Trapper Keeper (South Park)

Last updated
"Trapper Keeper"
South Park episode
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 12
Directed by Trey Parker
Written byTrey Parker
Production code413
Original air dateNovember 15, 2000 (2000-11-15)
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Fourth Grade"		Next →
"Helen Keller! The Musical"
South Park season 4
List of episodes

"Trapper Keeper" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of the animated television series South Park , and the 60th episode of the series overall. It is the 13th episode in production order of Season 4. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 15, 2000. In the episode, a man from the future wants Cartman's new Trapper Keeper, while Mr. Garrison's kindergarten class holds an election for class president with confusing results. The Trapper Keeper storyline is an allusion to the Terminator films as well as the anime movie Akira . The subplot with the class president election is a parody of the 2000 United States presidential election and the controversy surrounding its outcome. Kief Davidson plays a guest role, voicing the kindergarteners.

Contents

Plot

While waiting for the school bus, Kyle shows his friends his new Dawson's Creek Trapper Keeper. He is joined by Cartman who reveals he has a special, advanced Dawson's Creek Trapper Keeper Ultra Keeper Futura S 2000, which has incredibly advanced computerized features including a television, a music player with voice recognition, OnStar and the ability to automatically hybridize itself to any electronic peripheral device. Kyle accuses Cartman of having purchased it to make him envious. On the bus, a mysterious white man calling himself "Bill Cosby" asks about Cartman's Trapper Keeper, which the man then attempts to steal. He succeeds by buying Cartman's trust, despite Cartman saying "I'm not supposed to have male friends over 30; I kinda got screwed over on that once." When "Bill Cosby" is caught by Officer Barbrady and Cartman, he explains his actions: the Trapper Keeper binder is destined to gain sentience and hybridize into a supercomputer to conquer the world in the future, and wipe out all traces of humanity. Cosby himself is a cyborg from the future named BSM-471, sent back in time to destroy the binder before it could rise to power; Cosby manages to destroy it, but Cartman buys another one and refuses to allow it to be destroyed.

Meanwhile, Mr. Garrison has been demoted to teaching kindergarten, and his students holds an election for class president. Kyle's brother Ike has been admitted to kindergarten two years early because of his supposed intelligence (despite not being able to speak properly). Ike is chosen by Mr. Garrison to run against a boy named Filmore, resulting in a tie that is broken by the vote of a little girl named Flora. Flora is indecisive at first but eventually chooses Ike; Filmore's supporters demand recounts and then call in Rosie O'Donnell, his aunt, who protests the results. After teams of lawyers get involved, filing masses of paperwork and holding protracted meetings, Filmore concedes the election because, according to him, "this game is stupid." With the dispute settled, the class decides to fingerpaint, much to Garrison's delight.

While this is happening, Stan, Kyle and Kenny accompany their robotic companion to Cartman's house to convince his mother to help them, but she goes off with Bill Cosby to have sex. Meanwhile, Cartman's Trapper Keeper integrates itself into Cartman's computer and most of his belongings, and then absorbs Cartman himself. Cartman is transformed into a giant, cybernetic blobby monster that retains most of Cartman's features, similar in style and execution to the movie Akira . It kills Kenny and destroys the house, and sets off to Cheyenne Mountain to absorb the secret military base's computer. Bill Cosby warns that if the Trapper Keeper assimilates with the supercomputer at Cheyenne Mountain, it will become unstoppable.

Kyle sneaks into the huge Cartman-Trapper Keeper hybrid through a ventilation pipe; but before he can disable it, the Trapper Keeper incapacitates him. O'Donnell appears in front of the Trapper Keeper and yells at it for blocking the road. The Trapper Keeper then absorbs her, but fusing with her ultimately makes the behemoth sick. Kyle is freed and disconnects the Trapper Keeper's CPU, causing it to lose power and release Cartman and a now deceased O'Donnell as it collapses. The destruction of the Trapper Keeper causes Bill Cosby to disappear, and Stan tells Cartman to thank Kyle, who just saved his life. Cartman starts to address Kyle, but gets no farther than saying his name before the end credits cut him off.

