Review: South Park – Season 1, Episode 1: Cartman Gets an Anal Probe

Plot Summary

The pilot episode of South Park, Cartman Gets an Anal Probe, originally aired on August 13, 1997. It serves as the introduction to the small town of South Park, Colorado, and its four main characters: Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick. The episode establishes the show's crude humor, absurdity, and satirical edge right from the start.

The story follows Cartman, who experiences strange events after claiming he had a bizarre dream where he was abducted by aliens. Meanwhile, Kyle’s younger brother, Ike, is kidnapped by extraterrestrials, leading Kyle and the others to embark on a rescue mission. Throughout the episode, bizarre occurrences escalate, including cows being abducted, Cartman’s uncontrollable bodily functions, and the repeated deaths of Kenny, a running gag that would become a hallmark of the series.

As the chaos unfolds, Officer Barbrady and Chef make their first appearances, providing comic relief and ridiculous explanations for the strange happenings in South Park. The episode ends with Kyle successfully retrieving Ike, but Cartman remains in denial about his abduction—until he accidentally shoots a satellite dish out of his rear end, confirming that the alien encounter was real.

評論：《南方四賤客》— 第 1 季第 1 集：《Cartman Gets an Anal Probe》

劇情概要

*《南方四賤客》*的首播集 《Cartman Gets an Anal Probe》 於 1997 年 8 月 13 日首播。本集首次帶領觀眾進入科羅拉多州南方公園這座小鎮，並介紹了四位主要角色：史丹·馬許（Stan Marsh）、凱爾·布洛夫洛夫斯基（Kyle Broflovski）、艾瑞克·卡特曼（Eric Cartman）和肯尼·麥克米克（Kenny McCormick）。這一集從一開始就確立了該劇粗俗的幽默風格、荒誕的情節和尖銳的諷刺特色。

故事圍繞卡特曼展開，他聲稱自己做了一個奇怪的夢，在夢中被外星人綁架。然而，凱爾的弟弟艾克（Ike）卻真的被外星人綁走了，於是凱爾與朋友們開始展開一場荒謬的營救行動。在這一集中，各種奇異現象不斷發生，包括外星人綁架奶牛、卡特曼不受控制的身體反應，以及肯尼的一再死亡（這成為了本劇最具代表性的 running gag）。

隨著劇情的發展，巴布雷迪警官（Officer Barbrady）和廚師（Chef）也首次登場，他們提供了一些荒誕可笑的解釋，讓小鎮上的異常現象變得更加搞笑。故事的最後，凱爾成功救回了艾克，但卡特曼仍然拒絕承認自己被外星人綁架。直到他意外從屁股裡發射出一個巨大的衛星天線，這才證明了他的外星遭遇確實是真實的。

Animation and Style

Since Cartman Gets an Anal Probe was created using stop-motion cutout animation (a technique inspired by the show's origins in The Spirit of Christmas short films), the visuals are significantly rougher than later digitally animated episodes. The deliberately crude animation style adds to the show’s charm, making it feel like a homemade, rebellious take on the polished cartoons of the time.

The simple, paper-cutout aesthetic helps emphasize the humor, with stiff, limited character movements making even basic interactions feel awkwardly hilarious. The exaggerated facial expressions and deadpan voice acting contrast perfectly with the absurdity of the plot. Despite the rudimentary visuals, the unique animation style was an integral part of South Park's identity and appeal.

動畫風格與視覺設計

由於 《Cartman Gets an Anal Probe》 採用了定格動畫技術（stop-motion cutout animation），這種風格直接來自該劇的前身短片 《聖誕精神》（The Spirit of Christmas），因此視覺效果與後來的數位動畫版本相比顯得更加粗糙。

這種刻意粗製濫造的剪紙動畫風格，反而成為 《南方四賤客》 獨特魅力的一部分。角色的動作極其有限，僵硬的肢體語言和機械化的移動方式，讓最普通的場景都充滿了尷尬而搞笑的氛圍。此外，角色誇張的臉部表情與單調的配音形成強烈對比，使得劇情的荒誕程度更加明顯。

儘管動畫技術尚未成熟，但這種簡單粗暴的美學風格，成功塑造了 《南方四賤客》 標誌性的視覺特色，並幫助它與當時其他動畫作品區分開來。

Humor and Satire

From its very first episode, South Park established itself as a show unafraid to push boundaries with offensive, irreverent humor. Cartman Gets an Anal Probe leans heavily into gross-out comedy, dark humor, and absurdist satire, setting the tone for the rest of the series.

