Put It Down

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"Put It Down"

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"Put It Down"
Episode no.	Season 21 Episode 02
Production no.	2102
Original airdate	September 20, 2017
Episode chronology Previous Next "White People Renovating Houses" "Holiday Special"
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"Put It Down" is the second episode of Season Twenty-One, and the 279th overall episode of South Park. It aired on September 20, 2017.

Synopsis

When Tweek is caught in the middle of a petty conflict, it drives his relationship with Craig to the brink.

Plot

Spoiler warning! Plot details follow.

The episode starts at the South Park Elementary theater. PC Principal is announcing as Tweek goes up to perform a song about recent events with North Korea. Tweek comes up and starts smashing the piano and screaming. He panics, saying that North Korea is going to bomb the United States. He runs off stage screaming. A kindergartner comes up, trying to sing "Wheels on the Bus" but is unable to sing properly after watching Tweek's display.

At the South Park Elementary cafeteria, the boys are talking to Craig about Tweek's behavior. Craig says Tweek won't listen to him. Heidi comes over to Cartman and his mood changes. Cartman says he wanted to give Heidi another chance because she said she would kill herself.

Tweek is at his locker muttering, Craig approaches him and tells him to calm down, he pulls out his phone and starts freaking out about the President's tweet. Craig suggests he sends North Korea cupcakes. Over at Stan's locker now, Heidi approaches him and reveals Cartman said he was going to kill himself if she didn't take him back. Heidi tells Stan she will send him the voicemail Cartman left her.

In the boy's bathroom, the boys are laughing and listening to Cartman's voice mail message to Heidi. Cartman is on the other side of the bathroom, looking unamused.

Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim Jong-un is looking out at the streets of Pyongyang when somebody brings white frosted cupcakes up to him. Kim is seen looking at them.

Back at South Park Elementary, Cartman walks into PC Principal's office upset. Cartman says kids at the school aren't taking suicide seriously and that the school needs to raise awareness for the issue. PC Principal explains that this week is distracted driving prevention. Cartman argues that more lives are at stake with suicide.

At the Tweek residence, Tweek is in his kitchen. Cupcake batter is all over him and his kitchen as he looks through his phone. He sees an article about the cupcakes in North Korea, which says that the North Koreans are delighted by his act. A notification comes through that the US President has responded to the cupcakes.

That video plays now, a Tweet from the president is shown which reads "I know that kid Tweek, he's fucking with you, North Korea. Get a clue, I'll bet he took a dump in the batter." This sends Tweek into a major panic as Craig comes in and tries to calm him down. Craig gives Tweek a fidget spinner. Tweek looks at the device but gets distracted again from another news video showing another Tweet from the president. "I hope ALL children of America will stand with Tweek in saying, GO AHEAD AND BOMB US KIM JONG DONG, WE FUCKING DARE YOU!" Tweek once again starts screaming and panicking.

At South Park Elementary, a group of kids are handing out flyers in an attempt to educate kids on distracted driving when Cartman goes over the intercom talking about suicide prevention. Cartman, who is dressed in a black hoodie comes into video and starts singing to the tone of 1-800-273-8255. He walks around the school doing this, claiming he's going to kill himself. He goes over to the distracted driving kids and drops the microphone in front of him.

At the Tweek residence, Tweek is playing with his fidget spinner when Richard approaches. Tweek panics, he only panics more when a rocket is heard outside. Tweek runs outside to find a North Korean missile flying over his house. He runs inside to turn on the TV, which reports on the launch over Tweek's house. The newscast cuts to Ri Chun-hee from KCTV who is speaking in Korean. The news report cuts back to the American reporter who shows a new Tweet from the President. "You really think Tweek is scared? Tweek will single handedly go to North Korea and fuck ALL you slanty eyed bitches doggy style." Yet another Tweet is shown. "If you even think Tweek is worried about a bunch of dipshit, poor ass, third world rice pickers... think again!" Tweek freaks out as Richard struggles to give Tweek his fidget spinner.

