Season 2 Episode 10 – Chickenpox

No, not COVID, but chickenpox invades South Park.

Original Airdate

26^th August 1998

Featured Music

• I’m a Believer by the Monkees (1967)
• In The Ghetto (sung by Cartman, originally by Elvis Presley, 1969)

Synopsis

Kenny has the chickenpox, and Stan, Kyle and Cartman are ordered by their parents to sleep at his house, so they can catch it. The boys are angry about this, and decide to get revenge on their parents.

Kenny's Death

Dies in hospital from chickenpox.

My Thoughts Back Then

So I never had chickenpox, quite possibly due to my own mum having a bad case of it when she was around Shelly’s age in this episode, in 1974 or 1975. Therefore, I can’t personally relate to having chickenpox, but most people I knew at the time had it at some point in primary school. I can imagine Mum being like Shelly in the episode, but nowhere near as crabby (my Nan or Pop would NOT tolerate a daughter like Shelly, trust me) This was also my first exposure to what a prostitute was… oh boy, to be 13 in 2004 again!

Cartman’s obsession with calamine lotion also stuck with me, and I still remember it fondly 17 years after I first saw this, especially the scene where he runs a bath entirely of it. I also paraphrased Stuart’s line about weekends are meaningless as well when I was university too.

My Thoughts Now

Can I have some Northern Wyoming Bacon Loaf please? Maybe I’ll make it for friends… but NOT BACON POPS! YUK!

Shelly’s in hospital with a BAD case of chickenpox, which is bad if you get it when you’re 12 or 13. Shelly is also NOT impressed when Stan visits, a lot of siblings don’t get along. Sharon ISN’T phased when Shelly beats Stan, that’s not very good parenting of you.

Sharon, Sheila and Liane all vote for a pox party, so their sons can all get it aged 8. The boys are ORDERED to go to Kenny’s house, literally on the wrong side of the tracks, which is where I first picked up this phrase from. My mum, who isn’t a fan of South Park, liked that reference, and the way Cartman sings Elvis on the way. If I had to show her a episode from Season 2, it would be this one.

Kenny’s mum didn’t have a name at the time, I like to call her Jayne after my auntie (as I have an uncle Stuart, who shares a first name with Kenny’s dad, and while my uncle Stuart isn’t an alcoholic hick (I don’t even know what the Welsh equivalent of a hick is), he does eat like he lives on the wrong side of the tracks).

Coleco-Vision and a monochrome TV? Gosh, what is this, 1974? Aside from the game console, that’s the same sort of TV set my Mum’s house would have had when my mum had the chickenpox! And as bad as my Nan’s cooking was, it was still better than frozen waffles (could you even get those here in the 1970s?)

We find out that Gerald and Stuart were friends in high school, Stuart couldn’t get a good job as he’s a retarded alcoholic hick, NOT because Gerald is Jewish! Now, who is the hot bird on Kenny’s wall? Kyle is NOT sick, but Stan and Cartman have fallen…

Gerald, people CAN make their life better, and repairmen are NOT pond scum! We can all work, believe me, I worked my way up big time, as I have the drive. I am NO repairman, and anyone who can do a car I salute. Stan is now in hospital, and him and Shelly are fighting over the remote like some siblings would. And Kyle is STILL not sick, plus the McCormicks don’t even have PG Tips for the hot water in the house!

Even I know more about fishing than Gerald, I like fishing but don’t go that often. Kyle takes his dad’s words too seriously… from a bit further on when we find out about the paper, NO KYLE! NO FINAL SOLUTION! YOU DON’T THROW POOR PEOPLE IN CAMPS! and he catches his MUM ON THE PHONE! I’d be furious if my mum did that. I do feel like some microbrews from Aspen now, whereas Stuart is probably drinking Coors (given they’re in Colorado). Kyle rustles up Stan and Cartman for a revenge mission!

Rich parents don’t mean everything! You still need to work hard. Stuart and Gerald have a punch up by the river, and Gerald is steamed at Sheila about the setup. The hospital is worse than the one I was in when I was 21, letting patients run out.

Chef comes to save the day again, who tells Stan, Kyle and Cartman about Old Frida, who has herpes and is the town tramp. Over the Monkees’ classic I'm A Believer, we see Frida brush her teeth, regurgitate milk and use makeup… GROSS! Much sicker to watch at 30 than 13, a common theme for me in the series at this point.

All 4 boys are in hospital at the end, and the parents walk in, Shelly appears to be better (or in another ward), and the parents GOT THEIR PUDDING! I wouldn’t do that to my mum or dad. Gerald and Stuart make up too, so a lovely ending… except for Kenny who dies with seconds to spare before the end credits. He ALMOST made it!