Cartman Finds Love
| "Cartman Finds Love" | |
|---|---|
| South Park episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 16 Episode 7 |
| Directed by | Trey Parker |
| Written by | Trey Parker |
| Featured music | |
| Production code | 1607 |
| Original air date | April 25, 2012 |
| Guest appearance | |
| Brad Paisley as himself[1] | |
"Cartman Finds Love" is the seventh episode of the
In the episode, when a new black girl transfers to South Park Elementary,
Plot
When the boys learn that a black girl named Nichole has transferred to the school and joined the cheerleading team, Cartman assumes that she will pair up with Tolkien, the only black boy in their school. But when Tolkien demurs at this, Cartman assumes that he is shy and decides to play matchmaker. However, after he overhears her tell the other girls that she has a crush on Kyle, Cartman tells her that he and Kyle are a gay couple, a lie that spreads to the other girls. He then arranges for Tolkien and Nichole to get locked in the boy's locker room overnight so they can develop a relationship, a ploy that is successful. With the aid of "Cupid Me", an imaginary Cupid-like version of himself, Cartman continues his efforts to strengthen their relationship by arranging various gifts for the couple that are made to appear to be from each other.
Eventually, after developing an attraction to Nichole but realizing the girls' new-found interest in him, an enraged Kyle confronts Cartman over his lie. Cartman defends his actions by arguing that Tolkien and Nichole belong together because they are black. Kyle retorts that because Tolkien and Nichole are black does not mean that they belong together, a notion echoed by Nichole's father, William, who is troubled that Nichole is seemingly drawn to the one other black child in town so soon after moving to South Park. Nichole tells him that Tolkien's race is coincidental, as she did not begin a relationship for that reason. She subsequently finds a teddy bear placed on her bed by Cartman, thinking that it is from Tolkien, and after seeing that its dog tag reads "'Cuz Blacks Belong Together", she breaks up with him. Cartman, heartbroken that his match has failed, excoriates Cupid Me, and beats him bloody with a baseball bat. Cartman eventually has a change of heart after watching an ad for
When Cartman learns that Kyle and Nichole have gone to
Critical reception
Jacob Kleinman of the International Business Times thought the episode was "pretty funny", despite not measuring up to the classic Token episode "Here Comes the Neighborhood".[2]
Ryan McGee of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A−", finding it a strong mid-season finale for a first half of a season that was otherwise inconsistent. While less serious than the previous season's mid-season finale "You're Getting Old", McGee enjoyed the "sweet, empathetic core" to the episode, and the juxtaposition of Cartman's desire to play matchmaker with the racism that motivated it. McGee also found Mr. Garrison's Game of Thrones lesson "hysterical".[3]
Max Nicholson of IGN found the episode to be a "classic" episode, and a "comfortable" mid-season finale that Nicholson said harkened back to the series' early seasons, though he felt that it did not ultimately "get off the ground" for him. Nicholson thought that Cartman's machinations, and the way they manifested through Cupid Me, were both entertaining, and represented a fitting way to explore the character's distinctive way of expressing affection. Nicholson thought the scenes with Nichole's parents and at the playground did not work as well, though he appreciated the lack of pop culture references and celebrity parodies.[4]
References
- ^ Lewis, Randy (April 25, 2012). "Brad Paisley guest stars on 'South Park' tonight". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
- ^ Kleinman, Jacob (April 26, 2012). "South Park Episode ?Cartman Finds Love? Spoofs Cupid, Dating, Racism [VIDEO]". International Business Times. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ^ McGee, Ryan (April 25, 2012). "Cartman Finds Love". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ Nicholson, Max (April 26, 2012). "South Park: 'Cartman Finds Love' Review". IGN. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
External links
- "Cartman Finds Love" Full episode at South Park Studios.
- "Cartman Finds Love" at IMDb
