It Hits the Fan

It Hits the Fan is one of the most notorious episodes of the TV sitcom South Park; it is the 2nd episode of the 5th season. This episode is best known for the word shit being used repeatedly (162 times to be precise; with the exception of it being said 3 times in some scene.) There is a counter in the corner of the screen in this episode tallying the use of the word "shit". The episode questions whether there is an empty significance to taboo words and ridicules the relationship between networks that use shock and the viewers that are predictably captivated, that is to say; ABC's NYPD Blue, a show known for controversial network television firsts, is specifically parodied within the episode when an unnamed cop drama on "HBC" first introduces uncensored "shit".

Executives at Comedy Central felt the profanity was justified by context and decided to allow the uncensored episode to air, which surprised even the show's developers. Despite broadcasting a record setting amount of profanity, little controversy was stirred by the airing. Creator Matt Stone explained the passive passage by citing changing cultural standards, "No one cares anymore...The standards are almost gone."

Plot

Kyle has tickets to go to the Lion King, but Stan tells him that Cop Drama was going to use the word "shit". This leads to widespread acceptance of the word, even in schools, causing people to say it constantly, in casual and often illogical conversation. An example would be when Mr. Garrison randomly sang "Shitty, Shitty, Fag Fag." People start spewing up their intestines, so action is taken — the boys ask Chef to take them into the HBC Head Office to sort it out. Research proves that the word is actually a literal "curse word," and its constant utterance has caused a resurgence of the bubonic plague. A special live event, "The Night of a Million Shits", in which episodes of existing shows are taped live with almost every word of dialogue replaced with the word 'shit', goes ahead anyway until the boys come back and tell everyone that cursed words are actually cursed. However, by this point the word has been said enough to awaken a demonic dragon, which Kyle destroys with an ancient magical tablet belonging to a knight in the mystical Order of Standards and Practices. The moral of the story is not that saying "shit" is wrong per se, but saying it in excess leads to boredom with the word.

Reference

• Rutenburg, Jim (June 25, 2001). "'South Park' Takes Gross to New Frontier". The New York Times, Section C; Column 5; Business/Financial Desk; Pg. 9