Guitar Queer-O

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"Guitar Queer-O"
South Park episode
Image:3337b.jpg
Stan and Thad Jarvis playing Guitar Hero II.
Episode no. Season 11
Episode 13
Written by Trey Parker
Matt Stone
Directed by Trey Parker
Production no. 1113
Original airdate November 7, 2007
Season 11 episodes
South Park – Season 11
March 7, 2007 – November 14, 2007
  1. With Apologies to Jesse Jackson
  2. Cartman Sucks
  3. Lice Capades
  4. The Snuke
  5. Fantastic Easter Special
  6. D-Yikes!
  7. Night of the Living Homeless
  8. Le Petit Tourette
  9. More Crap
  10. Imaginationland Episode I
  11. Imaginationland Episode II
  12. Imaginationland Episode III
  13. Guitar Queer-O
  14. The List
← Season 10 Season 12 →
List of South Park episodes

"Guitar Queer-O" is episode 1113 (#166) of Comedy Central's South Park, which was broadcast on November 7, 2007.[1] The title is a play on the video game Guitar Hero.[2] The episode was broadcast ten days after the release of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in North America for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii video game consoles.[1][3] In the United States, the episode was rated TV-MA-L.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Stan and Kyle are obsessed with Guitar Hero II. Stan's dad, Randy, is happy that the kids enjoy music from his generation, and attempts to impress them by playing "Carry On Wayward Son" on a real guitar. The kids are not impressed, and Cartman says, "Real guitars are for old people." Randy attempts to play the game himself when everyone else is asleep, but fails horribly.

Together, Stan and Kyle manage to score 100,000 points and are immediately contacted by Charles Kincaid, a talent agent. They sign a recording contract and attend a "sex and coke" party with many Colorado celebrities. The record company organizes an event at a local arcade where the two are to score 1,000,000 points to "I Wanna Be Sedated" in front of a live audience; however, the pair's manager takes Stan aside and tells him that Kyle is holding him back. Stan is told that he should dump his friend in favor of new partner, a child named Thad Jarvis, who is so good he can play Guitar Hero "acoustically," meaning that he has memorized what buttons to press at what time and can therefore play without visual or audio cues.

Stan and Thad begin playing together. When Kyle finds out, the two get into a fight and break up their "band." Stan becomes stressed out by the constant rehearsing of Guitar Hero, and stops by a video game store to buy a game guide for Guitar Hero. The clerk suggests that he should buy another game to help him "ease the stress." The clerk offers him Heroin Hero, a game in which the character does nothing but inject himself with heroin while chasing a dragon that he can never catch. Stan's "addiction" shortens his temper and impedes his skill. Thad loses his patience and quits. Stan has to perform solo, but is unable to perform because he had stayed up three days straight playing Heroin Hero.

Meanwhile, Kyle plays Guitar Hero II ("Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison) in a bowling alley in exchange for free Frescas. After his meltdown, Stan goes back to the video game store where he buys a different game, and although the clerk tries to get him to buy a game called Rehab Hero (which involves being chased by a dragon), he gets mad and gets a driving game. Stan then sets up the game and plays it with a radio beside him. When the radio begins to play "Carry On Wayward Son," he suddenly remembers all the good times he had playing with Kyle, and "reverses" his vehicle (in the game, but looking backwards as if reversing in real life).

Stan seeks out Kyle, and after a brief confrontation, Stan admits that he was wrong and that he only enjoyed being a video game rock star when he was doing it with Kyle. Kyle forgives him, and the two reunite and (after kicking Randy, who has taken up playing Heroin Hero) attempt to score 1,000,000 points in front of their friends. They score a million points and the game congratulates them, but instead of unlocking "Super-Stardom" the game announces "You... Are... Fags!": for having spent so much time playing the game. Stan and Kyle angrily leave, and Cartman and Butters start to play, with Butters requesting that he gets to "be the one to betray [Cartman] after the sex and drugs party."

[edit] Reception

"Guitar Queer-O" drew in 4 million total viewers (P2+) and was the most watched telecast of the year on Comedy Central, as well as the most watched program in all of television for Wednesday night among men 18-34 and the most watched program on cable among persons 18-49.[4]

The episode received some mediocre reviews. IGN called it a "lackluster episode" saying that it was "based on a concept that could have proved fun - but ultimately doesn't seem to be enough for an entire episode."[5] TV Squad, on the other hand, gave the episode a somewhat positive review.[6]

Jay Cutler, former quarterback for the Denver Broncos and current quarterback for the Chicago Bears, who was insulted in the episode ("You kind of suck, but my dad says you might be good some day") responded lightheartedly, saying "I thought it was funny. They can make fun of me if they want to."[7]

Ron Zappolo, of the local Denver Fox-owned station, KDVR, who also was shown in the episode, said that in his 37 years on television, this cameo impressed his daughter the most.[8]

A portion of the episode was used on NPR's Day to Day to discuss the idea that the popularity and interest in video games like Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock or Rock Band could replace traditional instruments for kids.[9]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Episode Guide South Park Studios". Comedy Central. http://www.southparkstudios.com/show/episodes/display_episode.php?episodeid=1113. Retrieved on 2008-07-09. 
  2. ^ "Comedy Central press "Guitar Queer-O" release". Comedy Central. 2007-11-05. http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2007/110507_sp_guitar_queero.jhtml. Retrieved on 2008-07-09. 
  3. ^ Activision (2007-10-26). Activision Tears It up on Store Shelves with Launch of Guitar Hero(R) III: Legends of Rock. Press release. http://investor.activision.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=271598. Retrieved on 2008-12-03. 
  4. ^ "Comedy Central "The List" press release". Comedy Central. 2007-11-12. http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2007/111207_sp_thelist.jhtml. Retrieved on 2008-07-07. 
  5. ^ "IGN "Guitar Queer-O" review". IGN. http://tv.ign.com/articles/833/833816p1.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-07. 
  6. ^ "TV Squad "Guitar Queer-O" review". TV Squad. 2007-11-07. http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/07/south-park-guitar-queer-o/. Retrieved on 2008-07-07. 
  7. ^ "Cutler Doesn't Take South Park Insult Personally". CBS 4 Denver. http://cbs4denver.com/broncos/Denver.Broncos.NFL.2.604965.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-07. 
  8. ^ ""South Park" drops names, takes jabs". Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment_old/ci_7423001. Retrieved on 2008-07-07. 
  9. ^ "Virtual or Reality Rock Band?". NPR. 2007-11-28. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16693554. Retrieved on 2008-07-07. 


Preceded by
“Imaginationland Episode III”		 South Park episodes Followed by
“The List”
v • d • e
Guitar Hero
Main series
Band-centric series
Spinoffs
On Tour series
Mobile series
Other games
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