The Pandemic Special

Season	s24
Episode	e01
Written By	Trey Parker
Production Code	2401
Original Air Date	2020-9-30

Episode Chronology

Previous
Christmas Snow
Next
South ParQ Vaccination Special

Official Description

Randy comes to terms with his role in the COVID-19 outbreak as the on-going pandemic presents continued challenges to the citizens of South Park. The kids happily head back to school but nothing resembles the normal that they once knew; not their teachers, not their homeroom, not even Eric Cartman.

Full Description

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fourth grader Butters Stotch is upset that his parents will not allow him to visit Build-A-Bear. His father, Stephen Stotch, is criticizing improper wearing of protective masks, derisively calling them "chin diapers", when he is distracted by a crowd assembling for a live show staged by Randy Marsh, who announces a "Pandemic Special" on marijuana sold by his Tegridy Farms. Randy's wife,Sharon, berates him for seeking to profit from the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Cartman sings ecstatically about social distancing, as he can stay at home and avoid online school lessons by faking connection problems with Zoom classes. His joy turns to fury when his mother, Liane Cartman, tells him that school could soon reopen.

At Tegridy Farms, Sharon informs Randy that her brother, Jimbo Kern, has COVID, but Randy insists Jimbo is sick because he is a "fat alcoholic". Randy learns from the TV news that a bat in Wuhan, China started the pandemic, prompting a flashback to a past visit to China, in which he cavorted with Mr. Mouse, during which they both had sexual intercourse with a bat. Realizing they are responsible for the virus, Randy then calls Mr. Mouse and wanders around South Park, guiltily observing the negative impacts of the virus.

Cartman visits Kyle to complain about the prospect of having to return to school. The South Park Elementary school board convenes a Zoom meeting led by Mr. Mackey. The meeting quickly devolves into a shouting match of obscene insults, prompting Mr. Mackey to use a mute button. The meeting decides that South Park Elementary will reopen, however it will be run by the now defunct police force, which had lost most of its funding because of police violence.

Back at Tegridy Farms, Randy tries to block Sharon, Shelly Marsh and Stan Marsh from watching the news, only to learn the virus actually originated from a pangolin. Randy has another flashback, recalling he had sexual intercourse with the same pangolin in China as well, which created the virus.

As the local school reopens, the police officers find they have no idea how to teach when Cartman is suddenly dragged in and handcuffed to a chair. He tries to escape and attacks Kyle who then fights back, prompting police to open fire and shoot Tolkien Black.

The pangolin from Wuhan is brought to the United States for study in the hope of developing a vaccine. Fearing his zoophilia will be exposed, Randy steals the pangolin. Mr. Mouse threatens to kill Randy and send his DNA samples to scientists to create a vaccine. Randy convinces Mr. Mouse to give him more time by promising to find a cure. That night, Randy enters Jimboâ€™s hospital ward and gives him a marijuana joint mixed with Randy's semen. The following day, Sharon informs Randy that Jimbo has recovered. Randy sets about augmenting his Pandemic Special marijuana with his semen but is interrupted when Sharon summons him to observe that Jimbo has grown a mustache identical to Randyâ€™s. The local hospital becomes packed with male and female patients afflicted by the same type of mustache. Dr. Anthony Fauci appears on television, telling people to wear masks over the area where their mustaches are, while the news advises people to stay home and relax with some Pandemic Special.

The police claim Tolkien was hospitalized because of coronavirus and the entire school is placed under quarantine, which becomes more like a prison under the officers' watch. Butters becomes increasingly upset he may never get to visit Build-A-Bear, while Stan starts to suffer a nervous breakdown. In the White House, President Garrison receives a call from Stan, who tells him that one of the students is really sick, but Herbert Garrison refuses to do anything about the virus because Mexicans and other ethnic minorities have a higher fatality rate than whites.

Stan promises to take Butters to Build-A-Bear and convinces the students to break out of the school. Protests, rioting and looting erupt in South Park, enabling police to regain their funding and munitions to quell the civil unrest. Kenny is among those killed by the police. The boys break into Build-A-Bear but Stan is unable to successfully operate the equipment. Police are about to open fire on the boys, when Randy intervenes and hands over the pangolin. Cartman grabs the pangolin, intending to kill it, but changes his mind when Stan makes a passionate speech. Cartman gives the pangolin to a scientist, only for President Garrison to suddenly appear and kill both it and the scientist with a flamethrower. He then reminds people to vote in the upcoming presidential election while the police, Randy, and the boys just stand by flabbergasted.

In the aftermath, wildfires have broken out and South Park is placed under lockdown for the unforeseeable future. Randy is about to confess his actions to Sharon when he notices that she too has a mustache. This changes Randy's mind and he decides to run a few more specials.

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The Pandemic Special

Official Description

Full Description

Memorable Quotes

Songs

Original Song

Characters

Character Debuts

Zoom Meeting Debuts

Costume Debuts

Locations

Continuity Nods

Behind The Scenes

Where Did The Idea Come From

Pop Culture References

Shout Outs

Pwn'd

Bonus Factoids

Pointless Observations

Errors and Goofs

Season 24