Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow
Encyclopedia
"Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow" is the eighth episode of the ninth season
of the Comedy Central
series South Park
. It originally aired October 19, 2005. In this episode, Stan
and Cartman
accidentally destroy a dam, causing the town of Beaverton to be destroyed.
and Cartman
are playing in a boat that Cartman claims is his uncle's when Cartman dares Stan to drive the boat, claiming he will take the blame if trouble arises. However, as Stan does not know how to drive a boat, they crash into the world's largest beaver dam
, flooding the town of Beaverton. Stan and Cartman try to hide their involvement by maintaining complete silence about the incident.
Meanwhile, the flood has a worse outcome than Stan expected. The people of Beaverton are in a disaster area, with some of the town stuck on their roofs. The media begins falsely reporting horrific scenes of violence and even cannibalism
in the city. Furthermore, their statistics of deaths are in the hundreds of millions despite a population of 8000 in the town. Nobody really tries to help the situation, but would rather figure out who to blame (George W. Bush
, terrorists
, FEMA
, etc.). The scientists, namely Randy Marsh, are called in to examine the phenomenon. At a conference, they all declare that the disaster is the result of global warming
. At first, it is determined the full effects will take place on The Day After Tomorrow
. However, some scientists suddenly burst in and state that it has been proven that the disaster will take place "Two days before the day after tomorrow" to which Randy responds "Oh my God! That's today!"
The declaration of the scientists causes mass hysteria, and everybody runs from "global warming". Most of the South Park people crowd in the community center
. Randy persistently states that global warming is causing an ice age
outside that would kill them if they left. A reporter declares that 600 billion people have died in Chicago
alone (when in reality, there are only about 7 billion people on the entire planet). Randy also says that the temperature outside will fall to over 70 million degrees below zero, (which is impossible
). Stan admits to Kyle
that he was the cause of the Beaverton flood, despite Cartman's earlier warning that Kyle would "Jew him out". The trio then set off to rescue the people by boat. The attempt is a disaster in itself, as they wind up crashing into an oil refinery
, compounding the problems of the stranded people who now must deal with drowning and fire. Meanwhile, Randy, Gerald, and Stephen brave the supposed ice age to find their sons, dressed in multiple coats despite the fact that the sun is out; they end up collapsing in the street due to heat exhaustion and dehydration
(which they believe to be warning signs of hypothermia
).
At this point the Army comes to rescue the boys with a helicopter, but Cartman tries to stop Kyle at gunpoint, demanding he give up his "Jew gold". It turns out that Kyle not only has a bag of gold, but a decoy bag as well, which he gives to Cartman. Cartman calls his bluff; then, Kyle throws his real gold into the fire so Cartman cannot have it. They all leave the building and board the helicopter
. Back at the town, everyone exits the shelter, and the Army claims that the Crab People are responsible. Stan finally admits that he broke the dam, but the people of the town think he means that everybody is responsible; they all begin to admit "I broke the dam", while Stan tries unsuccessfully to explain that he actually did it. Over the closing credits, he just gives up and screams, "Oh, fuck it!"
, particularly the various ad hoc explanations for the increased level of suffering from the hurricane and its aftermath. In addition, the episode parodies the misplaced anger and unwillingness to negotiate between all the parties in the Katrina relief effort, the distorted media coverage that occurred during the hurricane's aftermath, and the Houston mass evacuation during Hurricane Rita
. For instance, when the people conclude that George Bush was the cause of the beaver dam being broken, someone says "George Bush
doesn't care about beavers!" in a parody of Kanye West
's quote, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." In addition, during the evacuation, only white people are rescued, while a black man can be seen left stranded. This references the accusations of selectively racist rescue efforts and media coverage during the Hurricane Katrina crisis.
"Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow" also parodies the film The Day After Tomorrow
, and general responses to global warming
. For instance, Stan calls his father on the phone while the water level rises is a reference to a similar scene in The Day After Tomorrow where Sam calls his father while trying to outlast the fatal coldness. The final scene where everyone says "I broke the dam" is a reference to film Spartacus where the title character comes forward as Spartacus
, and the slave-crowd all claim to be Spartacus in an effort to protect him.
South Park (season 9)
Season nine of the American animated television series South Park began airing on March 9, 2005. This season is home to two of the show's most controversial episodes : "Trapped in the Closet" Season nine of the American animated television series South Park began airing on March 9, 2005. This...
of the Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
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 October 19, 2005. In this episode, 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...
and 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...
accidentally destroy a dam, causing the town of Beaverton to be destroyed.
