Original air date: 11/6/2013
The children of South Park form two battling contingents to get a PlayStation 4 or an Xbox One during a Black Friday sale. Meanwhile, Randy takes a temp job as a security guard at the mall in order to make a little extra holiday money.
This episode contains examples of:
- Analogy Backfire: Stan explains to the Goths that if Xbox One becomes the standard, "the PS4 would be like Betamax was to VHS." Stan doesn't take into account the fact that the Goth kids are pre-teens in 2013, so none of this information resonates with them.Henrietta: What's Betamax?Stan: Exactly.Pete: ...What's VHS?
- Answer Cut:Clyde: Twitter says they're introducing a new Elmo doll this Christmas.
Cartman: What new Elmo doll?
(cut to a Parody Commercial for "Stop Touching Me Elmo") - Appeal to Obscurity: Stan makes a point about Betamax being extinct by none of the Goth gang remembering it. Then again, they also don't remember VHS.
- As You Know: Said word-for-word by a security guard as he explains that Black Friday shoppers can go crazy.
- Bait-and-Switch Accusation: The head of security tells Randy to his face that he knows why he took the part-time job. Randy is startled. But then the former talks about Randy seemingly caring about people.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with the reveal that Kenny has become the leader of the PS4 army.
- Contemplative Boss: The head security guard when first shown has his arms folded around his back looking out of the mall window onto the parking lot where the crowd is forming.
- Dare to Be Badass: Towards the end of the episode, Stan gives a motivational speech to his cheering PS4 followers.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: The head of security dies in Randy's arms.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?:
- The "Stop Touching Me Elmo" doll's "toothpaste dispenser".
- The crowd in front of the mall acts like a hoard of mindless zombies.
- Eye Scream: The head security guard has a large scar over his eye. Subverted; it turns out to be a fake stick-on prosthetic to symbolize his leadership, and he gives it to Randy to wear when he dies, telling him he's the new leader.
- I'm Dying, Please Take My MacGuffin: When the head security guard is dying, he gives Randy his fake stick-on eye scar.
- Japanese Ranguage: Sony releases a special PlayStation 4 bundle for Black Friday called the "Brack Friday Bunduru".
- LARP: The kids are once again engaging in this, this time based on Game of Thrones.
- Line in the Sand: Cartman asks any supporters of the Playstation 4 to step forward. Two opposing fractions are built.
- Male Frontal Nudity: Discussed by Butters who thinks that there is too much gratuitous male nudity in Game of Thrones.
- The Mole: Lady McCormick.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: The unnamed Sony President is based on Kaz Hirai
, the then-President and CEO of Sony. - Oblivious Guilt Slinging: The head of security tells Randy how proud he is of his commitment. Randy is visually shaken since his motives were ulterior. This scene contributes to a character development to Randy in upcoming episodes.
- Professionals Do It on Desks: The CEO of Sony is having sex with a secretary on his desk when the two American reporters enter. The action continues while the guys introduce themselves.
- Retirony: The head security guard mentions that he promised his wife this would be his last Black Friday. It is, but only because he took a knife to the gut.
- Serious Business: Black Friday is this for all of South Park. The news reporter even says so.
- Shout-Out:
- Several scenes are reminiscent of Game of Thrones. The ending is a parody of the final shot of the finale to the first season.
- One of the new members to join the boys is the House of Greyhawk.
- The security chief's death is based on a scene from Pay It Forward.
- The obese woman with the deep voice looks and sounds very similar to T-rex from Orgazmo.
- Kenny's princess outfit is visually very similar to Princess Zelda's.
- Soundtrack Dissonance: Mentioned in passing during the security guard's account of last year's Black Friday, where the zombie-like crowd wreaked havoc at the mall while Christmas music was playing on the speakers.
- Take That!: At the Black Friday mobs who would kill each other for a good bargain.
- This episode also references the criticism of the Xbox One for being too expensive, describing people who support it anyway by having the detractors say "That's how Xbox people are".
- The "Stop-Touching-Me Elmo" doll is based on "Big Hugs Elmo" (which hugs children back) and the accusations of Kevin Clash molesting underage boys.
- Butters repeatedly says Game of Thrones is nothing but gay sex. He also keeps saying he finally wants to see the dragons and zombies do something.
- Cartman rants about how pre-orders are committing money to "some assholes in California" who haven't even finished their game yet, referencing the numerous delays for South Park: The Stick of Truth.Cartman: You know what you get for pre-ordering a game? A big dick in your mouth.
- A subtle one: while a big deal is made about the upcoming eighth console generation including the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the Wii U is never so much as mentioned throughout the trilogy despite its year-long head start on the other two consoles.
- What Would X Do?: When the battle against the Xbox looks hopeless, Stan wonders what Game of Thrones would do in this situation. He then decides to pay a visit to the show's creator for the answer.
- Wholesome Crossdresser: Kenny seems to enjoy dressing up as a princess.
- You Are in Command Now: The head security guard places Randy in charge of mall security after he gets fatally stabbed.
