| "Helen Keller! The Musical" | |
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| South Park episode | |
 Timmy, Kyle, Stan and Wendy during the rehearsal for the play. |
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| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 14 |
| Written by | Trey Parker |
| Directed by | Trey Parker |
| Production no. | 414 |
| Original airdate | November 22, 2000 |
| Season 4 episodes | |
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| ← Season 3 | Season 5 → |
| List of South Park episodes | |
"Helen Keller! The Musical" is episode 61 of South Park. It originally aired on November 22, 2000.
Contents |
Plot
The fourth graders are rehearsing for the "Thanksgiving Extravaganza", where they have to perform The Miracle Worker, which is the story of Helen Keller, starring Timmy as Helen. Butters provides them reports that the kindergarteners' play is the greatest show he has ever seen, and the other kids agree to put extra effort into making their play better. Cartman agrees to adapt the play into a musical, and eventually Jeffrey Maynard, who played the lead in Les Misérables for the Denver Community Playhouse, is brought in to help.The kids also decide to replace Helen's pet dog with a turkey, which is also to perform tricks for the audience. Timmy helps to pick out the turkey, and chooses a disabled turkey which he names "Gobbles."
At rehearsal, Maynard brings in a professional performing turkey named Alinicia, and her trainer Lamond declares that she will not perform with Gobbles, and suggests Cartman kill it. Cartman attempts to kill Gobbles with a falling stage-light, but it hits and kills Kenny by mistake. Eventually, Lamond tells Timmy that animal control is going to take Gobbles from him because he is disabled, and Timmy reluctantly lets Gobbles go. When Timmy realizes he has been tricked, he leaves to rescue Gobbles, who has been found by a slaughterhouse and is now being pursued by Jimbo and his hunter friends. In Timmy's absence, Maynard goes on as Helen Keller and sings his thoughts in ab-libbed songs that surprise the other students. Also after hearing the kindergarteners' play even has pyrotechnics, Cartman rigs laser shows, choreography and water effects into the fourth graders' show, culminating with Alinicia leaping through a ring of fire - the result is so extravagant it leaves the audience very confused.
Timmy, Gobbles and Jimbo go to the Thanksgiving Extravaganza and shoot Alinicia. Gobbles goes onstage and jumps through the ring of fire during the grand finale, and the audience, following a stunned Principal Victoria's lead, gives a standing ovation. In the end, the kindergartners put on their show: a song to the tune of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" about the first Thanksgiving, ending with them setting off a small explosion which sends one kindergartner fleeing the stage, and bringing a prop horse on stage. The performance is only a minute and a half long. All the fourth graders are mad at Butters for having them go through the trouble of making a big spectacular musical for nothing.
Reception
The episode was selected for inclusion on the DVD release South Park: Timmy!, along with "Timmy 2000", "4th Grade" and "The Tooth Fairy Tats 2000".[1] Walt Belcher of The Tampa Tribune highlighted the episode as part of "holiday TV shows that'll leave you shouting out with glee".[2]
References
- ^ TV Guide (2005). TV Guide: TV on DVD 2006: The Ultimate Resource to Television Programs. Macmillan. p. 222. ISBN 031235150X.
- ^ Belcher, Walt (November 25, 2002). "Jolly Good Viewing". The Tampa Tribune: p. 1.
Further reading
- Shannon, Jeff (November 28, 2005). "Timmy of "South Park" challenges viewers' attitudes about people with disabilities". The Seattle Times (The Seattle Times Company). http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2002648630_timmy28.html. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
- Staff (November 23, 2002). "Helen Keller! The Musical" (in German). serienjunkies.de. http://www.serienjunkies.de/SouthPark/4x13-Helen-Keller-Das-Musical.html. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
External links
- Helen Keller! The Musical, episode at SouthParkStudios.com
- "South Park" Helen Keller! the Musical (2000), episode at IMDB
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