Cartmanland
Encyclopedia
"Cartmanland" is the sixth episode of the fifth season
of the animated television series South Park
, and the 71st episode of the series overall. "Cartmanland" originally aired in the United States
on July 25, 2001 on Comedy Central
.
's grandmother dies (which Cartman treats as nothing more than an inconvenience to his weekend plans) and he inherits her life savings of one million dollars because the rest of the family would likely have spent the money on crack
. Cartman decides to buy an amusement park
, fulfilling his dream of having a park all to himself without having to wait in lines, presenting it as a reference to How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
. Around the same time, Kyle
comes down with a hemorrhoid
, and his suffering, combined with Cartman's fortune, causes him to stop believing in God
. A TV ad about Cartman's theme park comes on TV advertising that no one will be allowed in, especially Kyle and Stan
. Angered by the ad, Kyle and Stan attempt to sneak into the theme park. But Kyle pops his hemorrhoid on the top of the chain-link fence, which infects the sore and almost kills him. He is sent back to the hospital. Frustrated by the injustice of it all, he renounces his faith.
Cartman decides to hire a security guard
to keep trespassers out, especially Stan and Kyle. Cartman believes the guard will accept a few free rides a day as payment, but the guard insists on a cash salary. Cartman is unable to pay after spending all his inheritance to buy the park, so the guard advises him to let a couple of people in a day, for a fee, which should pay for the salary. Cartman also believes from the guard's advice that he should not be inconvenienced by a few customers in the large park, so he sets off the rest of the day to enjoy the rides. Much to his dismay, the customers form a line to one of the rides that he wants to ride. More expenses begin to pile up for maintenance, refreshments, utilities and such to keep the park intact. To cover the costs, Cartman ends up having to admit hundreds to thousands of people a day. The park ends up becoming incredibly successful, due in large part to Cartman's original refusal to allow anyone to enter the park.
At the hospital, Kyle's parents bring in the Hebrew Bible
(although it is clearly depicted as a Christian bible with a cross) and read the trials of Job
to Kyle as an attempt to theologically reassure him that the recent incidents are the will of God (interestingly, Kyle's parents truncate the story at Job getting boils, and never mentioning the end where Job regains his good fortune for believing in God despite everything going wrong in his life). Astounded by God's cruelty to Job, Kyle loses the will to live. A TV business program comments on Cartman's success in the theme park, describing him as a financial genius for his initial refusal to allow people in. This is regarded as a novel marketing strategy, dubbed the "you-can't-come" technique. Watching this causes Kyle to flatline
and pass out.
Meanwhile, Cartman is frustrated by his park being full as he tries to enjoy his rides throughout the day (Kenny
also dies on the roller-coaster after being stabbed in the face by a broken pipe dangerously jutting out against the riders). The previous owner of the park visits to see the success and congratulate Cartman for it. However, Cartman promptly demands his million dollars back from the previous owner, and the park is sold back immediately. Even though the park is no longer his, agents from the IRS
arrive and take all the money away. Most of the money goes to the IRS as unpaid taxes and penalties thereon (as Cartman failed to keep records of his income and payouts during his ownership of the theme park) and the rest goes to compensate Kenny's parents for a lawsuit on Kenny's death in the park. Cartman tries to explain that he dies all the time, making this one of the few episodes where Kenny's
recurring death gag is referenced. He still owes an additional $13,000 to the IRS, and as a result he will be forced to go to court over the outstanding debt. He tries to buy the park back to pay for these expenses, but the original owner refuses.
Back in the hospital, Kyle's complications from the hemorrhoid are worsening, compounded by his lost will to live, and he is expected to die. Stan barges into the room and gets Kyle to be wheeled outside to the theme park. When they arrive outside the theme park, they find that Cartman is miserable and frustrated and is throwing rocks at the park's walls. He is then sprayed with pepper spray
by the security guard that used to work for him. Seeing Cartman's downfall, Kyle's hemorrhoid shrinks and disappears away, and he recovers completely. He looks up happily, his belief in a benevolent God restored.
Parker and Stone highlight it as another example (after "Scott Tenorman Must Die
") of the show's change in style towards simpler ideas which consisted only of an A-Plot
, with no subplot
, and "not try[ing] to do too many things at once". Parker mentions that they almost did not make the episode as they did not believe that there was enough going on in the episode, that it was too "basic and easy". Parker also said they were concerned that the story of Cartman inheriting a million dollars and buying a theme park was cliché
d. However, as it was the middle of the run and they had no other stories ready for production, they decided to run with the idea. Parker said he realised while they were making the episode that "as long as you have the basic easy cliché thing as the overall thing, then you can get into the scenes and have a lot of fun with scenes and get original in there."
Both this episode and "Scott Tenorman Must Die
" appear on The Cult of Cartman DVD.
South Park (season 5)
Season five of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on June 20, 2001. The fifth season concluded after 14 episodes on December 12, 2001...
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...
, and the 71st episode of the series overall. "Cartmanland" originally aired in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on July 25, 2001 on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
.
Plot
CartmanEric 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...
's grandmother dies (which Cartman treats as nothing more than an inconvenience to his weekend plans) and he inherits her life savings of one million dollars because the rest of the family would likely have spent the money on crack
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
. Cartman decides to buy an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
, fulfilling his dream of having a park all to himself without having to wait in lines, presenting it as a reference to How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a children's story by Dr. Seuss written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author. It was published as a book by Random House in 1957, and at approximately the same time in an issue of Redbook...
