Review: South Park “Tegridy Farms Halloween Special”

 

 

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Halloween is a special time at Tegridy Farms. And no, it’s not because they’re holding a witch party, or a Hell on Earth extravaganza, and Korn isn’t even going to perform an impromptu concert. This year is special because Randy and Towlie are going to make a Halloween Special batch of weed.

The only obstacle that stands in the way of Randy’s plan for a perfect evening is Shelly’s “weed problem.” The girl hates the stuff and fears it’s making the already dumb citizens of South Park even dumber. She may not be wrong, but she is quite a drag and does her best to ruin her father’s good time business opportunity.

Meanwhile, at the museum, Archaeologist Butters is on an extremely important mission. Not really, though. Because he has the mind of a little baby, he’s filling out one of those books where you get a stamp every time you look at one of the Egyptian exhibit displays. However, when he comes across a mummified corpse, old farmer Jud Crandall—who is now a museum volunteer—warns him that particular stamp is cursed. But because Butters is an asshole, he takes the stamp anyway.

That night, the mummy comes to his room, not to attack but to give him a present. But when Regular Butters tells him he already has a Fitbit, the mummy loses it! After the old pharaoh destroys parts of the town and murders a few folks, the police blame it on Butters’ poor attitude and narcissistic tendencies. While Butters doesn’t agree at first, he has a chance to do some soul-searching as more and more people begin to side with the mummy.

Back at the farm, Shelly makes a “potion” out of bleach and other household cleaners and uses it to destroy the Halloween Special. This upsets Randy so much that he has the police lock her up for the night. Luckily, the potion made the Special even more potent so Randy and Towlie could get ripped and enjoy their shindig.

But then the weed goes bad and starts turning the party guests into plant-based zombies. And that’s only the beginning. Soon Randy’s biggest fears and regrets are reanimated, including the thirty cows he killed and Winnie-the-Friggin-Pooh. Zombie Pooh is no longer hungry for honey, but rather for Randy Marsh’s brains.

The mass hysteria brings the entire South Park police force to Tegridy Farms. Despite their massive firepower they are unable to stop the zombie horde—because it only exists in the minds of Randy and Towlie. It turns out the Halloween Special mixed with bleach and various other household cleaners made the duo very, very, very high.

Also, Harvey Weinstein may have crashed the party and raped Randy.

 

Our Take

What a telling episode. Tonight it was revealed that Randy feels massive guilt for many of the things he’s done since opening Tegridy Farms. It’s all a prideful act every time his family complains and he doubles, triples, and even quadruples down. At one point in the evening, when Randy was super high, he even mentioned his old career as a geologist to a complete stranger while chilling in the hot tub.

Sure, Randy likes weed, and even has a knack for growing it. But deep down he doesn’t want to be the “weed guy.” This, in part, explains why he was so hostile to the home-growers earlier in the season. He wasn’t mad at them for not buying his product, he was jealous of the Jimbos and Stotches of the world. He hates them because he can no longer be them. Last year he made a decision without properly thinking it through—much like most of his decisions. But this decision was too big and culturally important to backtrack on. I mean, he could have quit at any time, but that would’ve meant admitting to Sharon and the kids that he was wrong, and he’s never going to do that.

However, as I’ve predicted in no fewer than two episodes, Tegridy Farm will fall by season’s end. And now that we know Randy’s heart isn’t truly behind the business, it’s clear that he’ll take advantage of the first opportunity to cut bait without having to lose face. He might get some blowback from Towlie, but c’mon he’s just a little towel, what’s that bitch gonna do?

As for Butters, the little dude is pretty downtrodden. However, we know that he’s a doormat designed to prop up other doormats, and it’s no surprise that the undead treats him with the same disregard as the living.

Don’t get me wrong, I hated the mummy. That mummy was such an inconsiderate jerk and he didn’t give a damn about anybody’s feelings but his own. And who gives a Fitbit as a gift? What is this, 2011? God, mummy, you’re so tacky—and you’re a murderer! But compared to Butters, of course I’m going to take his side. Every. Single. Time.