| "Pip" | |
|---|---|
| South Park episode | |
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:South_Park_-_Pip_and_the_convict.jpg) Pip encountering an escaped convict. The episode, which is a retelling of the Dickens novel Great Expectations, has a unique look within the series. | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 14 |
| Directed by | Eric Stough |
| Written by | Trey Parker |
| Production code | 405 |
| Original air date | November 29, 2000 |
| Guest appearance | |
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"Pip" (also known as "Great Expectations") is the fourteenth episode in the fourth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 62nd episode of the series overall, it first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 29, 2000. Going by production order, it is the fifth episode of the fourth season instead of the fourteenth. The episode is a parody and comedic retelling of Charles Dickens's 1861 novel Great Expectations, and stars the South Park character Pip, who assumes the role of the protagonist of the novel, who is his eponym. "Pip" features no other regular characters from the show. The story is narrated in a live action parody of the anthology television series Masterpiece Theater, with the narrator played by Malcolm McDowell.
Pip as a character was established to originate from the Dickens novel early on in the series, and South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone had the idea of retelling Great Expectations with the character for a long time. "Pip" has a unique design and animation compared to other episodes. To achieve this look, many assets had to be built from scratch. This was a demanding task for the South Park studios at the time, and production of the episode was stretched out across several months. The concept of the episode changed significantly during this time; for example, the original plan was for the episode to be a musical.
Parker and Stone have said that "Pip" is one of the least-popular episodes.[1] The episode was written by Parker and directed by animation director Eric Stough. Since its original airing, it has been re-run infrequently on Comedy Central.