Casa Bonita (South Park)

"Casa Bonita" is the 11th episode of the 7th season of Comedy Central's South Park. It revolves around Eric Cartman's plots to get to a popular Mexican restaurant known as Casa Bonita, which is a fairly accurate representation of an actual theme restaurant in Colorado. The episode originally aired on November 12, 2003, and was featured on the South Park: The Hits DVD. It is one of co-creator Trey Parker's top 10 favorite episodes according to the DVD commentary.

Plot

Kyle announces that as a birthday treat, his mother is taking him and three of his friends to Casa Bonita. Cartman's initial joy is crushed when Kyle says he is taking Butters instead of Cartman, (because of Cartman's bigotry towards Jews), and also as reciprocation for Butters inviting Kyle to his birthday party.

Cartman decides to prove that he is actually nice, but since kindness is such a foreign concept to him his attempts are unsuccessful. First, he wears a nice sweater, then he consults Jimmy on the topic of being nice, but ends up violently assaulting Jimmy. When Kyle walks by during the altercation, Cartman pretends that the reason for the assault was Jimmy insulting Kyle's mom. Cartman then takes a more diplomatic approach, stating that he understands Kyle's decision, but wishes to remain friends. Kyle is touched, and says that if Butters is for some reason unable to attend, Cartman can. Cartman then begins working to get rid of Butters.

Cartman tells Butters that a meteor the size of Wyoming is about to hit Earth. He hides Butters in a bomb shelter, so Butters does not appear in time for the trip. Cartman is set to replace Butters when Butters' parents tearfully inform the boys that Butters is missing. Cartman is frustrated when Kyle decides to postpone the party for a week, saying that it "doesn't feel right" to go and enjoy himself while Butters is missing. Cartman hears police will be checking bomb shelters, potentially ruining his plan. He then tells Butters that the meteor has hit, civilization has crumbled, and that the world is filled with radioactive cannibals. Making Butters wear a cardboard box, over his body to "protect him from the toxic radiation", Cartman moves Butters to a broken-down gas station where he locks Butters in an abandoned refrigerator for Butters' protection. After Cartman leaves for Casa Bonita with Kyle, a garbage truck comes and takes Butters to the city dump. Butters mistakes the dump for post-apocalyptic Earth, and after finding a dog, tries to build a "new civilization." A junkyard worker eventually stumbles across Butters and tells him where he really is, that there has been no meteor at all, and that everyone is searching for him.

Just as the party arrives at Casa Bonita, Kyle's mother gets a phone call informing her of what has happened to Butters. The other boys confront Cartman, notifying him that the police are on their way. Knowing that his plan failed, Cartman makes a mad dash through the restaurant to sample every attraction and food in the single moment of freedom he has left. He is cornered by the police, Sheila Broflovski and the boys, but he does a cannonball dive off of the restaurant's waterfall. They finally catch up with Cartman in the water below. A police officer explains to Cartman all the trouble he's caused and the consequences he faces (spending a week in juvenile prison), and asks if it was worth it. Cartman responds dreamily, "totally..." before the credits roll.

External links

• Casa Bonita Full episode at South Park Studios
• Casa Bonita Episode guide at South Park Studios
• Casa Bonita Denver (Lakewood)