Kenny Dies

Infobox Television episode
Title = Kenny Dies
Series = South Park


Caption = Kenny in a Hospital Bed
Season = 5
Episode = 78
Airdate = December 5, 2001
Production = 513
Writer = Trey Parker
Matt Stone
Director = Trey Parker
Guests =
Episode list = List of "South Park" episodes
Season list = Infobox South Park season 5 episode list
Prev =
Next =

"Kenny Dies" is episode 78 of the Comedy Central series "South Park". It originally aired on December 5, 2001. Notably, the gag of Kenny dying in almost every episode was dropped after this episode, and he did not reappear until Free Hat (Trailer Cameo only) (88) and A Ladder to Heaven(91) (these were appearances in apparition form; Kenny did not return to life until the end of Red Sleigh Down). This is also the first episode where Kenny's actual death is taken seriously.

Plot

The episode begins in an abortion clinic with a woman giving her permission for scientists to use her unborn child for stem cell research. The truck transporting the fetuses from the clinic to a research facility is destroyed in an accident. Its cargo is noticed, and subsequently stolen by passerby Eric Cartman (who was riding his Big Wheel and singing Sheena Easton's "Morning Train (9 to 5)"), who intends to resell the fetuses for a tremendous profit. This goal leads him to call various institutions in the style of a fast-talking agent, with the famous recurring line "you're breaking my balls, here," finally landing a deal with a government organization. To his dismay, the government puts a ban on stem cell research immediately afterward. Meanwhile, Kenny is diagnosed with what is presumably muscular dystrophy, and his friends and family are told that he will probably die. The boys (especially Cartman) are shocked and saddened by the news, but do everything they can to support him and keep him company during his stay in the hospital - all but Stan, who cannot bear to see Kenny dying and refuses to visit him. This marks one of the few episodes in which Kenny's friends mourn his death.Fact|date=June 2008

Cartman, in the meantime, has a researcher explain to him how stem cells actually work, and learns that they might be used to help Kenny. Cartman also mentions using stem cells to duplicate a Shakey's Pizza restaurant, although the researcher advises him that lumber would be better suited for that task. Cartman gives a speech to the House of Representatives on behalf of stem cell research. He ultimately succeeds in getting the ban lifted by singing "Heat of the Moment" by Asia and begins visiting abortion clinics around the area to collect more aborted fetuses.

Stan, with the supporting words of Chef, finally gets up the courage to come visit Kenny in the hospital, only to find out that Kenny has died. On hearing that Kenny's last words were "Where's Stan?", he accuses himself of being Kenny's worst friend. During the funeral, Cartman bursts in and exclaims that a miracle has occurred. He drags Stan and Kyle away to show them how he has manipulated the stem cells from his aborted fetuses into building his very own Shakey's Pizza. Kyle promptly beats up Cartman, because he assumes Cartman had pretended to take Kenny's death seriously in order to get the ban on stem cells lifted, in order to make his own Shakey's Pizza. Stan is relieved after he realizes Cartman was Kenny's worst friend.

Reception

Serene Dominic of the "Detroit Metro Times" called a scene from the episode where Cartman leads members of the United States Congress in a sing-along of "Heat of the Moment" as a "Greatest Cartoon Moment". [cite news
last = Dominic
first = Serene
title = Cheap Trick vs. All Four Original Members of Asia!: 'Don’t Cry' if Mommy & Daddy just seem a little weird over who to 'Surrender' the fun money to this weekend!
work = Detroit Metro Times
publisher = Metro Times, Inc.
date = July 4, 2007
url = http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=10680
accessdate =2008-03-31 ] In an article for "ESPN.com" Tim Kavanagh discussed stem cells and how they were used in the episode, writing: "This, as with many other important topics of our day, I learned from "South Park," specifically Episode 513, entitled 'Kenny Dies.'" [cite news
last = Kavanagh
first = Tim
title = Icing It Down: Emery still day-to-day
work = ESPN.com
publisher = ESPN Internet Ventures.
date = October 8, 2007
url = http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/hockey/fhl/story?page=icingitdown1008
accessdate =2008-03-31 ] In a review of the "South Park" season 5 DVD release, Choire Sicha of "The New York Times" gave a "not-so-surprising surprise ending alert" that "Kenny finally really dies" at the end of the episode. [cite news
last = Sicha
first = Choire
title = The Guide: Sunday 2/20
work = The New York Times
page = AR35
publisher = The New York Times Company
date = February 20, 2005 ] Alessandra Stanely of "The New York Times" cited the episode when noting that the political commentary on "South Park" "is not any more subtle" than that of "Saturday Night Live" or "The Simpsons". [cite news
last = Stanley
first = Alessandra
title = The TV Watch: When It Comes to Political Parody, Upstarts Outrun the Classics
work = The New York Times
publisher = The New York Times Company
date = November 3, 2006
url = http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/03/arts/television/03stan.html?pagewanted=print
accessdate =2008-04-01 ]

References

Further reading

*cite news
last = Clodfelter
first = Tim
title = The Shield, South Park Proved Durable After Their Shock Value Wore Off
work = Winston-Salem Journal
date = February 26, 2005
*cite news
last = Josaphat
first = Chenel
title = DVD Review: 'South Park' laughs at nation
work = University Wire
date = March 18, 2005

External links

* [http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/513/ Kenny Dies] , episode at SouthParkStudios.com
* [http://www.comedycentral.com/extras/south_park/videos/season_5/sp_ep_0513.jhtml Kenny Dies] , episode at Comedy Central website
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0761289/ Kenny Dies] , episode at IMDB