[quads id=1]
South Park, having just finished its 21st season, is one of America’s longest running adult animation television shows. While marked by immature toilet humor, it juxtaposes fart jokes with brilliant social commentary on everything from religion to the trials of growing up, all contained in the viewpoint of elementary school kids. It is one of the funniest shows on TV; shocking, witty, obvious, subtle and hilarious. With 21 seasons of content, there is plenty of favorites to choose from. Here is a selection of some of the best South Park episodes ever…so far.
[quads id=2]
Table of Contents
10. You’re Getting Old: Season 15 Episode 7
While not one of the funniest episodes of the acclaimed series, the mid-season finale was one of the best south park episodes precisely because of its serious theme. As Stan turns 10, Kyle gives him a “Tween Wave” CD as a gift; but Sharon forbids him from listening to it.
Stan steals the CD back, but much to his disappointment, it literally sounds like diarrhea in his ears. While dealing with the possibility of his parent’s split, he starts seeing the world differently. Every movie, track of music, and even people in his life look like giant walking turds. The world literally starts to look and sound like crap. Stan is diagnosed with cynicism, which he may or may not outgrow as he becomes older.
Many reviewers have argued that this episode represents the creators of South Park reflecting inward on the direction of their own show and television in general. Most sitcoms and long-running shows are built on re-hashing the same old gags in slightly different ways; and Trey Parker and Matt Stone admitted to having trouble writing episodes for season 15 earlier in its conception.
It is also a commentary on how the internet makes people more cynical; especially when criticizing the creative efforts of others, off-handedly dismissing everything as crap. And it touches on the most heart-rending truth of all people’s lives: that as people grow up and get tired and cynical, there’s less in the world to enjoy.
At the end of the episode, Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” plays, and Stan is left staring at his bedroom ceiling, doomed to grow up in a crappy world. Sharon provides the wisest piece of advice however; that though there is more crap to slog through as people get older, that makes it all the more important to cherish what little good there is.
[quads id=3]
9. D-Yikes: Season 11 Episode 6
In stark contrast to “You’re Getting Old”, “D-Yikes” is an almost mindless candy bowl of shock humor and ridiculous situations.
It takes place after Mr. Garrison gets his sexual reassignment surgery and is legally a woman. Frustrated with the dating world and men’s attitudes toward his body, Janet Garrison accompanies a woman he meets at Curves gym to a lesbian bar called “Lesbos”, but pronounced “le beau”.
Smash cut to a scene of the two “scissoring” and everyone quickly gets the idea of how raunchy and funny this episode gets.
Mr. Garrison, now embracing his lesbian sexuality, is dismayed to learn that the lesbian bar has been bought out by Persian club owners and is slated to close.
The episode then launches into a full slow-motion-packed parody of Zack Snyder’s “300”, but it’s the lesbians of “Lesbos” against the Persian night club owners. While it touches on the closing of gay bars across America as being a problem for the LGBTQ community; this is a much funnier, sillier episode of South Park, and so worth the watch.
[quads id=4]
8. Goobacks: Season 8 Episode 7
Goobacks is one of those episodes that could have gone horribly wrong because it tackles such a sensitive topic: illegal immigration.
But Trey Parker and Matt Stone find a way to make it humorous by making the immigrants from the future United States; traveling back in time to take menial jobs to support their families in the future.
The episode is an important commentary on how improving the economy and the environment now can prevent a lot of problems in the future. Plus it has a bunch of gay orgy and redneck jokes; so it’s hard not to laugh through the whole episode.
The grace with which it was handled makes it one of the best South Park episodes about a very serious topic.
[quads id=5]
7. All About Mormons: Season 7 Episode 12
When a Mormon family moves to South Park, the residents are shaken by how nice and friendly the new people are; and become curious about the Mormon faith.
The episode goes on to absolutely lambaste the Mormon religion for how ridiculous it sounds to a person outside the faith.
However, the characters and the audience learn that despite buying into a different and seemingly nonsensical religion, the people themselves are good and should be judged by the value of their character.
