Watch South Park's polarizing new 3D title sequence
For the first time ever, the series has dumped its standard 2D animation


Last night's South Park premiere was generally well received by fans — but the show's brand-new opening credits sequence was another matter entirely. "Noooooo !! It looks too modern that is not southpark at all," wrote one fan on the show's Facebook page. "The old way was better. Please don't ever make the full cartoon look like this," wrote another.
Why the controversy? Though South Park has repeatedly changed its opening title sequence over the course of its 17 seasons, the premiere is the first time that the series has eschewed its normal animation style for something with a little more depth. Though the show's characters remain in 2D in the opening sequence, both the school bus and the town itself have been rendered in 3D.
For comparison, here's South Park's syndicated title sequence, which is much closer to the show's normal animation style:
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The new 3D credits resemble 1998's dismally received South Park Nintendo 64 game more than any kind of animation that's been seen on the series:
Will any of the complaints reach South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone? Based on their previous responses to the show's critics, angry fans should probably go ahead and accept that the 3D title sequence isn't going anywhere.
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Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
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