The ten Finest South Park Episodes, Ranked

As of September 2024, “South Park” has aired 328 episodes over 26 seasons. Not all of those episodes are winners, however there’ve been sufficient classics to make it appear wild for anybody to suppose they might slender it right down to only a prime 10. Nonetheless, I’ll attempt, and all I ask is that you just present me some grace after I inevitably exclude a few of your favorites.

For full disclosure, I ought to confess that I’m a giant fan of Butters, Tweek, and pre-Tegridy Farms Randy, so do not be shocked if they appear just a little over-represented. I additionally nonetheless maintain a grudge in opposition to Cartman for consuming all of the pores and skin off these KFC wings, so I am not gonna embody many episodes the place Cartman will get a win. I favor the episodes the place Cartman suffers or is punished for his lifetime of horrendous conduct. In different phrases, “With Apologies to Jesse Jackson” is getting snubbed right here, seeing because it contains a subplot the place Cartman efficiently bullies just a little particular person to the purpose of psychological deterioration.

I am additionally usually not a fan of the gross-out humor, so episodes like “Human CentiPad” will not be making the record, regardless of having among the funniest particular person moments within the present. As a lot as I admire the absurdity of Apple’s phrases and situations permitting them to throw Kyle into the center of a human centipede scenario, the truth that I cannot eat a snack whereas watching this knocks that episode out of the highest 10 for me.

Spoilers beneath…

One widespread criticism about “South Park” is that it is just a little too targeted on modern issues. Its quick manufacturing time means the writers can deal with the problems of the week in a manner that “The Simpsons” or “Household Man” by no means might, which implies lots of older episodes have both aged poorly or simply really feel irrelevant to a contemporary viewers. “Margaritaville,” in the meantime, shows the upside of this strategy. The episode now serves as a enjoyable little historical past lesson of what life was like through the worst of the Nice Recession. Issues had been chaotic and terrifying, and no person fairly knew how America was gonna dig its manner out of it. Did the feds actually decapitate a hen to determine what to do subsequent? Most likely not, however within the mess of the time, it was pretty much as good an answer as any.

The present’s tackle the recession provides us among the funniest moments in “South Park” historical past, from the beginning of the “Aanndd it is gone” meme to Randy’s rant about how everybody else (not him, in fact) precipitated this mess by means of their irresponsible monetary selections. The primary act particularly is a masterclass of comedic pacing, giving us killer joke after killer joke with none slowing down. By making zero makes an attempt to be timeless, by zeroing in so tightly on capturing one particular historic second, “Margaritaville” ended up being one of many best-aged episodes of all the present.

This episode’s inclusion shocked me a bit, given how a lot I hate it when Cartman wins — that and since I do not like gross-out humor. “Scott Tenorman Should Die,” which concludes with Cartman feeding a child his personal dad and mom who’ve been floor into chili, does each. But, the episode is so enjoyable and sharply written that it wins me over anyway.

The story is an obvious battle of wits between Scott and Cartman, which pulls the rug out and divulges that Scott was taking part in checkers and Cartman was taking part in chess. By no means underestimate Cartman was Kyle and Stan’s takeaway from the episode, and it is a lesson followers have by no means forgotten. The enjoyable cameo from Radiohead does not damage both.

This episode deserves props not only for its boldness, upping the shock think about a sequence that had seemingly already violated each taboo, but in addition in the best way it modified Cartman for the higher. Within the early seasons, Cartman was extra of the sufferer of Kyle and Stan’s antics; he was an annoying grouchy brat, certain, however he wasn’t the scheming, love-to-hate manipulator we all know at the moment. This was the second the writers realized Cartman was extra fascinating within the function of an lively villain, not some loser everybody else picks on.

This episode took on Tourette’s Syndrome, and it did so with an sudden sensitivity. The Tourette Affiliation of America famous afterward, “The episode was surprisingly well-researched. The extremely exaggerated emphasis on coprolalia however, for the attentive viewer, there was a shocking quantity of correct info conveyed.”

Certain sufficient, it’s spectacular simply how a lot correct info “South Park” squeezes into the episode’s premise, which includes Cartman pretending to have Tourette’s so he can use curse phrases and slurs with no penalties. It is enjoyable to observe how Kyle immediately understands what he is doing, even when all of the adults round him are oblivious to the ruse. 