It was one of the best episodes of South Park, not only because it was hilarious and heartfelt, but the grace that they were able to pull-off roasting a whole religion was outstanding.
[quads id=6]
6. Christian Rock Hard: Season 7 Episode 9
Cartman schemes to win a bet with Kyle by making his Christian rock album go platinum in this episode. This is one of the best South Park episodes ever because of how it calls out Christian rock and greedy musicians.
Cartman claims that Christian rock is easy to write because you can just take a regular love song and replace words like “baby” and “darling” with Jesus. And anyone who has ever heard Christian rock knows this has some grain of truth.
A side story criticizes music superstars who are in the industry solely to make money. The songs that Cartman comes up with are nothing short of hilarious, and the twist ending is incredible.
[quads id=7]
5. Something Walmart This Way Comes: Season 8 Episode 9
A Walmart is built in South Park, and the low prices drive all the small stores out of business. Randy even quits being a geologist to work at Walmart to take advantage of savings.
Walmart is revealed to be a powerful evil force that thrives off the ignorance of the average consumer. Once the kids destroy the Walmart, the locals shop at a small store which grows bigger and the process repeats itself.
While incredibly funny, this episode highlights the problems with vapid consumerism and corporations that gain a monopoly in the market and cripple the rest of the economy.
The episode is especially poignant for anyone living in the United States, dealing with big corporations and their effects on the economy. Humor and social commentary are equally at play in the best south park episodes, and this one is no exception.
[quads id=8]
4. Douche and Turd: Season 8 Episode 8
In one of the best South Park episodes, PETA comes to town to protest the elementary school’s mascot, the South Park cow.
The new mascot is put to a vote, but the only contenders are write-in candidates of “Giant Douche” and “Turd Sandwich”. What starts as a toilet joke turns into a familiar picture of the political landscape in the United States: a two party system with less than desirable candidates to choose from.
It beautifully comments on how the system works and what kind of ridicule a person faces when they choose not to vote. It also hilariously roasts PETA to a burnt crisp.
[quads id=9]
3. Butterballs: Season 16 Episode 5
Bullying came back into the public eye in the mid 2000’s after many tragic events, so of course, South Park put in its two cents.
In one of the best episodes of South Park, Butters is made the subject of a shallow anti-bullying video, spearheaded by Stan, who’s motives aren’t exactly pure.
Meanwhile Butters is truly being bullied by an unlikely family member and is left to deal with it alone. Not only is the episode full of shock and laughs, it highlights how those who work in entertainment aren’t really helping victims of bullying with empty videos, especially when they make money from the product.
Butters learns to deal with his bully in his own way and the episode ends on a funny note.
[quads id=10]
2. Probably: Season 4 Episode 10
This episode is a surprise favorite from the earlier seasons, and details Satan’s relationship with Saddam and vegan 90’s man, Chris.
Satan is sexually attracted the Saddam but knows the relationship is abusive, where his relationship with Chris is safe and boring. He pours over the decision, until God advises him and helps get his life back on track.
This episode is classically funny because it calls back to the South Park movie and shows Satan as such a sad, average kind of person who has to make a hard decision.
In the end he chooses to be single to rethink his priorities, which is something everyone in a relationship-obsessed society has to learn at one point or another, making it one of the best South Park episodes ever.
[quads id=1]
1. Make Love Not Warcraft: Season 10 Episode 8
This is widely known as one of the best episodes of South Park ever. Interestingly, the creators were unsure if this episode would anger the gaming community, but almost everyone responded positively.
It tells the story of a World of Warcraft hacker who keeps ruining the game for all other players. To retaliate, the boys become zit-faced, cheeto-eating basement dwellers, whose only mission is to become powerful enough to destroy the hacker online.
It was an amazing and unflattering picture of those addicted to online gaming. Not to mention the use of World of Warcraft gaming animations to tell some of the story was incredible. This was truly one of the best South Park episodes.
[quads id=2]