South Park (1997)

Watchseries; I read in complete disbelief the comments that called the show racist, homophobic, anti-religious and even one that said it promoted animal cruelty. LOL! There isn't a single race, religion, political group, sexuality, gender, nationality, celebrity etc etc that it doesn't make fun of. The show even pops fun at itself in some episodes, signalling to the world that they themselves are open to ridicule. If you think the show has a nasty message about a certain group then your just not getting it and i'm glad you have ceased watching and have moved on to more brain numbing programmes that don't cause you to think (might I recommend 'Friends').

I read in complete disbelief the comments that called the show racist, homophobic, anti-religious and even one that said it promoted animal cruelty. LOL! There isn't a single race, religion, political group, sexuality, gender, nationality, celebrity etc etc that it doesn't make fun of. The show even pops fun at itself in some episodes, signalling to the world that they themselves are open to ridicule. If you think the show has a nasty message about a certain group then your just not getting it and i'm glad you have ceased watching and have moved on to more brain numbing programmes that don't cause you to think (might I recommend 'Friends').

South Park watchseries. Matt and Trey need to be commended for this series. It takes shots at EVERYTHING, and it does it in really questionable taste. But that's why I love it. Because, beneath the crude language and vulgar humor, South Park contains one of most biting satires in existence. This show is hilarious, constantly taking current events, such as Stem Cell Research, or fads, like the infamous Poke'mon craze, and spinning their own view on them. Thank you, Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Thank you.

BOTTOM LINE: One show I try to never miss on Wednesdays. This series gives me something to look for.

I remember when these four little boys were nothing but private greeting card art. Now look at them!

In all seriousness, I love this show. This is the funniest adult cartoon there is, and thank GOODNESS Comedy Central took this series and allowed the creators to do "almost" anything. If there was an alternate universe for "Peanuts", you've hit it in "South Park".

There are very few (if none) episodes I didn't like. We all have our favorites, and my number one is still "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe". I laughed until I cried on that one. The next one that is very close to that is last years (2002) Christmas Special when Jesus was "packing" to rescue Santa out of Iraq after he was shot down. This was one of those episodes where I DARE you not to laugh and enjoy it.

The supporting cast about South Park is also stellular. The lives (and minds) that intertwine with Stan, Cartman, Kenny and Kyle are just hilarious. Chef, Mr. Garrison. Kyles Mom and Dad, Cartman's Mother, Butters, Timmy!, Sherrif Bar Brady, Principal Victoria, Wendy, BeBe, and..Big Gay Al..etc....etc..you name it, they are just too much.

Wonderful and ground-breaking (even though the animation isn't state of the art) nothing is out of bounds for these guys...South Park is an instant classic and a great time to be had by all.

South Park Is the best TV show on Planet Earth. I actually think it's better than Rick and Morty. But, does it deserve a 10? When people who only watch Rick and Morty hear South Park, they think it's a very lazy and crude show (I will be ripping my friends' love for Rick and Morty to shreds). South park is actually the opposite, it is intelligent, funny and in some places heart warming and sad. The characters are perfect, I love Cartman, Kenny, Stan, Butters, Randy and my personal favourite Kyle. The supporting cast are some of the most memorable characters, not as good as The Simpsons. The episodes are some of the most memorable scenarios ever put on television. Hilarious episodes like the zip lining episode, unexpected episodes like the Christmas Critters episode, episodes exploiting people opinions and views on the world like "Chinpokemon" and "Passion of the Jew", very emotional episodes like "You're getting old" and my personal favourite episode "Raisins", very dark episodes like "Scott Tenerman must die" and the very important "Osama Bin Laden has Farty Pants". There's such a variety than Peter Griffin doing something stupid or a wacky Sci-Fi adventure with Rick and Morty. The show has fallen. It's now a very boring show. But, instead of looking at the present, we have seasons 1-17 to rewatch. I have many respects to Stone and Parker for giving us a show that even my mother can love.

Now listen, i'm giving this show a 9 because the previous seasons before season 19 were excellent. They really influenced many other hilarious shows, and part of the fun of my childhood was tuning in to South Park when my parents were gone, only to be caught watching it. But the thing that keeps me from giving this show a perfect 10 is because i think the show has changed for the worst.

So like i said first 18 seasons of South Park we're excellent, even the bad episodes in there still had great memorable moments. I tuned in to Season 19 and i noticed they wanted to do a story season were everything is connected. But that season provided little laughs and the finale was disappointing. I had high hopes for Season 20 because i thought Trey and Matt (the show's creators) had listened to the feedback on Season 19, but Season 20 was even worse then the last one. Many characters went through unnecessary changes, they put so much political topics into the show to the point where it felt like overkill, they managed to make Gerald (Kyle's dad) the most unlikable character in the show, many things that the show sets up are quickly forgotten, and the ending was bad (not disappointing like season 19, but just bad). Season 21 was an improvement from Season 20 but the show was still missing something. And i think i know what killed South Park.

It's no secret that South Park has many political and social commentary tones, but that was never the main point of the show, that was just a good addition to it. But it's like Matt and Trey forgot that, and they made the social commentary the MAIN point of the show.

The sad thing about it is Trey and Matt really want to go back to the roots of South Park, but they forgot how to. They got so carried away with Politics that they forgot that the heart of the show was 4 foul mouthed kids in a small mountain town that find themselves in the dumbest of situations. They completely ditched that part of the show and i eagerly want it back.

Both cartoons and sci-fi have long been the only place where thought-provoking social commentary can take place, unmolested by censorship, and both are all too frequently dismissed because of their least important characteristics. South Park is an intelligent, humorous and thought-provoking show that is often ignored or decried by people who judge it only by the very things it deliberately throws in their face, such as profanity, simple animation, and graphic violence, because the creators know that people like this are easily offended by these things, and will always miss the point. The simplicity of the animation, for example, has been criticised by people who miss the point that it's deliberately meant to be simple, in the face of those high-budget major studio cartoons that are more concerned with using cgi and selling toys than having anything to say. Nope, this isn't a show for those who don't appreciate irony. The episodes tackle a wide range of issues, from 9/11 to violence on television to celebrity obsession to religion, through the use of comedy, which is usually the best way to handle such matters.

The main characters are four children who are basically mouthpieces for their creator's opinions, expressing views that would sound arrogant coming from adults. Stan represents the liberal viewpoint, as does his friend Kyle, who as a practising Jew, allows opportunity for religious comment. Is the show anti-religious? No, but fundamentalists like to think it is. It has the essential message of 'believe what you like, but leave me alone'. And of course there's Eric Cartman, the ignorant foul-mouthed selfish redneck, and funny as hell. Sometimes I think he's there to remind us not to take anyone like him seriously. That and to provide a lot of the show's humour. Easily my favourite character. Other characters on the show usually represent majority/opposing views as the plot requires.

Like any long-running show, some episodes are better than others, not all have something to say, and not all are funny. But creators Stone and Parker 'retool' the show periodically with new characters, and try to keep up with current events, and I enjoyed the latest series (8th) for these very reasons. I've watched since the beginning, but they're making an effort not to let South Park go stale.

No doubt South Park will continue to be derided by those who think the most important social problem today is swearing, yet have probably never sat down to watch an episode. And beside them will be the offended parent brigade who still haven't learned that not all cartoons are for children. But the rest of us will still be here to enjoy it, hopefully exchanging righteous indignation for a few laughs and maybe a thought or two about the world we live in. If you've never seen South Park, don't listen to the hype. Watch it and decide for yourself. Hopefully you'll be glad you did.