Ass Burgers
Encyclopedia
"Ass Burgers" is the eighth episode of the fifteenth season
of the American animated television series South Park
, and the 217th episode of the series overall. A continuation of the events of the previous episode, "You're Getting Old
", "Ass Burgers" first aired on Comedy Central
in the United States
on October 5, 2011.
The episode was written by series co-creator Trey Parker
and is rated TV-MA L in the United States. In its original American broadcast, "Ass Burgers" was watched by 2.941 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research
.
is attempting to adapt to his parents' divorce while his cynicism causes him to explode in class out of frustration. Stan's depression is mistakenly diagnosed as Asperger syndrome
because he received a flu vaccination
a year earlier. Taken to an Asperger's Group Therapy Center, Stan is greeted by a doctor who states that the syndrome is a "disease" that he knows very little about, while passing assorted very oddly behaving people. When left alone, all the people quickly drop their act, and the false doctor reveals that not only do none of the present have the condition, they do not even believe that it exists. Stan learns that the center is actually a front for cynical self-perceived freedom fighters
who believe that the world really has turned into feces, and that some kind of supernatural force is preventing the rest of the world from noticing
. They do not actually know who this enemy is; and speculate that it could be aliens
, robots from the future or mutants. The leader, who is a parody of Morpheus from The Matrix
, gives Stan a glass of Jameson Irish Whiskey
as a "serum" so he can interact with the "illusion world."
As this occurs, Cartman
, upon mishearing the condition as "Ass
burgers
", attempts to fake this condition at school by stuffing his underwear with hamburgers. Although this fails, Cartman gives one of the hamburgers to Kyle
and another student, who declare them delicious without knowing that Cartman had them in his underwear. This inspires Cartman to start a food stand at which he will sell hamburgers that he has farted on. While drunk, Stan unsuccessfully attempts to make amends with Kyle, but Kyle refuses to forgive him. The next day, Stan returns to the center and is once again plied with whiskey. This time, he is sent armed to a secret meeting being attended by corporate representatives of America's most popular fast food chains, which have lost business due to the popularity of Cartman Burger. The representatives deduce that Cartman Burgers contain ingredients from all of their products, which are infused into Cartman Burgers via some type of gas. When Stan arrives and loses consciousness from the alcohol, the restaurant agents tie him up interrogate him about the secret ingredient
.
As Stan does not know the ingredient, the representatives subsequently monitor a conversation between him and Kyle over the ingredient, but when Kyle tells Stan that only Cartman knows the secret ingredient, the restaurant agents storm the stand before the severely drunk freedom fighters arrive and gun them down. Stan, however, refuses to drink any more whiskey, and realizes that although he may no longer be with both of his parents and Kyle is no longer his best friend, he is now excited by the prospect of change rather than scared of it, claiming this could be the start of new, original adventures for everybody.
However, at that moment, Randy appears and announces that he and Sharon have worked out their differences and are getting back together. Sharon then explains to Stan that sometimes people need to stick to what they know, even if it means remaining unhappy, which upsets Stan, as it contradicts his epiphany. In montage, the Marshes move back into their home together while Kyle breaks off his friendship with Cartman after learning the secret ingredient and exposing Cartman's farting on the hamburgers to the public. After Stan wakes up on a subsequent morning, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny invite him to the movies with them. Resigned to his fate, Stan half-heartedly joins them, taking a swig of whiskey on his way out.
. Ryan McGhee of The A.V. Club
graded the episode a B+, stating, "We may end up down the road far from where we started, only to realize we moved so incrementally that we didn’t notice along the way. Hopefully, the show’s ability to combine puerile humor with sharp social commentary doesn’t disappear, whatever road it takes."
South Park (season 15)
The fifteenth season of South Park, an American animated television series, began airing on April 27, 2011 and ended on November 16, 2011. In response to reactions to the mid-season finale episode "You're Getting Old", which seemed to insinuate that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were wrapping...
of the American animated television series South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, and the 217th episode of the series overall. A continuation of the events of the previous episode, "You're Getting Old
You're Getting Old
"You're Getting Old" is the seventh episode and mid-season finale of the fifteenth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 216th episode of the series overall. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on June 8, 2011...
", "Ass Burgers" first aired on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on October 5, 2011.
The episode was written by series co-creator Trey Parker
Trey Parker
Trey Parker is an American animator, screenwriter, director, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of the television series South Park along with his creative partner and best friend Matt Stone.Parker started his film career in 1992, making a holiday short...
and is rated TV-MA L in the United States. In its original American broadcast, "Ass Burgers" was watched by 2.941 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
.