What makes the entire episode work is new character Thomas, a child with Tourette’s who’s not solely written in a fancy, sympathetic manner, however who catches on to what Cartman’s doing too and helps Kyle take him down. Tragically, Cartman does not fairly get his comeuppance right here; though he begins creating Tourette signs for actual,  blurting out his embarrassing secrets and techniques, Kyle and Thomas unintentionally save him from doing a televised interview with Chris Hansen. Nonetheless, it is enjoyable to observe Cartman squirm as his scheme backfires, even when he escapes the scenario together with his dignity nonetheless intact.

For the primary 18 seasons, Craig and Tweek barely had any interactions with one another, give or take one weird season 3 outing (“Tweek vs Craig”) the place the primary gang tricked them into a giant schoolyard combat. Regardless of this, some “South Park” followers nonetheless someway began transport the 2 characters, making Yaoi artwork of the 2 for years on finish. It is the form of factor that you just’d by no means count on the showrunners to even find out about, a lot much less deal with on the present itself.

That is what makes it so enjoyable to observe as this episode not solely incorporates actual Yaoi fan artwork into the sequence, however does so in a manner that is surprisingly neither dismissive nor mean-spirited in direction of that part of the fanbase. Trey Parker and Matt Stone made these Creek shippers’ desires come true, all whereas delivering one of many funniest episodes in a robust season 19. My favourite sequence is the “Say One thing” montage proper after Tweek and Craig’s break-up, wherein all the city has such a severe, emotional response to the information. The imagery of the mayor crying over her husband’s grave, as an example, is genuinely heart-wrenching, however then you definately keep in mind the context behind it (she’s crying as a result of two fourth grade boys faked a break up) and also you giggle once more.

“Tweek x Craig” is each a heartfelt popping out storyline (form of) and a deeply sarcastic skewering of transport tradition gone too far; it is one of the crucial fascinating entries in an already formidable season of the present. It is also one in all many examples of the sequence’ shocking willingness to evolve with the instances, which has helped a ton with avoiding so lots of the pitfalls of modern-day “Simpsons” or “Household Man.”

This won’t be the outright funniest episode within the present, however it’s the most cathartic. After 12 seasons of rising malevolence from Cartman, the long-suffering Wendy Testaburger has lastly had sufficient. She challenges Cartman to a combat in entrance of the entire faculty, Cartman realizes she’s severe, and he spends the subsequent 20 minutes attempting and failing to weasel his manner out of it.

The episode’s nice partly due to the way it captures that elementary faculty pleasure of listening to a combat’s taking place, and likewise due to how effectively it reminds us that Cartman’s a cowardly, manipulative jerk earlier than punishing him for it. Like most of Cartman’s misfortunes, his struggling right here is totally of his personal making; all he has to do is give a real apology to Wendy. Hell, even and not using a first rate apology, his tattletale technique might’ve labored too if he hadn’t continued to mock Wendy after pulling it off.

Making the climactic finale even higher is the data that the combat might’ve gone in a different way. It is easy to image the writers discovering the humor in subverting expectations and having Cartman win the combat someway, however Parker and Stone knew that this wasn’t what followers needed. They knew it was time to knock the enamel out of this nine-year-old little one, they usually did not hesitate to let it occur.

Among the greatest “South Park” tales are those that embrace the children’ childlike innocence, and that is what makes “Lil’ Crime Stoppers” so pleasant. They’re having enjoyable utilizing their creativeness, hanging out and fixing small neighborhood crimes in their very own particular manner. In fact, that is nonetheless “South Park,” the place the adults are way more clownish than the children and something might occur, so it is becoming when the story someway escalates into explosive, life-or-death shootout sequences.

This is not the flashiest episode of the present, and it is not one I see that usually in prime 10 lists, but it surely positively deserves extra love. As good and acquainted as it’s to see Kyle and Cartman butting heads, it is even higher to see the gang working collectively as a gaggle, simply hanging out and having fun with life. This season 7 gem is without doubt one of the greatest examples of this model of episode. (Though “Quest for Rankings,” “A Ladder to Heaven,” and “Baby Abduction is Not Humorous” additionally deserve some love for capturing the identical vibe.)

