"Son of Stimpy" | |
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The Ren & Stimpy Show episode | |
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Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 12 |
Directed by | John K. |
Story by | John K., Vincent Waller, and Richard Pursel |
Production code | RS5-8 |
Original air dates | January 13, 1993 (MTV; Uncut) December 11, 1993 (Nickelodeon; Edited) |
"Son of Stimpy" (originally titled "Stimpy's First Fart") is the twelfth episode from the second season of The Ren & Stimpy Show , and aired as the 24th episode segment of the series. It originally aired on January 13, 1993.
Stimpy flatulates, and he believes that he has given birth. He tells Ren about the incident, but Ren won't believe him. Stimpy pines for his missing offspring which he names "Stinky" and relentlessly tries to find him. He eventually finds the gaseous child and joins Ren for Christmas.
The episode's story is credited to John Kricfalusi, Vincent Waller and Richard Pursel, storyboarded by Peter Avanzino, and directed by the show's creator John Kricfalusi. John Kricfalusi originally conceived "Son of Stimpy" as a parody and critique of popular Hollywood melodramas ( Bambi , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ), and "fake pathos". He describes the latter as an act of manipulation performed by film directors that involves using audio-visual cues and tricks, mainly music and cinematography, to trigger melancholy emotions in audience members. Kricfalusi, infuriated by this practice, referred to it as "cheap", "contrived", and "a dirty trick", while asserting his belief that real drama should come from engaging characters and believable acting, not from editing techniques. He also vented his frustration that dramatic features of this type ultimately gain more acclaim and recognition than simpler comedic films, which are generally seen as inferior. When writing this episode, he deliberately gave it the most ridiculous premise he could think of (Stimpy not being able to flatulate a second time) and used as many of the aforementioned filmic tricks as he could think of, to prove how easy it is to force viewers into crying over something that has little to no real substance. [1]
John Kricfalusi made this episode as an exchange: if he made heartwarming stories, Nickelodeon would let him make more gross stories. [2] The mistletoe scene, in which Ren tries to lure Stimpy inside by the mistletoe, caused much dispute between Kricfalusi and Nickelodeon, who objected to its "homosexual undertones". According to Kricfalusi's commentary on the DVD, Nickelodeon ultimately decided to include the scene after hearing that its removal greatly upset a homosexual Spümcø artist. [3] A short scene where Ren pushes Stimpy's Christmas present towards a picture of him is cut from the "First and Second Seasons" DVD. However, it is shown on the Sony Wonder VHS release, Nick and MTV airings, including Paramount+. Nickelodeon cut and never aired the part where Stimpy goes to the police to find his missing "son", only to be violently thrown out. The scene is retained on the same DVD release, and was also shown when it aired on Spike TV.
In An Introduction to Film Studies the episode is used as a case study and comments on the motifs in the episode.
The 'Son of God' motif which underpins the cartoon, signalled in its title and its Christmas setting and soundtrack, allies the sacred and profane in a way that some might find provocative. Kricfalusi does not make this a coherent analogy, however, but self-evidently uses the 'openness' of the animated vocabulary for subversive purposes. [4]
A. J. Carson of tvdvdreviews.com praised the episode as "pitch-perfect send up of maudlin Christmas specials". [5]
In 1993, the episode was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour) at the 45th Primetime Emmy Awards. [6]
In 2007, the episode was ranked No. 96 in the 100 Greatest Nicktoon Episodes Countdown.
The Ren & Stimpy Show, commonly referred to as simply Ren & Stimpy, is an American comedy animated television series created and developed by Canadian animator John Kricfalusi, and animators Bob Camp, Jim Smith and Lynne Naylor for Nickelodeon. Originally produced by Spümcø, the series aired on Nickelodeon from August 11, 1991, to December 16, 1995, with its last episode airing on MTV on October 20, 1996, spanning for a total of five seasons and 52 episodes. The series follows the misadventures of Ren Höek, an emotionally unstable and psychotic chihuahua dog; and Stimpy, a good-natured and dimwitted Manx cat. It is the third cartoon to be aired of the original three Nickelodeon animated series known as "Nicktoons", alongside Doug and Rugrats, and is considered to be one of the progenitor series of the brand.
