Reception and Home Release
"Pip" is a relatively unpopular episode of the series. According to creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, it is "probably one of the least popular episodes of South Park" they have ever produced, and that "most people pretty much hated it." In 2004, Stone said that he considers the episode "really cool" and "really good". In a 2011 Entertainment Weekly feature, the two named what they consider the best 15 episodes of South Park, along with the 53 worst. "Pip" was number 49 on the "Worst" list (following the first 48 spots which collectively consisted of every episode from the first three seasons). Parker said that "Everyone, including us, hates 'Pip'", and Stone said "I don't hate it. But it was like, 'Why did you guys do that?'" The creators said that recreating Great Expectations in South Park style "seemed like a decent enough idea, except that kinda sucks", especially its ending. They have concluded that while they sometimes want to do an episode that is different in style and presentation to the other episodes, it is necessary to have it involve the regular characters, otherwise audiences will not like it.
In his paper about the episode, Jeffrey Sconce said that the episode ultimately "proved a rather self-indulgent effort", and that it had failed "in terms of viewer response and ratings." In their review of the fourth season DVD, IGN called the episode "a serious fizzle", saying that the creators "don't always hit a home run."
"Pip" was released on the DVD South Park: The Complete Fourth Season in the United States on June 29, 2004. The DVD contains a short audio commentary on every episode from Parker and Stone. Episodes of season 4 have also been released digitally, on services such as Amazon Instant Video, the iTunes Store, and Xbox Live Marketplace. Like most episodes of South Park, "Pip" is available to watch for free on the show's website, SouthParkStudios.com.
Read more about this topic: Pip (South Park)
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