Development

Background

The episode is a parody of the controversy surrounding the 2000 United States presidential election on November 7, 2000. State results tallied on election night gave 246 electoral votes to Republican candidate George W. Bush and 255 to Democratic nominee Al Gore, with New Mexico (5), Oregon (7), and Florida (25) too close to call that evening. Mathematically, Florida's 25 electoral votes became the key to an election win, while both New Mexico and Oregon were called in favor of Gore over the next few days. After an intense recount process, Bush was officially declared the winner of Florida's electoral votes and, as a result, the entire presidential election. There was disagreement over who won Florida's 25 electoral votes, the vote recount, and the uncommon situation in which the winner received fewer popular votes than the loser.

Production

Trey Parker wrote the episode TreyParkerHWOFApr2013.jpg
Trey Parker wrote the episode

"Trapper Keeper" was written by South Park co-creator Trey Parker when he, Matt Stone, and a group of friends visited Lake Powell. It is one of the many South Park episodes that parodies a current event. [1] The main plot of the episode involving the Trapper Keeper was written before the election, [1] but the subplot is a parody of the controversy surrounding the election's outcome. [2] "Trapper Keeper" did not originally feature the election storyline, only a subplot about Ike attending his first day of kindergarten. [3]

Parker and Stone said the presidential election controversy was "kids' stuff", and that is what they were trying to show with the episode. [4] [5] Stone commented that "it makes perfect sense because everything is just so childish anyway, the way people are acting about the election and the way candidates are. Usually you try to satirize something by taking it to the extreme. But it was actually kind of hard to satirize because it's just so stupid you can't even take it to an extreme". [5] [6] Anne Garefino, executive producer of South Park, said that when they applied the presidential election process to kindergarten, it "finally [made] sense". [7] Stone added that the storyline "kind of wrote itself. When you put this same situation in with kindergartners, everyone's actions kind of make a lot more sense". [8]

The voices of the kindergarteners were provided by actual children, including the son of one of the producers on the show. Parker and Stone said they had fun recording the kindergarten scenes, because "instead of adults doing the voices of the kids, it was so funny to hear a little kid actually doing it". [1] The episode was completed at approximately nine in the morning on the day it aired, November 15, 2000, only days after the election was over. [8] Parker and Stone worked with a team of 70 animators and computer engineers to get the episode finished in time. [8]

Cultural references

The main plot of "Trapper Keeper" is a parody of the Terminator films. The episode also features references to 2001: A Space Odyssey [9] and Akira . [10] [11] The Trapper Keeper's ability to take on the physical forms of the various things it has consumed is a reference to the eponymous entity in the 1958 version of the movie The Blob .

The New York Post 's Andrea Peyser analyzed the episode's references to the 2000 United States presidential election. She commented that in "Trapper Keeper", the election of class president ends in a deadlock, while in Florida, the election for president was "hopelessly deadlocked". [7] She went on to say that Rosie O'Donnell appears in "Trapper Keeper" and plans to gather lawyers, media and her friends to "help settle the race the way she sees fit", while in Florida, O'Donnell, Harvey Weinstein, Gloria Steinem, Bianca Jagger, "and other celebrities signed a petition demanding a revote in Palm Beach County, ensuring the race would go to Gore". [7] One of the kindergarteners is named Flora, referencing the state Florida that was undecided in the election. [1]

Reception

Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz of The Star-Ledger reviewed the episode as "terrific, especially the vote for kindergarten class president, and the recount-recount-recount bit". [3] Sepinwall added that he was "pretty amazed myself that the South Park guys were able to put together such a sharp election satire so quickly. I called up Comedy Central and found out that they do all the animation in-house on computers that allow them to work much faster than shows like The Simpsons , which contract out all the animation to firms in Korea that take months to complete an episode." [3] Bill Gibron of DVD Verdict described "Trapper Keeper" as "a clever attack on the entire Florida voting debacle in the 2000 election—the show's take on the entire childish nature of the fighting is fantastic. As a Terminator knock-off 'Trapper Keeper' is a lot of fun. But adding in the political element really increases the deliciously derogatory tone." [12]

DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson characterized "Trapper Keeper" as "a clever riff" on Terminator and the controversy of the 2000 election. He thought both plots "work really well, as the show tosses in lots of cool little moments. ... It's funny and smart, and a good [episode]." [13] IGN's David Galindo called the episode "great," [14] and Fort Worth Star-Telegram 's Lisa Davis named Mr. Garrison's line "You're all acting like a bunch of kids!" the "best line of the week." [15]