Spümcø, Inc. was an American animation studio that was active from 1989 to 2005 and based in Los Angeles, California. The studio was best known for working on the first two seasons of The Ren & Stimpy Show for Nickelodeon and for various commercials. The studio won several awards, including an Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject for the music video of the song "I Miss You" by Björk.
Michael John Kricfalusi, known professionally as John K., is a Canadian illustrator, blogger, and former animator and voice actor. He is the creator of the animated television series The Ren & Stimpy Show, which was highly influential on televised animation during the 1990s. From 1989 to 1992, he was heavily involved with the first two seasons of the show in virtually every aspect of its production, including providing the voice of Ren Höek and other characters. In 2009, he won the Inkpot Award.
Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon" is an animated television series created by Canadian animator John Kricfalusi for the cable network TNN / Spike TV. The series was developed as a more "extreme" revamp and spin-off of The Ren & Stimpy Show, which previously aired on the American cable network Nickelodeon. The series premiered on June 26, 2003, and was removed from the network on July 24, after airing only three episodes; the remaining episodes were released on DVD. During its run, Adult Party Cartoon was heavily panned by critics, audiences and fans of the original series. It has been referred to as one of the worst animated series of all time.
George Liquor is a cartoon character created by John Kricfalusi. Liquor is most famous for his appearances on The Ren & Stimpy Show. He is considered Kricfalusi's signature character and was a mascot for Kricfalusi's defunct animation studio, Spümcø. Kricfalusi portrayed George Liquor as a patriotic, outspoken, politically conservative blowhard. Kricfalusi described Liquor as his favorite character to animate.
Robert Frank Camp is an American animator, writer, cartoonist, comic book artist, storyboard artist, director, and producer. He has been nominated for two Emmys, a CableACE Award, and an Annie Award for his work on The Ren & Stimpy Show.
Marland T. "Ren" Höek and Stimpson J. "Stimpy" Cat, created by John Kricfalusi, are the title characters in the Nickelodeon animated series The Ren & Stimpy Show, and its 2003 spin-off Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon". Kricfalusi created the characters during his stay at Sheridan College and they first appeared on film in the pilot episode "Big House Blues". Ren is a scrawny, emotionally unstable, and sociopathic "Asthma Hound" Chihuahua, and his best friend Stimpy is a dim-witted, good-natured Manx cat. The show portrays their wacky, bizarre, and often surreal misadventures.
"Man's Best Friend" is an episode from the second season of the American animated television series The Ren & Stimpy Show. It was originally intended to air on Nickelodeon on August 22, 1992, as the second half of the second episode of Season 2, but was pulled before airing and replaced by the original theatrical pilot. It eventually aired on the soft launch of Spike TV on June 23, 2003. In the episode, Ren and Stimpy learn about obedience after George Liquor takes them home with him and swears to make them "champions".
"A Visit to Anthony" is the penultimate episode of the second season of The Ren & Stimpy Show that aired on the Nickelodeon network on May 8, 1993.
"The Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen" is the season finale of the second season of The Ren & Stimpy Show that originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on 23 May 1993.
Robert Paul Jaques is a Canadian-American animator and animation director. He is best known for the television series The Ren & Stimpy Show, Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon" and SpongeBob SquarePants. He also was nominated for two Emmys in 1992 and 1993 for his contributions to The Ren & Stimpy Show.
"Stimpy's Invention" is the second segment of the sixth episode and season finale of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show, as well as the thirteenth aired segment overall. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on February 23, 1992. The episode follows Stimpy, who, after subjecting Ren to several failed inventions, invents one that takes control of its user's happiness in hopes of making Ren happier in life. However, the invention causes Ren to go insane.
Sven Höek is the 6th episode of the second season of The Ren & Stimpy Show that originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on 7 November 1992.
Big House Blues is a 1990 animated comedy short film which serves as the pilot episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show that was originally screened at a film festival on 10 August 1990.
Haunted House is the 7th episode of the second season of The Ren & Stimpy Show that originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on 21 November 1992.
"Untamed World" is the 10th episode of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show that originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on 10 November 1991.
Marooned is the 9th episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show that originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on 6 October 1991. It is the second episode in a loosely linked trilogy known as the "space episodes" set in the show-within-the show, The Adventures of Commander Hòek and Cadet Stimpy.
Dog Show is the 10th episode of the second season of The Ren & Stimpy Show that originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on 12 December 1992.