History Recap / SouthParkS25E4BackToTheColdWar

* AnachronismStew: A FreezeFrameBonus reveals that Mr. Mackey's computer is running [[UsefulNotes/{{Unix}} Linux]]. If his room hasn't been touched since the 80s, this would be impossible since the Linux kernel was first released in 1991.

** Mr. Mackey's room is full of pop-culture references from TheEighties, having posters of Music/DuranDuran's ''[[Music/RioAlbum Rio]]'', Music/MichaelJackson wearing the ''[[Music/MichaelJacksonsThriller Thriller]]'' outfit, [[Franchise/{{Rambo}} John Rambo]], Series/MiamiVice, Series/MaxHeadroom and the old Creator/{{MTV}} and Pepsi logos. He also has ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} and Franchise/TheSmurfs plushes, figurines of [[Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial E.T.]] (wearing 3-D glasses), a California Raisin and a Tyrannosaurus Rex from WesternAnimation/DinoRiders, VideoGame/PacMan wall stickers, the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, and a D.A.R.E. program sticker. Interestingly, they're the actual celebrities and products instead of the NoCelebritiesWereHarmed versions the show used to do years before.

'''Original air date:''' 3/2/2022 ''(produced in 2021)''

'''Original air date:''' 3/2/2022

* CallBack: In the finale of Season 20, the Member Berries were shown trying to influence Vladimir Putin by getting him to "'Member the Cold War?" It seems after all that time, they finally succeeded.

* ADayInTheLimelight: While the Boys make a slight appearance, this episode instead focuses on Butters, his parents, and Mr. Mackey.

** As noted above, Critical Race Theory, once again, gets a thrashing, as it's one of the subjects PC Principal has taught in the past.

** This is the second time PC Principal's full name has been mentioned, the first was in "Board Girls".

** Much like the Member Berries episodes from Season 20, nostalgia is conflated with humanity's worst tendencies such as xenophobia and paranoia.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: This episode was made days after Russia's military began to invade Ukraine as well as the worldwide increase in concerns of a nuclear war. Notably, it is the first scripted episode of any series to reference the Russian invasion.

* [[TheQuietOne The Quiet Ones]]: The Russian family. They never speak to anyone, not even to each other when ''they're at home''.

** Mr. Mackey's room is full of pop-culture references from TheEighties, having posters of Music/DuranDuran's ''[[Music/RioAlbum Rio]]'', Music/MichaelJackson's ''[[Music/MichaelJacksonsThriller Thriller]]'', [[Franchise/{{Rambo}} John Rambo]], Series/MiamiVice, Series/MaxHeadroom and the old Creator/{{MTV}} and Pepsi logos. He also has ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} and Franchise/TheSmurfs plushes, figurines of [[Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial E.T.]] (wearing 3-D glasses), a California Raisin and a Tyrannosaurus Rex from WesternAnimation/DinoRiders, VideoGame/PacMan wall stickers, the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, and a D.A.R.E. program sticker. Interestingly, they're the actual celebrities and products instead of the NoCelebritiesWereHarmed versions the show used to do years before.

** Mr. Mackey's room is full of pop-culture references from TheEighties, having posters of Music/DuranDuran's Music/RioAlbum, Music/MichaelJackson's ''Music/{{Thriller}}'', [[Franchise/{{Rambo}} John Rambo]], Series/MiamiVice, Series/MaxHeadroom and the old Creator/{{MTV}} and Pepsi logos. He also has ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} and Franchise/TheSmurfs plushes, figurines of [[Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial E.T.]] (wearing 3-D glasses), a California Raisin and a Tyrannosaurus Rex from WesternAnimation/DinoRiders, VideoGame/PacMan wall stickers, the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, and a D.A.R.E. program sticker. Interestingly, they're the actual celebrities and products instead of the NoCelebritiesWereHarmed versions the show used to do years before.

** Mr. Mackey's room is full of pop-culture references from TheEighties, having posters of Music/DuranDuran's Music/RioAlbum, Music/MichaelJackson, [[Franchise/{{Rambo}} John Rambo]], Series/MiamiVice, and the old Creator/{{MTV}} and Pepsi logos. He also has ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} and Franchise/TheSmurfs plushes, figurines of [[Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial E.T.]] and a Tyrannosaurus Rex from WesternAnimation/DinoRiders, VideoGame/PacMan wall stickers, the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, and a D.A.R.E. program sticker.

* BaitAndSwitch: At the beginning of class, Mr. Garrison talks about the current hard times. Initially, you assume that he's talking about the ongoing Russian invasion, but in actuality, he's talking about his love life again.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: This episode was made days after Russia's military began to invade Ukraine as well as the increase in concerns of a nuclear war. Notably, it is the first scripted episode of any series to reference the Russian invasion.

** Butters' horse would rather poop and have sex with mares instead of competing in dressage. However, the horse's libido is what allows Butters to win the competition.