Season 2 Episode 12 – Clubhouses
Season 2 Episode 12 – Clubhouses
Stan wants to get closer to his
girlfriend Wendy, while his parents are having a rough time.
Original Airdate
23rd September 1998
Synopsis
Bebe develops a crush on Kyle,
prompting him and Stan to build a clubhouse so they can play Truth and Dare
with her and Wendy. Randy and Sharon are also having marital problems, which
sees Randy leave, and Roy, Stan’s one time stepfather, move in with Sharon, Stan
and Shelley.
Kenny's Death
Crushed in the moshpit by the party in
the clubhouse.
My Thoughts Back Then
One
of the last episodes I saw on video in very early 2005 (so in the summer holidays
between Year 8 and Year 9 where I live) from the video shop, after which, due
to the Internet being primitive, and not being allowed to watch it at Mum’s,
amongst other reasons, my South Park reservoir dried up temporarily, until
April of that year.
This
one stuck out for me, as it was coincidentally made around the same time my own
stepfather and his daughter moved in with my Mum and I, and much like Stan was
to Roy, I was initially hostile to him (to varying degrees, for most of primary
school and a bit of high school), but that’s for another blog. Continue reading
to find out why this one sticks out for me so much.
My Thoughts Now
The
last home video only intro, and the last of Bakin’ Bacon with Macon ☹ I’m a sad… wait, that’s from Season 3! And BACON
IS NOT JELLY! YUK!
The
boys start by playing Americans vs Bosnians, which clicked with me re-watching this
one a bit later in 2005, as the own Stan and Kyle of my high school friendship group,
were from the US and Bosnia respectively, we didn’t play that game though, with
NO Class 4 armour!
Kyle
and Bebe are awkwardly smiling at each other, when I was 13 I still didn’t know
how to talk to a chick, let alone at 8! Wendy wants to get Bebe a boyfriend,
namely Kyle. Stan wants to build a clubhouse to play Truth or Dare!
Nice
to see Randy enjoying Stan’s favourite show too, by himself, but claims he was channel
surfing. Sharon is upset at Stan’s love of Terrance and Phillip, and at Randy
being slow. After she puts on a parody of Fat Albert (Fat Abbot) with a parody
of the now disgraced (but not at the time) Bill Cosby, which is worse than
Terrance and Phillip. Sharon accuses Randy of snapping at her, while he’s trying
to find a wedding ring in a sink (seriously, back off Sharon! I’ve snapped at
my own mother and father unnecessarily before, and it’s not nice). Randy says
the c-word to Sharon, a word I don’t use as an old fashioned guy (although in recent
years some radical feminists have tried to reclaim it, such as an ex-friend of
mine did in 2017)
A
clubhouse war is declared with Stan and Kyle on one side, Cartman and Kenny on
the other. And it’s a clubhouse, NOT a treehouse. Cartman wants everything in
his clubhouse, Ewok Village 2000. Sharon goes on a misandrist rampage and used
the Lord’s name in vain at her own son, all because he wanted a cookie! I’d have
been freaked out if my own mum did that to me, especially at the time this
originally aired.
The
Love Boat has nothing to do with American history… and passing notes is one of
the oldest tricks in the classroom. I hated misbehaviour at school when I first
watched this, and would have ripped up a note if one was passed to me at the
time. Stan has gone to Mr. Mackey’s office, and he’s going to cop it! I’m with
Sharon here in this argument, I HATE PEOPLE WHO CUT ME OFF!!!!! I’ve actually
told off my own mum, dad, stepdad and at least two stepmums over the years for
cutting me off, and they ALL got the message, believe me.
Randy
and Sharon are now being counselled by Mr. Mackey and Stan scurries off… they
forget he’s in trouble LOL. Wendy and Bebe are super eager to play Truth or
Dare, and Bebe REALLY likes Kyle’s hiney… Chef tells Stan how to play, I’ve
only played a few times over the years, mind you, I didn’t socialise that much outside
of school in my school years. One of the characters on Fat Abbot reminds me of
J.J. from Good Times, a live action TV show from the 1970s. And two teenage
birds come home with Kenny, one of whom is wearing a shirt with Trey and Matt’s
band DVDA.
Randy
has moved out, as him and Sharon divorced… and it’s STAN’S FAULT???!!! My own parents divorced
when I was 5, and I don’t know why (haven’t asked), but I know it wasn’t my
fault. Divorce happens ultra-quickly in cartoon land, and Sharon already has
courted a new stepfather for the Marsh household, Roy. Roy and Stan get acquainted,
and he wants to be friends with Stan. After Stan admits he’s struggling, Roy
orders him to cut firewood, like they’ve been living together for years.
The
teenage birds are venting to Cartman about their miniscule frustrations, which
are NOT reasons to run away from home for. I never had a curfew, mind you I had
no reason to (as I barely went out). Fingerpainting is not in the same league.
Sharon, Randy is NOT a bastard, unless his parents were unmarried back when he
was conceived (which as far as I know isn’t the case). How did Randy get a car
that quick? Interesting discussion about family too, I consider a few friends
of mine brothers and sisters. Kyle also HATED being kissed by Bebe and runs
away… Stan glitches, and snaps at Roy over a request of cutting firewood.
16
isn’t quite old enough to smoke a fag, ma’am… and the birds invited just a few
friends, turning into a potential wild party like some I heard about when I was
in high school. Roy snaps at Stan, and Stan calls him a dick (I called my own
stepdad thick when I was in primary school, so this rings bells). Fat Abbot has
the right advice – snap the stepdad in a bear trap! How convenient! Thank you,
Mr. Jell-o pudding! The clubhouse is now a club, complete with Randy! Bye bye
Kenny – the moshpit took you!
Randy
and Sharon are led by notes and Sharon wants to end things with Roy… they get
back together… and all is well except for Roy. Truth or Dare? Roy is still
hanging as the end credits roll.
Postscript
So
as I mentioned earlier, the scenes with Roy and Stan remind me of how I
sometimes felt about my own stepdad when he first moved in, around the time this
was originally aired on TV. Sure, I was hostile at first, for reasons too long
and complex to explain here, and I often told him off for things like speeding
in the car, I made amends with him later on, and his parents were a third set
of grandparents to me, I miss them dearly. He also taught me in my 20s that if you're not worth someone's time, don't make them worth yours.
I
actually plan to watch this episode in his memory when he passes away,
hopefully not for at least another 20 years. And hopefully, my South Park DVDs
still work then! The oldest of them are pushing 17 years, so fingers crossed!
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