Having launched in 1997, South Park is one of the longest-running sitcoms on TV. This also means that it has accumulated a number of Thanksgiving episodes that people look out for every year. Here's a list of South Park's Thanksgiving episodes in chronological order:
Starvin Marvin (Season 1, Episode 8)
Starvin Marvin is the first-ever Thanksgiving episode released by South Park. It came out on November 19, 1997.
In this episode, Stan, Kenny, Kyle, and Cartman send cash to an African foundation hoping to get a free computerized sports watch. The charity promised to help feed starving and malnourished kids.
Instead of the promised item, they receive an Ethiopian child, whom they call 'Starvin Marvin.' Cartman then gets sent to Ethiopia by accident and discovers that all the food was being hoarded by activist, Sally Struthers.
A subplot later reveals that Chef rallied residents to fight back against genetically engineered turkeys attacking them. This is a parody of Braveheart.
The episode was revealed to be a satire on the issues of famine, international aid, and the Western world's perception of poverty in Africa.
Starvin Marvin in Space (Season 3, Episode 13)
In this episode, an alien spaceship lands in the African desert. Its passenger, however, gets eaten by lions. People from Starvin Marvin's village discover the ship, which Marvin uses to look for a place free of missionaries.
The CIA discovers the presence of the spaceship and tracks down the boys. They torture them until Cartman reveals its location. Sally Struthers returns in this episode to help the government agents look for Marvin.
The episode humorously tackles themes of immigration, government secrecy, and the absurdities of diplomacy, all within the context of an intergalactic adventure featuring the character Starvin' Marvin.
Helen Keller! The Melodic (Season 4, Episode 13)
In this episode, the elementary school is preparing to put on a musical play about Helen Keller. Timmy, a disabled student who usually communicates by saying his name, is cast as Helen Keller, and Jimmy, who stutters, is cast as Anne Sullivan, Keller's teacher.
The episode humorously satirizes the perception of disabilities and political correctness. Timmy's portrayal of Helen Keller involves him mainly saying "Timmy" and flailing his arms, while Jimmy struggles with his lines due to his stutter.
Meanwhile, the boys' classmates compete to win a bet on whether a cow, named Daisy, or Timmy can memorize their lines better. The play culminates in chaos, with Timmy continuously shouting "Timmy!" and the cow unexpectedly mooing on cue.
Ultimately, the audience applauds, not for the performance's quality but for the unexpected entertainment.
A History Channel Thanksgiving (Season 15, Episode 13)
In A History Channel Thanksgiving episode, the plot follows boys' efforts to help Kyle's adopted brother, Ike, understand the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
Ike becomes fascinated by History Channel documentaries and starts to believe that aliens were involved in the first Thanksgiving. As a result, he becomes fixated on the idea that the pilgrims and Native Americans have encountered extraterrestrial beings.
Meanwhile, the boys, along with Stan's dad Randy, get involved in a feud between the History Channel and Pawn Stars over the portrayal of Thanksgiving history. The History Channel airs a Thanksgiving special that spreads Ike's alien-themed Thanksgiving story, which causes chaos and confusion.
The boys then confront the History Channel executives and try to expose the truth about the misleading programming. However, they discover that the History Channel executives are actually aliens themselves, using Earth's historical events to create sensationalized and inaccurate television shows.
The episode humorously critiques the sensationalism and inaccuracy often found in historical documentaries on television while poking fun at conspiracy theories and popular TV shows.
Black Friday, A Song of Ass and Fire, Titties and Dragons (Season 17, Episodes 7-9)
In this three-part Thanksgiving series, the episodes parody the hype and chaos surrounding the shopping event.
The children of South Park are divided into two factions: one group led by Stan and the other by Cartman. They each have different plans for taking advantage of Black Friday sales at the mall. Stan and his friends want to get the new gaming console, the PlayStation 4, while Cartman aims to secure discounted gaming devices like Xbox Ones.
As tensions rise between the two groups, the episode turns into a satirical portrayal of Game of Thrones. Stan's group represents the Starks, while Cartman's group embodies the Lannisters.
Meanwhile, the adults in South Park, dressed as "Black Friday doorbuster" shoppers, are portrayed as a horde of wild, zombie-like creatures, waiting outside the mall to rush in when the doors open. The chaos escalates as the kids' rivalry intensifies and there is a showdown at the mall.
There is, however, a plot twist where George R.R. Martin appears and ends the conflict.
This trilogy creatively comments on consumerism and the craze over Black Friday sales.
South Park's episodes truly show a satirical spin on modern life. If you're looking for a show to binge-watch over Thanksgiving weekend, this list should make the cut.
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