South Park Season 18 Episode 6 "Costlessmium Isn't Costless"
How addicting can free mobile apps and games be? Image Source "tumblr.com"

The episode starts with Jimmy telling Kyle that thee is new Terrance and Phillip phone app and that the best part is that it's totally costless. Kyle walks away saying that he will check it out. The game is called "Terrance and Phillip: Give us your money" (It looks like the Simpsons Tapped out game or the Family Guy game that looks exactly like the Simpsons' game). Butters and Kyle are sitting on the school steps playing the game and on the screen a Canadian pops out and ask if you can collect all the coins. Kyle taps the coins and that collects the coins. Kyle does this and then the same Canadian pops up and says "Congratulations! You're really good at this. Collect more coins and help Terrance and Phillip rebuild the city or better yet go buy more Canadian coins.". Kyle says that this is stupid, but Butters says that it's only 49 cents for the cheapest one. So Kyle buys the coins and the game tells them they’re amazing for buying "Canadough". Kyle is pissed because the premise of the game is stupid and he just 49 cents to build a hospital. Cartman and Kenny walk buy and Cartman asks "What are you two boners doing?". Butter’s tells them that they are playing the new Terrance and Phillip Costlessmium game. Cartman says thathe's played the game and that it's ****ing dumb. Kyle asks where they came up with it.

Back at the Canadian Department of Mobile Gaming, The Prince of Canada and the Minister of Mobile Gaming are checking out how much money they have made when Terrance and Phillip walk in pissed off that their likeness was used without their permission. T&P say that the game is stupid and that all you do is spend Canadough. The Prince says he knows the game is stupid but "Who cares? The game is costless.". Phillip replies that since you're still spending a little here and there, that the game isn't costless. The Prime Minister of Gaming and the Prince whisper to each other that T&P can see through the charade and also that since T&P aren't that far away that they can here them.

The Minister of Gaming lifts the literal veil and explains the science behind costlessmium gaming. "For years the idea was you pay for the game and you enjoy. With mobile apps, we now have the ability to make games that are boring and stupid, but if you pay for incentives, you're rewarded.". The Prince of Canada goes on to say "Costlessmium. 'Ium' is Latin for 'Not really'. The Prime Minister of Gaming goes on to say "It's a simple cycle. A never ending loop based on R.P.G.s (role playing games). Explore, collect, spend improve, repeat. But where people us XP, or experience points we've introduced micropay with money, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!" The Prince of Canada goes on to say that it's harmless fun.

Back in South Park, Stan is getting yelled at by his parents for spending $489 on a mobile app and that even though he makes a good living with his music career (So happy that they haven't dropped the Randy Marsh being Lorde thing). After they are done yelling at Stan, Randy is telling Sharon (his wife) that this reminds him of his dad because he has a gambling and problems with addiction and is wondering whether or not those demons were past on to him. Sharon points out that Stan has a problem with drinking. Stan goes on to say that he no longer has a problem with drinking because now all he drinks is gluten costless beer and wine. But, with Stan there's some darkness inside that doesn't allow him to stop.

Back in Canada, The Prince of Canada and the Prime Minister of Gaming are still explaining the charade. Phillip says they understand, but asks why the game can't be fun. The Prime Minister of gaming says the game has to be barely fun otherwise no one will spend money to play. The Prince of Canada walks in and hands them their checks for ten million dollars apiece. T&P begrudgingly agree since it's only a little bit of money at a time.

Back in South Park, Kyle Cartman, and Kenny are in Stan's room and Stan is still in bed playing the Terrance and Phillip game. Apparently he missed school to play the Terrance and Phillip game and justified it by saying he was sick. Kyle asks how much money he spent and says he spent nothing. Only ten bucks but he unlocked a stadium in Toronto. Stan says it's just a way to zone out, just like Jimmy told him. Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny realize that Jimmy also told them about the game and that something fishy is going on (actually they just said what the ***k).

On a street corner, Jimmy is trying to get another kid into the game. Jimmy looks like a drug dealer. He even admits to pushing the game on people and, as he said "Doesn’t touch the stuff". Jimmy says that he is getting paid to push the game. Kyle asks by whom and the show switches back to Canada where the Prince of Canada is happy that now new buildings in Canada are being made and funded by the game. T&P walk in saying that the game is dishonest and want out because they feel people will become addicted. The Prime Minister of Gaming and the Prince of Canada decide to take the billions of dollars they are getting on the game and spend them on commercials to tell people to play in moderation. They say it's just like alcohol commercials *which they do).

