The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (2023)

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (1)

Twenty-six seasons, various specials and blockbusters. And it continues today. The legacy South Park has built since its premiere on Comedy Central more than two and a half decades ago is immense, and the show has had an indelible impact on pop culture along the way. Looking back, it's amazing how many classic episodes there are, making it incredibly hard to pick a favorite... but we thought we'd try the challenge anyway.

We've already written about itSouth Park's most controversial episodesithe darkest moments of the series, we've done our very best to identify the top 20 episodes of the beloved animated series, and as we work on number one, we'll start with…

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (2)

20. "Kenny Dies" (Season 5, Episode 13)

In Season 5, the idea of ​​killing Kenny on South Park was old, but that's part of what makes "Kenny Dies" so special. The episode features a shockingly emotional story where Stan can't handle the idea of ​​losing one of his best friends... stem cell research could clone Shakey's Pizza with a horde of aborted fetuses.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (3)

19. "Britney's New Look" (Season 12, Episode 2)

Like some of the other entries on this list, "Britney's New Look" is an episode of South Park that focuses on a specific moment in pop culture, but also has broader commentary that is sharp and excellent. The titular Britney is, of course, Britney Spears, and her titular new look is blown on the head by a suicide attempt caused by the paparazzi and tabloid reporters who constantly harassed her. It's a brilliant take on the horrors of celebrity obsession, topped off with an exquisite nod to Shirley Jackson's terrifying and beloved short story 'The Lottery'.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (4)

18. "Crack Baby Athletic Association" (Season 15, Episode 5)

Considering how much college athletes earn for their schools and the fact that said institutions can sell their names and likenesses, should they be paid? South Park makes the case for "Yes" with the outrageous and hilarious Season 15 episode "Crack Baby Athletic Association". history of the show where Cartman is able to successfully corrupt Kyle.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (5)

17. "It Hits the Fan" (Sezona 5, Epizoda 1)

It's okay to say the word "shit" on television these days - be it network, basic cable or premium - but that wasn't the case back in 2001...and "It Hits The Fan" can be cited as the reason why we saw how things have changed over the last 22 years. South Park viciously mocks the pomp and circumstance surrounding the use of a simple four-letter word and does so with glee, eventually characters saying the word over 160 times.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (6)

(Video) Top 20 Greatest South Park Episodes

16. "The Death of Eric Cartman" (Season 9, Episode 6)

Trey Parker and the South Park writers tend to strike gold when they come up with new ways to torture poor, innocent Butters, and while "The Death of Eric Cartman" isn't the best example, it scores high. It takes a very childish idea (all the kids choose to ignore Cartman, making him think he's dead) and takes it to hilarious places - culminating in Butters' traumatizing trip to a mental institution.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (7)

15. "Damien" (Season 1, Episode 10)

When South Park first premiered in 1997, the amount of outrage it generated was comical in retrospect, and no episode in that debut scared people like "Damien." The incredible idea of ​​Jesus battling Satan in a boxing match made faces around the world blush — and sent an important message about the show's penchant for transition.

14. "Good Times With Guns" (Sezona 8, Epizoda 1)

While the young characters in South Park tend to act mature as adults, the reminder that they're still just kids regularly yields wonderful results, and "Good Times With Guns" is proof of that. Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny are just fooling around and playing ninja when a shuriken is planted right in Butters' eye socket - and their attempts to stay out of trouble are as funny as they are brutal.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (9)

13. "Woodland Critter Christmas" (Sezona 8, Epizoda 14)

What does a Christmas fairy tale from the mind of Eric Cartman look like? That's the question monstrously answered by "Woodland Critter Christmas," which isn't nearly as adorable as the title suggests. It starts out cute enough, but it goes straight to hell pretty quickly after it's revealed that the cute forest animals are devout satanists who like to participate in bloody orgies and want to cause the apocalypse by giving birth to the Antichrist. It's a special kind of insanity that only South Park can pull off.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (10)

12. "Cripple Fight" (Season 5, Episode 2)

The controversy over gay adults being part of the Boy Scouts hasn't been an issue since 2015, when the organization changed its policy to lift the existing ban, but "Cripple Fight" has kept its timeless qualities thanks to South Park using the episode to introduce a new character: Jimmy Valmer. The conflict that ensues between Jimmy and Timmy (the latter insanely jealous of the attention the former receives) is brilliantly irreverent, and the remake of the classic fight from John Carpenter's They Live is a stroke of genius.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (11)

