Cyanide & Happiness Shorts Season 6 Episode 18 Baby Factory

Cyanide & Happiness Shorts is a popular webcomic series by Explosm Entertainment that has been turned into an animated show. In every episode, the creators deliver dark, twisted humor in the form of short skits. Season 6 episode 18 is titled "Baby Factory".

The skit starts with a couple driving to a mysterious facility in the middle of nowhere. As they enter the building, they are greeted by an assistant who hands them a clipboard with forms to fill out. They are confused but continue on their way until they reach a room filled with babies lying in rows on conveyor belts. The couple is in awe at the sight of the babies being assembled like parts in a factory.

The couple talks to the operator of the facility who explains that his factory was created to eliminate the lengthy, tiresome nine-month pregnancy process. All the couple has to do is pick out the design they want for their child and wait a mere 48 hours for delivery. The couple marvels at the options they have to choose from, including eye color, hair color, and even intelligence levels! However, as they fill out the necessary information, they begin to realize the potential consequences of creating a perfect child in a factory.

As the operator continues to explain the process of designing a child, the couple begins to question the ethics of bringing a child into the world this way. The couple starts to bicker about how much control they have over their child's life. The operator reassures them about the safety of the process, mentioning shielding the child from genetic disorders and even making the child stronger and smarter. However, the couple leaves the baby factory in fear, still questioning their actions.

As they drive away, the couple looks out the window and sees parents everywhere carrying perfect children that were created in factories. Parents bond with their kids over what they've created, while the couple feels more and more isolated. They come to a realization that their decision means their child will not be unique. They won't have their family heritage, or any natural errors, like having two left feet or a stutter. They grapple with the idea that they will never be able to see how their child might have grown up differently.

The ending of the skit is left for the viewer to interpret. The audience gets a chance to see the various factors that weigh in on people's decisions to bring a child into the world and what kind of child they want. It's a thought-provoking and satirical commentary on the increasing level of control that children are being subjected to in the modern world. Overall, this episode offers a cynical critique of the process of designer babies and the social implications of bringing children into the world through artificial means.