Grey Dawn
Encyclopedia
"Grey Dawn" is the tenth episode in the seventh season
of the animated television series South Park
. It originally aired on Comedy Central
in the United States on November 5, 2003. In the episode, senior citizens are running over people in the city of South Park, causing them to lose their driver's licenses. Soon, the AARP
comes to help them, using weapons. In the end, Stan
, Kyle
, Eric
, and Kenny
stop the senior citizens by starving them.
The second half of the episode and the name of the episode parody Red Dawn
, a 1984 movie that depicted a group of small town Colorado kids as they resist the Cuban, Nicaraguan, and Soviet invasion of the United States.
asks his father Randy why old people are still allowed to drive. Grandpa Marvin Marsh overhears his son's opinion and lets his own feelings on the matter be known; he still wants to be able to drive. The news covers the recent rash of senior related driving tragedies, mentioning the DMV
was planning to suspend driver's licences from senior citizens over 70. Grandpa Marsh and the other seniors have a meeting at the community center to decide what to do. However, they forget what they were there for in the first place. When Randy finds out about the meeting he realizes that when the meeting is over, all the seniors will be driving on the road at the same time. Horrified by the thought, Randy goes into town and shouts out a cry of alarm, causing mass panic. He asks Gerald where the boys are, who tells him that the boys are playing street hockey. Randy manages to save the boys and they flee from the many cars recklessly wandering the streets, eventually hiding in an abandoned house. Moments later, the house gets overrun by seniors making wrong turns and going the wrong way (even on the second floor).
Much to the seniors' chagrin, the state of Colorado
demands all seniors turn in their driver's licenses. One old man states that it is wrong to punish an entire group, pointing out that he never caused an accident and would have voluntarily stopped driving if it was determined his condition was deteriorating. Stan's grandfather wants Stan to accompany him to go and pick up his new Hover Round. All the boys accompany Grandpa Marsh on the trip, theorizing they will be safer if they are in the car. Officer Barbrady pulls the car over after Grampa Marsh causes road rage and since he does not have a license, takes Stan's grandfather to jail. Randy is reluctant to bail his father out, but his father does not care, as the AARP
is sending their aid. During a class session later on, Mr. Garrison notices a large number of old people dropping out of the sky. The AARP has airdrop
in reinforcements. They begin taking hostages and liberating their colleagues from the retirement home. They state that "The revolution is on" and begin to take over the town. To show they mean business, the AARP starts killing hostages.
More reinforcements arrive but then so does the Veteran military. The seniors list their demands: their driver's licenses, more Medicare
, and keeping kids from skateboarding on the sidewalk. The AARP leader realizes they could even take over the whole country, and demonstrates, as does other members of his army, that they are willing to kill hostages to get their demands, but Marvin feels this is goes too far beyond their original demands. The children find their parents under lockup. Randy tells the boys that the seniors were able to organize so effectively because they get up earlier than everyone else, representing an advantage over their children, who prefer to sleep late. Randy then realizes that the children get up almost as early as the seniors, and are the only hope for getting the town back. Fleeing to the woods, the boys resolve to board up Country Kitchen Buffet in order to cut the seniors off from their food supply. The AARP plans on taking stronger action, but their plans are thwarted when they start starving to death outside of the locked Country Kitchen Buffet. The Army takes the town back and arrests the AARP. Grandpa is turned back over to his family, but when Randy admonishes him for his actions, Stan rebukes Randy, telling him that the condescending manner in which he treated Grandpa like a child is what led to the crisis in the first place. Stan also tells his grandfather that he should be proud to be a senior, but he should realize that he is a killing machine when he is driving, an assessment that Grandpa accepts. As the reconciled family goes home, Stan mutters, "Dude, I hate my family."
South Park (season 7)
Season seven of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 19, 2003. The seventh season concluded after 15 episodes on December 17, 2003.- Episodes :-External links:...
of the 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...
. It originally 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 on November 5, 2003. In the episode, senior citizens are running over people in the city of South Park, causing them to lose their driver's licenses. Soon, the AARP
AARP
AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is the United States-based non-governmental organization and interest group, founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, PhD, a retired educator from California, and based in Washington, D.C. According to its mission statement, it is "a...
comes to help them, using weapons. In the end, Stan
Stan 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...
, 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...
, Eric
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...
