The China Probrem

Last updated
"The China Probrem"
South Park episode
Episode no.Season 12
Episode 8
Directed by Trey Parker
Written byTrey Parker
Production code1208
Original air dateOctober 8, 2008 (2008-10-08)
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Super Fun Time"		Next →
"Breast Cancer Show Ever"
South Park season 12
List of episodes

"The China Probrem" is the eighth episode in the twelfth season of the American animated television series South Park . [1] The 175th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on October 8, 2008. It was the mid-season premiere for season 12, and was dedicated to Isaac Hayes, the voice actor of Chef, who died in August of that year. [2] The episode was rated TV-MA-LSV for strong language, sexual content, and violence in the United States.

Contents

In the episode, Cartman, after watching the intimidating opening ceremonies of the recent Olympic games, understands that the Chinese are just days away from invading his homeland. While the rest of the American people are haunted by the memory of a recent tragic event, only Butters will stand with Cartman as he tries to confront the Chinese. Meanwhile, Kyle seeks to bring George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to justice for "raping" Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull . The flashbacks mimic rape scenes from Boys Don't Cry , The Accused , and Deliverance .

Plot

After watching the Beijing 2008 Olympics on television, Cartman has been plagued by nightmares about the Chinese, believing that they will invade America. He tries to warn his friends but Kyle says he "can't do this any more" and leaves. Stan later confronts Kyle, the latter stating that he cannot pretend things are normal again after "the rape of a friend". He confesses his feelings of deep guilt and regret over the fact he, Stan and their friends "just stood there and did nothing". Elsewhere, Cartman convinces Butters that China is going to take over America and kill Butters' parents. Butters decides to join Cartman's group, the American Liberation Front. Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Clyde and Jimmy start to remember and have flashbacks of the rape which is revealed to be their viewing of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull . They are appalled and devastated to see George Lucas (voiced by Matt Stone) and Steven Spielberg (voiced by Trey Parker) rape Indiana Jones.

Meanwhile, Cartman and Butters dress up as stereotypical Chinese children and go to P. F. Chang's China Bistro to try to trick the Chinese people into telling them when the "invasion" is set to occur. The two boys' antics begin to annoy everyone, but when they are asked to leave, they instead take the entire restaurant hostage. Cartman gives Butters a gun and tells him to fire at a man who is trying to escape. Butters promptly shoots the man in the penis, which upsets Cartman greatly. At the same time, Kyle and his friends visit the Park County District Attorney and ask him to arrest Spielberg and Lucas for raping Indiana Jones and he tearfully agrees to help them. Afterwards, they go to the Park County Police Station to have Spielberg and Lucas arrested.

Back at the restaurant, the police arrive to respond to the hostage situation. When the police try to enter the restaurant, Butters fires a warning shot and also hits the Chinese policeman in the penis, angering Cartman all the more. Meanwhile, the police find and take away Spielberg and Lucas (while raping a Stormtrooper), despite their protests over a lack of evidence and the huge totals they have brought in at the box office. At the restaurant, Cartman gives up on his mission of saving America after Butters shoots another man in the penis and surrenders to the police. As he is walking outside, a police officer arrives to inform the others that Lucas and Spielberg are finally in custody. The officers and hostages all rejoice that "it's all over", and while everyone is hugging and crying, Cartman and Butters sneak away. Reflecting on the day's events, Cartman decides he'd rather be Chinese than "a nation of unethical dick shooters". Butters is unable to see what all the fuss is about, as he thought Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was "pretty good".

Production

In the DVD commentary for the episode, Trey Parker admits that he received a shot of steroids in order to complete the voice work for the episode. Matt Stone compares the rape scenes to an earlier season 12 episode, "Britney's New Look", for being darker than it is funny. For the creators the scariest part of the new Indiana Jones film is that it suggests the possibility that the quality of South Park will also eventually decline. [3]

Reception

The episode premiere drew 3.7 million total viewers, 2.5 million in the 18–49 demographic. This was up 21% from the previous fall's debut and topped all of cable during its time period. It stands as the show's most-watched fall premiere since 1999. [4] IGN's Travis Fickett gave the episode a 9 out of 10, praising both storylines and writing that "[t]he show is as funny and as smart as ever — and it's back at just the right time." [5] 411mania's review, written by DC Perry, criticized the episode for using material that felt dated, but described it as "pretty solid" and gave it a rating of 7.3 out of 10. [6]