Plot
StanStan 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...
and 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...
are playing in a boat that Cartman claims is his uncle's when Cartman dares Stan to drive the boat, claiming he will take the blame if trouble arises. However, as Stan does not know how to drive a boat, they crash into the world's largest beaver dam
Beaver dam
Beaver dams are dams built by beavers as protection against predators such as coyotes, wolves, and bears, and to provide easy access to food during winter. Beavers work at night and are prolific builders, carrying mud and stones with their fore-paws and timber between their teeth...
, flooding the town of Beaverton. Stan and Cartman try to hide their involvement by maintaining complete silence about the incident.
Meanwhile, the flood has a worse outcome than Stan expected. The people of Beaverton are in a disaster area, with some of the town stuck on their roofs. The media begins falsely reporting horrific scenes of violence and even cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
in the city. Furthermore, their statistics of deaths are in the hundreds of millions despite a population of 8000 in the town. Nobody really tries to help the situation, but would rather figure out who to blame (George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, terrorists
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, FEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
, etc.). The scientists, namely Randy Marsh, are called in to examine the phenomenon. At a conference, they all declare that the disaster is the result of global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. At first, it is determined the full effects will take place on The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 American science-fiction disaster film that depicts the catastrophic effects of global warming in a series of extreme weather events that usher in global cooling which leads to a new ice age. The film did well at the box office, grossing $542,771,772 internationally...
. However, some scientists suddenly burst in and state that it has been proven that the disaster will take place "Two days before the day after tomorrow" to which Randy responds "Oh my God! That's today!"
The declaration of the scientists causes mass hysteria, and everybody runs from "global warming". Most of the South Park people crowd in the community center
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
. Randy persistently states that global warming is causing an ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
outside that would kill them if they left. A reporter declares that 600 billion people have died in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
alone (when in reality, there are only about 7 billion people on the entire planet). Randy also says that the temperature outside will fall to over 70 million degrees below zero, (which is impossible
Absolute zero
Absolute zero is the theoretical temperature at which entropy reaches its minimum value. The laws of thermodynamics state that absolute zero cannot be reached using only thermodynamic means....
). Stan admits to 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...
that he was the cause of the Beaverton flood, despite Cartman's earlier warning that Kyle would "Jew him out". The trio then set off to rescue the people by boat. The attempt is a disaster in itself, as they wind up crashing into an oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
, compounding the problems of the stranded people who now must deal with drowning and fire. Meanwhile, Randy, Gerald, and Stephen brave the supposed ice age to find their sons, dressed in multiple coats despite the fact that the sun is out; they end up collapsing in the street due to heat exhaustion and dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
(which they believe to be warning signs of hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
).
At this point the Army comes to rescue the boys with a helicopter, but Cartman tries to stop Kyle at gunpoint, demanding he give up his "Jew gold". It turns out that Kyle not only has a bag of gold, but a decoy bag as well, which he gives to Cartman. Cartman calls his bluff; then, Kyle throws his real gold into the fire so Cartman cannot have it. They all leave the building and board the helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
. Back at the town, everyone exits the shelter, and the Army claims that the Crab People are responsible. Stan finally admits that he broke the dam, but the people of the town think he means that everybody is responsible; they all begin to admit "I broke the dam", while Stan tries unsuccessfully to explain that he actually did it. Over the closing credits, he just gives up and screams, "Oh, fuck it!"
Cultural references
This episode parodies the response to Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, particularly the various ad hoc explanations for the increased level of suffering from the hurricane and its aftermath. In addition, the episode parodies the misplaced anger and unwillingness to negotiate between all the parties in the Katrina relief effort, the distorted media coverage that occurred during the hurricane's aftermath, and the Houston mass evacuation during Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
. For instance, when the people conclude that George Bush was the cause of the beaver dam being broken, someone says "George Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
doesn't care about beavers!" in a parody of Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's quote, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." In addition, during the evacuation, only white people are rescued, while a black man can be seen left stranded. This references the accusations of selectively racist rescue efforts and media coverage during the Hurricane Katrina crisis.
"Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow" also parodies the film The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 American science-fiction disaster film that depicts the catastrophic effects of global warming in a series of extreme weather events that usher in global cooling which leads to a new ice age. The film did well at the box office, grossing $542,771,772 internationally...
, and general responses to global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. For instance, Stan calls his father on the phone while the water level rises is a reference to a similar scene in The Day After Tomorrow where Sam calls his father while trying to outlast the fatal coldness. The final scene where everyone says "I broke the dam" is a reference to film Spartacus where the title character comes forward as Spartacus
Spartacus
Spartacus was a famous leader of the slaves in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about Spartacus beyond the events of the war, and surviving historical accounts are sometimes contradictory and may not always be reliable...
, and the slave-crowd all claim to be Spartacus in an effort to protect him.
External links
- Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow Full episode at South Park Studios
- Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow Episode guide at South Park Studios