It seems to me that South Park has some degree of continuity in it. For example, there’s an episode in which Mr. Hat runs away from Mr. Garrison to take up with Brett Farve (“Summer Sucks”), followed by several episodes in which Mr. Garrison has “Mr. Twig” as his companion, a storyline which is capped by Mr. Hat’s return in the “Chef Aid” episode.
So I’m wondering about the movie. Seems to me the movie is part of South Park continuity as well, because there was an episode (“The Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka”) in which someone is condemned to Hell, and Satan is standing there with an amorous Saddam Hussein at his side. But at the end of the movie, Satan takes Mr. Hat to Hell with him. I don’t have DVDs of episodes that necessarily followed the movie…does Mr. Garrison still have Mr. Hat? Did Mr. Hat return from Hell on-screen, or was it left unexplained?
Mr. Garrison had Mr. Hat in the latest episode. I think he’s been back for awhile but I don’t know if any explanation was ever given as to how he got back.
You’re worried about how Mr Hat came back? Hell, how does KENNY come back, episode after episode? (I think I remember one where he kind of ‘transported in’ at the bus stop at the start of the episode…)
lawoot, I realize that the Kenny thing is an intentional joke. And the Mr. Hat thing doesn’t exactly keep me awake at nights. It’s just something I thought someone here who watches the shows as the air on Comedy Central (as opposed to yours truly, who buys the DVDs as they come out) might know something I don’t.
Obviously, I’m willing to suspend disbelief in order to enjoy South Park.
I think you’re thinking of “Cartman’s Mom Is Still A Big Slut,” the one where they resolved the “cliff-hanger” of who was Cartman’s father. At the beginning, Kenny just faded back into existence and Stan (or Kyle?) comments, off-the-cuff, “Hey, Kenny, you came back!”.
They did explain how Kenny comes back in the episode where kenny’s mom has another kid. Kenny dies at the end and they name the kid Kenny in his honor, and troughout the episode kenny is having flashbacks of it happening before.
What do you mean, how does Kenny come back?! Doesn’t anyone remember that Jesus Christ lives in South Park? “For God so loved South Park that he sent his only begotten son, so that Kenny shall not perish, but shall have eternal life.”
I think it was more of an “Oh hey, Kenny” too. Seems they’d all be pretty used to him dieing and coming back by then. After all, they don’t scream “You Bastards!” anymore…
Come to think of it I was kind of surprised at that too. But hey, South Park is actually a really intelligent show and it takes an intelligent person to recognize that
<<I think it was more of an “Oh hey, Kenny” too. Seems they’d all be pretty used to him dieing and coming back by then. After all, they don’t scream “You Bastards!” anymore…>>
Actually, that does seem to be the case. In an episode a few months ago, Cartman bought an amusment park with his inheritance from a recently deceased relative. During the course of the episode, Kenny was killed on one of the roller coasters. Cartman later sold the park…And had his profits seized by the IRS to pay back taxes, and to pay the civil penalties “awarded to the family of a boy who was killed in [Cartman’s] park.” To which Cartman responded “But that was just Kenny! He dies all the time!”
So, the three other boys seem to be used to Kenny’s frequent deaths and ressurections, although no one else seems to be. And interesting plot point, that.
Ranchoth
Actually, my introduction to South Park was in what was probably the cleanest episode…the one where the planetarium guy hypnotizes everyone and Cartman skips out to audition for the Cheesy Poofs song. It was hilarious and I don’t think they used any word worse (so to speak) than “ass.”
Then, based on that (and a few other episodes, somewhat less clean, but not all that bad), my wife and I took out the movie on video. Yes, it’s crude, the language is filthy…everything a deeply religious person is supposed to stay away from, I suppose. But no matter how deeply religious you are, there is NO WAY you can walk away from that movie without laughing like a hyena on nitous oxide. With the possible exception of Monty Python’s Life of Brian, Young Frankenstein and Airplane!, I’ve never watched a movie as hilarious as that one. And the music…sheesh, I hum and whistle “Uncle F***a” so many times, I’m sure I’m going to slip up and sing it in front of my kids one of these days, but I just can’t help myself.
So now I’m a South Park junkie. Contrary to the image I guess I normally project on this board.
Oddly, I’ve been having similar thoughts, although not in conjunction with the movie.
Mr. Hat was always supposed to be Mr. Garrison’s relief valve for his suppressed homosexuality. At the beginning of the Fourth Grade episodes, Garrison finally outed himself, and seemed to have gotten rid of Mr. Hat, or at least I didn’t notice it (him?) anymore. But in last weeks episode, there he (it?) was, and with dialogue, no less!
Eh. The longest running joke on South Park is it’s cheerful disregard for continuity, a routine I think they originally lifted from the Star Trek franchise. Like all things on television, don’t think about it too much. Just enjoy the pretty colors and flashing lights.
Or maybe he just bought another puppet after the great Canadian-American War.
Miller, you mean the “It” episode? (“Hey, it beats talking to the airplane companies”)
The first episode I saw of South Park was the first Halloween program. I liked the show, but since I didn’t have cable, I couldn’t see it, just asked my friends what was happening on the show.
Until…I got into the university, where I have free basic cable, and now I’m addicted to seeing South Park. In fact, it is my reason for staying up late Wednesdays and Sundays. (Yep, I don’t have much of a social life)
It wasn’t just that he “faded back into existence.” There was a sound effect accompanying it. I think it was the sound from the Joust video game when your character is resurrected. The implication seemed clear that it was like getting a new “life” in a video game.
