch this episode and it will both entertain and educate you on helping you use your money better.