Randy brings Stan to a casino where his dad is wasting money on a slot machine. Randy shows him that there is nothing different from his game and a slot machine. Fancy noises and bright lights to keep him sitting at that slot machine. Randy goes on and says that they are addicted. Randy's dad points out that he's drinking a glass of wine to which Randy responds that he's not drinking a glass of wine that he's drinking six and it's "A tasting and it's classy". Stan says that he doesn't have a problem and that he can stop. Randy's dad says he will stop too. Randy says fine and that if they stop then we don't have a problem and then drinks his second glass of wine. 

Back from break, Jimmy tries to say that he was just a middleman and that it isn't his fault. He says that these games are just like getting people hooked on crack. Give them a costless taste and then make them pay for the rest. Jimmy says he needs the money because he lost a lot playing. First he spent his allowance, then his birthday money, next thing he knew he lost his crutches (He says that it's a figure of speech because arms and legs mean nothing to cripple people).

Back at Stan's house, Stan is trying to sleep but is getting text updates about the game. Stan ignores them until he gets one that say he received five thousand Canadian coins. The next day, Randy is holding up an invoice saying that Stan spent twenty-six thousand dollars on the game. Stan says he doesn't get why Randy is saying he's addicted when he's drinking beer. Randy explains that he's not chugging beer. He's sampling gluten costless German Lagers with a French wine paring. Randy then drop a shot of beer in a wine glass full of wine, drinks it, then blows a whistle and shakes his head.

Stan goes to his friends and finally admits he needs help. Jimmy apologizes to Stan for getting him addicted and says that he got the help he needed and that like alcoholics, Stan needs to get on his knees and pray to a higher power. In the kitchen, Kyle is trying to figure out a way to get the word out. Cartman Tweets and within seconds, the word is out and trending worldwide. Back in the Canadian Department of Mobile Gaming, T&P are pissed that they created n addiction and even paid people to get other people hooked on the game. The Prince of Canada didn't know about this, so the Minister of Gaming goes onto explain the real charade. Apparently, big portions of gamers don’t spend money of games. It's all about finding the small portion and extracting money from them. The Minister of Gaming says not to think about that and offers them a bump of coke. Terrance does it and says it's still wrong. 

Back in South Park, Stan is in his room praying for help. Behind him, appears a bright and glowing happy light...and Satan (the prince of temptation) comes out of it (apparently he summoned him and not God). Stan says he has demons and that he needs to understand them. Satan agrees to explain the darkness of the human. soul. Satan sits on his bed with Stan and literally explains what addiction is and the chemicals involved and that it's not literally a demon. Stan says that addicts saying he was filling a hole, to which Satan responds, "Who isn't filling a hole? What kind of bull S**t is that?".

Back from break, The Prime Minister of Gaming (Who is starting to sound like Al Pacino from "Devil's Advocate") is still going on about the charade and how it's like the alcohol community who doesn't care about ten percent who gets addicted. The visual aide starts to look weird and we find out that he isn't just the Minister of Gaming, he's also (wait for it) the Canadian Devil "Beelzeboot". Back in South Park, Satan explains that because of Stan's genetics he is more susceptible to addiction. Stan asks why people make such addicting things out there. Satan says all companies do it and it's kind of his deal with temptation and costless will and all that. But everyone has their justification and thinks what they're doing is ok. Stan's game goes off and Satan plays for a second and says it's one thing when it's fun, but the game is just blatant skinner box manipulation. Stan tells him that the game is from Canada and Satan is pissed. Satan borrows his soul for a bit to go and deal with Beelzaboot. 

Back in Canada, the The Canadian Ministry of Mobile gaming looks like Hell on Earth. Apparently, when The Prince of Canada signed an agreement to make a Costlessmium game, he signed over all the souls of the Canadian people. Beelzaboot is "Torturing" T&P and the Prince of Canada when a possessed Stan bursts through the door. Satan and Beelzaboot and and regular Satan battle. Satan destroys the Ministry of Mobile Gaming and returns Stan back to South Park. Stan and his grandfather are playing a board game so neither of them are feeding their addictions. Randy later comes in and joins them and asks if they want to put money on the game. 

Rating 9:

Really funny episode. Canadian Satan was a great twist and there was a message without being too preachy. 

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