Tonsil Trouble

"Tonsil Trouble"

"Tonsil Trouble" is the first episode of the twelfth season of the animated television series South Park. It was first aired on March 12, 2008. This episode was rated TV-MA.

Plot

While having his tonsils removed, Cartman is accidentally infected with HIV from donor blood. Shocked, he attempts to gain the support and pity of those around him but is unsuccessful because the AIDS fad has run its course and become antiquated, and the current trend is to be sensitive about cancer. Additionally, due to Cartman's cruelty to his classmates in the past, many find it hard to pity him: Kyle even goes so far as to laugh hysterically and almost involuntarily at the irony that Cartman has HIV, as Cartman has wished AIDS on Kyle on several occasions.

Furious at the lack of concern and Kyle's laughter, Cartman plots revenge by drawing some of his own blood and putting it in Kyle's mouth as he sleeps. When Kyle is diagnosed with HIV, he knows who is at fault and confronts Cartman in the playground, attempting to beat him to death until Mr. Mackey stops him. Instead of punishment, the school authorities simply demand that Cartman apologize to Kyle for giving him HIV and that Kyle apologize for tattling about it.

Angered by this injustice, Kyle decides to take matters into his own hands and hurries off to Cartman's house with a threat to break everything he owns, Cartman pleads with him, telling him that he has done research which leads him to believe that a cure for AIDS lies in Magic Johnson's longevity since becoming infected with HIV. Kyle and Cartman fly to Johnson's house after gaining free airline tickets by pretending to have "all-over" cancer, because AIDS is too "retro" a disease. Johnson is sympathetic, offering assistance, but is unsure what he has in his house that helps. Upon investigation, they find that Johnson sleeps regularly with huge piles of cash, which eventually prove to have the ability to neutralize HIV. Laboratory scientists experiment with a concentrated dose of "about $180,000 shot directly into the bloodstream" on the boys, which forces the HIV to disintegrate. Word is spread about the cure for AIDS and an event is held at which Jimmy Buffett sings "CUREburger in Paradise". However, Kyle tells Cartman that he is going to break his Xbox anyway.

Reception

The episode received generally mixed reviews with the consensus being that the episode "runs out of steam". IGN gave the episode a score of 7.2 out of 10 stating "It's a bit like 'South Park by the numbers,' as opposed to being truly inspired and insightful as the show's best episodes tend to be." TV Squad also gave a mixed review, saying that "Overall, a good show with some great one-liners. Sadly, it also had a weak ending." Tvoholic.com gave the episode a very positive review, praising the episode's message about AIDS. The episode has a current rating of 8.1 on TV.com and a rating of 7.6 on IMDB.

Trivia

After Cartman is diagnosed with HIV, the clothes he wears afterwards resemble the clothes Tom Hanks wears in Philadelphia.

External links

• Episode guide at Southparkstudios.com