South Park (TV Series) Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus (1998) User Reviews

"South Park" without the South Park

[MovieAddict2016 · 7/10 · 26 July 2006]

This episode was a stroke of genius by Trey and Matt. At the end of Season One they put a cliffhanger - who is Cartman's real father? - and told viewers to tune in next season to find out. But then at the beginning of Season Two they aired a full episode of Terrence and Phillip instead! Apparently they received many complaints by angry fans who were dying to see what happened with Cartman's father, but down the road it really was a stroke of genius and a daring thing to do. Most shows would never be able to get away with something like that. It's a great example of comedians manipulating and playing their audiences - much in the same way that Andy Kaufman used to - by using extended practical jokes.

The episode itself was hailed by Matt and Trey as their favorite of all-time on the Season Two DVD, but I think they were both being sarcastic (nevertheless, this "trivia" note made it onto IMDb). It's a weird episode purely because South Park and its residents - most noticeably Kyle, Stan, Kenny and Cartman - are completely absent and it's all just a Terrence and Phillip episode. So it gets a bit old after a while, but it's mostly funny for its back story.

April Fool's!

[ericstevenson · 6/10 · 29 June 2018]

This episode was only shown a few times on American TV, mostly because people were furious that it didn't resolve who Cartman's father was from the Season 1 finale. Ironically, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have stated that this is their favorite episode! I guess if I was a fan back then, I would have hated this ep too. There actually is in fact a brief part where Terrance and Phillip watch Dr. Mephisto tell Cartman who his father is (on TV), but it's drowned out by talking. Interestingly enough, this episode actually does have relevance in the series. It introduces Saddam Hussein into the series.

We do get some good bits in this episode with Angry Bob. It really is funny how everyone is scared of how he looks even though he looks the exact same as everyone else. This was meant to be like a movie, but it was only for a 22 minute episode. Well, if it was longer than that, people would have gone even more crazy. At least it wasn't literally nothing but fart jokes. I like seeing Canadian celebrities. **1/2

I get it... April fools... but honestly this episode wasn't that good

[michael-joyce61 · 5/10 · 9 May 2022]

It was ambitious doing a full 20 minute Terrance and Phillip episode and I don't think it paid off. The initial joke was funny but probably lasted for 15 minutes too long.

This episode wouldn't stand on it's own two feet.

One for the South Park die hard fans I guess.

That Saddam Fellow is a Real Jerk!

[RicketyCricketImposter · 7/10 · 14 December 2021]

Okay episode but definitely a bad starter for the season, though I get that they might have wanted to have an episode without any of the boys before the reveal of Cartman's father. Nothing too special in here it's just Terrance and Phillip and Saddam Hussein, typical Sunday night. 7.0.

This episode is terrible.. Which is why we all love it!

[askeland89 · 1/10 · 30 January 2020]

Truth to be told, I didn't know whether to give it 1/10 or 10/10. This episode is not supposed to be good, it's meant as a huge middle finger to anyone who is actually crazy enough to care about who Cartman's father is. The fact that South Park grew in popularity after this stunt is not strange to me. Sadly we won't ever get to see anything similar in modern television, it takes itself too seriously now.

Misunderstood episode

[Cox-Rocker · 10/10 · 30 October 2018]

Yes, we all know the controversy surrounding this episode, but I enjoyed watching a Terrance & Phillip episode. I always wondered a what a full length episode of this show would be like, so I had a blast with this. I can understand why most don't like it, but I had a blast with it.

Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus (#2.1)

[ComedyFan2010 · 1/10 · 20 September 2015]

Well, this episode sucked big time. And I am not even somebody who cares to find out who Cartman's dad is. Them postponing the revelation was probably the only worthy joke on this absolutely awful episode.

It was almost as if they were telling their fans that they suck and don't deserve a good episode. Or maybe to show that they have the power to show them any kind of crap after creating a season of very good and creative episodes.

Nothing that was funny at all. No interesting characters. It is as if this episode was made by completely different people who have neither talent or humor.

Do you like apples? How do you like dem apples?

[phenix_2099 · 9/10 · 16 July 2019]

Ok, as a die hard South Park fan, I have to admit, I skipped this episode based on the negative publicity alone. And boy, was my judgement misplaced.

The episode is, as all early TP and MS episodes, chock full of whitty jokes and biting satire. The running joke about ugly Bob is quite possibly the best humor of the episode, a laugh every time. The backstory of Saddam is also integral to future story threads, including SP:BLU and other episodes featuring Saddam and Satan.

Finally, the very depth of how much the viewers got Punked by this episode cannot be overemphasized. The anger, outrage, and disgust displayed by the viewing audience played exactly into the hands of Trey and Matt, and are undoubtedly the reasons why they call this one of their favorite episodes. It achieved exactly what their desire was: to incite controversy.

No comment

[bergviciers · 3/10 · 23 December 2021]

I watched this recently, being a new watcher of South park. It was mainly filled with fart jokes. I found it funny because it was an april fool's joke and we didn't find out who Eric's father was so it was like the creators gave them a middle finger with this boring episode.

I didn't really recognise or care for any of the celebs and missed the same 4 main boys. The voices started to annoy me and the realistic faces did too. I watched this episode while multitasking. I enjoyed all of season1 then I got to this and didn't laugh even once...

