Total Drama; a popular Canadian animated series which is a parody of reality TV Shows such as Fear Factor and Survivor. I really liked the series, regardless of its up-and-downs.
But, there’s just one messed up story that has been in my mind for months now.
It was September 19th, 2020, the 10 Year Anniversary of “Picnic at Hanging Dork”, one of the Total Drama World Tour episodes. I didn’t bother celebrating the anniversary, because I hated this episode. The reason in question being Gwen getting eliminated instead of Courtney.
Three episodes ago, in the episode, “I See London…”, Duncan was fed up with Courtney’s nagging, he had to leave her for Gwen, which led them to kiss on the lips.
Courtney was pissed off, she tried to throw challenges in the other two episodes, after finding out about their relationship, courtesy of Tyler, just to get Gwen eliminated. However, she succeeded in this episode.
The cause of Gwen’s elimination was because Duncan threw a dingo, strapped to a bungee cord, to Cody, resulting in Cody getting mauled, and acting weird during the episode’s challenge, accidentally voting for Sierra, which there were two votes for Courtney and Gwen each, and one for Sierra.
Then there was a tie-breaker, where the girls had to feed Koalas eucalyptus without using their hands. Unfortunately, due to Gwen’s allergy, Courtney won and Gwen had to take the drop of shame.
This episode pissed me off so much I wanted Courtney to be eliminated because she was trying to get Gwen eliminated.
Anyway, on the episode’s 10th anniversary, I was looking on the Total Drama Reddit page. There was nothing catching my eye, until I saw a fourm which is labelled, PAHD AE, which stood for “Picnic at Hanging Dork Alternate Ending”.
I got baffled here; I’m guessing Courtney gets eliminated in this ending.
It was a link to a MOV file to download. I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to watch it, but I wanted to see Courtney taking Gwen’s elimination, so I downloaded it anyway.
Before I watched the file, I spotted a comment from a user saying that “they will never sleep again”.
I shrugged the user’s comment off and watched it anyway.
The episode was normal, like the final production. However, instead of Duncan throwing a dingo at Cody, Gwen passed him the cord. Cody then jumped off the cliff to grab a sheep to find his team’s logo beneath a sheep’s wool. But to no avail, he couldn’t find it.
Team Chris is Really Really Really Really Hot won the challenge, just like the final episode. Courtney was victorious that her team lost, just so she can eliminate Gwen.
At the Elimination Ceremony, Chris talked about Team Amazon’s flaws during their trip to Australia. At that moment, he signaled the team to vote for who they want eliminated.
Cody’s vote was not revealed, but as soon as he stamped on the secret contestant’s passport, he gave a thumbs up to the camera. However, when the static transition played, I spotted a mysterious face playing. I went back to the timestamp it happened, and it was a face in a black background with white glowing eyes and a red toothy smile.
“Holy shit…” I muttered. “What am I seeing right now?” But I continued watching it.
Gwen and Heather voted for Courtney, while Courtney and Sierra, on the other hand, voted for Gwen.
Then Chris read out the votes. Two votes for Gwen and Courntey each.
“And… the last vote goes to…” Chris continued “Courtney.”
Courtney gasped. “What?! Eliminated?!” She shouted.
“Heather! How could you?! I thought we had an alliance!”
“Well, Courtney, I would have voted for the scary emo if you didn’t plan on throwing challenges, but it’s time for you to say sayonara.”
Courtney was fumed, wanting to kill Gwen.
“Sorry, Courtney, it’s time for you to go. Exit’s right behind ya’.” Chris said.
“NO!!” Courtney screamed. She then started talking demonically. “NOT THIS TIME! I’M GONNA KILL YOU, BOYFRIEND KISSING BACKSTABBER!”
Courtney ran towards Gwen, and she ran out of the ceremony, being chased by Courtney.
Gwen ran into first class where Team Chris is Really Really Really Really Hot were, to try and catch breath. Duncan asked, “Babe, what’s wrong?”
“Duncan.” Gwen said. “Courtney’s gotten the most votes, but now she’s trying to kill me!”
