A Very Crappy Christmas
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"A Very Crappy Christmas" is episode 417 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It originally aired on December 20, 2000.
Synopsis
After Mr. Hankey fails to show up on Chanukah, Kyle leads Stan, Cartman and Kenny into the sewers to investigate. When they find him, Kyle questions him, stating that nobody seems to have the Christmas spirit anymore. Mr. Hankey reveals that he hasn't surfaced due to issues with his family: his dissatisfied wife Autumn, and their children Cornwallis, Amber and Simon.
The boys, along with Mr. Hankey's kids, attempt to revive the Christmas spirit by singing carols on the sidewalk are totally ignored. While they lament not getting any presents, Cornwallis begins to wonder about his significance in the world as a piece of poo.
While watching a Peanuts Christmas special, the boys get the idea to create a short animation to show the townspeople at the local drive-in. With backing from Mayor McDaniels, worried about South Park's economic state, the boys set about using stop-motion animation to create their cartoon.
Meanwhile, Cornwallis, further into his depression, reveals his feelings to his father, who comforts him by singing "The Circle of Poo" a song, which shows how poo is the lifeblood of the whole planet. Rejuvenated, Cornwallis and the others begin preparing the dilapidated drive-in for the screening.
After Cartman destroys a frame of the cartoon and quits the project, and Kenny gets run over, Stan and Kyle proceed with the project themselves, with Stan dubbing Cartman's voice over (taking extra opportunities to poke fun at his weight in the meantime), Kenny being killed off in the cartoon as well and sending their cut outs to get made in Korea.
Finally the film is ready and the whole town gathers to see it, including Cartman, who joins in getting credit for the movie, and claims he never quit in the first place. Only a few seconds in though, the film breaks up.
As everyone sits at home, forcing the children of South Park to celebrate a Christmas with no presents, Cornwallis and Mr. Hankey fix the projector and the film restarts playing. Upon seeing the film, the townsfolk finally come to realize that the true spirit of Christmas is commercialism, and rush to the shops for last minute presents.
Finally content, the boys head of to open their presents, Stan and Cartman deciding to be Jewish for eight days of Chanukah presents.
Trivia
- This episode features clips from "The Spirit of Christmas", the short Matt Stone and Trey Parker created in 1995 that was extremely popular on the Internet.
- For those who have seen the actual short, notice that Cartman's voice is very low and no where as close as it is on the series. This was detailed when Cartman quit participating in the making of the short, leaving Stan to provide a crude imitation of Cartman's voice (though this is ironic as Trey Parker voices both characters).
- The song Kyle sings in the episode is from the animated short Twas the Night Before Christmas. Parker is a fan of the short and even had Kyle's face turn into one that resembles the humans in the short.
- In this episode, Kyle says that Stan has blue eyes, though the crude animation makes it look black. Trey Parker, whom Stan is loosely based on, has blue eyes; it is also remarked that Kyle has a sharp nose, as does Matt Stone.
- Butters making the construction paper versions of the characters is probably based on the fact that Eric Stough, whom Butters is based on, is the director of animation for South Park.
- The entire episode is a parody of how Parker and Stone made the first animated short.
- This is the very first time Stan's hair is seen, poking out from his dishelved hat. Up till then, no one had any idea what color Stan's hair was, but now it is known that it is black.
- Mr. Hankey's "The Circle of Poo" song is a parody of "The Circle of Life" from The Lion King.
External links
| Preceded by: The Wacky Molestation Adventure | South Park episodes | Followed by: It Hits The Fan |
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