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Pandemic (South Park)
Encyclopedia
"Pandemic" is the tenth episode of the twelfth season
of the American animated television series South Park
, and the 177th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central
in the United States
on October 22, 2008.
It is the first of a two-part episode. In the episode, the boys try to capitalize on a sudden rise in Peruvian flute bands, unwittingly becoming players in a demonic being's plan to employ giant guinea pigs to attack the public. The storyline of this episode concludes in the next episode, "Pandemic 2: The Startling".
The episode was written and directed by series co-founder Trey Parker, and was rated TV-MA L in the United States.
vian pan flute
bands that have become popular recently, and the money they can make daily by selling CDs, Stan
convinces Kyle
, Cartman
, and Kenny
to start their own pan flute band. They convince their classmate Craig to invest his $100 birthday money as venture capital. The plan backfires when the head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security cracks down on all Peruvian flute bands, rounding the five boys up and imprisoning them in Miami, with the boys arrested in the process. While imprisoned, Craig continually chastises Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, citing that the four main protagonists' constant schemes and their subsequent failures are the main reason for their unpopularity. The boys attempt to convince their captors that they are American citizens, but the DHS only agrees to release the boys if they agree to go on a mission to overthrow the country of Peru
, in order to stop the pandemic of Peruvian flute bands at its source. As the boys prepare for their mission, Peruvian musicians still interned in the camp warn guards that their captivity will unleash the "Furry Death".
Meanwhile, Stan's father, Randy Marsh, raises the ire of his family by videotaping every mundane household activity with his new camcorder
. His camera documents the rampage of giant live action guinea pig
s through town. At the episode's conclusion, the boys are headed to Peru as the country begins to be overrun by guinea pigs. It is revealed that the head of Homeland Security is a demonic lifeform facilitating the eradication of pan flute bands and the rise of the guinea pigs, and that he sent the boys to Peru because there is only one person with the power to stop him - Craig.
.
The interrogation scene and the main antagonist is a reference to the movie, "Harold and Kumar: Escape From Gautemala Bay"
rated the episode a 6.2/10, stating "the show falls back on its old gimmicks of a national crisis with fast-paced scenes of man talking importantly about stupid things. The show is good at this stuff, but we've seen it all before and it seems out of place and meaningless here. It's a long walk for a joke that's only somewhat amusing, and never hilarious".
South Park (season 12)
Season twelve of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 12, 2008. The twelfth season concluded after 14 episodes on November 19, 2008...
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 177th episode of the series overall. 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on October 22, 2008.
It is the first of a two-part episode. In the episode, the boys try to capitalize on a sudden rise in Peruvian flute bands, unwittingly becoming players in a demonic being's plan to employ giant guinea pigs to attack the public. The storyline of this episode concludes in the next episode, "Pandemic 2: The Startling".
The episode was written and directed by series co-founder Trey Parker, and was rated TV-MA L in the United States.
Plot
Seeing all the PeruPeru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian pan flute
Pan flute
The pan flute or pan pipe is an ancient musical instrument based on the principle of the closed tube, consisting usually of five or more pipes of gradually increasing length...
bands that have become popular recently, and the money they can make daily by selling CDs, 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...
convinces 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...
, 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...
, 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...
to start their own pan flute band. They convince their classmate Craig to invest his $100 birthday money as venture capital. The plan backfires when the head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security cracks down on all Peruvian flute bands, rounding the five boys up and imprisoning them in Miami, with the boys arrested in the process. While imprisoned, Craig continually chastises Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, citing that the four main protagonists' constant schemes and their subsequent failures are the main reason for their unpopularity. The boys attempt to convince their captors that they are American citizens, but the DHS only agrees to release the boys if they agree to go on a mission to overthrow the country of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, in order to stop the pandemic of Peruvian flute bands at its source. As the boys prepare for their mission, Peruvian musicians still interned in the camp warn guards that their captivity will unleash the "Furry Death".
Meanwhile, Stan's father, Randy Marsh, raises the ire of his family by videotaping every mundane household activity with his new camcorder
Camcorder
A camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit. Equipment manufacturers do not seem to have strict guidelines for the term usage...
. His camera documents the rampage of giant live action guinea pig
Guinea pig
The guinea pig , also called the cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not in the pig family, nor are they from Guinea...
s through town. At the episode's conclusion, the boys are headed to Peru as the country begins to be overrun by guinea pigs. It is revealed that the head of Homeland Security is a demonic lifeform facilitating the eradication of pan flute bands and the rise of the guinea pigs, and that he sent the boys to Peru because there is only one person with the power to stop him - Craig.
Cultural references
The guinea pig monsters and shaky cam techniques are in reference to the 2008 movie CloverfieldCloverfield
Cloverfield is a 2008 American disaster-monster film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J. J. Abrams and written by Drew Goddard.The film follows six young New Yorkers attending a going-away party on the night that a gigantic monster attacks the city...
.
The interrogation scene and the main antagonist is a reference to the movie, "Harold and Kumar: Escape From Gautemala Bay"
Reception
The episode received mixed reviews. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
rated the episode a 6.2/10, stating "the show falls back on its old gimmicks of a national crisis with fast-paced scenes of man talking importantly about stupid things. The show is good at this stuff, but we've seen it all before and it seems out of place and meaningless here. It's a long walk for a joke that's only somewhat amusing, and never hilarious".
External links
- "Pandemic" Full episode at South Park Studios
- "Pandemic" Episode guide at South Park Studios