The China Probrem

"The China Probrem"

"The China Probrem" (sometimes The China Problem) is episode 1208 (#175) of the animated series South Park, which aired on October 8, 2008. It was the mid-season premiere for season 12.

Plot

Cartman has been plagued by persistent nightmares about the Chinese ever since he watched the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics on TV. He awakens one night after yet another bad dream, and his mother tries to calm him, but Cartman comes to believe that the Chinese, with their "2 billion"-man population and "significant advances in economy and technology," are a growing threat to America and the world. He concludes that America will be invaded by the Chinese within days.

The next day, Cartman goes to warn Stan, Kyle, and Kenny, but Kyle suddenly runs off, unable to denounce Cartman's outrageous ideas as he usually does. Stan later confronts him about this sudden departure and Kyle states that he cannot pretend things are normal again after "the rape of a friend." He confesses his feelings of deep guilt and his regret over the fact he, Stan and their friends "just stood there and did nothing" (a possible reference to The Kite Runner). Stan admits that he shares Kyle's feelings but that they nonetheless have to move forward with their lives.

Elsewhere, Cartman finds Butters while the latter is taking a bath, and convinces Butters to join him in saving America instead.

Kyle expeiences a nightmare in which the rape incident is revealed to be about Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which he saw earlier in the summer. They were appalled to see George Lucas and Steven Spielberg "rape" Indiana Jones, in the sense of destroying the integrity of the character and the film series by making a nonsensical and incoherent "popcorn movie." Other boys similarly are going through a tough time after having witnessed the "rape" alongside Kyle themselves. Jimmy, commiserating by the lake, sees a similarly depressed Stan, and the two converse about the incident, and as Stan is leaving, Jimmy tearfully calls out to him that he cannot pretend things have not changed. Later dream sequences by the boys are more literal in their interpretation of the term "rape."

Meanwhile, Cartman and Butters dress up as stereotypical Chinese children and go to PF Chang's to try and trick the Chinese people there into telling them when "the invasion" is. Cartman's frustration doubles upon seeing Americans working there and (in his eyes) selling out their country. The two boys' antics begin to annoy everyone, but when they are asked to leave, they instead take the entire restaurant hostage. Cartman gives Butters a gun and tells him to fire at a man who is trying to escape; Butters' shot accidentally hits the man in the genitalia. An enraged Cartman yells at Butters that "shooting guys in the dick is not cool."

At the same time, Kyle visits an attorney and asks him to arrest Spielberg and Lucas for raping Indiana Jones. The attorney initially dismisses the case as rubbish, even after Stan, Jimmy, Clyde and Kenny come to back Kyle up, but when they make him relive the rape in his mind, he tearfully agrees to help them. The attorney and the boys go to the Park County Police Station and try to convince Sergeant Yates to find Lucas and Spielberg, but Yates refuses, as he never saw the movie, which shocks the boys. After another policeman admits he did see the movie and relives the rape in his mind, Yates agrees to help the boys bring down Lucas and Spielberg.

At the restaurant, the police arrive to respond to the hostage situation and Butters accidentally wounds one of them in the genitalia. Noticing that one of the policemen is Chinese, Cartman convinces himself that the Chinese have already infiltrated the United States. He demands to speak directly with the President, the only safe option in his view.

In the closing moments, the police find and take away Spielberg and Lucas, right as the two directors are raping a Stormtrooper. The two are taken off to jail despite their protests over a lack of evidence and the huge totals they have brought in at the box office. Meanwhile, at the restaurant, Butters has now shot a SWAT team officer in the genitalia, by which time Cartman is fed up, and abandons his mission of saving America in frustration. As he is walking outside to announce his surrender, a police officer arrives to inform the others that Lucas and Spielberg are finally in custody. The officers and hostages all rejoice that "it's all over," and while everyone is hugging and crying, Cartman and Butters sneak away. Cartman ultimately explains to Butters that seeing Butters "go crazy" has made him realize that it may be difficult or feel intimidating for Americans to witness the emergence of a new global power but that Americans need to be more accepting of the idea. He adds that he is always willing to defend his country, but not if it means shooting people in the penis and losing his dignity.

As Cartman dramatically walks away, Butters mumbles that he does not understand the big deal about Crystal Skull, as he actually thought that it was a pretty good movie.

Cultural References

The spelling of the episode's title is a reference to Engrish, something that the show often uses.

Cartman and Butters's subplot makes several references to the rapid industrial and political development of modern China, including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The episode lampoons Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as disloyal to the rest of the Indiana Jones franchise. To this end, several scenes depict Lucas and Spielberg engaged in the violent rape of Indiana Jones, marking the second time the two men were protrayed as antagonists against their own creation since "Free Hat". Their raping of a Stormtrooper later could easily be a similar critique of Star Wars: the Clone Wars.

The scene where Indiana is forced to squeal like a pig while he is raped is a direct reference to Deliverance where the character Bobby is forced to strip in front of two hillbillies.

The daydream of the lawyer consulted by the kids shows George Lucas raping Indiana Jones on a Howard the Duck pinball machine at a bar with Steven Spielberg cheering him on. This is in reference to the movie The Accused. The public attorney can be seen playing a Willow arcade game during the nightmare sequence.

During the rape of Indy on the pinball machine, a quick appearance is made by Nazi Agent Toht and a couple of his Nepalese companions referencing the bar scene that occurred in Nepal in the first Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark

The original music composed for the episode features variations on the first four notes of the Indiana Jones theme.

The "American Liberation Front" (ALF) is used in reference to the Animal Liberation Front.