Controversy

The episode's rape scenes caused some controversies. The Daily Telegraph 's Catherine Elsworth wrote that Parker and Stone seemed "to have taken the taboo-busting to a place even hardened South Park watchers have found hard to go". [7] Nikki Finke reported that her knowledge was that Paramount, which distributed the Lucasfilm-owned Indiana Jones franchise (while Paramount itself is owned by Comedy Central parent Viacom), had no intention to protest against the episode, but, in the words of an insider, "[wanted] it to go away". [7] [8]

Home media

"The China Probrem", along with the thirteen other episodes from South Park's twelfth season, were released on a three-disc DVD set and Blu-ray set in the United States on March 10, 2009. The sets included brief audio commentaries by Parker and Stone for each episode, a collection of deleted scenes, and two special mini-features, The Making of 'Major Boobage and Six Days to South Park. [9]

Related Research Articles

"Woodland Critter Christmas" is the fourteenth and the final episode of season eight and 125th episode overall of the Comedy Central series South Park. It originally aired on December 15, 2004. It was the last episode of the series to have a Christmas theme for ten years until 2014's "#HappyHolograms". This is also the last episode where Mr. Garrison presented as male until the season 12 episode "Eek, a Penis!".

"Casa Bonita" is the eleventh episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 107th episode of the series overall. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 12, 2003. In the episode, Cartman misleads Butters into going missing in order to gain an invitation to Kyle's birthday party. The titular restaurant in the episode is based on the real-life Casa Bonita, a Mexican-themed restaurant in Lakewood, Colorado.

"Free Hat" is the ninth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 88th overall episode of the series, it first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on July 10, 2002. The episode was written by series co-creator Trey Parker, and was originally rated TV-MA in the United States; it was re-rated TV-14 in 2020.

"The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers" is the thirteenth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 92nd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 13, 2002. In the episode, the boys dress up and play as characters from The Lord of the Rings film series, with several events and characters substituted into the narrative. They extend their game into a "quest" to return a copy of the film to a local video store. Meanwhile, the adults have accidentally switched the tape with a pornographic film.

"Cartman Sucks" is the second episode of the eleventh season of the American animated television series South Park. It originally aired on March 14, 2007 on Comedy Central. The main plot deals with Eric Cartman's efforts to recover an incriminating photograph that may call his sexual orientation into question, whereas the subplot, which focuses on Butters Stotch, explores childhood gay conversion therapy.

"Imaginationland Episode I" is the tenth episode of the eleventh season and the 163rd overall episode of the American animated television series South Park. It premiered on Comedy Central in the United States on October 17, 2007. The episode was rated TV-MA LV in the United States. It is the first episode in a three-part story arc that won the 2008 Emmy for "Outstanding Animated Program ". The three episodes were later reissued together, along with previously unreleased footage, as the uncensored Imaginationland: The Movie.

"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.

"Major Boobage" is the third episode in season 12 of the American animated television series South Park. The 170th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 26, 2008. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker.

"Eek, a Penis!" is the fifth episode in the twelfth season of the American animated sitcom South Park. The 172nd episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 9, 2008. In the episode, Mrs. Garrison seeks to become a man again through the help of a new medical procedure. The subplot focuses on Cartman's attempt to teach struggling inner-city school children how to succeed by cheating. This plot is a parody of the 1988 film Stand and Deliver, with Eric Cartman playing a role similar to that of Jaime Escalante. The episode was rated TV-MA L for strong language in the United States.

"Super Fun Time" is the seventh episode in the twelfth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 174th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 23, 2008. In the episode, Cartman and Butters narrowly escape a horrific hostage situation at South Park's Pioneer Village, where historical reenactors take their jobs far too seriously. The episode was rated TV-MA-LV for strong language and violence in the United States. This is the last South Park episode produced in 4:3, from the next episode and onward, all other episodes will be produced in 16:9.

"Breast Cancer Show Ever" is the ninth episode in the twelfth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 176th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on October 15, 2008. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker. In the episode, Eric Cartman's disrespectful behavior puts him on the wrong side of Wendy Testaburger when he mocks her presentation on breast cancer awareness, which leads to Wendy threatening to beat him up after school. The episode was rated TV-MA L in the United States.

