South Park's Season 29 premiere offered a throwback to classic episodes, but the second installment, "Billionaire Weenietown," shifts to a more topical focus, satirizing the billionaire class and their seemingly ubiquitous data centers. While the episode delivers humor by skewering figures like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg indirectly, the core comedic strength lies with the Stotch family, particularly Butters.
The central conflict arises when Butters finds his enjoyment of "Dr. Pimple Popper" videos disrupted by billionaires constructing a data center in his backyard. This invasion prompts an angry crusade from Butters, turning the normally plucky character into an entertaining force.
The episode's concept of "Billionaire Weenietown," where talking penises represent these wealthy figures, provides initial amusement. However, the review notes that the "billionaires are dorks who think everyone wants to hear their opinions" joke may have a limited shelf life, and the resolution to this particular conflict feels abrupt. The integration of these "Billionaire Weenies" into future episodes remains to be seen.
Butters' character arc, however, is a highlight. His righteous anger, whether expressed in a classroom tantrum or during interactions with a pest control worker, provides consistent entertainment. His parents, Linda and Steve Stotch, react to his behavior with panic, fearing he has contracted "libtardedness." This subplot serves as a send-up of anti-vaccine sentiments and certain self-educated, podcast-listening individuals, echoing the formula of the 2001 episode "Butters' Very Own Episode."
The episode concludes with a deepfake sequence targeting Donald Trump, a callback to previous seasons' focus on the former president. The review suggests that while Trump-heavy seasons can be taxing, occasional roasts might be a more welcome approach going forward. The article also notes the anticipation for the release of Grand Theft Auto as the season progresses.
Overall, "Billionaire Weenietown" is described as a fine episode that, despite not fully clicking, relies on the strength of Butters' character and his family's over-the-top reactions to land its jokes. The review awards the episode a score of 7 out of 10.