A ‘South Park’ Animation Snafu Made ‘Scott Tenorman Must Die’ Even More Twisted
“Scott Tenorman Must Die” is a fan-favorite episode of South Park, and one of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s favorites too. In the episode, Cartman has a rivalry with an older kid that gets really dark by the end. Parker and Stone once revealed another subtle level that makes Cartman’s beef with Scott Tenorman even more twisted.
[Warning: This article contains NSFW topics in edgy South Park style, and spoilers for the episode.]
The South Park Season 5 DVD includes the episode “Scott Tenorman Must Die” and a brief mini commentary by Parker and Stone. On the commentary, they suggest hidden twists in the episode.
How did Cartman get tricked by Scott Tenorman on ‘South Park’?
This is the sort of episode they could only get away with on South Park. Cartman knows that when you get older you get pubes. He doesn’t know you have to grow them yourself. So, Scott Tenorman sells Cartman a handful of pubic hair. When Cartman brags about them, Stan, Kyle and Kenny immediately make him feel silly for it. Stone pointed out that Scott Tenorman was a redhead, but the ball of hair is dark.
“You must notice Scott Tenorman probably would have red pubes,” Stone said. “I don’t know if those are really Scott Tenorman’s pubes.”
‘South Park’ used black hair for a very practical reason
Stone implies that not only did Scott Tenorman sell Cartman a handful of pubic hair, but perhaps Scott even got the hair from someone else and sold it to Cartman. Parker explained they could not use red hair because Cartman already wears a red jaket.
“But the red pubes didn’t show up against Cartman’s red jacket,” Parker said.
Stone commented on the absurdity of discussing the color of pubic hair seriously.
“These are the kinds of things we have to discuss,” Stone said.
‘Scott Tenorman Must Die’ takes a very dark turn
Cartman tries and fails many times to return the pubes and/or get Scott Tenorman back for tricking him. His ultimate victory is one of the darkest moments of South Park. Cartman stages an elaborate ruse leading a farmer to shoot Mr. and Mrs. Tenorman. Then, Cartman makes chili out of them and feeds it to Scott.
“This is one of the darkest episodes,” Stone said. “This is one of those episodes that, when it came out, f****ed a lot of people up because we went to a place with Cartman in the end that we hadn’t gone to before, but I think it’s why it’s so good personally.”
Stone added that Cartman’s hands are still clean in one regard.
“We made it very clear that he didn’t actually kill them, but he caused them [to die],” Stone said. “He didn’t pull the trigger.”
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