South Park: The End of Obesity

Last updated
"South Park: The End of Obesity"
South Park episode
South Park The End of Obesity.jpg
Promotional poster
Directed by Trey Parker
Written byTrey Parker
Produced by Eric Stough
Bruce Howell
Adrien Beard
Vernon Chatman
Featured music"Family Affair" by Mary J. Blige
Original air dateMay 24, 2024 (2024-05-24)
Running time50 minutes
Episode chronology
← Previous
"South Park (Not Suitable for Children)"		Next →
—
List of episodes

"South Park: The End of Obesity" is a 2024 American adult animated comedy television special episode. [1] It is the seventh South Park television special, [2] and the 328th episode of the series overall. The special premiered on May 24, 2024, on Paramount+. [3] [4]

Contents

The special satirizes celebrities' glamorized usage of weight loss drugs (such as Ozempic), as well as Lizzo, Big Sugar, and the inaccessibility of the American health care system.

Plot

Eric Cartman and his mother Liane visit the doctor, concerned with his weight. Refusing exercise, Cartman is informed of the weight loss properties of Ozempic, which lets him immediately dream of not being counterattacked on his obesity while insulting any person, including those in Pakistan. However, his mother is unable to afford the new drugs, as they are not covered by insurance for weight loss purposes.

Butters Stotch and Kyle Broflovski see Cartman's abnormal desperation, and decide to go with him to the insurance company. They are brought to an outdated receptionist for making a claim. After a long and complicated journey through the American health care system, they are still unable to get Ozempic for Cartman, and decide to make it themselves after learning from TikTok. Meanwhile, Randy Marsh tries to embarrass his daughter, Shelley, by wearing one of her crop-tops to pick her up from school. Many of the town's moms have been slimming their waists by using various semaglutide drugs, and exposing their midriffs at all times. When they see Randy wearing a crop-top, they assume he is doing the same thing and invite him to one of their parties. Randy joins in taking the injections, believing it to be some new party drug with no hangover, and possibly experiencing the placebo effect.

The first dose made by the boys and taken by Cartman seems successful in curbing his appetite, encouraging Kyle to produce more in order to benefit all the people who could not afford the drug. News of their counterfeit Ozempic reaches a mafia cartel consisting of breakfast cereal mascots profiting from the sugar industry, who agree to take down the boys' new drug manufacturing base.

As legitimate Ozempic starts to run short, the moms and Randy start robbing pharmacies and eventually the boys. The mascots shoot up the semaglutide plant in India that the boys rely on, and secretly promote the body positivity drug "Lizzo", which suppresses the hope for weight-loss. In a last-ditch effort to get semaglutides, Kyle orders them wholesale. The truck delivering the last batch of semaglutides is ambushed by the moms and Randy, who gets cold feet and drives off with it. The boys get in the truck as it is being pursued by the cereal mascots and the moms. They eventually ward the mascots off, at the cost of Kenny McCormick being killed by Tony the Tiger. Once the boys open the truck, it is revealed that it contains the outdated receptionist from the insurance company, revealing that the way to get semaglutides in the country is yet again a long and complicated journey through the American health care system.

After Sharon takes the Lizzo drug, supplemented by listening to Lizzo's music, she begins defecating out of her ears. This condition allows the doctor to prescribe her Ozempic. Randy finds Sharon before she takes her first injection and convinces her it's no fun. They decide to do some good drugs instead; namely, molly. Kyle gives a speech calling for the end of fat shaming, causing Cartman to joyously insult classmates without repercussions; he then boards a flight bound for Pakistan in order to fulfill his dream.

Promotion and release

The teaser trailer, released on May 15, 2024, [1] has Eric Cartman meeting with a doctor, who says that they need to resort to "drastic measures" to reduce his weight. It then shows Kyle Broflovski discouraging Cartman from using something, but Cartman says, "Let's do it". It also shows Randy Marsh and Butters Stotch discussing the weight loss drugs and the American health care system. [5]

Voice cast

Development

On August 5, 2021, Comedy Central announced that Trey Parker and Matt Stone had signed a $900 million deal for extending the series to 30 seasons through 2027 and 14 feature films, exclusive to the Paramount+ streaming platform. It was eventually confirmed that they would be released as two films per year. [6] [7] Parker and Stone would later state that the projects would not be feature films, and that it was ViacomCBS who decided to advertise them as movies. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Cartman</span> South Park character

Eric Theodore Cartman, commonly referred to mononymously by his last name, is a fictional character in the adult animated sitcom South Park, created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. He is voiced by Parker, and is one of the series' four main characters, alongside Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick. He first appeared with the name Kenny in the short film The Spirit of Christmas (1992), and later appeared in the 1995 film of the same title before debuting in "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe", the first episode of the series, on August 13, 1997.

"Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 39th episode of the series overall. The episode is the second part of The Meteor Shower Trilogy, and centers upon third grader Stan Marsh and his father Randy. It premiered on Comedy Central on July 21, 1999.

"Up the Down Steroid" is the second episode in the eighth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 113th episode of the series overall. Going by production order, it is the second episode of Season 8 instead of third. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 24, 2004. In the episode, Jimmy enters the special Olympics but starts using steroids to improve his performance. Cartman, believing he will have an advantage over the other children, disguises himself as handicapped so he can enter and win the cash prize. The title of the episode is a parody of the book Up the Down Staircase.

"My Future Self 'n' Me" is episode 95 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It originally aired on December 4, 2002 and is rated TV-MA in the United States.

