Ep 2. The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers

In the second episode of season 1 of South Park: Matt and Trey's Top 10, the duo counts down their top 10 favorite moments from "The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers," a South Park episode that parodies the Lord of the Rings film franchise.

The episode opens with the boys planning a backyard camping trip, but when they realize they are missing a video tape, they set out to retrieve it from their friend Butters' house. Butters is watching a pornographic film called "Backdoor Sluts 9" when the boys arrive, and they are shocked by the explicit content.

After retrieving the tape, the boys mistakenly take Butters' parents' copy of "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" instead of their own. They decide to watch the film anyway, and are drawn into the epic fantasy world of Middle Earth.

The boys begin to play out their own version of the story, with Kyle taking on the role of Frodo Baggins, Stan as Aragorn, Cartman as Gandalf, and Butters as the ring-obsessed Gollum. They embark on a journey to return a video tape to their friend Tweak, mirroring Frodo's quest to destroy the One Ring.

The episode is full of references to the Lord of the Rings films, with comedic twists. For example, when the boys encounter the character Boromir, he tries to convince them to let him have the video tape, saying "One does not simply return a video tape."

As the boys continue their journey, they encounter a group of live-action role players, or LARPers, who mistake them for fellow enthusiasts. The LARPers are depicted as nerdy and obsessive, with one character constantly saying, "I am a level 10 elven ranger with a plus three sword of ogre slaying."

The episode climaxes with the boys attempting to cross a river, with Gollum leading the way. But Gollum's obsession with the tape causes him to fall into the water, destroying the VHS tape. The boys are left stranded in the woods, unsure of how to return to civilization.

Overall, "The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers" is a hilarious parody of the Lord of the Rings franchise, with clever twists and references throughout. The episode showcases the show's trademark irreverent humor and willingness to poke fun at popular culture. Matt and Trey's Top 10 of this episode highlights some of the best moments from this beloved South Park classic.