Key comedic elements in this episode include:

• Cartman's Denial and the Alien Probe: Cartman repeatedly insists that he wasn’t abducted, despite displaying clear signs of alien interference, including his sudden ability to communicate with cows and the eventual emergence of a giant satellite dish from his body.
• Kyle’s Anger Issues: Kyle’s frustration over Ike’s abduction leads to excessive swearing, including the now-iconic moment where he shouts, “Kick the baby!” before punting Ike across the room.
• Kenny’s First Death: The episode introduces the running gag of Kenny dying in horrific, absurd ways. In this case, he gets trampled by a herd of cattle and is later run over by Officer Barbrady.
• The Cows’ Subplot: The aliens seem more interested in cows than in humans, leading to a subplot where the local cattle form an amusingly organized resistance against their captors.

The episode also satirizes common sci-fi tropes, particularly the concept of alien abductions, playing on the absurdity of how they are depicted in pop culture. The idea of aliens inserting probes into their captives is taken to an extreme, blending discomfort and humor in true South Park fashion.

幽默與諷刺

從第一集開始，《南方四賤客》 就表現出它毫無顧忌的惡搞精神。本集主要以低俗喜劇、黑色幽默和荒誕諷刺為主，為本劇未來的發展定下基調。

本集中幾個主要的喜劇元素包括：

• 卡特曼的否認與外星人探針： 卡特曼堅決否認自己曾被外星人綁架，即使他的行為和身體狀況已經出現明顯異常（例如，他開始能與奶牛溝通，並且最後還從屁股裡射出一個巨大的衛星天線）。
• 凱爾的憤怒爆發： 凱爾對於艾克被綁架的憤怒，使他在劇中大罵髒話，其中最經典的一幕就是他大喊「踢嬰兒！」（“Kick the baby!”），然後將艾克一腳踢飛。
• 肯尼的首次死亡： 本集引入了該劇最具代表性的 running gag——肯尼每集必死。本集中，他先是被一群牛群踩踏而死，然後又被巴布雷迪警官開車輾過。
• 奶牛的亞情節： 劇中的外星人似乎對奶牛比對人類更感興趣，導致小鎮的牛群開始組織起一場荒謬的抵抗行動，以對抗外星侵略者。

本集還對常見的科幻片元素進行了惡搞，尤其是美國流行文化中經常出現的「外星人綁架」情節。節目以誇張且低級的方式呈現這一概念，將「外星人探針」這種帶有暗示意味的情節推向極端，既讓觀眾感到不適，又充滿喜劇效果，這正是 《南方四賤客》 標誌性的幽默風格。

Cultural Impact and Legacy

As the very first episode of South Park, Cartman Gets an Anal Probe played a crucial role in establishing the show’s identity. The crude animation, offensive humor, and outlandish plotlines set it apart from other animated series at the time. Unlike The Simpsons or Beavis and Butt-Head, South Park pushed boundaries even further, embracing controversy as part of its appeal.

The pilot also introduced key aspects of the show’s DNA, including:

• The shock factor: The willingness to tackle taboo topics with dark humor.
• Running gags: Kenny’s deaths, Cartman’s delusions, and Kyle’s fiery temper all became long-term staples.
• Satirical storytelling: While the first episode is more focused on absurdity than sharp satire, it still lays the groundwork for the show’s signature social and political commentary.

