Starvin' Marvin

Season 1, Episode 9, Aired
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Episode Summary

The boys see a commercial with Sally Struthers about adopting Ethiopian children, and getting a sports watch. Instead of getting the watch, an actual Ethiopian child is sent to South Park. When the charity comes to pick up Starvin' Marvin at Cartman's house, they take Cartman instead. In South Park, Mephesto creates a species of mutant turkeys that terrorize the town, and everybody enters a "Braveheart"-style war with the turkeys.moreless
8.7
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Cast & Crew

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  • Trey Parker

    Voice of Stan Marsh; Eric Theodore Cartman; Herbert Garrison; Officer Barbrady; Terrance; Timmy; Ned Gerblanski; Satan; Randy Ma

  •

    Matt Stone

    Voice of Kyle Broflovski; Kenny McKormick; Gerald Broflovski; Pip Pirrup; Jesus; Jimbo Kearn; Phillip; Saddam; Various Others

  •

    Mary Kay Bergman

    Voice of Wendy Testaburger; Liane Cartman; Sheila Broflovski; Sharon Marsh; Mrs. McKormick; Mayor McDaniels; Ms. Crabtree; Princ

Fan Episode Reviews (21)

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  • great

    8.0
    "Great"
    By futuramarama, Jan 15, 2011 Report Abuse
    The boys send to Ethiopia to get a free watch but instead get a little boy they call Starvin' Marvin. But soon people come for him, but he tricks them and they take Cartman to Ethiopia instead. Will this mess be set straight in the end, or is Cartman doomed to be in Ethiopia?

    OK episode. Kind of boring in parts and I can't really remember any part I specifically liked/disliked. So, it was kind of an average episode, I thought anyway. C+/B- or so seems like a fair enough grade. Not terrible but not super great either, I did not think.moreless

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  • Sally Struthers

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By joeyissoweird, Mar 28, 2008 Report Abuse
    If you say Sally Struthers three times, will she appear? If you watch this episode three times, will you still laugh the fourth time? Probably. This episode was hilarious. South Park's first season started getting good at "Death", and Life came happily upon this series. I enjoyed this episode very much, although it is horrible to be making fun of those children in that country that was made fun of, it was still a good episode.

    The children decides to sponsor a child from Ethiopia so they can get a sports watch. But, they are sent a child instead. When the government comes to take the child back, Cartman is sent to that country or place instead. Eventually, Cartman the American is sent back to South Park where he can live as an American and get appetizers.

    This episode was a great episode to watch, and I look forward to watching the next appearance of this character. (I'm watching and reviewing the series in order.)moreless

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  • One of South Park's classic episodes.

    8.8
    "Great"
    By blackwolf_13, Nov 26, 2007 Report Abuse
    This is a great and original episode. I think this is the episode here the mad scientist makes his first appearance. Cartman in Africa starving because in search of food was funny to watch, and making fun of Sally Struthers and finding out she had been hiding food from everyone was funny. The people of South Park and the Turkeys battling an epic Braveheart battle was someone no one else wold have ever thought of, but then, no one would have thought about genetically splicing turkeys and they in turn becoming either... Either way its a great classic episode to watch.moreless

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  • Starvin` Marvin`

    7.0
    "Good"
    By djjoe60, Oct 13, 2007 Report Abuse
    Starving Marvin is an episode about starvation in a foreign country, and a small aboriginal boy found by Cartman, Stan, Kyle and (dead-nearly-every-episode) poor hooded Kenny. The little Colorado kids find the black young boy in South Park and decide to keep him... after an advert with a really really big fat woman in it - they decide they wanna adopt one of the poor young kids without a home or whatever and they end up getting Starvin` Marvin` who appears in later episodes.
    This episode is another one of the classics but it is just not my favourite. Good entertainment, though.
    :)moreless

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  • A pretty boring episode, with a good plot.

    6.6
    "Fair"
    By Skyancez, Oct 08, 2007 Report Abuse
    Ok, this episode wasn't that bad or good. It was a pretty average episode.

    Humor: Hey? Where's the humor? South Park's most laughtable thing was rarely in this episode. How can it be a South Park with no appearent humor?

    However, I liked the plot. It was original. It was also realistic. It gave you a bit from Africa's culture. Which is educational. It also had great writting. It wasn't rushed, it was well scropt and done.

    However, this episode gets on my boring side. Nothing really happened, I like the humor in South Park's episode but what made me give this episode a chance is because of its amazing plot. Well done guys on the plot. I think the episode would be better with more funny humor next time.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Dr. Mephisto owns a microscope slide of "an extreme close-up of Vanessa Redgrave's private parts," as described by chef Edit
    • A small audio clip taken from this episode was put into the movie "Duplex". Edit
    • Cartman's mom calls Kyle's mom "Carol", even though her real name is revealed to be "Shiela" in the episode "Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • This is the first appearance of Kenny's parents. Edit
    • Jerry Seinfeld was NOT a voice of one of the turkeys. Jerry Seinfeld was a big fan of the show, and wanted to do a voice, but because Matt and Trey always give big celebrities obscure roles, Jerry's people wouldn't allow him to do the show. Matt and Trey wanted Jerry to be "Turkey #4". This is revealed on Goin' Down to South Park. Edit
    • Sally Struthers was a big fan of South Park before this episode. It's said that she cried watching it. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Bebe: I want a Starvin' Marvin! Pip: Yes! I'll pay $50 for one! Edit
    • Chef: Everyone go to your house, arm yourself and meet back here in fif-… (looks at Mephisto's little guy Kevin) Now just what the hell are you supposed to be? Dr. Mephisto: Chef, I'm afraid that's not really the point right now, I… (Interrupted by Chef) Chef: No, I wanna know what that thing is. It doesn't look like anything. Edit
    • Cartman: Then maybe they should die and decrease the surplus population! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • MacGyver: During the scene at the end when Stan states the moral of the show, about how the images on television are real people too, Kyle states, "And that means MacGyver is real too." which is a reference to the character secret agent MacGyver in the televison series Macgyver. Edit
    • Full House: During the scene when the boys are watching the charity commercial, Kyle tells Stan that Sally Struthers used to be on Full House. He Is referring to one of the daugheters, DJ or Stephanie, since Sally was Gloria Bunker-Stivic on All in the Family. Edit
    • E.T.: Cartman and Marvin have a very strong connection and it is very similar to E.T. and Elliott's in E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. Edit

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