, and Kenny
Kenny McCormick
Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is one of the four central characters along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Eric Cartman. His oft-muffled and indiscernible speech—the result of his parka hood covering his...
stop the senior citizens by starving them.
The second half of the episode and the name of the episode parody Red Dawn
Red Dawn
Red Dawn is a 1984 American war film directed by John Milius and co-written by Milius and Kevin Reynolds. It stars Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey....
, a 1984 movie that depicted a group of small town Colorado kids as they resist the Cuban, Nicaraguan, and Soviet invasion of the United States.
Plot
At the South Park Farmer's Market, Priest Maxi holds a memorial service for nine people who died the previous day when they were run over by senior citizens. The proceedings are marred by another unfortunate senior related driving incident. Stan MarshStan 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...
asks his father Randy why old people are still allowed to drive. Grandpa Marvin Marsh overhears his son's opinion and lets his own feelings on the matter be known; he still wants to be able to drive. The news covers the recent rash of senior related driving tragedies, mentioning the DMV
Department of Motor Vehicles
In the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
was planning to suspend driver's licences from senior citizens over 70. Grandpa Marsh and the other seniors have a meeting at the community center to decide what to do. However, they forget what they were there for in the first place. When Randy finds out about the meeting he realizes that when the meeting is over, all the seniors will be driving on the road at the same time. Horrified by the thought, Randy goes into town and shouts out a cry of alarm, causing mass panic. He asks Gerald where the boys are, who tells him that the boys are playing street hockey. Randy manages to save the boys and they flee from the many cars recklessly wandering the streets, eventually hiding in an abandoned house. Moments later, the house gets overrun by seniors making wrong turns and going the wrong way (even on the second floor).
Much to the seniors' chagrin, the state of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
demands all seniors turn in their driver's licenses. One old man states that it is wrong to punish an entire group, pointing out that he never caused an accident and would have voluntarily stopped driving if it was determined his condition was deteriorating. Stan's grandfather wants Stan to accompany him to go and pick up his new Hover Round. All the boys accompany Grandpa Marsh on the trip, theorizing they will be safer if they are in the car. Officer Barbrady pulls the car over after Grampa Marsh causes road rage and since he does not have a license, takes Stan's grandfather to jail. Randy is reluctant to bail his father out, but his father does not care, as the AARP
AARP
AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is the United States-based non-governmental organization and interest group, founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, PhD, a retired educator from California, and based in Washington, D.C. According to its mission statement, it is "a...
is sending their aid. During a class session later on, Mr. Garrison notices a large number of old people dropping out of the sky. The AARP has airdrop
Airdrop
An airdrop is a type of airlift, developed during World War II to resupply otherwise inaccessible troops, who themselves may have been airborne forces. In some cases, it is used to refer to the airborne assault itself. Early airdrops were conducted by dropping or pushing padded bundles from...
in reinforcements. They begin taking hostages and liberating their colleagues from the retirement home. They state that "The revolution is on" and begin to take over the town. To show they mean business, the AARP starts killing hostages.
More reinforcements arrive but then so does the Veteran military. The seniors list their demands: their driver's licenses, more Medicare
Medicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
, and keeping kids from skateboarding on the sidewalk. The AARP leader realizes they could even take over the whole country, and demonstrates, as does other members of his army, that they are willing to kill hostages to get their demands, but Marvin feels this is goes too far beyond their original demands. The children find their parents under lockup. Randy tells the boys that the seniors were able to organize so effectively because they get up earlier than everyone else, representing an advantage over their children, who prefer to sleep late. Randy then realizes that the children get up almost as early as the seniors, and are the only hope for getting the town back. Fleeing to the woods, the boys resolve to board up Country Kitchen Buffet in order to cut the seniors off from their food supply. The AARP plans on taking stronger action, but their plans are thwarted when they start starving to death outside of the locked Country Kitchen Buffet. The Army takes the town back and arrests the AARP. Grandpa is turned back over to his family, but when Randy admonishes him for his actions, Stan rebukes Randy, telling him that the condescending manner in which he treated Grandpa like a child is what led to the crisis in the first place. Stan also tells his grandfather that he should be proud to be a senior, but he should realize that he is a killing machine when he is driving, an assessment that Grandpa accepts. As the reconciled family goes home, Stan mutters, "Dude, I hate my family."