This one hits residence for me as a result of, as an enormous fan of “Guitar Hero” rising up, this episode was precisely the way it felt. Okay, so I did not get hooked on a heroin-based online game, however you get what I imply. The episode captures what it feels wish to have your entire pal group obsessive about a selected online game, to benefit from the spectacle of only one or two individuals taking part in it whereas everybody else watches and roots them on. A great online game once you’re a child can really feel like crucial factor on the earth, and that is precisely the way it feels to Stan as he will get roped into the hedonistic rock and roll social gathering scene.

I additionally admire “Guitar Queer-O” for capturing that particular sort of bafflement adults had again through the peak of “Guitar Hero,” the place they had been questioning why the children had been dedicating a lot time to studying a faux guitar when studying to play an actual guitar can be a lot extra rewarding. “That is homosexual, Mr. Marsh,” Cartman tells Randy when he performs a music for the children on an precise guitar. For nine-year-olds within the 2000s, this actually was the prevailing knowledge, and it is spectacular how effectively “South Park” captured that.

Along with being a enjoyable episode for the beautiful Jimmy, “Fishsticks” is a well-observed deep dive into Cartman’s particular model of narcissism. He is a man who will at all times consider he is in the best; not solely will he misinform individuals to make this case, however he’ll straight-up misremember occasions to color himself in the most effective gentle doable. No surprise he by no means modifications — he is mentally incapable of acknowledging any of his errors.

Famously, “Fishsticks” is the episode that pissed off Kanye West by presenting him as a man so humorless and insecure that he reacts to a fourth grader’s joke by occurring a homicide rampage, then leaping into the ocean to embrace his new life as a homosexual fish. What makes the scenario even funnier is the actual West’s interview years later, wherein he made it clear that he nonetheless does not perceive the joke. (No, significantly: he someway does not get it.) “Fishsticks” is not simply humorous by itself; it is downright prophetic. Years earlier than West absolutely misplaced his manner, “South Park” had him pegged.

I like Butters and I hate Cartman; in fact “Superior-O” is making the record. After Cartman pretends to be a robotic to tug one other imply prank on Butters, Butters obliviously reveals that he is bought an embarrassing video of Cartman he is able to leak to the entire city the subsequent time Cartman crosses him. The recording could also be a devious plan from Butters, however for essentially the most half this episode’s Butters is as harmless and healthful as ever. He thinks he is discovered a cool robotic pal, unaware that he is placing Cartman by means of unimaginable psychological and bodily anguish. Good for him.

What’s cool about “Superior-O” is how naturally the humor flows from this easy premise. Issues maintain escalating out of Cartman’s management and he retains barely managing to carry all of it collectively. The story squeezes in some mockery of 2000s Hollywood’s love of Adam Sandler, in addition to a parody of the sci-fi film trope the place the salt-of-the-earth military man trashes on the nerdy scientist, leaving simply sufficient time for Cartman to be uncovered within the ultimate minutes. “Superior-O” ends with Cartman’s embarrassing video being performed for everybody’s enjoyment; I nearly really feel unhealthy for him, however then I keep in mind how he tried to start out a second Holocaust, and the sensation passes.

“South Park” is usually praised for its truth-telling, and nowhere is that extra deserved than in “The Dropping Edge,” the place the showrunners come proper out and say it: baseball is horrible. Even worse is Little League, the place the video games are boring and the dad and mom within the crowd are sometimes so obnoxious that they’ll smash the vibes for everybody. For those who’ve ever watched a dad or mum scream and curse on the 13-year-old umpire for a name they made in opposition to their 11-year-old little one, you’ll be able to in all probability relate to this episode. 

“The Dropping Edge” is “South Park” at its most sarcastic, skewering basic sports activities film tropes by means of the apathetic little one forged (who wish to lose a recreation so the season can lastly finish) and the over-passionate grownup forged (who by no means discover how depressing their youngsters are). Randy is at his greatest right here, needlessly combating with one other dad within the crowd each single recreation, screaming “I believed this America!” every time because the cops pull him away. 

All of it results in one of the crucial triumphant Randy moments within the present, the place he says “I did not hear no bell” and jumps again into his fistfight with Batdad, guaranteeing a forfeit for the South Park staff. It is a hilarious instance of Randy’s drunken delusion getting used for good, and of the episode’s two most important storylines abruptly colliding in an thrilling, satisfying manner. Stan’s proper: Randy actually is the best, even when poor Sharon does not suppose so.