Fourth Grade/Trivia

Trivia

 * This episode heralds the first major change in the opening sequence - after starting off with the original segment of various pieces of scenery and character coming in from off-screen, the words "4TH GRADE" burst out of the ground, and the new sequences begin. The new sequence included an updated theme song, 3D computer generated models of the four main characters (and Timmy for some reason), promises of updated walk cycles and more explosions, and various clips of previous episodes were in the background throughout. This intro was used until the Season Five episode "Kenny Dies".
 * This is also, to date, the only time the theme song's "style" has changed and Kenny's lines haven't - the other two changes, in seasons 6 (where Kenny was absent) and 11, have both involved Kenny's line changing too.
 * This episode references a "Geek Debate" attempting to determine how many episodes of Star Trek exist. The debate centers on the status of the episode "The Menagerie."
 * In this episode only, Ms. Choksondik speaks in a British-like accent, despite coming from Denver.
 * It is strange that Kenny laughs at Stan's alteration to Ms. Choksondik's name (Ms. Makesmesick) and not her actual name, given his perverted sense of humour..
 * The two geeks are based on the sound people who work on the show.
 * Parodies The Empire Strikes Back with Mr. Garrison acting like Yoda while training Ms. Choksondik how to handle the children. Mr. Garrison even speaks in a Yoda-like voice for a moment.
 * Timmy, whose vocabulary has previously appeared to be restricted to his own name, in this episode manages to expand his vocabulary to "Please help me!"
 * The geek's room is littered with aliens from other episodes; including a toy Marklar, a poster of the South Park alien and Spooky Fish on their door.
 * For once, Mr. Mackie has to go to someone else for help with counselling - he called Chef in for help with Principal Victoria.
 * Cartman says "Ha ha, charade you are" to Mrs. Choksondik, a reference to Pink Floyd's song Pigs (Three Different Ones). This is the second time he cites this song, first in "Cat Orgy" and third and final time in "Scott Tenorman Must Die".
 * The situation with Timmy unable to stop the wheelchair or get off it is a parody of the movie Speed, The 5mph reference may be a nod at an episode of the popular Irish/UK comedy Father Ted.
 * The duck taped to the microwave is possibly a reference to The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars.
 * When the two nerds talks about the number of episodes in Star Trek the blonde nerd changes his mind; the first time he claims there are 72 episodes but when Stan, Kyle and Cartman visits him he says there are 73 episodes. Either way he would be wrong - there were actually 79 plus a pilot that went unaired until 1988.
 * Although Principal Victoria says that Mr. Garrison hasn't been seen since the last school year, he can be seen in a pew at the South Park church behind a man behind Ms. Cartman in "Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?"
 * There is a poster on the geeks wall which says Lena, an obvious parody of Xena.
 * This episode hints at the possibility that Stan is aware of Kenny's tendency to die. However, this was disproven in "Mysterion Rises".
 * A poster of the alien in the beginning of the episode "Spookyfish" is seen on the Star Trek nerd's door.

Kenny's Death
Kenny is put onto a relay, which rolls down the road straight on at Timmy's out of control wheelchair. While trying to cut the wires on Timmy's wheelchair, Kenny misses the wheelchair and goes straight past it. Kenny hit a pothole, and flipped over onto his face. He says "I'm okay," then suddenly gets jerked back. His face gets dragged along the road, and that kills him. Stan comments (sarcastically): "Well, who didn't see that coming?"

Surprisingly, in a later scene directly after Cartman says: "Au revoir, teacher," Kenny is sitting next to Stan in the class again. He is seen up until one of the nerds yells: "I'll kill you!" In the next scene, Kenny is nowhere to be found.



Hidden Visitor(s)
The hidden visitor is seen when Cartman is singing about third grade; the flashback of them in the classroom has the usual "OUR PETS" noticeboard, but with a drawing of a Visitor's face.