South Park S26, Ep 5 Review
Ever since the COVID-19 Pandemic hit, society’s changed on multiple levels. The term ‘social distancing’ entered the zeitgeist, masks became commonplace, and people had to find new ways to socialize. However, an even bigger impact was the one it had on the workplace with the growing popularity of remote work. People liked being able to work from home so much we didn’t want to give it up once the pandemic started to come under control. At first, remote work seemed like a good thing; the time and money it would save on commuting alone would be immense. After South Park‘s newest episode, though, I’m starting to question that notion.
It also made me want a hot dog.
Cartman is an Employer’s Worst Nightmare
It all starts when Butters shows up and tells the boys that he just got his first paycheck from his new job at a local ice cream shop. Thanks to the labor shortage from people losing/quitting their jobs, businesses will hire minors with a permission slip from their parents. Hearing this, Cartman decides that he wants in, so he can get more money and not live in a hot dog anymore. Butters and his mom rightfully point out how he wouldn’t last four hours working, but he’s too stubborn to listen.
Hilariously, Cartman doesn’t even last four hours before he gets fed up with working. That’s despite the fact that he abuses concepts like remote work and mental health days to be lazy on his bosses’ dime and leave Butters to do all the work. It gets worse from there as Cartman decides he wants to run his own business instead, turning his hot dog home into a hot dog stand. He and Kenny convince poor Butters to give them the capital they need, and like that, “DikinBaus Hot Dogs” is born.
It’s up for debate which is funnier: the name Cartman and Kenny gave their business or how Cartman represents the worst aspects of this new, post-COVID work ethic. It might be more appropriate to say they have no work ethic. As always, Cartman provides South Park the means to ridicule the worst aspects of a new trend in society, and seeing the lengths he’ll go to is uproarious. It’s even funnier considering that I advocate for the ability to remote work if possible. I now understand the employer’s concerns about it, though!
Cartman Makes Butters Snap. The Results are Hilarious
Meanwhile, poor Butters, ever the butt-monkey, finds himself working to the bone to make the money that Cartman claims he needs. However, when he finds out Cartman took all his money and used it to turn the hot dog stand into his dream home, he rightfully goes ballistic. And when he hypocritically refuses to let the employees he hires do what he did, Cartman’s ready to write everything up as a loss. As a result, Butter finally snaps, and what happens next is pure catharsis.
Using all the skills he’s learned, Butters single-handedly runs DikinBaus and does an excellent job doing so. Before long, enough customers arrive for him to make back all the money Cartman blew and then some. Butters doesn’t stop there, though. He makes Liane Cartman an offer to buy out the property from under her son’s nose in exchange for getting back their old home. Now that Dikin Baus is his dream home, though, Cartman throws a hissy fit, and the episode ends with him crying, “DikinBaus! DikinBaus!”
Any episode of South Park that ends with Cartman getting hit with karma is a good episode, in my book. In addition, this episode made me realize how easy it is to abuse the power of remote work when it comes to jobs. I still support it, but I think we should make sure people can’t abuse it to be lazy. Or if they do, keep it to a minimum level!
Also, we learned that Butters is really good in the food service industry!