11. "Imaginationland" (Season 11, Episodes 10-12)

South Park has delivered a string of incredible multi-part episodes, from the time-traveling craziness of "Go God Go" to the anti-Family Guy rants of "Cartoon Wars," but "Imaginationland" is its best serialized story yet of the show. Set over three episodes in Season 11, it's the ultimate movie/TV crossover that we'll never see in live action, as fiction's greatest heroes and villains face each other in battle, and the story revolves around a bet on whether or not they are leprechauns. there's the classic Cartman vs. Kyle.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (12)

10. "The Wacky Molestation Adventure" (Sezona 4, Epizoda 16)

There's no arena too dark or too taboo for South Park to explore, and that's effectively summed up in Season 4's title, "The Wacky Molestation Adventure." Riffing on Stephen King's Children Of The Corn, all the kids in the Colorado town of the same name on the show get rid of their "oppressive" parents by accusing them of the "M-word," and there's a fun mix of horror and comedy as everything descends into anarchy and warring factions are created.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (13)

(Video) EVERY EPISODE of South Park RANKED from WORST to BEST

9. "Trapped in the Closet" (Season 9, Episode 12)

When South Park swings, it swings, and "Trapped In The Closet" is one of the most eye-catching moves. The episode is one big blow to Scientology, and while it had the unfortunate side effect of breaking up the show's relationship with Scientology member Isaac Hayes, the battle between Stan and the nemesis-antagonist is priceless - perfectly punctuated by John Smith's and Jane Smith's closing credits after Stan calls the church to sue him.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (14)

8. "The Passion of the Jew" (Sezona 8, Epizoda 3)

Cartman mocking Kyle for being Jewish was part of South Park's brand of irreverence from the start, but the 2004 release of Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ really got Trey Parker's creative juices flowing, resulting in the genius which is "The Jewish Passion". Cartman's attempt to reboot the film's fan-filled Third Reich may be one of the meanest things the show has ever done, but by far the best thing about this episode is Gibson's portrayal as a madman at Looney Tunes level.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (15)

7. "Fish Fingers" (Season 13, Episode 5)

Long before his own anti-Semitic attacks exposed him as a poisonous figure, South Park made Kanye West a prime target for satire, and the show ravaged him as a self-righteous jerk with a ridiculous ego in "Fish Sticks." The "fag chick" joke at the center is incredibly silly, but effectively elicits giggles; Cartman's credit battle with Jimmy seamlessly escalates; and the parody of "Heartless" at the very end is one of the show's best musical moments.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (16)

6. "Casa Bonita" (Season 7, Episode 11)

How far would you go to visit a really cool restaurant? As passionate as you are, I doubt you would go as far as Eric Cartman. “Casa Bonita” is another great example of Butters being tortured for our entertainment, with Cartman basically convincing him that there has been a nuclear war so the straw-headed kid will be locked in the hideout for a few days. It's brutal and insane, and easily one of South Park's best Cartman-centric episodes.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (17)

5. "Awesom-O" (Season 8, Episode 5)

It might be funny to watch poor innocent Butters get tortured on a regular basis in South Park, but it's even funnier to watch Cartman get tortured when he tries to torture Butters. This idea is at its peak in season eight's "Awesom-O," where Cartman accidentally gets trapped while posing as a hyper-advanced robot. After delving into the lack of originality in Hollywood and Adam Sandler films and discussing the ethics of dealing with artificial intelligence, a fart proves to be the perfect way to end the story, with all of Cartman's colleagues laughing at him as a video of him dancing. to a clipping of Justin Timberlake.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (18)

4. "The Simpsons Did It" (Season 6, Episode 7)

You can see this started with frustration in the writing room. By the time South Park was halfway through its sixth season in 2002, The Simpsons was in its 14th season and had over 300 episodes.they used a lot of great ideas before South Park could. Thankfully, that foil turned out to be a fantastic backdrop to one of the series' best chapters. The madness and frustration of Butters' villainous alter-ego Professor Chaos is consistently hilarious as he tries to come up with original ways to terrorize his hometown, and is matched by a truly disgusting but tense plot where Cartman creates a "SeaCiety" by mixing sea monkeys and seeds.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (19)

3. "Osama Bin Laden Has Farted Pants" (Season 5, Episode 9)

In the aftermath of the horrific events of 9/11, the film and television industries were challenged to respond appropriately, but South Park took its own course at a time when history was changing. "Osama Bin Laden Has Farting Pants" aired less than a month after the 2001 terrorist attacks and provided incredible catharsis for fans, who were able to take in the commentary on military operations in Afghanistan while also laughing hysterically at Cartman's torture of the titular evil fanatic. like Bugs Bunny.