“I’VE GOT YOU NOW, BOYFRIEND STEALER and DISLOYAL JUVIE!” Courtney yelled in the distance.
She kicked down a basement door, holding a chainsaw to kill Gwen with.
Courtney, now with red eyes and devil-like teeth, wielding a chainsaw.
Courtney now had glowing red eyes and devil-like teeth.
What am I watching? Is this appropriate for a show for kids aged 10 and up?
Courtney and charged towards Gwen and Duncan and the two ran from her. Duncan and Gwen evaded most of the attacks Courtney initiated with her chainsaw.
When Duncan tried to hide in the bar, he was suddenly slashed on the arm for a bit.
“Duncan! Are you OK?” Gwen exclaimed, coming to Duncan’s defense.
Courtney screamed in anger, very demonically.
The roar was very loud it hurt my ears. My ears rang for a bit, so I had to pause the video and rest my head for 2 Minutes before I could watch it again.
Courtney raised her chainsaw in the air, attempting to murder both the punk and goth, until Chris and Chef ran into the first-class area, to save the two victims from being murdered by a madwoman.
Chris and Chef tried to take the chainsaw away from Courtney, and Chef grabbed the chainsaw out of her hands. However, Courtney kicked him in the face, and the chainsaw went flying into the air.
“RUN!!!” Chris screamed. He and Chef ran out of the away to take cover, but Courtney didn’t move. She was too scared to.
I was getting scared, but I may be happy if Courtney would get what will be coming for her.
Courtney then flinched, bracing for impact. However, she didn’t get impaled by the chainsaw’s blades, instead, she was hit on the head by the engine of it.
After getting hit on the head by the chainsaw, Courtney then pulled a goofy-looking expression on her face; she had an eye closed, while the other is open, half-squinted, and her tongue was sticking out (notice how the tongue looks very similar to the one from a movie based off a Cartoon Network show with three girls during a tag sequence) and she was smiling.
Courtney's face after getting hit on the head by the chainsaw
I actually thought that goofy face she made was funny, I laughed so hard. However, I stopped laughing as I realized how messed up this alternate ending was getting worse.
Courtney groaned in pain, still smiling, and she fell to the floor. The screen then cut to black.
In the next scene, it showed the POV of Courtney. She slowly opened her eyes, and she saw Chris and Gwen next to each other. She even noticed a knife impaled right through her leg. Heather then winked at her, meaning she was the one who harmed her.
Courtney gasped inn horror, as she realized she was being held against the open door, which is 35,000 feet high.
Gwen grinned smugly at her, while Chris smirked as well.
“Well, Courtney, I think it’s time for you to take this drop of shame for real.” Chris said.
Courtney fumed, once again. But this time, talking normally. “Chris, Gwen, prepare to hear from my lawyers! You two are going to be in serious trouble this time! You’ll receive lots of fines, and then I’ve got something for you’re a-“
Before Courtney could finish ranting, Gwen kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying out of the plane. Courtney screamed as she fell. At that moment, Chris realized he forgot to hand her the parachute, so he threw it towards her.
Gwen, Cody and Heather all high-fived. They got rid of Courtney. However, Sierra, on the other hand, was glaring at Gwen; she wanted her out of the game instead of Courtney.
Chris then did his sign-off speech, like in the end of the original episode. After it showed a shot of the Jumbo Jet, it faded to black.
The credits rolled. However, instead of the instrumental of the series’ theme song, “I Wanna Be Famous”, Tiny Tim’s “Living in the Sunlight” played, but with a demonic effect applied to it. I felt very uneasy with the choice of credits music playing over the credits.
The credits then ended. I had lots of chills in my spine. I was about to delete the file, but as I was about to do that, I noticed a second video file which is entitled “Courtney_Shame_Drop_Original.MOV”.
I had to put on a brave face to watch it, so I clicked on it.
The video started with the intro of the Total Drama World Tour Exclusive Clips.
