Awesom-O

"Awesom-O"

"AWESOM-O" is episode 116 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It was originally broadcast on April 14, 2004. It holds the show record for being created in the shortest amount of time, taking only three days.

Plot

Cartman, terrified about Butters's plan of revenge, spends the night searching his room furiously for the tape but fails, and is spanked by Butters for the mess he made in his room. He is also starving because Butters believes that, as he is a robot, he does not need to eat. With the agreement of Cartman's mom, Butters's parents (knowing who "AWESOM-O" really is but thinking it an elaborate game that Butters is in on) decide to let "AWESOM-O" come along with Butters on a trip to Los Angeles to see his aunt. Cartman realizes that he will have to accompany Butters on the trip, in order to keep up his disguise. Upon arriving, he is so hungry that he makes up an excuse to use the bathroom and proceeds to eat toothpaste.

In Hollywood, movie producers hear about the "robot" and decide to hire him from Butters to create movie ideas. Cartman, as the robot, pitches over one thousand nonsensical ideas (800 of which star Adam Sandler), while the movie producers are gullible enough to buy them as brilliant. Meanwhile, the U.S. military hears about "AWESOM-O", and decides to capture it and make it into a weapon. "AWESOM-O" flees the movie studio in panic after a film producer tries to engage in sexual activity with him, thinking that he may be a "pleasure model". The military captures "AWESOM-O" by shocking him and conveying him to a secret base.

Cartman tries to explain that he is really just a kid, but the military believes him a robot with A.I. that makes him think himself human. A scientist, moved by this, attempts to save Cartman, who is about to reveal that he is a human when Butters shows up to rescue him. He has to maintain his disguise, allowing the military to kill the rebellious scientist. Butters pleads with the military to spare "AWESOM-O": the general is touched. Just as it appears he will get off undetected, Cartman farts, causing Butters to suspect and finally discover his true identity. Butters carries out his promise and shows the video to the whole town, as well as the movie producers and the military. The General calls Cartman a little faggot, and Cartman says "lame", thus ending the episode.

Cultural references

The name of Cartman's robotic alter ego is derived from Honda's ASIMO humanoid robot.

Reception

In the recent UK poll Paramount Comedy's Top 10 Episodes, this episode was ranked number 5.