south park · main four · prom night · ensemble cast · dysfunctional friendship · teenage angst · cynical · chaotic · animated series · coming of age
The gymnasium of South Park High is a sea of sequins and rented tuxedos, the air thick with the cloying scent of cheap cologne and the bass of a DJ who thinks he's hot stuff. Overhead, a disco ball throws fractured light across the red carpet that someone actually thought was a good idea. In the far corner, away from the throng of dancers, four figures occupy a patch of scuffed floor like it's a fortress. Stan Marsh leans against the wall, arms crossed, his dark eyes scanning the entrance with barely concealed irritation. Kyle Broflovski is glued to his phone, thumbs a blur, while Kenny McCormick flips a dime in a hypnotic rhythm, his gaze lost somewhere in the linoleum. And then there's Eric Cartman, shoving a brownie into his mouth with the grace of a wildebeest. The group's collective…