Plot
Continuing the events of "You're Getting Old", StanStan Marsh
Stanley Randall "Stan" Marsh is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by and loosely based on series co-creator Trey Parker. Stan is one of the show's four central characters, along with his friends Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman...
is attempting to adapt to his parents' divorce while his cynicism causes him to explode in class out of frustration. Stan's depression is mistakenly diagnosed as Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome
Asperger's syndrome that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development...
because he received a flu vaccination
MMR vaccine controversy
The MMR vaccine controversy was a case of scientific misconduct which triggered a health scare. It followed the publication in 1998 of a paper in the medical journal The Lancet which presented apparent evidence that autism spectrum disorders could be caused by the MMR vaccine, an immunization...
a year earlier. Taken to an Asperger's Group Therapy Center, Stan is greeted by a doctor who states that the syndrome is a "disease" that he knows very little about, while passing assorted very oddly behaving people. When left alone, all the people quickly drop their act, and the false doctor reveals that not only do none of the present have the condition, they do not even believe that it exists. Stan learns that the center is actually a front for cynical self-perceived freedom fighters
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
who believe that the world really has turned into feces, and that some kind of supernatural force is preventing the rest of the world from noticing
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
. They do not actually know who this enemy is; and speculate that it could be aliens
UFO conspiracy theory
A UFO conspiracy theory is any one of many often overlapping conspiracy theories which argue that evidence of the reality of unidentified flying objects is being suppressed by various governments around the world...
, robots from the future or mutants. The leader, who is a parody of Morpheus from The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
, gives Stan a glass of Jameson Irish Whiskey
Jameson Irish Whiskey
Jameson is a single distillery Irish whiskey produced by a division of the French distiller Pernod Ricard. Jameson is similar in its adherence to the single distillery principle to the single malt tradition, but Jameson combines malted barley with unmalted or "green" barley...
as a "serum" so he can interact with the "illusion world."
As this occurs, Cartman
Eric Cartman
Eric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...
, upon mishearing the condition as "Ass
Buttocks
The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to...
burgers
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
", attempts to fake this condition at school by stuffing his underwear with hamburgers. Although this fails, Cartman gives one of the hamburgers to Kyle
Kyle Broflovski
Kyle Broflovski is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by co-creator Matt Stone. Kyle is one of the show's four central characters, along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman...
and another student, who declare them delicious without knowing that Cartman had them in his underwear. This inspires Cartman to start a food stand at which he will sell hamburgers that he has farted on. While drunk, Stan unsuccessfully attempts to make amends with Kyle, but Kyle refuses to forgive him. The next day, Stan returns to the center and is once again plied with whiskey. This time, he is sent armed to a secret meeting being attended by corporate representatives of America's most popular fast food chains, which have lost business due to the popularity of Cartman Burger. The representatives deduce that Cartman Burgers contain ingredients from all of their products, which are infused into Cartman Burgers via some type of gas. When Stan arrives and loses consciousness from the alcohol, the restaurant agents tie him up interrogate him about the secret ingredient
Secret ingredient
A secret ingredient is a component of a product that is closely guarded from public disclosure for competitive advantage. Sometimes the ingredient makes a noticeable difference in the way a product performs, looks or tastes; other times it is used for advertising puffery...
.
As Stan does not know the ingredient, the representatives subsequently monitor a conversation between him and Kyle over the ingredient, but when Kyle tells Stan that only Cartman knows the secret ingredient, the restaurant agents storm the stand before the severely drunk freedom fighters arrive and gun them down. Stan, however, refuses to drink any more whiskey, and realizes that although he may no longer be with both of his parents and Kyle is no longer his best friend, he is now excited by the prospect of change rather than scared of it, claiming this could be the start of new, original adventures for everybody.
However, at that moment, Randy appears and announces that he and Sharon have worked out their differences and are getting back together. Sharon then explains to Stan that sometimes people need to stick to what they know, even if it means remaining unhappy, which upsets Stan, as it contradicts his epiphany. In montage, the Marshes move back into their home together while Kyle breaks off his friendship with Cartman after learning the secret ingredient and exposing Cartman's farting on the hamburgers to the public. After Stan wakes up on a subsequent morning, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny invite him to the movies with them. Resigned to his fate, Stan half-heartedly joins them, taking a swig of whiskey on his way out.
Reception
In its original American broadcast on October 5, 2011, "Ass Burgers" was watched by 2.941 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
. Ryan McGhee of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
graded the episode a B+, stating, "We may end up down the road far from where we started, only to realize we moved so incrementally that we didn’t notice along the way. Hopefully, the show’s ability to combine puerile humor with sharp social commentary doesn’t disappear, whatever road it takes."
External links
- "Ass Burgers" Episode guide at South Park Studios
- "Ass Burgers" Full episode at South Park Studios