Season 1 Episode 6 – Death

Season 1 Episode 6 – Death

 


 

Stan’s grandfather has only one wish… to die! Meanwhile, the parents and adults of South Park want kids’ favourite Terrance and Phillip off the air!

Original Airdate

17th September 1997

Featured Music

  • Orinoco Flow by Enya (1988)

Character Debuts

  • Grandpa Marsh
  • Terrance
  • Phillip
  • Sheila (Carol in this episode) Broflovski

Synopsis

Grandpa Marsh turns 102, and wants to kill himself, attempting to badger Stan into doing so. Kyle’s Mum Sheila, meanwhile, is on a crusade to get popular TV show Terrance and Phillip off the air, in an attempt to stop children being corroded by it. This all turns into one big showdown at the network headquarters.

Kenny's Death

Literally touched by the Grim Reaper.

My Thoughts Back Then

Grandpa Marsh’s voice stuck with me over the years, to the point where I do a generic elderly man’s voice, it sounds like him according to my Dad. Same with the way he calls Stan Billy – a Billy went to my high school a few years after I first saw this back in 2004. The mothers’ disapproval of Terrance and Philip reminded me of my own struggles of watching South Park with my Mum, especially when I first started watching it, and was all “Hahahaha! I’m watching it and you can’t stop me!” Mum, if you read this, I love you.

I also thought the Canadians having different voices AND designs was hilarious too – basically another species!

My Thoughts Now

Fireside chat #6, where Matt Stone defends the right to kill… KENNY!

If I live to 102, I WANT 102 CANDLES ON MY CAKE! Just like I had 30 on my 30th cake. And how the heck did Terrance and Phillip get on BEFORE the watershed? I know American broadcast standards are different, but given how crude it is, it wouldn’t be allowed on until 8.30pm here in Australia.

Kyle has the show turned off on him, Kyle’s Mum reminds me much of my own Mum when I was Kyle’s age in that regard. In hindsight my Mum was definitely right, and watching this at 30 makes me realise this more. Cartman notices Kyle’s Mum has a go like this every month. And wait – what classroom has toilets INSIDE it? Kenny has the runs REAL bad… and doesn’t wash his hands. Mr. Garrison reminds me of a science teacher at my old high school, who used to tap his ruler on the desk to get the attention of the class.

Sheila leads a network boycott, and Grandpa Marsh is trying to stick a fork in a power outlet, and then try and hang himself in the living room. After the boys are accused of being corroded by Terrance and Phillip when unintentionally trying to hang Grandpa Marsh, the parents are off to New York! Party at Stan’s, and lots of mess! The boys are now trying to unintentionally kill Grandpa Marsh, while the parents and adults of South Park are now flinging themselves at the Cartoon Central HQ! Some REAL good parenting here!

The Grim Reaper appears (one of my friends dressed up as him for my school’s Year 10 river cruise), and chases the boys around town, ignoring Grandpa completely, and taking time to watch Terrance and Phillip. The network pull it, and replace it with She’s The Sheriff reruns – another Suzanne Somers show, from 1987-89 (probably no Three’s Company though!) 😉 Kyle’s Mum does NOT approve of it (which makes these crusades pointless)

Stan and Kyle make a good point – while some things on TV are NOT age appropriate for kids, a good parent is always concerned about what’s going on in their kids lives, and makes sure TV is NOT used as a babysitter. I’m not one for having shows pulled, despite me not liking extremely vulgar or adult content myself, there’s a reason we have ratings and parental controls, as people like different things and have different moral compasses. And, in especially in this age of the Internet, censorship is pointless by governments, as people WILL find a way to watch, read, listen to or play what they want. Heck, a lot of what I watch (1970s and 1980s sitcoms) would probably be cancelled by the woke crowd these days.

The talk about death in this episode I now see in a different light, since I first saw this, I’ve lost three people I went to high school with, and several family members. Two of the classmates sadly took their lives, and if any of you reading this are contemplating suicide – please don’t, you have a lot of people who love you, and while I’ve never contemplated it myself, I’ve been through a very rough patch in my life (ages 10-12), and I got through that to much greener pastures.

 

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