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (20)

2. "Scott Tenorman Must Die" (Season 5, Episode 4)

Eric Cartman let a teenager eat his parents. I'll say it again. Eric Cartman let a teenager eat his parents. Since then, South Park has gone to some particularly dark placesfirst in 1997, but it was never blacker than for the fourth episode of the fifth season. "Scott Tenorman Must Die" technically doesn't live up to its title, as the eponymous character ultimately survives his battle with pop culture's most notoriously bony fourth grader, but his fate is undeniably worse than death. After all, not only did he accidentally become a cannibal by feeding on the people who gave birth and raised him, but the members of Radiohead also embarrass him.

(Video) Ranking EVERY South Park Episode Ever

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked (21)

1. "You're Getting Old" (Season 15, Episode 7)

"Maturity" has clearly never been a South Park thing (factored into the main characters being perma-teens), but that's part of what makes "Growing Up" so special. It certainly has its immature aspects - namely, two farmers whose mission is to protect Randy's underwear when he starts performing musically.shit in your pants– but above all it is a powerful and honest meditation on aging, the development of taste and the cynicism of adulthood. If the 2011 episode had been the series finale, it would have been the perfect ending to the series, but Trey Parker and Matt Stone have decided to make us laugh in new, inventive, and timely ways over the past 12 years. First I declared "Stariš" asSouth Park's best episode2012, and it's a feeling I'm still getting off.

Every episode of South Park is available to stream alongSubscription to HBO Max, although you also need itParamount+ subscriptionto lookvarious specials of the show, uključujući "South Park: Post Covid" en "South Park The Streaming Wars."

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FAQs

The 20 Best South Park Episodes, Ranked? ›

The depiction of Buddha snorting cocaine in "200" and "201", prompted the government of Sri Lanka to ban the entire series outright.

Why was South Park episode 200 and 201 banned? ›

The depiction of Buddha snorting cocaine in "200" and "201", prompted the government of Sri Lanka to ban the entire series outright.

What is the funniest episode of South Park? ›

1. “Casa Bonita” (Season 7, Episode 11) “Casa Bonita” isn't the most unique episode of “South Park,” or the most topical, or the most controversial, or the most significant. Instead, it's number one because it's maybe the single funniest in the show's history.

Can an 11 year old watch South Park? ›

Parents need to know that South Park is a satirical animated series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone that isn't meant for young kids. It's jam packed with mature themes, swearing (including "f--k," "s--t," and more), over-the-top cartoon violence, potty humor, and innuendo. People of every race, class,…

What is the most censored South Park episode? ›

There are five South Park episodes banned in total, but season 14 episodes "200" and "201" are especially infamous because they sparked an enormous outcry from Middle-Eastern terrorism groups over the South Park Muhammad image.

What is the most saddest South Park episode? ›

Features
  • South Park (TV Series 1997) The saddest "South Park" moments are counted down.
  • "South Park" Kenny Dies (TV Episode 2001) Kenny's Death for Real is #1.
  • "South Park" Butters' Very Own Episode (TV Episode 2001) ...
  • "South Park" Raisins (TV Episode 2003) ...
  • "South Park" Woodland Critter Christmas (TV Episode 2004)

Is the F word censored in South Park? ›

The F word is used frequently, but it is bleeped when it airs on TV (not on HBO Max usually), and it is uncensored on DVD and online. In the Season 5 episode "It Hits the Fan", the S word was said 162 times. This is meant as a satire to the over-censorship of television.

Did Tom Cruise try to sue South Park? ›

Tom Cruise reportedly got close to suing South Park for the infamous episode, 'Trapped in the Closet'. For those unfamiliar with the episode, it involved denouncements of scientology, Tom locking himself in main character, Stan's, closet, and pleas from several characters for him to 'come out of the closet'.

Why is butters called butters? ›

In addition to being a play on his last name (“Butters Stotch” = “Butterscotch”), “Butters” is the nickname of one of the show's animation directors and producers, Eric Stough on whom the character is based.

Is Casa Bonita real? ›

Casa Bonita ( lit. 'pretty house' in Spanish) is a Mexican restaurant in Lakewood, Colorado. It is located within the JCRS (Jewish Consumptives' Relief Society) Shopping Center, now known as the Lamar Station Plaza.