"Elementary School Musical" is the thirteenth episode of the twelfth season of the animated series South Park, and the 180th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 12, 2008. In the episode, a new boy at school helps set off an impromptu-singing-and-dancing craze that the boys vow to never go along with, dragging them down into the dregs of unpopularity.

"The Ungroundable" is the 14th and final episode of the 12th season of the American animated series South Park, and the 181st episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 19, 2008. This is the last episode of South Park to be broadcast in 480i standard definition. The episode was rated TV-MA L in the United States. The episode spoofs vampire films including the Twilight craze and The Lost Boys, where Butters believes that he sees vampires in the school.

"The Coon" is the second episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 183rd episode of the series, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 18, 2009. In the episode, Cartman poses as a comic book superhero vigilante named "The Coon", who grows increasingly jealous of the popularity and success of a rival superhero named "Mysterion".

<i>South Park</i> season 12 Season of television series

The twelfth season of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 12, 2008. The twelfth season concluded after 14 episodes on November 19, 2008. Saturday Night Live cast member Bill Hader is credited as a consultant starting with this season. Parker was the director and writer in this twelfth season. Stone was also the writer on the third episode of the twelfth season.

"Fatbeard" is the seventh episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 188th overall episode of the series, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 22, 2009. It was the mid-season finale, marking the final South Park episode for six months. In the episode, Cartman misinterprets news reports about piracy in the Indian Ocean on the coast of Somalia to mean the return of the classic era of swashbuckling pirates, and misleads a handful of South Park boys to voyage to Mogadishu to start a pirate crew.

"Pee" is the thirteenth season finale of the American animated television series South Park. The 195th overall episode of the series, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 18, 2009. In the episode, the boys visit Pi Pi's Splashtown, the local waterpark, where so many people urinate in the pools to the point that the entire park becomes engulfed in tsunamis of urine.

"200" is the fifth episode of the fourteenth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 200th overall episode of the series, hence the name. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 14, 2010. In the episode, Tom Cruise and all other celebrities who have been mocked by residents of South Park in the past plan to file a class action lawsuit against the town, but Cruise promises to end the lawsuit if the town can get the Islamic prophet Muhammad to meet him.

"1%" is the twelfth episode of the fifteenth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 221st episode overall. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 2, 2011. In the episode, Cartman feels persecuted after he is blamed for causing his school to attain a low score on a national fitness test. As he confides in his sapient stuffed animals, they end up becoming targeted for mutilation.

"Go Fund Yourself" is the first episode in the eighteenth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 248th episode of the series overall, it was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker. The episode premiered on Comedy Central in the United States on September 24, 2014. In the episode, Stan, Kyle, Cartman, Kenny, and Butters decide to create a startup company funded through Kickstarter so that they never have to work again. While choosing a name, they realize that the Washington Redskins American football team has lost its trademark on "Redskins" because it is racially disparaging to Native Americans, so they decide to use that name for their company. The new company receives enough money for the boys to live luxuriously without doing any work, until the football team destroys Kickstarter's servers during a raid, preventing the boys from accessing their startup company page and receiving their money.

References

  1. ↑ "South Park Episode Guide - 1208".[ dead link ]South Park Studios. Accessed October 4, 2008
  2. ↑ "The 8 South Park Episodes That Had (Mammoth) Balls". Den of Geek . September 30, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  3. ↑ Parker, Trey (November 2008). South Park: The Complete Twelfth Season: "The China Probrem" (DVD). Paramount Home Entertainment. Audio commentary.
  4. ↑ Hibberd, James (2008-10-10). "'South Park' rape episode draws record viewers". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
  5. ↑ Fickett, Travis (2022-05-12). "South Park: "The China Probrem" Review". IGN.
  6. ↑ Perry, DC (2008-10-08). "The South Park Review 10.8.08: The China Probrem". 411mania. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  7. 1 2 Elsworth, Catherine (2008-10-12). "South Park episode angers viewers with scenes of Hollywood titans raping Indiana Jones". The Telegraph . Los Angeles . Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  8. ↑ Finke, Nikki (2008-10-09). "UH-OH! Paramount Unaware 'South Park' Hated On Spielberg & Lucas & 'Indy 4'; UPDATE: Everyone Just Plans To Ignore It". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 2022-03-12.
  9. ↑ Liebman, Martin (February 26, 2009). "South Park: The Complete Twelfth Season Blu-ray Review". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
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.