S22E01: "Dead Kids" preshow discussion.

[Big-Will]

Episode 2201 “Dead Kids”

Sharon is overreacting to everything these days and Randy can’t cope. Randy is desperate to help Sharon get her emotions under control and Cartman unexpectedly fails his math test.

A Randy and Cartman episode. Looks like Sharon is the character we've gotta be buckled up for.

(I don't know if you can use "unexpectedly" when talking about Cartman's math skills. He's dumb like that...)

[JVM]

"Dead Kids", hm?

The fan in me keeps joking "finally an episode about my favorite characters" given the show's penchant for killing off old school kids casually... but I don't seriously believe my humorous crusade is paying off, especially since we know a dozen kids with no identity on the show were killed off last season in "Put it Down", and some deaths were intentionally dodged with "Sons a Witches".

I can't imagine what a cryptic title like that could mean, and does it connect with Randy's story or Cartman's?

I don't look at the social media anymore but I'm sure a lotta fans are freaking out expecting someone important to die, but I'm extremely skeptical anyone beyond this week's incarnation of Kenny might be in any real danger. I suppose it's possible some background kid could be killed off for real, but given how long it's been since any of them have been in focus in the first place, I'm not expecting it, and as mentioned, "Sons a Witches" dodged that.

Let's focus on the descriptions... Sharon's emotions are out of control and she's overreacting? We have an image of her looking furious while Randy cries and the other dads comfort him. (Stuart doesn't hang out with them much anymore.) I can spitball but there's so little to play with. What's behind Stephen on the counter? My best guess is a bad idea, which is Randy acting like a victim being 'abused' by Sharon, much like Cartman with Heidi in the previous season premiere. I certainly hope Trey is feeling more creative than that this year.

Cartman "unexpectedly" fails a math test. We already know he's bad at math -- "This is more math than I've ever seen you do" was one of the better jokes in the maligned "Pee" episode and we've had plenty of other jokes at his expense that could've been written off. How does this form a subplot? He'll probably fail the test before the episode begins or in an early scene, and have to deal with some consequence for failing. Maybe someone will threaten he could end up dead without math? There's potential for a good story with Cartman just being a kid but I'm worried it'll be a springboard for something silly. Cartman starting a political podcast blaming his math test on Garrison or something.

There are no references to the previous three season's storylines yet - no Cartman and Heidi, no PC Principal, no War with Canada, no Gender War, etc. Many of these elements haven't been played up obviously in press releases, but I'm curious if we're doing a soft reboot (such as how last season was marketed) or something simpler. I could maybe see "Dead Kids" being a reference to the war in Canada, ala Syria as someone else mentioned, but I have my doubts.

I'm hoping the cryptic description is a signal we're in for something cool that they're playing close to the vest, but I'm a little nervous it might be a sign they're not sure what the story will be on Wednesday.

I'll get the wiki page ready.

EDIT: The South Park Studios Wiki page for "Dead Kids" is now online though obviously not with any new info. Also added Season 22 to the Episode Guide.

[JamesPolo]

Could it be that Sharon had a miscarriage?

[Airborn56]

So the preview clip just went up and... what the f*ck?

[JVM]

So the preview clip just went up and... what the f*ck?

I'm not seeing it yet, probably a cache issue. Mind sharing a link with the rest of the class?

EDIT: Here's the clip, which apparently made it to YouTube first instead of here. Hm.

We're going to be seeing some angry headlines tomorrow.

EDIT 2: Okay, I'm putting out my predictions based on the preview clip now...

Sharon is obviously concerned about a school shooting in the preview, but Stan and Randy seem completely desensitized to the news. The press release discusses how Sharon is "emotional" and Randy isn't sure he can handle it. We also know both Stan and Cartman failed their math quiz now.

The kids all fail their math quiz, and one student gets so upset they shoot the school (Probably a new character killing off new characters, I guess?) -- the kids and dads are so desensitized that they don't care, this is how things are, but Sharon is concerned and probably alluding to gun control measures, in the name of some "dead kids". Randy sees this as the response of an emotional, distressed woman whose speaking crazy and letting her emotions get in the way. He insists there's nothing we can do.

