Going Down to South Park 06.26.08: Roger Ebert Should Lay Off the Fatty Foods
Posted by Jerome Cusson on 06.26.2008
Much like the Chewbacca defense, this title does not make sense
For now until whenever I decide to stop, I will include a George Carlin clip as a sort of tribute. Please enjoy this, and if you haven't, please check out my tribute to him elsewhere on the site. Enjoy George's thoughts on "The Ten Commandements."
Now we come to one of my favorite episodes of all-time. I do like a lot of the message episodes a lot , but I find that some of the better ones are where the kids are just being kids and the focus is on being funny instead of trying to hammer home something about how dumb liberals are or how environmentalists are a bunch of hippies. This is one of those episodes.
This episode is also a full-on parody of the Star Trek episode "Dagger of the Mind," right down to the name of the guest characters.
We begin with the kids watching an episode of Barnaby Jones in Mr. Garrison’s class. What this has to do with anything, no one knows. Even the kids are disturbed by not learning anything and have long since stop paying attention to what Barnaby Jones has to say. Stan suggests learning about music and art or going on a field trip. Garrison then announces that they will in fact be going to the Planetarium the next day. The kids don’t seem very enthusiastic at those prospects.
It’s time for another episode, and this time the commercials are included. It’s a Cheesy Poofs commercial and the company is holding a contest to see which lucky somebody can sing their stupid little theme song the best. Cartman thinks he can sing it but he’s really quite bad.
The class is on their way to the Planetarium the next day and Crabtree yells at them to sit down and shut up. I really want to make a comment here about her career as a comedian not working out, but it really was just a dream. They arrive and Garrison pleads with them to behave. Cheesy Poofs just happens to be near the Planetarium, and Cartman is quite angry about having to in the building to see stars instead of trying to become one.
Inside they meet Dr. Adams, who cannot pronounce the “t” in Planetarium because of an odd bone disease. Instead he says it like Plane-arium. Very funny little character thing there. Cartman wants to know how long the Cheesy Poof van is going to be outside. Adams shows them how the museum works, and they meet one of the girls who works there. This little girl seems quite strange. Her eyes look weird and she keeps saying how much she loves work. The threatening music shows us this is a sign of things to come.
The kids all go to see the stars, and things start out being quite boring with the exception of seeing Roger Ebert in the stars, a nod to the really bad title this episode has. Stan notices another little kid working at the Planetarium. Cartman has had enough and leaves. Dr. Adams then begins using some mind control to convince Garrison’s class that the Planetarium is very exciting. Cartman sings for the Cheesy Poof people, and they love him. Why, I have no idea.
Stan and Kyle come out of the Planetarium, and they seemed to love it even though they don’t feel very good. Garrison notices Cartman went off to sing. Cartman announces he got a call back and while on ths bus can’t stop talking about. Also on the bus, Stan and Kyle’s heads still feel very funny. A kid named Van Gelder (Here’s our Star Trek connection) has escaped the clutches of the Planetarium and managed to get on the bus. Van Gelder really doesn’t want to go back and he passes out shortly thereafter.
Mr. Mackey and Nurse Gollum try to find out what happened with the boy. Principal Victoria decides to check this Planetarium out. All she sees is a laser light show and all she hears is some really bad music. The two hippies from a few episodes ago return here as well. Dr. Adams turns the volume up and says that if anyone tries to remember what happen on that night, that they will have tremendous pain in their head.
The next day at school, Garrison teaches the class about haikus, a form of Japanese poetry with a pattern of syllables. The first line has five, the second seven, and the third line five again. Cartman is once again gone, and Kyle illustrates a good haiku by making fun of Cartman. Kenny has a good one too. The class really wants to go the Planetarium again as Cartman walks in late. As it turns out, Cartman is the regional champion. Kyle comes up with another fantastic haiku. Cartman has trouble making a comeback using poetry.
In the nurse’s office, the young child won’t stop talking about the machine. Mr. Mackey suggests a mind meld, which is once again a parody of that Star Trek episode. Dr. Adams is happy to see the children back. The hippies are working there now too. Garrison checks out while the class stares at stars. Adams takes advantage by continuing his mind control techniques. All of the kids now really want to all work at the Planetarium. Stan and Kyle take their cue and get the heck out. Cartman is at the finals of the Cheesy Poofs competition and very untastefully gets one of the competitors to leave. That was just plain mean. Clyde and the rest of the class volunteers for the Planetarium. Kyle and Stan investigate by going to the control room. Once they turn the juices up, they realize what the problem but sadly kill Kenny themselves. It’s time to tell some adults who probably won’t believe them.
Cartman has a very successful performance and is Invited to star in his own Cheesy Poofs commercial since the other finalists have taken jobs at the Planetarium. Mr. Mackey performs the mind meld on the young child and is successful in finding out what the problem is. Dr. Adams was worried about the Planetarium shutting down and thus had to create slaves to keep it alive. The news even reports on what’s been going on at the Planetarium. Dr. Adams doesn’t even have a first name.
Kyle and Stan try to tell Officer Barbrady, but he’s having none of it. Cartman’s commercial doesn’t go well, although he looks hilarious in the Cheesy Poof costume. At the Planetarium, Barbrady investigates what the deal is, and the kids find out that even Chef is a slave to the mind control. Barbrady goes into the star room as Cartman calls everyone to tell them he’ll be on television later on that night. Adams says there’s no way anyone can stop him. Cartman’s commercial comes on and he’s on television for about a second. But he’s very happy about just being on television.
Mr. Mackey of all people tries to save the day, but Mackey, Nurse Gollum, Kyle, and Stan are all taken in. Things look pretty dire for our heroes, but Cartman does in fact save the day when he bursts in to yell at his friends. Cartman destroys the device, but not before the machine causes Dr. Adams to lose his mind. Barbrady snaps out of his own trance as Adams sits there like a blank mind. Kyle does his best William Shattner impression.
The “Screw You Guys, I’m going home” for best line/moment of the episode: Cartman in the Cheesy Poof costume. That’s fairly easy.
The Pip moment for worst line/moment of the episode: How did Chef end up going to the Planetarium?
The “Oh My God, they killed Kenny!” moment: Kenny is killed by Stan and Kyle in the Plane-arium
Before I go, I hope you will listen to yet another big interview with an independent star. If you want to hear Jimmy Jacobs talking about politics and some future opponents, check that out HERE .
The 411: One of my favorite episodes of all time for so many reasons. There are a lot of very funny little moments that really add up. And although I can’t claim to be the biggest fan of Star Trek, I always seem to love the parodies shows like this one and Futurama do. Best episode of the season so far with only one more real good one to look at.