. Around the same time, 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...
comes down with a hemorrhoid
Hemorrhoid
Hemorrhoids or haemorrhoids , are vascular structures in the anal canal which help with stool control. They become pathological or piles when swollen or inflamed. In their physiological state they act as a cushion composed of arterio-venous channels and connective tissue that aid the passage of...
, and his suffering, combined with Cartman's fortune, causes him to stop believing in God
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
. A TV ad about Cartman's theme park comes on TV advertising that no one will be allowed in, especially Kyle and 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...
. Angered by the ad, Kyle and Stan attempt to sneak into the theme park. But Kyle pops his hemorrhoid on the top of the chain-link fence, which infects the sore and almost kills him. He is sent back to the hospital. Frustrated by the injustice of it all, he renounces his faith.
Cartman decides to hire a security guard
Security guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
to keep trespassers out, especially Stan and Kyle. Cartman believes the guard will accept a few free rides a day as payment, but the guard insists on a cash salary. Cartman is unable to pay after spending all his inheritance to buy the park, so the guard advises him to let a couple of people in a day, for a fee, which should pay for the salary. Cartman also believes from the guard's advice that he should not be inconvenienced by a few customers in the large park, so he sets off the rest of the day to enjoy the rides. Much to his dismay, the customers form a line to one of the rides that he wants to ride. More expenses begin to pile up for maintenance, refreshments, utilities and such to keep the park intact. To cover the costs, Cartman ends up having to admit hundreds to thousands of people a day. The park ends up becoming incredibly successful, due in large part to Cartman's original refusal to allow anyone to enter the park.
At the hospital, Kyle's parents bring in the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
(although it is clearly depicted as a Christian bible with a cross) and read the trials of Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
to Kyle as an attempt to theologically reassure him that the recent incidents are the will of God (interestingly, Kyle's parents truncate the story at Job getting boils, and never mentioning the end where Job regains his good fortune for believing in God despite everything going wrong in his life). Astounded by God's cruelty to Job, Kyle loses the will to live. A TV business program comments on Cartman's success in the theme park, describing him as a financial genius for his initial refusal to allow people in. This is regarded as a novel marketing strategy, dubbed the "you-can't-come" technique. Watching this causes Kyle to flatline
Flatline
A flatline is an electrical time sequence measurement that shows no activity and therefore when represented, shows a flat line instead of a moving one. It almost always refers to either a flatlined electrocardiogram, where the heart shows no electrical activity , or to a flat electroencephalogram,...
and pass out.
Meanwhile, Cartman is frustrated by his park being full as he tries to enjoy his rides throughout the day (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...
also dies on the roller-coaster after being stabbed in the face by a broken pipe dangerously jutting out against the riders). The previous owner of the park visits to see the success and congratulate Cartman for it. However, Cartman promptly demands his million dollars back from the previous owner, and the park is sold back immediately. Even though the park is no longer his, agents from the IRS
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
arrive and take all the money away. Most of the money goes to the IRS as unpaid taxes and penalties thereon (as Cartman failed to keep records of his income and payouts during his ownership of the theme park) and the rest goes to compensate Kenny's parents for a lawsuit on Kenny's death in the park. Cartman tries to explain that he dies all the time, making this one of the few episodes where Kenny's
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...
recurring death gag is referenced. He still owes an additional $13,000 to the IRS, and as a result he will be forced to go to court over the outstanding debt. He tries to buy the park back to pay for these expenses, but the original owner refuses.
Back in the hospital, Kyle's complications from the hemorrhoid are worsening, compounded by his lost will to live, and he is expected to die. Stan barges into the room and gets Kyle to be wheeled outside to the theme park. When they arrive outside the theme park, they find that Cartman is miserable and frustrated and is throwing rocks at the park's walls. He is then sprayed with pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
by the security guard that used to work for him. Seeing Cartman's downfall, Kyle's hemorrhoid shrinks and disappears away, and he recovers completely. He looks up happily, his belief in a benevolent God restored.
Production
In the DVD commentary to this episodeParker and Stone highlight it as another example (after "Scott Tenorman Must Die
Scott Tenorman Must Die
"Scott Tenorman Must Die" is the fourth episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 69th episode of the series overall. "Scott Tenorman Must Die" originally aired in the United States on July 11, 2001 on Comedy Central. English rock band Radiohead guest star in...
") of the show's change in style towards simpler ideas which consisted only of an A-Plot
A-Plot
A-Plot is a cinema and television term referring to the plotline that drives the story. This does not necessarily mean it is the most important, but rather the one that forces most of the action....
, with no subplot
Subplot
A subplot is a secondary plot strand that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance...
, and "not try[ing] to do too many things at once". Parker mentions that they almost did not make the episode as they did not believe that there was enough going on in the episode, that it was too "basic and easy". Parker also said they were concerned that the story of Cartman inheriting a million dollars and buying a theme park was cliché
Cliché
A cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning,...
d. However, as it was the middle of the run and they had no other stories ready for production, they decided to run with the idea. Parker said he realised while they were making the episode that "as long as you have the basic easy cliché thing as the overall thing, then you can get into the scenes and have a lot of fun with scenes and get original in there."
Both this episode and "Scott Tenorman Must Die
Scott Tenorman Must Die
"Scott Tenorman Must Die" is the fourth episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 69th episode of the series overall. "Scott Tenorman Must Die" originally aired in the United States on July 11, 2001 on Comedy Central. English rock band Radiohead guest star in...
" appear on The Cult of Cartman DVD.
External links
- "Cartmanland" Episode guide at South Park Studios
- "Cartmanland" Full episode at South Park Studios