A couple is shown, both of them are on their cellphones while driving, discussing what the President is tweeting about. Gary Borkovec is shown in the street. The woman yells as the car smashes into him. He is shown in the street, dead.

At South Park Elementary, the mood is somber, everybody is holding candles. Cartman walks in, looking around. He approaches the boys, who explain to him what happened with Gary. Cartman says he is going to talk to PC Principal.

PC Principal is in his office, lifting weights as Cartman knocks and enters. Cartman says Gary is dead and that they can't do anything for him. Cartman continues to focus on his awareness campaign, saying he should bring it onto the streets.

At the Tucker Residence, Craig is sleeping when Tweek bursts in, panicked again. He shows him a Tweet from the President, this one reading "North Korea doesn't have the balls to attack Tweek. They have little tiny rice balls." Tweek turns on CNN, which is showing Kim Jong-un and North Korean leaders looking at images of Tweek. Craig tries to comfort Tweek, telling him he knows somewhere they can go to cheer up.

Outside of a supermarket, Cartman and Heidi are handing out flyers about preventing Eric from killing himself. Heidi says many people have responded on their website saying they feel the same way. Cartman says it's about him killing himself. Cartman rants about Heidi talking to the other boys online and that she is the reason why he is suicidal. A couple is driving in the parking lot, on their phones when they slam and ran unto a toddler in a shopping cart.

At the amusement park, Tweek and Craig go on the Ferris wheel. He pulls out his phone, seeing yet another tweet from the President "Why would the U.S. be scared of North Korea? Tweek is so not scared he's at an amusement park in Denver right now." People are on go-carts, looking at their phones. They run off the track and run over a girl. People are on bumper cars next, the ride stops, as people exit. A mother is on her phone and runs over multiple kids. People are frantically running around while Tweek and Craig walk around. Craig again tries to calm down Tweek. They both start arguing with each other as Craig walks away.

At South Park Elementary, the boys ask why Tweek isn't in school. Henry goes over the mic to announce a memorial service for the people lost from distracted driving. Cartman buts in announcing a suicide awareness potluck. Heidi grabs the mic from Henry and tries to get him to stop. Craig is seen walking away as Cartman runs off.

Tweek is in his room, four fidget spinners in his hand. Craig walks in and tries reasoning with him and asking about his feelings. As they both talk it out, Tweek talks about his feelings. They both give each other a smile.

At the South Park Elementary theater, PC Principal welcomes the audience. Tweek comes up and starts playing the piano. Craig joins in singing, a group of boys and girls join in in the back of the room. Townspeople join in and the audience as well. Various people are shown saying they will take the pledge, including Hillary Clinton. The chorus says "No one cares" after she does so. A man inside a restaurant says he was elected president and he puts his phone down. A couple driving, holding their phones are shown. She puts her phone down after being elected president. Cartman comes out and starts rapping about killing himself. People who were killed by "a president on their phone" are shown. Tweek and Craig who are holding hands, smiling along with the choir are shown one last time. The lights dim to show just Tweek and Craig, and Cartman who comes out to say he won't kill himself as the credits roll.

Critical Reception

AV Club gave "Put It Down" a "B+" rating saying: "Even if the warning against obsessing over the news pales in comparison to the episode’s more quietly powerful moment between Tweek and Craig, it’s still good advice. But will anyone in the real world actually do it? Hell, will Parker and Stone actually do it? Probably not. And after an episode more focused, poignant, and yes, Trump-centric than last week’s sloppy premiere, I’m not sure I want them to." IGN gave "Put It Down" a "9.0" rating saying: "While this new season didn't start off on the right footing, it clearly didn't take long for the series to find its groove again. "Put It Down" is a perfect example of how the show can juggle topical humor while still keeping the focus on the citizens of South Park. Between this episode and "Tweek x Craig," it's clear that these two characters need to be the focus of the series a lot more often."