"Ike's Wee Wee" is the third episode of the second season of the American animated television series South Park. The 16th episode of the series overall, it first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on May 20, 1998. In the episode, school counselor Mr. Mackey is fired, and turns to drugs. Meanwhile, the boys misconstrue what circumcision entails, and try to save Kyle's younger brother Ike from his upcoming bris.

"Chickenlover" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American animated television series South Park. The 17th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on May 27, 1998. It marks the first appearance of Stephen Stotch, who is Butters Stotch’s father in later seasons, as well as a more finalised design for Randy Marsh. The episode was written by series co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with David R. Goodman, and directed by Parker. In the episode, Officer Barbrady resigns as South Park's only police officer because of his illiteracy. Anarchy ensues, just as chickens are mysteriously being molested across South Park. Barbrady enlists the help of the boys to learn to read and discover who is molesting the chickens. Cartman, meanwhile, masquerades as a police officer.

<i>South Park</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second season of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on April 1, 1998. The second season concluded after 18 episodes on January 20, 1999; it remains the longest season of South Park to date. Almost all the episodes were directed by series co-creator Trey Parker, with the exception of two episodes directed by Eric Stough.

<i>South Park</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of South Park, an American animated television comedy series, aired on Comedy Central from April 7, 1999, to January 12, 2000. The season was headed by series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who also served as executive producers along with Anne Garefino. The season continued to focus on the exploits of protagonists Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny in the fictional Colorado mountain town of South Park.

<i>South Park</i> season 4 Season of television series

The fourth season of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on April 5, 2000. The fourth season concluded after airing 17 episodes on December 20, 2000.

<i>South Park</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth season of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on June 20, 2001. The season concluded after 14 episodes on December 12, 2001. The 14-episode season length would become a standard for later years of the series, starting from the eighth season up until the sixteenth season.

<i>South Park</i> season 6 Season of television series

The sixth season of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 6, 2002. The sixth season concluded after 17 episodes on December 11, 2002.

"Tonsil Trouble" is the first episode in the twelfth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 168th episode of the series overall. Written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker, it first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 12, 2008. In the episode, Eric Cartman contracts HIV due to a botched blood transfusion. When Kyle Broflovski laughs at Cartman's misfortune, Cartman intentionally infects Kyle with his disease as well. The episode was rated TV-MA L for strong language in the United States. In reruns, it airs with the tamer rating TV-14. The episode is a satire on the new and effective AIDS treatments that are inaccessible to the majority of the population suffering from or carrying the disease.

"Stunning and Brave" is the first episode in the nineteenth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 258th episode overall, it was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker. The episode aired on Comedy Central on September 16, 2015, and primarily parodies social justice warriors and political correctness within society, with a focus on the acceptance and praise of Caitlyn Jenner. The episode also lampoons Tom Brady and the Deflategate scandal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semaglutide</span> Anti-diabetic and anti-obesity medication

Semaglutide is an antidiabetic medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and an anti-obesity medication used for long-term weight management. It is a peptide similar to the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), modified with a side chain. It can be administered by subcutaneous injection or taken orally. It is sold under the brand names Ozempic and Rybelsus for diabetes, and under the brand name Wegovy for weight loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Park: Post Covid</span> Episode of South Park

"South Park: Post Covid" is a 2021 American adult animated comedy television special episode written and directed by Trey Parker. It is the first in a series of South Park television specials for the streaming service Paramount+ and premiered on November 25, 2021. It is also considered to be the 310th episode overall of the television series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Park: Post Covid: The Return of Covid</span> Episode of South Park

"South Park: Post Covid: The Return of Covid" is a 2021 American adult animated comedy television special episode written and directed by Trey Parker. It is the second in a series of South Park television specials for the streaming service Paramount+ and premiered on December 16, 2021. It is a sequel to and continues the storyline of the previous special, "South Park: Post Covid". It is also the 311th episode of the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Park The Streaming Wars</span> 2022 American television special

"South Park The Streaming Wars" is a 2022 American adult animated comedy television special episode written and directed by Trey Parker. It is the third South Park television special produced for Paramount+ and was released on June 1, 2022. It also serves as the 318th overall episode of the television series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Park The Streaming Wars Part 2</span> 2022 American television special

"South Park The Streaming Wars Part 2" is a 2022 American adult animated comedy television special episode written and directed by Trey Parker. It is the fourth South Park television special and 319th overall episode of the television series, and was released on Paramount+ on July 13, 2022. It concludes the storyline that began in its predecessor, "South Park The Streaming Wars".

References

  1. 1 2 Druhan, Sarah (May 15, 2024). "Cartman Tries Out Ozempic in New 'South Park: The End of Obesity' Trailer". Collider . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  2. ↑ Segarra, Edward (August 5, 2021). "'South Park' creators sign $900 million deal to extend series through 2027, produce 14 films". USA Today . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  3. ↑ Topel, Fred (May 15, 2024). "'South Park' doctor prescribes Ozempic for Cartman in new special". UPI . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Paramount+ Announces the Next "South Park" Exclusive Event to Premiere May 24" (Press release). CBS. May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024– via The Futon Critic.
  5. ↑ Dunn, Jack (May 15, 2024). "Cartman Goes on Ozempic in 'South Park: The End of Obesity' Trailer, Coming to Paramount+ in May". Variety . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  6. ↑ "MTV Entertainment Studios inks new and expansive deal with creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone through 2027" (Press release). Comedy Central. August 5, 2021. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021.
  7. ↑ Perry, Spencer (August 31, 2021). "Paramount+ Confirms Two New South Park Movies Coming This Year". ComicBook.com .
  8. ↑ Karl, Chris (October 29, 2021). "South Park Creators Clarify Paramount+ Projects Are Not Feature Films". Screen Rant . Retrieved December 28, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.