Time To Get Cereal
Time To Get Cereal
| Season | s22 |
| Episode | e06 |
| Written By | Trey Parker |
| Production Code | 2206 |
| Original Air Date | 2018-11-07 |
Episode Chronology
- Previous
- Next
Official Description
The citizens of South Park have no idea the danger they're in. When dead citizens start popping up all over town, the boys realize they need Al Gore's help. The boys are willing to do almost anything to save the town, and themselves, but it may be just too late.
Full Description
South Park residents Jimbo Kern and Ned Gerblansky track what they believe to be a bear through a field, which is revealed to be Tegridy Farms, the property of Randy and Sharon Marsh. Suddenly, Ned is attacked by a monster called ManBearPig (a creature first referenced in the episode of the same name) and is carried away in his jaws in front of Jimbo, Randy, and Randy's son, Stan, an incident that Stan relates to his friends.
A schoolmate of Stan's named Colin Brooks is found dead in the schoolyard of South Park Elementary School. Thinking it was another school shooting, Park County Police investigator Sergeant Yates goes to the school, irritated that his time playing Red Dead Redemption 2, which is repeatedly referenced by other characters in the episode, is being infringed on by the local children. Despite the mutilated and partially eaten remains, Yates continues to regard Brooks' death as a shooting. His suspicions fall on Stan and his three friends, Eric Cartman, Kenny McCormick, and Kyle Broflovski, for which Yates eventually issues arrest warrants.
More bodies are found in the woods, and ManBearPig eventually begins attacking groups of people in eating establishments in broad daylight. Despite this, some members of the public continue to express skepticism of ManBearPig's existence, and question what could possibly be done about it now. As the attacks continue, Yates and his wife, Maggie Yates, suffer the stress of the investigation, especially as it infringes upon the free time he would rather spend playing his video game.
Remembering that former U.S. Vice President Al Gore was an investigator in the existence of ManBearPig, Stan and his friends go to him to enlist his help. Gore angrily recalls when the boys and the rest of the public ridiculed and ignored him when he tried to warn them about the creature in that prior episode and says that they should have heeded his warnings back then. After acceding to Gore's demand for an apology and extended praise and groveling, Gore decides to help them. He tells the boys that ManBearPig is a demon sent by the Devil for unknown reasons. The group sacrifices a goat in a demonic ritual in order to summon Satan, who leads the group to a library to research the creature. There, Satan learns that ManBearPig is a Sifter of Fate, a demon that appears every few generations to exploit mankind's weaknesses by making a deal with someone in town. Yates and the police surround the library and order the boys to surrender. Stan pleads with the police, telling them that Al Gore was right all along, and that this time, they all need to admit that they were wrong. Yates ignores Stan and arrests the boys, much to the horror of Stan's grandfather Marvin Marsh, who watches the event on television.
Memorable Quotes
- "Mmm-I'm getting my white ass outta here" (Ned Gerblanski)
- "That didn't sound cereal at all." (Al Gore)
- "You know how shitty it is to be a cop? There's real emergencies every day - real people who need real help - but then, every other minute, I gotta stop everything 'cause one of you little fuckwads decides to go and shoot up the school." (Harrison Yates)
- "All I can say is... you boys better get to the grocery store, 'cause it's time... to get cereal." (Al Gore)
- "Do you all have any idea what it's like to start over?! You walk four hours through the snow relearning everything, all because your bitch wife went and spent all your hard-earned money on upgrades you didn't want! I get one little break from work - one little break - and I didn't even get back to the first brawl at the saloon! " (Harrison Yates)
- "Your local library is an excellent resource for whatever you wish to learn." (Al Gore)
- ""The Sifter of Fate thrives on tempting mankiind. It will always offer a deal in exchange for mercy, but the carnage will be a thousand times worse when the debt comes due." (Satan)
- "Everyone, listen! ManBearPig is real! It's a demon that thrives on makind deals to exploit mankind's weaknesses. I am super-duper cereal. We all have to work together, you guys. This one time. We have to all put our pride aside and be willing to say, maybe we were wrong." (Stan Marsh)
- "It's probably too late. By now Manbearpig is so powerful, that the only way to get rid of him is to send him back to hell." Al Gore
Characters
Character Debuts
A number of new additions to the Park County Police are observed in this episode, including two new female officers. We also meet a receptionist at Denver City Hall. Conners and Tiggs are also identified by name for the first time.
Body Count
Jimbo's old war buddy and fan favorite Ned Gerblanski makes a spectacular return after a long absence, but seems to meet his end here, tracking a 'bear' during a hunt with Jimbo, only to be attacked and taken away by Manbearpig to an unknown location in front of Jimbo, Randy and Stan. He is the only victim taken and carried off-screen, and Stan refers to him twice as "taken", not killed, but his status is never addressed during the rest of the storyline.
Previously unknown student Collin Brooks is destroyed and partially eaten by Manbearpig at the elementary school, an incident that attracts police attention, and countless victims are killed at Red Lobster, including Susan's family of skeptics.
Costume Debuts
Locations
Songs
Continuity Nods
- The episode acts as a sequel to the Season 10 episode "ManBearPig", in which Al Gore first visited the town and asked the boys for help locating his dreaded arch-nemesis.
- His locker room headquarters at the U-Stor-It facility was actually first seen back in South Park: The Stick of Truth.
- His Nobel Peace Prize medal was added to his design when he reappeared in "Imaginationland Episode III".
- No matter how mighty he is, Satan's always needed reading glasses, even way back in season 4's "Probably".
Behind the Scenes
Where Did The Idea Come From
Pop Culture References
Shout Outs
Throughout the episode, several characters reference Red Dead Redemption 2, a Western Action/Adventure video game released shortly before the episode aired and frequently advertised alongside the show. Among its devotees are Al Gore, Harrison Yates, his wife and Satan.
- Al Gore's "That's a name I haven't heard in a long time" is an old school reference to Obi-Wan Kenobi's introduction in Star Wars.
Pwn'd
Bonus Factoids
- This episode has been widely interpreted as Trey and Matt apologizing for past episodes throughout the mid-seasons, such as "Behind the Blow", "Goobacks" and "ManBearPig", that advocated that Global Warming was a hoax.
Pointless Observations
- This is Ned Gerblanski's first speaking appearance on the show since season 5's "Here Comes the Neighborhood" a whopping seventeen years ago. It also sadly looks to be his last.
- This marks Al Gore's first appearance in eleven years, save his role in South Park: The Stick of Truth... he retains much the same design as his prior appearances in the show, except his hair is gray (as with the real Gore) and he's now rocking a long beard.
- During a distance shot while summoning Satan, it appears the ceremony is performed in Kyles' backyard.
Errors and Goofs
- Kyle Broflovski has no memory of being nearly killed by Manbearpig back in season 11's "Imaginationland Episode II". It's only Stan who seems to remember the beast.
Season 22
- e1 Dead Kids
- e2 A Boy and a Priest
- e3 The Problem With a Poo
- e4 Tegridy Farms
- e5 The Scoots
- e6 Time To Get Cereal
- e7 Nobody Got Cereal
- e8 Buddha Box
- e9 Unfulfilled
- e10 Bike Parade