Quintuplets 2000
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Quintuplets 2000” | |
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| South Park episode | |
 The Quintuplets and the boys watch TV. |
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| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 52 |
| Written by | Trey Parker Matt Stone |
| Directed by | Trey Parker |
| Production no. | 403 |
| Original airdate | April 26, 2000 |
| Season 4 episodes | |
| South Park - Season 4 April 5, 2000 – December 20, 2000 |
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| ← Season 3 | Season 5 → |
| List of South Park episodes | |
"Quintuplets 2000" ("Contorting Quintuplets 2000" in some syndicated markets) is episode 52 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It was originally broadcast on April 26, 2000.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
After watching Cirque De Cheville, (a parody of Cirque Du Soleil; "cheville" is French for "ankle"), and liking the performance of quintuplets from the show in particular, the boys hope to make a new performance artist style circus. The boys, however, think Kenny needs to learn how to sing first. Meanwhile, the Romanian contorting quintuplets from the show, along with their grandmother, try to escape from the Romanian government hoping to bring them back. The five end up at the Marsh house, asking for shelter. Meanwhile, Kenny learns to sing through opera tapes. At the Marsh house, Grandpa Marsh and the quints' grandmother (using her own contortion skills) have sex for most of the night.
The next morning, a shocked Randy finds the grandmother dead. After telling the quints, and with some persuasion from Cartman, Stan and Kyle (who hope to use the quints for their circus, in which their performance is to do some contortions wearing only underpants with the Quints doing their performance), let the quints stay with them. The boys then decide to show the quints how great America is, hoping they'll stay and do their circus. Meanwhile, the Romanian government seek Janet Reno to help get the quints back. Also, seeking to get to Romania for singing training, Kenny sings for money in order to acquire transport for him and his mother. In Romania, Kenny is a sensational singer, and, after his mother realizes that her little money from the US makes them rich in Romania, the two decide to stay. Back in the US, the Marsh house is surrounded by protesters, hoping to let the quints stay. Reno, dressed as the Easter Bunny, and armed with a gun, captures the quints. Stan, Kyle and Cartman, who don't want to lose their circus, enlist the help of the protesters outside to get the quints back. A large amount of violence starts as the protesters and government soldiers, which is stopped by the quints after they tell off all the groups on their shortcomings, that America just wants them for money, Janet Reno for doing it for publicity, Romania for being selfish and wanting them for recognition, and the boys for their ignorance about Romanian culture. They then go on The Oprah Winfrey Show and start a press tour.
Meanwhile, Kenny is inadvertently killed by the US government, who hoped to bring him back alive.
[edit] Cultural references
- The song which Kenny sings at the beginning of the episode is Conte partirò by Andrea Bocelli, and he sings "La donna è mobile" by Giuseppe Verdi in order to pay for his trip to Europe. While in Europe, Kenny first sings the Figaro Aria "Non piu andrai" from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro then the end of the famous Queen of the Night Aria (Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen) from Mozart's The Magic Flute.
[edit] References to pop culture
- The way the quintuplets are displayed to the public eye behind a fence is reminiscent to the real story of the Dionne Quintuplets, the first quintuplets in the world to survive more than a few days. The Dionne sisters were raised by Dr. Dafoe, who took advantage of their fame to display them in a sort of human theme park, known as "Quintland".
[edit] Currently relevant episode
This was the first episode of South Park to consciously take advantage of quick production turnaround to reference a (then) current event. Trailers for the episode indicated that the plotline revolved around the quintuplets' ability to clone themselves through some form of mitosis. In the wake of the Elián González incident, though, especially the circulation of a photo showing a BORTAC Agent with an MP5 submachine gun pointed toward Elián, Stone and Parker quickly jettisoned this story idea and hurriedly re-wrote, re-animated, and re-dubbed the episode, going as far as having Janet Reno in an Easter Bunny costume, an obvious dig at the fact that the Elián González incident took place over Easter weekend. Stone and Parker had previously taken advantage of the show's fast production capabilities with Are You There God? It's Me, Jesus, though they had done this simply for the sake of being able to spend New Year's eve with their families. This episode marks the first time Stone and Parker would intentionally create a "currently relevant" episode, which quickly became a hallmark of the series.
| Preceded by “The Tooth Fairy Tats 2000” |
South Park episodes | Followed by “Timmy 2000” |
