| "Kenny Dies" | ||||
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| South Park episode | ||||
 Kenny in a Hospital Bed |
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| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 13 |
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| Written by | Trey Parker | |||
| Directed by | Trey Parker | |||
| Production no. | 513 | |||
| Original airdate | December 5, 2001 | |||
| Season 5 episodes | ||||
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| ← Season 4 | Season 6 → | |||
| List of South Park episodes | ||||
"Kenny Dies" is episode 78 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It was originally broadcast on December 5, 2001. Notably, the gag of Kenny dying in almost every episode was dropped after this episode, and he did not reappear until "Free Hat" (trailer cameo only) and "A Ladder to Heaven" (these were appearances in apparition form; Kenny did not return to life until the end of "Red Sleigh Down"). This was the final appearance of the "4th Grade" title sequence which was first seen in "4th Grade". This is also the first episode where Kenny's death is truly taken seriously.
Contents |
Plot
The episode begins in an abortion clinic with a woman giving her permission for scientists to use her unborn child for stem cell research. The truck transporting the fetuses from the clinic to a research facility is destroyed in an accident. Its cargo is noticed and subsequently stolen by passerby Eric Cartman (riding his Big Wheel and singing Sheena Easton's "Morning Train (9 To 5)") who intends to resell the fetuses for a tremendous profit. This goal leads him to call various institutions in the style of a fast-talking agent, with the famous recurring line "you're breaking my balls, here," finally landing a deal with a government organization. To his dismay, the government puts a ban on stem cell research immediately afterward. Meanwhile, Kenny is diagnosed with what is presumably muscular dystrophy, and his friends and family are told that he will probably die. The boys (especially Cartman) are shocked and saddened by the news, but do everything they can to support him and keep him company during his stay in the hospital - all but Stan, who cannot bear to see Kenny dying and refuses to visit him. This marks one of the few episodes in which Kenny's friends mourn his death.[citation needed]
Cartman, in the meantime, has a researcher explain to him how stem cells actually work, and learns that they might be used to help Kenny. Cartman also mentions using stem cells to duplicate a Shakey's Pizza restaurant, although the researcher advises him that lumber would be better suited for that task. Cartman gives a speech to the House of Representatives on behalf of stem cell research. He ultimately succeeds in getting the ban lifted by singing "Heat of the Moment" by Asia, and begins visiting abortion clinics around the area to collect more aborted fetuses.
Stan, with the supporting words of Chef, finally gets up the courage to come visit Kenny in the hospital, only to find out that Kenny has died. On hearing that Kenny's last words were "Where's Stan?", he accuses himself of being Kenny's worst friend. During the funeral, Cartman bursts in and exclaims that a miracle has occurred. He drags Stan and Kyle away to show them how he has manipulated the stem cells from his aborted fetuses into building his very own Shakey's Pizza. Kyle promptly beats up Cartman, assuming that Cartman had pretended to take Kenny's death seriously in order to get the ban on stem cells lifted, therefore allowing him to make his own Shakey's Pizza. Stan is relieved after he realizes Cartman was Kenny's worst friend.
Reception
Serene Dominic of the Detroit Metro Times called the scene from the episode where Cartman leads members of the United States Congress in a sing-along of "Heat of the Moment" as the rock group Asia's "Greatest Cartoon Moment". [1] In an article for ESPN.com Tim Kavanagh discussed stem cells and how they were used in the episode, writing: "This, as with many other important topics of our day, I learned from "South Park," specifically Episode 513, entitled 'Kenny Dies.'"[2] In a review of the South Park season 5 DVD release, Choire Sicha of The New York Times gave a "not-so-surprising surprise ending alert" that "Kenny finally really dies" at the end of the episode.[3] Alessandra Stanely of The New York Times cited the episode when noting that the political commentary on South Park "is not any more subtle" than that of Saturday Night Live or The Simpsons.[4]
References
- ^ Dominic, Serene (July 4, 2007). "Cheap Trick vs. All Four Original Members of Asia!: 'Don’t Cry' if Mommy & Daddy just seem a little weird over who to 'Surrender' the fun money to this weekend!". Detroit Metro Times (Metro Times, Inc.). http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=10680. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
- ^ Kavanagh, Tim (October 8, 2007). "Icing It Down: Emery still day-to-day". ESPN.com (ESPN Internet Ventures.). http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/hockey/fhl/story?page=icingitdown1008. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
- ^ Sicha, Choire (February 20, 2005). "The Guide: Sunday 2/20". The New York Times (The New York Times Company): p. AR35.
- ^ Stanley, Alessandra (November 3, 2006). "The TV Watch: When It Comes to Political Parody, Upstarts Outrun the Classics". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/03/arts/television/03stan.html?pagewanted=print. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
Further reading
- Clodfelter, Tim (February 26, 2005). "The Shield, South Park Proved Durable After Their Shock Value Wore Off". Winston-Salem Journal.
- Josaphat, Chenel (March 18, 2005). "DVD Review: 'South Park' laughs at nation". University Wire.
External links
- Kenny Dies, episode at SouthParkStudios.com
- Kenny Dies, episode at Comedy Central website
- Kenny Dies, episode at IMDB
| Preceded by “Here Comes the Neighborhood” |
South Park episodes | Followed by “Butters' Very Own Episode” |
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