South Park – “Woodland Critter Christmas”
Original airdate 12/22/02
South Park’s Christmas episodes are mostly known for Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo. But for my money, this Season Eight episode is their best holiday installment. A rhyming narrator introduces us to some adorable woodland critters. There’s Beary the Bear, Squirrelly the Squirrel, Skunky the Skunk, and so on, all the way on down to Woodpeckery the Woodpecker and Chickadee-y the Chickadee. They’re sad because they have no star for their Christmas tree. At that point, Stan happens upon them, and apathetically makes a star.
That night, the critters turn up in Stan’s bedroom with exciting news: Porcupiney is pregnant, and since she’s a virgin, she’ll give birth to their Lord. After some cajoling from the narrator, Stan agrees to build them a manger. Once they have a manger, they reveal that the Mountain Lion will kill and eat their Savior as soon as it’s born. Without any particular passion, Stan tricks the Mountain Lion into falling to its death. Of course, once he sees the Lion’s three cubs, he’s wracked with guilt.