At that moment, it showed Courtney falling in the sunset. She had a long rant about her time on this season.
“Well, booted off for a third time! Just unfair! If Gwen hadn’t backstabbed me, nor if Duncan left me for her, then none of this would have happened! And Heather lied to me about getting rid of the emo! And trying to boot off Gwen?! I WAS GETTING SO CLOSE!”
Courtney then looked down. “Speaking of getting so close, I’ve gotta deploy straight away”
Courtney then pulled at the cord of her parachute. However, it didn’t deploy.
“Wha-what? Why is this happening?”
Courtney continuously pulled at the cord, screaming for life. I was kind of happy Courtney was getting what she deserved.
Courtney screamed as she plummeted to the ground, and she hit the ground of an Australian forest.
Courtney groaned in pain. “God, that was really painful”
Courtney tried to get up, but she couldn’t stand all the way up. All of her bones were broken, she couldn’t move a muscle.
“Why is th-why is this happening to me?”
And then, it zoomed out to reveal a kangaroo. He looked pretty angry, staring at Courtney.
“Oh, what? Who are you supposed to be, a giant human sized rabbit?” Courtney mocked.
Offended by that comment, the Kangaroo kicked Courtney in the face, sending her flying into a bush.
Courtney has received bruises on her face from the kick. She moaned weakly. She then heard rustling in a bush. She moved her head to see what it was.
The rustling got louder, and then there was what sounded like a creature growling. Courtney, at that moment, starting breathing rapidly, picking up anxiety. I’ve never seen her get this scared before.
At that moment, an arm grabbed her by the arm. Courtney was shocked at who she is looking at.
“Is-is that you? I thought you were on the go-Oh, no! Somebody, help! Please! HELP!“
The arm that grabbed Courtney was very familiar, by looking at that sleeve. The creature that grabbed her then roared in her face, it sounded like an actual beast’s roar. Courtney screamed as she got dragged out of the shot. However, the scream didn't sound cartoony, it sounded like her actress was in agony.
It then faded to black, as Courtney’s cries for help cut off.
And then, it faded in. The creature that grabbed Courtney was no other than Ezekiel. He was feral since the London episode, by looking at his green skin. He was at his most messed up state yet.
Ezekiel was eating Courtney’s flesh and organs, which he cut open on her body. After eating Courtney’s flesh, Ezekiel then looked at the camera, blood drooling from his mouth. His eyes twitched, he sniffed once and growled silently. His eyes even turned red, his black pupils remaining intact.
There was even ominous music playing over this scene, which was the most frightening and darkest soundtrack in the Total Drama series. There was even a mixture of sound effects in this scene, one which sounds like a cymbal crash in reverse and the other being a male’s scream fading in slowly.
At that moment, Courtney’s skin turned green, her eyes turned red and sat up, like a possessed object coming to life. She then looked at the camera, and glared angrily, and the screen cut to black, cutting off the music, cymbal crash and screaming.
That was the end of the exclusive clip.
I was extremely shocked I didn’t know what to say, but I was glad this shit was over. I talked in my mind saying that Courtney got what she deserved in this alternate ending, but I didn’t wish for something like this.
I deleted the files, and didn’t even bother redownloading it. However, I went to see if that fourm on the Total Drama Reddit page was still here, but I was seemingly deleted because the user who posted it, was a former animator for Fresh TV, who goes by the name Matt Thompson, according to one of the users on the page.
Thompson was hired by Fresh TV to animate “Picnic at Hanging Dork”. However, he was fired for making a dark turn of the season by getting to carried away, adding graphic content in the episode.
After Fresh TV decided to have Courtney be eliminated in the episode, the company changed their mind having Gwen be eliminated, since her elimination won’t be too traumatizing.
I read through Matthew Thompson’s backstory, and I never knew lots of producers would take their obsession with horror culture too far.
I haven’t slept for sixteen days, which is the episode number for “Picnic at Hanging Dork”. I don’t really watch a lot of Total Drama nowadays after what I’ve seen.
Make sure to think before clicking on a link of lost media.