Despite its rough animation and somewhat scattered storytelling, Cartman Gets an Anal Probe was a massive success, helping South Park gain a cult following that quickly expanded into mainstream popularity. The show’s rapid rise led to it becoming one of the most influential and longest-running adult animated series in television history.

文化影響與歷史地位

作為 《南方四賤客》 的首播集，《Cartman Gets an Anal Probe》 在確立該劇的獨特風格方面發揮了至關重要的作用。本集的粗糙動畫、冒犯性幽默以及離奇荒誕的劇情，使其在當時的動畫作品中脫穎而出。與 《辛普森家庭》 或 《笨伯與火爆浪子》（Beavis and Butt-Head）不同，《南方四賤客》 將尺度推向了新的極限，並將爭議作為自身吸引力的一部分。

本集還奠定了該劇核心特色，確立了貫穿全劇的標誌性元素，包括：

• 衝擊性笑點（Shock Factor）： 該劇毫不避諱地以黑色幽默處理禁忌話題，無所畏懼地挑戰社會底線。
• 長期延續的幽默梗（Running Gags）： 肯尼的死亡、卡特曼的妄想症、凱爾的火爆脾氣，這些都成為了該劇的標誌性笑點，並貫穿整個系列。
• 諷刺性敘事（Satirical Storytelling）： 雖然首集的劇情更偏向荒誕鬧劇，而非針砭時事，但它仍然為該劇未來的社會與政治諷刺風格奠定了基礎。

儘管本集的動畫風格粗糙，敘事結構也略顯混亂，但 《Cartman Gets an Anal Probe》 依然取得了巨大的成功，使 《南方四賤客》 迅速從小眾作品發展為主流文化現象。該劇的迅速崛起，使其成為電視史上最具影響力、最長壽的成人動畫之一，徹底改變了美國動畫界的格局。

Final Verdict

As a pilot episode, Cartman Gets an Anal Probe effectively introduces the world of South Park, its characters, and its signature brand of humor. While the animation is crude and the pacing somewhat erratic, it captures the anarchic spirit that made the series so unique.

Pros:

✔ A hilariously absurd storyline that embraces sci-fi clichés and dark humor.
✔ Memorable character introductions, including Cartman, Kyle, Stan, Kenny, and side characters like Chef and Officer Barbrady.
✔ Establishes the show’s irreverent and boundary-pushing comedic style.
✔ The animation, though rough, adds to the charm and uniqueness of the episode.

Cons:

✖ The story is somewhat scattered compared to later episodes.
✖ Some jokes rely too much on shock value rather than refined satire.
✖ The animation, while charming, is very rough and unpolished.

Score: 8/10 – A strong, outrageous, and unforgettable debut that set the stage for one of the most iconic animated series of all time.

最終評價

作為 《南方四賤客》 的首播集，《Cartman Gets an Anal Probe》 成功地介紹了南方公園的世界觀、主要角色以及該劇獨樹一幟的幽默風格。儘管動畫風格粗糙，節奏也略顯紊亂，但它完美呈現了該劇無政府主義式的搞笑精神，也為未來的瘋狂冒險奠定了基礎。

優點：

✔ 充滿荒誕搞笑的劇情，戲謔地運用科幻片的經典老梗並融入黑色幽默。
✔ 令人印象深刻的角色登場，包括卡特曼、凱爾、史丹、肯尼，以及主廚（Chef）、巴布雷迪警官（Officer Barbrady）等配角。
✔ 成功確立該劇無所顧忌、挑戰禁忌的喜劇風格。
✔ 雖然動畫粗糙，但這種簡陋的風格反而成為該劇的獨特魅力。

缺點：

✖ 相較於後續集數，本集的故事結構略顯散亂。
✖ 部分笑點過於依賴衝擊性與低俗搞笑，而非精緻的諷刺幽默。
✖ 動畫品質雖有其獨特風格，但相當粗糙、不夠流暢。

評分：

⭐ 8/10 – 一場強烈、荒誕且令人難忘的首集，成功奠定了這部史上最具代表性的成人動畫之一的基調。