Aliens
Original Air Date: 8.13.97
Main Characters
Cartman, Kyle, Stan, Kenny, Visitors, cows
Plot Summary
The first science fiction related episode in South Park was its first. In this episode, Cartman believes to have had a dream where aliens abducted him and inserted a probe into his body anally. Cartman begins to suffer from flaming farts and odd animations.
Alien presence is confirmed when Kyle's little brother Ike is abducted from aliens. Kyle is able to contact the aliens by tying Cartman to a tree and letting a giant satellite emerge from Cartman's butt (pictured). The aliens land in South Park and begin talking to the cows, who they deem the smartest beings on Earth. Meanwhile, Ike is able to jump off the ship to safety.
Analysis
Aliens, space ships, abductions, oh my! From the beginning, Trey and Parker show their passion for science fiction and the bizzarre.This episode contains more cursing and vulgar language than subsequent episodes, but less than the shorts "Jesus v Frosty" and "Jesus v Santa" that Stone and Parker created before they were commissioned to create South Park. South Park as a whole did not begin to have a satirical effect until later seasons. As a result, for better or for worse, this episode relies on fart jokes and bad-mouthed 3rd graders for laughs. To look at some of the first reactions to the show, check out the history section.
The gray, skinny, foreign-tongued aliens featured in this episode are found hidden periodically throughout the series. This video contains eighty examples! See how many you can find.
This was the only episode created solely with paper and stop motion animation techniques. The episode took three and a half months to create and cost $300,000. In comparison, the South Park production crew create new episodes in a week with the help of computer animation.
Original Air Date: 3.19.03
Main Characters
Cartman, Joozians, Ice Cream Crapping Taco
Plot Summary
Stan, Cartman, Kyle and Kenny find out that Earth is just one big intergalactic reality show that’s about to be cancelled. When the satellite dish in Cartman’s ass reactivates the four boys travel to meet the Joosyans (the heads of all the media in the galaxy) to try and convince them to not cancel heir show. When they meet, the network executives take them on a journey through alien bars and strip joints as the boys discover that Alien Executives are "drunken perverted bastards." The boys convince the aliens not to cancel the show Earth! by using the pictures they took of the drunken executives as blackmail. As a result, the aliens get rid of all of the Earthlings' memories of their encounter and leave the show on the air and the planet in one piece.
Analysis
Much like the fictional show "Earth!", This episode was the series's 100th episode. This episode parallels its first episode (101: Cartman Gets an Anal Probe) at the beginning. The boys soon realize that they are in a Truman Show-like situation, but instead they are stuck in a re-run episode. By describing the Alien Executives as vulgar beings, South Park also characterizes the nature of many popular reality shows of the time. The memory erasure technique used by the aliens was also used by the agents in "Men in Black" (1997).
The symbolism and deeper meaning of this episode contrasts the episode "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" that it parodies. By season seven, it is obvious that the show has matured a bit in its plot, theme, and sense of humor. However, there will always be a bit of crude toilet humor in South Park, which is illustrated in this clip of a giant taco that craps ice cream.
Original Air Date: 4.15.09
Main Characters
Randy, Stan, Baby Fark McGee-zax
Plot Summary
Randy has a plan that will assure Stan a first place trophy in this year's Pinewood Derby. Randy steals a superconductive magnet from the Large Hadron Collider while disguised as Princess Leia from Star Wars. Randy uses the magnet in the pinewood derby car, which is against the rules. Randy has to tell a lie, which is the first of many in this episode.
The car wins the race at warp speed and escapes the Earth's atmosphere. The car then catches the attention of aliens in the galaxy. When a space ship descends on Earth, South Park is greeted by Baby Fark McGee-zax, an alien criminal on the lamb accused of stealing a large amount of money. Randy is able to kill the alien by shanking him with a knife. The South Park residence then search the alien ship and discover a large sum of space cash. When the space cops arrive on Earth, Randy denies that they have seen the space cash. After lying to the cops on multiple occasions, the aliens reveal that the whole thing was a test to see if Earth was worthy to join intergalactic community. Instead, Earth is isolated from the universe forever. Upon learning this, Randy says, "Well that sucks."
Analysis
"Pinewood Derby" is a classic tale that supports the virtue of telling the truth retold in a way that only South Park can. Though the plot is not controversial like many other episodes, it is still interesting. Randy, Stan's child-like dad, proves to be one of the most interesting characters on the show. Just watch this clip as Randy tries to lie to the space cops.
This episode references a couple of different science fiction and action movies. When the aliens first arrive to Earth, a national TV reporter asks, "Will it be like "Star Trek: First Contact", or more like "Contact" with Jodi Foster?" Though the cops are aliens, they resemble the white and black cop duos in movies such as Lethal Weapon, Men in Black, and Rush Hour.