Summer Sucks

"Summer Sucks"

"Summer Sucks" is the 21st episode of Comedy Central's animated series South Park. It originally aired on June 24, 1998.

Plot synopsis

It's summer vacation in this episode, but that isn't necessarily a good thing, because although school is out, there is little to actually do in South Park, with all the snow melted so that sledding, building of snowmen and other winter activities are impossible. And when a Colorado state law makes fireworks illegal (due to a boy losing his hand from one), the boys realize they have nothing left to do, since making things blow up was their main summer activity. In response to this, Jimbo and Ned go across the border to Mexico to buy illegal fireworks, while the Mayor, who discovers that "snakes" are still legal, has the largest one ever made, and plans to set it off for the town's Fourth of July celebration. When it goes off, however, it winds up going and going and going, and the ash travels all across the town and then country, destroying everything in its wake.

Meanwhile, Mr. Garrison is freaking out, because his constant companion, Mr. Hat, has disappeared; he winds up going to see Dr. Katz (complete with squiggle) in New York, who says that he is gay and Mr. Hat (who has homosexual fantasies, according to Mr. Garrison) is really his gay side. Garrison is unsure what to think, but fortunately the giant snake has somehow traveled all the way to New York and crashes Dr. Katz's office. Cartman at this time is taking swimming lessons, but has to contend with the fact that first graders keep peeing in the pool; Jimbo and Ned are captured by the Border Patrol, but manage to escape (again, thanks to the snake) and go back to South Park with the fireworks.

The boys finally get their fireworks, and when they shoot two off, they destroy the snake trail, ending the terror; the ashes rain to the ground like snow, and people do wintery activities using the black soot. Mr. Garrison reappears with a new companion, Mr. Twig, who has replaced Mr. Hat.

At the end, Chef pulls up in his car having returned from Aruba. He sees everyone's faces covered in the black ash. Thinking it's blackface, Chef prepares to give everyone a beating.

Kenny's Death

• During the flashback, when the boys were playing with fireworks as kindergartners, Kenny blew himself up with a fire cracker (complete with baby rats swarming over his remains afterwards). Since the kids were young(er), Stan simply says "My Gosh Kill Kenny", and Kyle simply says "Ooo Bastards".
• The giant carbon pyrotechnic snake nearly hits Kenny, he dodges it, but the audience chairs collapse on him.

Notes

• One of the women on the island with Chef closely resembles his future fiancé in The Succubus.
• This is the first episode in the Mr. Twig story arc. Mr. Hat would eventually return in Chef Aid.

• During the pandemonium at the scene of the giant snake, Kyle picks up his violin and continues to play and is joined by Stan and the rest of the band, much like the band aboard the Titanic.
• The background is that of snow (instead of grass) during a scene after the snake is lit.