7. The Death of Eric Cartman
Season 9 Episode 6
Character of the Week
Cartman and
Butters make an ideal comedy double act. They are the opposites that complete each other. Cartman is evil and conniving whilst Butters is sweet and innocent. A tragic figure, Butters does win the love of the viewers through episodes like this where he does his very best to help out his buddy. That said there is an odd sort of similarity. They are both still children, Trey Parker's writing brings that to the forefront. They don't fully understand the world and through little things that they say and do the audience get to see the influence that their parents or television has over them. Cartman's idea of doing good is making fruit baskets for people he's hurt and singing an uplifting musical number. He doesn't get the concepts of guilt or remorse. Similarly Butters just believes what he is told. Cartman tells him he's dead, Butters believes him. They're developing human beings and the writer's understanding of the developing people makes them somehow more realistic than real people acting on TV. Cartman's Wisdom 'What awaits each person in heaven is eternal bliss, divine rest, and 10.000 dollars in cash.' Tropes Tarnished Cartman's musical montage in the middle of the episode brings to the forefront how shallow a method of storytelling that these are. Like the lack of authenticity in Cartman's penance is reflected in the lack of meaning in the montage. Why This Episode Is So Good Pure hysterical genius from start to finish. This is one of those episodes that takes an idea and explores every conceivable aspect of it. Like What if Jimmy ended gang wars? Or What if Butters became a pimp? What if Cartman thought he was dead[?] is the question behind this episode. How does someone who is such an egomaniac deal with the concept of their own demise. How does one with a soul so dark as Cartman's try to ensure they enter heaven? Would be the results of their attempts to haunt people? This episode contains the answers.