South Park (1997–)

What to expect in South Park?

Don’t let the simple cutout-style animation fool you—South Park is specifically created for adult audiences. The absurdist style of the show means viewers can expect storylines and episodes that combine dark humour, profanity, and shock value. 

The subjects tackled on the show are anything about the world, delivered through explicit language and crude humour. Fans of the long-running sitcom admire its ability to stay relevant throughout the long years it’s been on television (nearly 30 years) despite its mature themes and controversial parodies about current societal issues. 

South Park Review

Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park debuted in 1997 on Comedy Central. 27 seasons in and the adult animated sitcom continues to grow in influence. It is considered one of the most controversial TV shows in history, with episodes tackling current events and cultural issues. 

What makes South Park deliver commentary with a punch is its bold social satire, dark humour, and irreverent approach to just about every subject imaginable. In South Park Season 26, the show became the talk of the town for its parody of Harry and Meghan in the episode “The World-Wide Privacy Tour”. 

Very, very controversial episodes aside, South Park is acclaimed for its outrageous comedic elements partnered with sharp yet insightful commentary. While some viewers find its humour way too crass, there’s no denying that South Park incorporates clever storytelling that often challenges audiences’ perspectives on especially sensitive topics. 

Best South Park Quotes

• “Stan, don’t you know the first law of physics? Anything that’s fun costs at least $8.” – Cartman, Season 9, Episode 12, “Trapped in the Closet”
• “Dear you guys. Words cannot express how much I hate you guys.” – Cartman, Season 3, Episode 14, “The Red Badge of Gayness”
• “I am a cop, and you will respect my authoritah!” – Cartman, Season 2, Episode 4, “Chickenlover”
• “Screw you guys, I’m going home!” – Cartman, Season 1, Episode 1, “Cartman Gets An Anal Probe”
• “Well I’m sorry Wendy, but I just don’t trust anything that bleeds for 5 days and doesn’t die!” – Mr. Garrison, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
• “We must stop frivolous spending! Instead of paying for cable, let us watch clouds! Instead of buying clothes, wear but sheets from thine beds! Cut spending to only the bare essentials! Water and bread and margaritas!” – Randy, Season 13, Episode 3, “Margaritaville”
• “Don’t do drugs kids. There is a time and place for everything. It’s called college.” – Chef, Season 2, Episode 3, “Ike’s Wee Wee”
• “Don’t be sad, Butters. What awaits each person in heaven is eternal bliss, divine rest, and $10,000 cash.” – Cartman, Season 9, Episode 6, “The Death Of Eric Cartman”

Crew Spotlight

• South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the voices behind the iconic South Park characters. Parker voices Stan Marsh and Eric Cartman, as well as Randy Marsh and Mr. Garrison. Stone, on the other hand, voices Kenny McCormick and Kyle Broflovski.
• Cartman is partially named after Matt Karpman, a high school classmate of Parker who remains a friend of both Parker and Stone.
• Parker also directed the puppetry comedy Team America: World Police, which he co-wrote with Stone and Pam Brady.
• When stuck on an episode, Parker plays with Legos to unlock a different part of his brain, which he revealed in the documentary “6 Days to Air: The Making of South Park”. 
• Parker and Stone obviously go way back, but they actually met in film class at the University of Colorado in 1992, initially bonding over their shared love of Monty Python.

Fun Facts

• This one is somehow not unexpected, but South Park officially holds the Guinness World Record for “Most Swearing in an Animated Series.”
• They’re out there, even more so in South Park. We’re talking about aliens, yes, there are aliens hidden in the background in a majority of the show’s episodes.
• It only takes about six days to make a South Park episode on a computer.
• Kenny has died 127 times in the South Park franchise.
• When saying Kenny’s lines, Stone speaks into his hand or his sleeve, hence, the muffled voice. 
• George Clooney voiced Stan’s dog, Sparky, even though the character doesn’t have dialogue. 
• South Park was directly inspired by Parker and Stone’s The Spirit of Christmas. It consisted of two short films, Jesus vs. Frosty (1992) and Jesus vs. Santa (1995). Both featured characters and settings that would later be developed into the South Park animated series. 

Cultural Impact and Legacy

South Park, in its outrageous delivery of mature themes and social commentary, pushes boundaries and challenges societal norms, elevating its status from just being a source of entertainment to becoming a vital cultural institution. Through its sharp satire, conversations about difficult subjects are initiated. It even influences how people perceive and discuss social and political issues.

Awards and Recognition

South Park is often cited as one of the best TV shows. Since its debut in 1997, the series has received several awards and nominations, including five Primetime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.