Far too much 'toilet' humour without being put in the context of the world of "South Park"

[SLionsCricketreviews · 3/10 · 9 September 2017]

What made Terence and Phillip work for me in the first season was that it was contextualized within the world of South Park. Kyle, Stan, Cartman and Kenny are eight year old boys who demonstrate a vulgarity above their age and the show itself subverts all the expectations of an animated comedy show. Then, we learn our main characters watch this show called Terence and Phillip, one that consists of nothing but 'toilet' humour. And that's kinda funny. Not the content of the show itself, which couldn't be farther from funny but the idea of our main characters indulging in a show with no apparent depth whatsoever!

And now comes this episode. I have no problem of them ignoring the cliffhanger ending of the previous episode and in fact, I like the idea of once again subverting viewers' expectations. The problem is everything that follows the opening seconds of the episode. This is a barren wasteland as far as comedy is concerned. There's absolutely nothing about this episode that warrants its existence. I cannot imagine Terence and Phillip became beloved characters (if they did) this early on in the show and I cannot comprehend how writers Matt Stone & Trey Parker felt this a good idea for a completely 'standalone' episode. It would be the equivalent of having an Itchy and Scratchy episode towards the end of the second season or the beginning of the third. There's simply not enough time given for the viewers to gradually familiarize themselves with these characters...who have next to no redeeming qualities as far as being characters of a comedy show.

The episode is challenging to watch because it strips everything cozy and familiar about the show to date. Gone are the great characters, the surprisingly intelligent absurdist humour. Instead, it's all replaced by Terence and Phillip taking turns in farting into each other's faces.

It gets old on the first attempt since there's no context that motivates the existence of that joke. Then it happens again...and again...and again.

The Saddam Hussein plot of the episode isn't particularly funny or interesting. There's something really distracting about the show opting to 'animate' real faces in this show and the voice acting is exaggerated and distracting to me. This storyline isn't awful in concept but I find the execution lacking. The only redeeming moment of this episode is punchline to how Saddam Hussein is defeated in the episode.

I was a little concerned about the rating given to this episode and having watched it, I really am not a fan of "Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus". I rarely give such low ratings to television episodes but I feel this one deserves my wrath! Let's get back to some proper South Park as we step away from the spirit of April Fool's Day.

Suckers!

[Robert-8 · 8/10 · 1 April 2009]

I will always love Trey and Matt for getting away with this, the last truly great April Fool's day joke before all the Lawyers made us stop.

I still treasure the bloodthirsty reaction by South Park fans on April 2, some of whom actually cared about finding out who Cartman's father was after the season finale and who felt gypped that they didn't get their precious closure. Parker and Stone, on the other hand, knew the truth -- character development sucks, and nobody but the trivia geeks would remember the details in two weeks anyway. Instead, they gave us this silly collection of Terrance and Phillip fart jokes, then answered the cliffhanger weeks later with an answer too preposterous to satisfy anyone at all.

It was then that we knew the cold truth -- Comedy Central was their playhouse, and the rest of us merely Butters and Pip on a play date, simply to be tolerated but not to be let near the toys.

Who wouldn't want to see the full terrance and phillip episode

[christianimation · 10/10 · 28 July 2021]

It's awesome, I enjoyed it!!! The anthem was mostly an awesome song and all the canadian characters are awesome!!!!

Hysterical

[tmfike · 9/10 · 14 September 2020]

1998: WHAT, how dare the creators do this 2019 (With the knowledge of Cartman's father): This is hilarious, and it expands the world of South Park.

Alright episode(more fart humor & no South Park characters)

[gangstahippie · 8/10 · 1 October 2008]

The season finale of the first season had a cliffhanger question of who was Cartman's father.Instead of answering it, as an April Fools Joke, they play a Terrence and Philip episode instead.There is a scene where Terrence and Philip are watching TV and South Park is on.A lot of people got mad at this episode and South Park lost some fans.It does not play in syndication anymore, so you will have to probably either go on the internet or buy the Season 2 DVD set.It is a decent episode though.It's about Terrence and Philip going to Iran to find Terrence's missing daughter he had with Celine Dion.It was actually just a plan devised by Scott(a critic who hates T&P's fart jokes) to get them out of Canada.So he makes a deal with Saddam and lets his soldiers come in.His plan backfires as Saddam betrays him.He plans on taking over the world.Scott asks T&P to help Canada by killing themselves and the soldiers but they have a better idea! THere are much more fart jokes in this episode, and it isn't particularly great.It introduces the character of Saddam to the show.It's a decent episode.

Best joke episode yet!

[harrywebster-40265 · 10/10 · 15 June 2023]

Although it's a joke, this episode made me burst out laughing several times! Ugly bob may have been my favourite character, maybe Terrance but I don't know. Worth the £2.49 and 22 minutes of my life. The short cameo of the reveal of cartmans father was most likely the best scene in the entire episode. Especially how America calls Canadian TV bad, but Canadians call American TV bad. Even if it was made to annoy but still be comedic, I wasn't annoyed one bit. Too bad chef, cartman, kyle, Kenny or Stan were in it. The only part that acknowledges them is the fact that this is their favourite show and the small cameo of cartman.