I don't think the episode will intend to tackle gun control as an issue, but I think it will use school shootings and a gun control as a springboard for Randy to be dismissive of Sharon's feelings, a standard sitcom couple trope, with a little bit of commentary on how modern gun control discussion tends to be threaded along 'Thoughts and Prayers' vs. 'No More Dead Kids'.

This seems like a great opportunity to use Jimbo again, as he's supposed to be Randy's brother, Stan's uncle, and is obviously an enthusiastic gun rights advocate. He checks all the boxes relevant to the episode, and while he's only made two or three small roles in the last ten or so years (plus a lot of short lines) he did have a bit of a role at the end of last season, so there's a little hope, right? Just one scene would be enough to make me shut up. (Ned would be a nice bonus.)

Here's hoping we get some good scenes at the school itself and maybe see some background cameos. That's about all I can hope for with a premise like this.

[Stanluv25]

Okay, I lol hard at that clip. The premise of Stan, or other kids failing a math test, being worse than a school shooting in Randy's eye is hilarious. Love the idea of Sharon being the rational one, or in this case, maybe a little too emotionally involved sounds awesome. Anyone who knows me by know knows I love a good Marsh episode, and looks like Sharon will have a story-line this week. Freakin' sweet. Of course Cartman has to have his own story like every episode. Couldn't be about Stan failing a math test and everyone's reaction to it. But still seems like it will have some good ol' Marsh family fun. Love the blunt title of this episode too, haha.

Cannot wait for Wed, which I can't recall saying for a long time. Hopefully this season has very little political crap that made the last few seasons crap. One can hope.

[kfgg]

I really don’t have much to say about it right now. I see Butters and Eric might be involved with the incident which is no surprise given what they have done before

[Hannafechik98]

Could it be that Sharon had a miscarriage?

How could we assume that?

[JamesPolo]

I feel this episode will be big. People have wanted an episode that tackles the whole school shooter deal. I wonder who will be the shooter and who dies? I think it would be characters that don't have names. I think the Stoneman Douglas shooting will be use some as that was the last big shooting and is the one that had David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez lead that kid march to DC.

[MysterionFan79]

I wonder what else they'll tackle this season.

[JamesPolo]

I wonder what else they'll tackle this season.

Might be all the fan ideas people have had that others said would lead to the shows cancelation.

[MysterionFan79]

I wonder what else they'll tackle this season.

Might be all the fan ideas people have had that others said would lead to the shows cancelation.

Yeah, maybe

[JamesPolo]

On the site homepage they show Cartman dressed in like black tactical gear and Butters with an assault rifle. So could it be they shot the school up over the bad math quiz grade? It could also be the kids reaction from having a shooting at their school, so they decide to arm themselves. I can't wait for this episode. This one is going to be extreme. It will be weird the next time a school shooting happens, like that the episode caused the shooting. Hopefully there is not one this week or next. That way it will not feel like there is a connection. I feel because of this feeling that the episode should make kids feel like not doing a shooting but that would reduce the episode and make it not funny. Well lots said we would never get this episode, I know Milo had really wanted this one. I guess the gag is that the kids are not phased by shootings at school anymore and the parents don't understand that or at least Sharon doesn't. I'd expect some sort of Kyle speech at the end as a way of calling school shooters wussies. I wonder if Trey and Matt have an idea book of banned plots that they will now dig deep through to make this seasons episodes with? I want controversy and so this episode may be it. A sad and scary note it that after the Newtown shooting most animated comedy TV shows took a hiatus. So if there is a big school shooting soon this episode will be banned and this years season of South Park may be canceled.

[James--76]

We might not get to see the shooting maybe the episode starts with a school assembly & images of pupils & teachers who were shot. The kids & teachers are allowed to carry small guns as a way of self defence but Cartman being Cartman takes it OTT and with the help of Butters smuggles big guns into the school.

[Milo Vonnegut]

Sharon:
Do you wanna tell your father about what happened at school today?

Stan:
I flunked my math quiz.

Sharon:
No! The other thing!

Stan:
Some kid shot up the school.

Me:
Yes! I've been wanting an episode like this for a while now.

Hey Big-Will, didn't you say something along the lines of "It would either be one of the worst episodes ever made, or it would be the episode that ends the series forever."?