What is episode 112 of South Park? ›

"Good Times with Weapons" is the first episode of the eighth season of the American animated series South Park and the 112th episode of the series. It originally aired on March 17, 2004. In the episode, the boys are transformed into Japanese warriors after they buy martial arts weapons at a local market.

Is South Park a 15 or 18? ›

South Park was the first weekly program to be rated TV-MA, and is generally intended for adult audiences.

Why is South Park 1999 Rated R? ›

distributed the film internationally. The film was rated R for "pervasive vulgar language and crude sexual humor, and for some violent images" by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

Is South Park 18 plus? ›

For instance, Trey Parker and Matt Stone (creators of the show) create characters like Eric Cartman to show audiences what not to be. This show is not meant for young children, but it can be shown to a mature 12+ year old audience as long as there are conversations about the content they just watched.

Where is South Park banned? ›

In response to the episode's criticism of the Chinese government, South Park was entirely banned in China, including on its streaming services and social media platforms.

When did South Park get banned? ›

South Park was banned in India in 2010. According to VH1 India's channel head Ferzad Palia, after being reviewed by the Indian Ministry of Broadcasting, the show was banned for its vulgarity. However, in 2019, South Park was added to Netflix India, where it is rated 18+ for strong language and nudity.

What's the darkest episode of South Park? ›

Darkest South Park Episodes
#EpisodeRelease Date
4Butters' Very Own EpisodeDecember 12, 2001
3Woodland Critter ChristmasDecember 15, 2004
2Cartman SucksMarch 14, 2007
1HumancentiPadApril 27, 2011
6 more rows

Who is the cutest in South Park? ›

Plot. The boys discover that the girls in their class have made a list of them, ordered by cuteness. The boys, after two attempts, eventually succeed in stealing the list and discover it ranks Clyde as the cutest, and Kyle as the ugliest, with Cartman just above him.

What episode is Cartman suicidal? ›

Put It Down (South Park)
"Put It Down"
Episode no.Season 21 Episode 2
Directed byTrey Parker
Written byTrey Parker
Production code2102
6 more rows

Who is the most evil character in South Park? ›

Gerald Broflovski, Kyle and Ike's father and a major recurring character (recently seen when the parents supported their kids in an Airsoft battle), is a genuinely worse person than anyone else in South Park.

What episode does Cartman say the F word in class? ›

"The F Word" is the twelfth episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series South Park.

What season did South Park get bad? ›

Season 20 was arguably one of the most divisive seasons in "South Park" history, which is saying something considering the show's entire foundation being built upon its offensive humor and the animated comedy's long history of being met with derision.

When did South Park start cussing? ›

But it was South Park that really turned obscenity into art (which is, basically, the thesis statement for the show). In the show's 2001 season 5 opener (the aptly titled “It Hits the Fan”), Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and their gang of hooligan second graders unleashed “s—” 162 times. Britain's beloved C-word, No.

Does HBO censor South Park? ›

Welcome to WatchMojo and today we'll be looking at why these five “South Park” episodes were censored by HBO. For this essay, we're looking at the reasons behind HBO refusing to platform a certain handful of episodes of this infamous cartoon. “South Park” has a long and decorated history for courting controversy.

How many cuss words does South Park have? ›

Anyone who's seen the show will know the characters in South Park have a penchant for profanity. But did you know the movie has exactly 399 swear words, and it's for a very specific reason? According to IMDb, the reason it has this precise number is to avoid it getting a higher age rating.

Why was Timmy removed from South Park? ›

Comedy Central originally wanted to remove him from the episode, in fear of potential controversy over the inclusion of a mentally handicapped character.

How did JLO react to South Park? ›

Jennifer Lopez

Allegedly, Lopez was already frustrated with “South Park” co-creator Parker after he wore a replica of her famous green Versace Grammys gown to the 2000 Oscars, where Parker and Stone were nominated for Best Original Song for the “South Park” movie.

What illness does Timmy have in South Park? ›

Unlike Jimmy, Timmy has below average academic performance and struggles with speech (Parker and Stone, 2000). He has a wheelchair and cannot speak beyond basic phrases and names, which is mostly consistent with cerebral palsy (Hallahan, Kauffman, and Pullen, 2019, p. 330).

What is Tweeks real name? ›

Gavin Dempsey (born April 11, 1998), also known as Tweek, is an American professional Super Smash Bros.

