Season 2 Episode 4 - Chickenlover

 

Season 2 Episode 4 - Chickenlover

Officer Barbrady needs to learn to read, and will South Park be safe again?

Original Airdate

27th May 1998

Synopsis

There’s a chicken molester in town, and Officer Barbady needs help to solve the case! As he can’t read, he goes back to school Billy Madison style.

Kenny's Death

Crushed by a tree at the very end in the town parade.

My Thoughts Back Then

Back when I was 7, the image of Cartman as a cop was EVERYWHERE – to be honest, when I saw this in April of 2005 on DVD, I found this episode disappointing, as I expected it to be one of the best of this season. Primary school was rough at times for me, maybe seeing an adult in a primary school class brought back bad memories? Either way, this wasn’t one of my favourite Season 2 episodes, plus I was still adjusting to crude humour.

My Thoughts Now

ROCK CONCERT AT THE RETIREMENT HOME! We hear Trey Parker doing an early version of Timmy’s Living a lie chant during the song. NINJA STAR IN THE FORRID!

ERIC, SHUT UP! Boring, boring, gay! Stan finds the romance novels, and suddenly, reading assignments don’t seem boring anymore for Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny. Notice the books (most of them) appear to be for the Hebrew or Arabic market (right-to-left reading), and soon enough,
the boys forget reading too.

We cut to COPS, a parody of the long-running FOX series (and a favourite of mine until it was pulled), starring Officer Barbrady – a man did it with a chicken?! YUK! It turns out Officer Barbrady can’t read “Another Chicken Gets it Tomorrow” and dismisses the case, and a resident calls him out on his bad policing, and Barbrady threatens to shoot everyone. Even for Officer Barbrady, he’s performing badly, yet still knows what a STOP sign is, but not ordering takeaway from a BANK. Drive-through banks aren’t really a thing here in Australia.

Pretty sure newsreaders can’t swear… Barbrady is getting angry at the crowd, and confesses he’s illiterate (illegitimate as he says), the host is not concerned about the lack of police in South Park, and the town crumbles instantly, and Kenny is almost crushed by a car. Mayor McDaniels is concerned, and Barbrady is put into South Park Elementary as he needs to learn how to read. GET OUT OF THE FRONT ROW! He’s more immature than the 3rd graders!

Oprah Winfrey Has Huge Knockers is NOT appropriate for 3rd graders… and Mr. Garrison has no patience, calling Barbrady a retard. At the chicken coop, we see an evil man enter… Book report day has arrived at the school, reminds me of how one of the students in my primary school class tried to fob off Where’s Wally? as assigned reading. Mr. Garrison makes Cartman go first, his report is worse than Bart Simpson’s from 1990! There are NO MAGICAL CAMELS in C. S. Lewis!

Weird seeing Officer Barbrady at recess on the swings, flying Kenny off. He’s enjoying school too much! Mayor McDaniels tries to choke him into learning faster, and now his job is on the line! Cartman (and the other boys) volunteer of course, and decides to abuse it. To the book bus! The kids help Barbrady solve a clue and go to Stark’s Pond. Cartman is now on a tricycle and is on patrol, booking and hitting Randy for DOING THE SPEED LIMIT! Abuse of police powers! I’m strongly for law and order, but not when no laws are broken!

Wait… Barbrady can READ! Even Halfy is happy, and Cartman is now on Cops, posing as a hooker (a grown man wants a boy posing as an adult woman? DISGUSTING!) Now this I justify Cartman’s policing.

Cartman is at the McCormick residence, and Stuart has a black eye, and all of his family are over. It turns out Stuart is beaten by Carol, and both Carol and Stuart are beaten (Cartman, you’re not meant to beat victims of crime – I was one once!) Stan, Kyle and Barbrady turn their back and then realise they have the Chickenlover, who is… Richard Nixon? Nixon had been dead for 4 years at this point, it’s the Book Bus man! This was all a setup? I don’t remember this bit at all, obviously this episode didn’t stick to me back then. Atlas Shrugged? Gimme!!!!! Gimme!!!!!

Cartman is relieved of police duties, and Officer Barbrady returns to being South Park’s sole policeman, off to read some Ayn Rand! Definitely far worse books you can read, a parade celebrating Barbrady is held in town , where Officer Barbrady tells the town that reading sucks, thanks to Ayn Rand! Mind you, Officer Barbrady probably didn’t understand it.

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