Best Friends Forever: South Park's Reaction to the Post-Network Era News Coverage of the 2005 Teri Schiavo Case
“Best Friends Forever”: South Park’s Reaction to the Post-Network
Era News Coverage of the 2005 Teri Schiavo Case
Introduction
“Best Friends Forever”, a culturally significant episode of the hit animated show South Park, starts off with Eric Cartman eagerly waking up in order to purchase the new Sony PSP gaming device. However, by the time Eric and his mother get to the store, there’s already a massive line. Cartman isn’t able to purchase the device, but his friend Kenny was first in line and bought the device and the game “Heaven vs. Hell”. Kenny becomes submerged in the game, playing constantly, and just as he reaches one of the highest levels, is run over by a truck. Kenny ascends up to the heavens, where he is told the game he was playing is the key to helping heaven defeat hell in the real battle, and Kenny’s death on earth gives him the ability to help save heaven by leading their army. However, soon after he is told his purpose, he disappears from heaven and is put on earth, being kept on life support while in a vegetative state. By being on earth, Kenny is no longer able to help heaven and their endeavors, giving hell the opportunity to win. Soon before Kenny had been revived, Cartman had been told by Kenny’s lawyer that in the event of Kenny’s death, Cartman would receive Kenny’s PSP. Motivated by self-interest, Cartman goes to the Supreme Court and gets a court order to remove Kenny’s life support, unintentionally helping heaven in the process. In reaction, Stan and Kyle try to keep Kenny alive, consequently benefiting hell. Both sides, in order to help achieve their cause go the mass media to influence the decision. The media’s involvement in this struggle is the subject of the episode’s satire.
This episode’s importance is derived from the context in which it was released. In the months leading up to South Park’s March 30th, 2005 premiere of “Best Friends Forever”, the United States was submerged in a contentious debate over Terri
Era News Coverage of the 2005 Teri Schiavo Case
Introduction
“Best Friends Forever”, a culturally significant episode of the hit animated show South Park, starts off with Eric Cartman eagerly waking up in order to purchase the new Sony PSP gaming device. However, by the time Eric and his mother get to the store, there’s already a massive line. Cartman isn’t able to purchase the device, but his friend Kenny was first in line and bought the device and the game “Heaven vs. Hell”. Kenny becomes submerged in the game, playing constantly, and just as he reaches one of the highest levels, is run over by a truck. Kenny ascends up to the heavens, where he is told the game he was playing is the key to helping heaven defeat hell in the real battle, and Kenny’s death on earth gives him the ability to help save heaven by leading their army. However, soon after he is told his purpose, he disappears from heaven and is put on earth, being kept on life support while in a vegetative state. By being on earth, Kenny is no longer able to help heaven and their endeavors, giving hell the opportunity to win. Soon before Kenny had been revived, Cartman had been told by Kenny’s lawyer that in the event of Kenny’s death, Cartman would receive Kenny’s PSP. Motivated by self-interest, Cartman goes to the Supreme Court and gets a court order to remove Kenny’s life support, unintentionally helping heaven in the process. In reaction, Stan and Kyle try to keep Kenny alive, consequently benefiting hell. Both sides, in order to help achieve their cause go the mass media to influence the decision. The media’s involvement in this struggle is the subject of the episode’s satire.
This episode’s importance is derived from the context in which it was released. In the months leading up to South Park’s March 30th, 2005 premiere of “Best Friends Forever”, the United States was submerged in a contentious debate over Terri
Bibliography: Parker, Trey. "Best Friends Forever." South Park. Comedy Central. 30 Mar. 2005. Television. ""South Park" Episode 904 Transcript." IMSDb: The Internet Movie Script Database. N.p., Mar. 2005. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. . Baym, Geoffrey. From Cronkite to Colbert: The Evolution of Broadcast News. Boulder: Paradigm, 2010. Print Turpin, and Boler. Ironic Citizenship. Publication. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.