Why is Butters blind in one eye? ›

Butters then transforms into Professor Chaos and has a "ninja fight" with the gang. This ends when Kenny accidentally throws a shuriken into Butters' eye, which causes him extreme pain, shocking the other boys.

Who is Cartman based on? ›

Cartman is partially named after and based on Matt Karpman, a high school classmate of Parker who remains a friend of both Parker and Stone.

What is Cartman's favorite restaurant? ›

Casa Bonita was made famous by South Park. Now the show's owners run the place and it's about to reopen. Eric Cartman's favorite restaurant is reopening this summer.

What city is South Park based on? ›

While there is no actual town of South Park, Fairplay, a small town 85 miles southwest of Denver, is about as close as it gets.

Who owns South Park? ›

Comedy Central

What is Kenny's ninja name? ›

Trivia
CharacterKyleKenny
Ninja NameBunrakuKensuke/Kenny (unintelligible)
WeaponNunchakuShuriken

Which episode is South Park COVID? ›

The Pandemic Special

What is episode 69 of South Park? ›

"Scott Tenorman Must Die" is the fourth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 69th episode of the series overall.

Can a 12 year old play South Park Stick of Truth? ›

A Lot or a Little? What you will—and won't—find in this game. Parents need to know that South Park: The Stick of Truth is absolutely not for kids, despite its cartoonish aesthetic and cast of kid characters. Like the TV show that inspired it, it's filled with very mature humor.

When did South Park stop using paper? ›

Answer: We actually haven't used real construction paper since the pilot episode “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe.” After that, South Park made the big switch to big 'ol fancy computers. We use a number of programs to make the finished product, but most of the animation is done in Maya (a powerful 3D animation program).

Do people age in South Park? ›

In most animated shows, the characters never age, but what's different in South Park. is there's a continuity. and passage of time with current events, like the presidential election. One explanation why the characters don't age. is that Kenny constant death triggered a time loop.

Why is big mouth a 18? ›

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Expect plenty of cartoon nudity, kissing, sex, and sexual language, as well as a surprisingly realistic look at puberty and sexual development.

Is South Park Season 1 censored? ›

The only episode of South Park to be banned for reasons that are not related to freedom of religious expression, South Park season 1, episode 5, “An Elephant Makes Love To A Pig” was cut for more practical reasons.

Is Rick and Morty kid friendly? ›

Parents need to know that Rick and Morty is intended for mature viewers who can take the copious violence, alcohol consumption, and sexual content in stride. The show centers on a degenerate relationship between an anxious, socially marginal teen and his lunatic lush of a grandfather who drags him into absurd…

What is Family Guy rated? ›

It earns a tv MA rating

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Why is the South Park game rated M? ›

Parents Need to Know

It has many scenes with sexuality and nudity, including a controversial scene with Catholic priests who want to molest a South Park character and pull rosary beads out of their anuses. There's also a scene in a strip club where players perform a lap dance on other characters.

What is the best episode of South Park to watch while high? ›

Le Petit Tourette (Season 11: Episode 8)

This is one of the best South Park episodes to watch high. Cartman pretends that he suffers from Tourette's syndrome. He says whatever he pleases. Unfortunately for him, faking illness starts affecting his mental health.

Does being black in South Park make it harder? ›

The lighter the complexion, the easier the game. The darker the complexion, the harder the game. If you want a greater challenge, you have to play as a black character. “This doesn't affect combat,” Cartman tells you.

What South Park episode is bigger longer uncut? ›

Episode 119- South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)

What is the lowest rated episode of South Park? ›

Here are 10 of the worst South Park episodes that the show has ever aired in its two-decade run.
  1. 1 Jakovasaurs — Season 3, Episode 4.
  2. 2 Terrance And Philip In Not Without My Anus — Season 2, Episode 1. ...
  3. 3 Eat, Pray, Queef — Season 13, Episode 4. ...
  4. 4 Funnybot — Season 15, Episode 2. ...
Apr 19, 2023

Why does butters have a scar? ›

After getting a ninja star lodged in his eye in "Good Times With Weapons", Butters is frequently depicted in fanart as having a scar going through said eye. Some take it a step further and even have him wearing a false eye, or otherwise suggest that the incident blinded his eye.

What grade is Cartman in? ›

Role in South Park. Cartman attends South Park Elementary as part of Mr. Garrison's class. During the first 58 episodes, he and his classmates were in the third grade, before transitioning to the fourth grade during the fourth season. He is the only child of Liane Cartman, a promiscuous single mother.

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