The Poor Kid/Trivia

Trivia

 * Kevin and Karen McCormick have undergone a slight redesign for this episode.
 * This episode showcases Butters' computer knowledge.
 * This episode marks Kenny's first death and appearance as Mysterion since last season's episode "Coon vs. Coon and Friends". This is also his only death in Season 15.
 * This marks the first time people have acknowledged Cartman's peculiar way of pronouncing certain words and names, such as calling Kyle "Kyel" or "Kel", Kenny as "Keeny", and saying "Mem" instead of "mom".
 * Jokes were repeatedly made in reference to the Penn State scandal.
 * It is revealed that Cartman is the second poorest kid at South Park Elementary (or at least in the 4th grade).
 * The foster family is an exaggerated caricature of agnosticism, mocking the ambivalence of agnostic beliefs.
 * Mysterion quotes Star Wars character Yoda when telling his sister Karen "Don't try, do".
 * The Weatherhead foster family may be based on Leslie Weatherhead (1893-1976).
 * Kenny is referred to as "Kenneth" by Mr. Weatherhead, which is his real first name.
 * For Cartman to be the poorest kid in school while Kenny is away, Tammy Warner, who was even poorer than Kenny, must have either died of syphilis or moved away from South Park.
 * Kenny, as Mysterion, shows his fighting ability, able to take out larger girl with extreme ease, as well as kick in her head while a jump.

Continuity

 * This is Karen McCormick's second appearence, her first being in "Best Friends Forever" and her first speaking role.
 * This is the only Season 15 episode to focus on Kenny.
 * This is Kevin McCormick's first appearance since the episode "Sexual Healing".
 * This is the second time Cartman has had his mom arrested; he has previously done so in "The Wacky Molestation Adventure".
 * This is the third time Kenny's parents have been seen arrested. The first time was in the episode "The Wacky Molestation Adventure", when they were falsely arrested under the belief they were molesting their kids, and the second time was in the " Mysterion Rises ", when they were arrested at Cthulhu Cult Meeting, which was actually ten years earlier, meaning this was in fact the first time thay were known to be arrested.
 * Kevin McCormick speaks with a slow slur and can be seen on the short school bus in earlier episodes, further indicating that he is mentally disabled - or, more likely, drunk.
 * This is the third time Cartman has been in jail. The first time was in "Cartman's Silly Hate Crime 2000" and "Die Hippie, Die".
 * Kenny reprises his alter ego, Mysterion, in this episode - however, unlike previous appearences, the episode focuses on both "Kenny" and "Mysterion", rather than just one or the other. This is also the first time Mysterion appears alone without Cartman as The Coon.
 * We hear Mysterion's signature music from the introduction of "Mysterion Rises" again during his fight with Jessica Pinkerton.
 * The meth lab at The McCormick House was mentioned in "Lil' Crime Stoppers", when The Mob Boss mentions that they will have The McCormick's start making their meth again.
 * Kyle, for the time in the series, references Cartman's constantly saying things differently, such his name as " Kyahl. ", and his foster mother saying her name is not " Myom. ".

References to Popular Culture

 * Mysterion paraphrases Yoda from the movie The Empire Strikes Back telling his sister, "Do not try Karen, do."

Kenny's Death

 * Kenny is unexpectedly killed by a "giant reptilian bird" moments before the end of the episode.