"Trapper Keeper" originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 15, 2000. Though a rerun of the episode aired in the middle of the night on WPIX because of offensive content, a The Star-Ledger critic did not think it was "that dirty to begin with." [16] The episode was included in the UMD South Park: When Technology Attacks that was released on October 11, 2005, for the PlayStation Portable. Other episodes included in the collection were "Best Friends Forever," "Cancelled," "Simpsons Already Did It," and "Towelie." [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Broflovski</span> Fictional character in South Park

Kyle Broflovski is a fictional character in the adult animated sitcom South Park. He is voiced by and loosely based on series co-creator Matt Stone. Kyle is one of the series' four central characters, along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman. He debuted on television when South Park first aired on August 13, 1997, after having first appeared in The Spirit of Christmas shorts created by Stone and long-time collaborator Trey Parker in 1992 and 1995.

Mr. Herbert Garrison is a fictional character and occasional antagonist featured in the American animated television series South Park, created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Garrison first appeared in South Park's pilot episode, "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe", which aired on August 13, 1997.

"Douche and Turd" is the eighth episode of the eighth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 119th episode overall. Written by series co-creator Trey Parker, it first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on October 27, 2004, shortly before the 2004 United States presidential election, which the episode satirizes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cartman Gets an Anal Probe</span> 1st episode of the 1st season of South Park

"Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" is the series premiere of the American animated television series South Park. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on August 13, 1997. The episode introduces child protagonists Eric Cartman, Kyle Broflovski, Stanley "Stan" Marsh and Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick, who attempt to rescue Kyle's adopted brother Ike from being abducted by aliens.

"Starvin' Marvin" is the eighth episode of the first season of the American animated television series South Park. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 19, 1997. In the episode, Cartman, Kenny, Kyle and Stan send money to an African charity hoping to get a sports watch, but are instead sent an Ethiopian child whom they dub "Starvin' Marvin". Later, Cartman is accidentally sent to Ethiopia, where he learns activist Sally Struthers is hoarding the charity's food for herself. In an accompanying subplot, after genetically engineered turkeys attack South Park residents, Chef rallies the residents to fight back, in a parody of the film Braveheart.

"Sexual Harassment Panda" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 37th episode overall of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on July 7, 1999. In the episode, a school presentation on sexual harassment prevention leads to Cartman suing Stan for sexual harassment, which in turn promotes a series of sexual harassment lawsuits across South Park.

"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.

"Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut" is the thirteenth and final episode of the first season of the American animated television series South Park. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on February 25, 1998. The episode is the highest viewed episode in the entire South Park series, with 6.4 million views. It is part one of a two-episode story arc, which concluded with "Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut". The episode follows Eric Cartman, one of the show's child protagonists, becoming curious about the identity of his father. He discovers that his father is most likely a man his mother had sexual intercourse with during an annual party called "The Drunken Barn Dance". Meanwhile, his friends Stan, Kyle and Kenny participate on America's Stupidest Home Videos, after filming Cartman playing in his yard with plush toys.

"Helen Keller! The Musical" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth season of the animated television series South Park and the 61st episode of the series overall. It is also the 13th episode of Season 4 by production order respectively. "Helen Keller! The Musical" originally aired in the United States on November 22, 2000 on Comedy Central. In the episode, the boys have to put on a "Thanksgiving Extravaganza" that is better than the kindergarteners'. Kief Davidson plays a guest role, voicing the kindergarteners.

"Cartoon Wars Part I" is the third episode in the tenth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 142nd episode of the series overall, it first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 5, 2006. It is the first part of a two-episode story-arc, which concludes with "Cartoon Wars Part II". In the episode, it is announced that a Family Guy episode will air with the Islamic prophet Muhammad as a character, leaving the whole of the United States fearing for their lives. Cartman apparently believes that the episode is offensive to Muslims and decides to go to Hollywood to try to get the episode pulled.

The American animated sitcom South Park has covered and satirized a large number of topics over the course of its run. South Park Studio's use of computer animation allows it to edit episodes in days, quickly commenting on recent events, including Elián González, 2000 U.S. presidential election, the capture of Saddam Hussein, and the elections of both Barack Obama and Donald Trump. The creators also have engendered a mix of socially liberal and fiscally conservative viewpoints, espousing a libertarian ideology in both real life and on the show. However, the show's creators call themselves "equal opportunity offenders", and reject the notion that they are trying to put forth any consistent ideological agenda through the show.

"Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy" is the eighth episode in the tenth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 149th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States October 18, 2006. In the episode, Cartman is appointed to the post of school hallway monitor at South Park Elementary, and takes it personally when an infraction is committed in his jurisdiction. Meanwhile, Kyle discovers that his little brother Ike is in a romantic relationship with his kindergarten teacher Miss Stevenson. Kyle and Cartman team up to put a stop to the inappropriate behavior. Written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker, the episode features a parody of the television series Dog the Bounty Hunter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald and Sheila Broflovski</span> Fictional characters

Gerald "Jerry" Broflovski and Sheila Broflovski are fictional characters in the animated television series South Park. The two are an upper middle-class married Ashkenazi Jewish couple who raise their ten-year-old son Kyle and three-year-old Canadian-born adopted son Ike in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado.

"Eek, a Penis!" is the fifth episode in the twelfth season of the American animated series 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.

"About Last Night…" is the twelfth episode in the twelfth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 179th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 5, 2008.

"Obama Wins!" is the fourteenth and final episode of the sixteenth season of the American animated sitcom South Park, and the 237th episode of the series overall. It premiered on Comedy Central in the United States on November 7, 2012. The episode centers upon a secret that Eric Cartman is harboring that may alter the outcome of the 2012 U.S. Presidential election, and also references the erstwhile recent sale of Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Company, and the narration work of Morgan Freeman, a parodied version of whom appears in the story.

"#HappyHolograms" is the tenth and final episode in the eighteenth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 257th episode overall, it was written and directed by series co-creator and co-star Trey Parker. The episode premiered on Comedy Central in the United States on December 10, 2014. It is the second part of the two-part season finale which began with the previous episode, "#REHASH". The episode makes multiple references to earlier episodes over the season, as well as to previous seasons, while mainly lampooning the trend of culture constantly making trending topics on Twitter with no actual relevance. It also lampoons news events such as the death of Eric Garner, the shooting of Michael Brown, the sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby, the use of celebrity holograms, and generationism. YouTuber PewDiePie appears as himself, continuing his story line from the previous episode.

"Oh, Jeez" is the seventh episode in the twentieth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 274th episode of the series overall, it first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 9, 2016. The episode lampooned the result of the 2016 United States presidential election the night before this episode was aired, in which Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Parker, Trey; Stone, Matt (2002). South Park - The Complete Fourth Season: Audio Commentary for Trapper Keeper (CD). Sunset Strategic Marketing; Comedy Central.
  2. ↑ "Timely Parody On 'South Park'". The Philadelphia Inquirer . November 15, 2000. p. D11.
  3. 1 2 3 Sepinwall, Alan; Seitz, Matt (November 25, 2000). "Bush league stunt". The Star-Ledger . p. 45.
  4. ↑ "Entertainment Briefs". Chicago Sun-Times . November 16, 2000. p. 52.
  5. 1 2 "'South Park' Satirizes Vote". The Stuart News . November 16, 2000. p. A2.
  6. ↑ "John spends millions a month just living". The Hawk Eye . November 18, 2000.
  7. 1 2 3 Peyser, Andrea (November 17, 2000). "My Fellow Americans: Waaaah! Mine! Mine!". New York Post . p. 004.
  8. 1 2 3 Kaplan, Don (November 15, 2000). "Just In Time - 'South Park' On Fla. Mess". New York Post . p. 087.
  9. ↑ Booker, Keith (2006). Drawn to Television - Prime-time Animation from the Flintstones to Family Guy. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 137. ISBN   978-0-313-07615-2.
  10. ↑ "Trapper Keeper". IGN . Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  11. ↑ "South Park episode Parodies Anime". Anime News Network. November 17, 2000. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  12. ↑ Gibron, Bill (July 19, 2004). "South Park: The Complete Fourth Season". DVD Verdict. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  13. ↑ Jacobson, Colin (June 18, 2003). "South Park: The Complete Fourth Season (2000)". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  14. 1 2 Galindo, David (October 31, 2005). "South Park: When Technology Attacks!". IGN. Archived from the original on October 9, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  15. ↑ Davis, Lisa (November 18, 2000). "Buzz!". Fort Worth Star-Telegram . p. 1.
  16. ↑ "Ominous signs". The Star-Ledger . September 16, 2005. p. 57.
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.