South Parkis a cultural juggernaut that remains relevant today, asTrey ParkerandMatt Stonecontinue to push the medium of animation forward with their caustic, darkly hilarious series. Although it started off as just another animated sitcom with raunchy content,South Parkbegan to grow more ambitious as it tackled serious concepts relating to world politics, popular culture, existentialist themes, and the human condition.
South Parkhas frequently ventured outside of the “quiet mountain town” to tell stories about other aspectsof the fictional universe, some of which trek into science fiction or fantasy territory. In fact, some of the show’s best episodes to date have been those that tackle more surrealist themes or analyze current news events. Here are the ten bestSouth Parkepisodes that are set outside of the town of South Park itself, ranked.
South Park
10“Are You There God? It’s Me, Jesus”
Season 3, Episode 16 (2003)
Making fun of religion has become normal onSouth Park, as Parker and Stone are more than willing to make jabs at religious extremists who don’t listen to logical reasoning. In an elaborate parody of the classic coming-of-age novelAre You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, theSouth Parkepisode “Are You There God? It’s Me, Jesus” features the four main boys traveling to New York and Las Vegas as they experience the effects of puberty.
Jesus would eventually become a recurring character onSouth Park, and this episode did a particularly good job of realizing aspects of Catholicism in the show’s fictional universe.South Parkhas never been a series that is complacent with appeasing those who are easily distressed by upsetting content, and “Are You There God? It’s Me, Jesus” contains a few very extreme jokes about the crucifixion.
9“Canceled”
Season 7, Episode 1 (2003)
Although the series has often headed into science fiction territory,South Parkpulled off an elaborate parodyof the Robert Zemeckis space filmContactin the controversial episode “Canceled.” After discovering that aliens have placed a device in Cartman’s anus, theSouth Parkkids discover that the planet Earth is part of an elaborate reality show intended to test the limits of mankind’s perseverance.
South Parkis at its most cynical about the future in “Canceled,” as it shows the futility of trying to make a difference when humanity is destined to just be a blip in existence that is destined to be forgotten. The themes of “Canceled” would be a whole lot more depressing if the episode wasn’t so funny, as Cartman’s reaction to the aliens’ existence is one of the most side-splitting moments in the show’s early history.
8“Woodland Critter Christmas”
Season 8, Episode 14 (2004)
South Parkoften hits some of its highest points in its holiday-themed episodes, but “Woodland Critters Christmas” is certainly one of the darkest installments that the show has ever aired. In an elaborate parody of classic animated specials likeA Charlie Brown ChristmasandHow The Grinch Stole Christmas, the episode focuses on Stan discovering a group of magical woodland creatures in the first outside of the town, only to discover that they are actually part of a death cult.
The shocking use of body horror in “Woodland Critters Christmas” showed just how farSouth Park’s animation had advanced, and revealed that Stone and Parker could create some truly horrific imagery if the plot called for it. The episode is even more effective because it is told from the perspective of Stan, who has always been one of the show’s most rational characters.
7“Cartoon Wars”
Season 10, Episodes 3-4 (2006)
The two-part “Cartoon Wars” episodes ofSouth Parkare easily the most controversialin the show’s history, as they received so much backlash that they actually are not available on streaming services like Max and Paramount Plus. The episode steps outside of the town ofSouth Parkto take a look at Cartman’s journey to join the writer’s room ofFamily Guy.
Parker and Stone ruthlessly satirized the writing process of an episode ofFamily Guy, as Cartman learns that the show’s jokes are created by a whale that connects various popular culture references with cutaway gags. Although it is certainly possible that many viewers who watchSouth Parkalso enjoyFamily Guy,the analysis of Seth MacFarlane’s writing process is by far one of the show’s sickest burns. It’s almost impossible to watchFamily Guythe same way again.
6“Make Love, Not Warcraft”
Season 10, Episode 8 (2006)
South Parkhas more than a few great episodes focused on the world of video gaming, but “Make Love, Not Warcraft” was an inventive analysis of just how addictive online multiplayer games can be. After a particularly rude player keeps killing them off in brutal fashion, Cartman, Kenny, Kyle, and Stan decide to dedicate every waking moment of their lives to being the bestWorld of Warcraftplayers that they can.
“Make Love, Not Warcraft” was an effective detour from the show’s standard narrative because it took place entirely in the game, and utilized a different style of animation that fans of multiplayer franchises may have recognized. The fact that so much of the episode focuses on the idealized versions of themselves that Kyle, Kenny, Cartman, and Stan have made the cutaway gag to the slobs that they have become even more hilarious as a point of comparison.
5“Go God Go”
Season 10, Episode 12 (2006)
South Parktackled more controversial topics in the episode “Go God Go,” which focused on Cartman’s desire to freeze himself at a local mountain so that he can be sent to a time in which the new Wii program is released. What begins as anotherselfish action on Cartman’s partends up causing a religious crisis about the existence of God that results in a conference in New Hampshire with an alliance of atheists.
South Parkhas always been great at making fun of both sides of every debate, and “Go God Go” is solid because it shows how unrewarding it is to try and change the minds of those who already have strong beliefs and are unlikely to change. It was also another funny example of how Cartman’s seemingly isolated misbehavior would end up generating repercussions that affected people across the country.
4“Fantastic Easter Special”
Season 11, Episode 5 (2007)
It wouldn’t be aSouth Parkholiday episode if things didn’t get shockingly dark, and the show’s “Fantastic Easter Special” involves Stan facing a surrealist nightmare after asking his father about what the Easter Bunny and Jesus have to do with the holiday celebration. The episode takes a dark direction when Stan and Kyle head to the Vatican to discover a conspiracy at the heart of the Catholic Church, which serves as a particularly clever satire of theDan BrownnovelsThe Da Vinci CodeandAngels & Demons.
“Fantastic Easter Special” allowedSouth Parkto address some real-world concerns, as even though the debate about the Easter Bunny is completely ridiculous, there are real issues regarding the modernization of the Catholic Church in relation to more recent scientific developments. The episode also features the return of the fictional version of Jesus introduced in earlier seasons.
3“Imaginationland”
Season 11, Episodes 10-12 (2007)
The three-part “Imaginationland” storyline ofSouth Parkis the show’s best multi-part installment, as it took a break from the normal structure of the series to take place in a world filled with dreams and nightmares. After Kenny, Kyle, Cartman, Stan, and Butters become trapped in a strange imaginary world, they must rally forces with figures from various popular culture franchises in order to defeat evil.
“Imaginationland” is among the most visually stunning installments ofSouth Park, and contains more than enough fun references for fans ofStar Wars,The Lord of the Rings,Harry Potter, and superheroes to enjoy. The episodes were so popular that Comedy Central chose to release an edited version as a standalone DVD film, which may serve as the closest thing that fans will ever get to the 1999 musicalSouth Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut.
2“Fishsticks”
Season 13, Episode 5 (2009)
Although the series has more than a few playful jabs at various celebrities,South Parkabsolutely decimatedKanye Westin the episode “Fishsticks,” which was penned byguest writerBill Hader. After Jimmy and Cartman get into a feud over the creation of a joke that ends up circulating on various late-night talk shows, Kanye takes offense and tries to determine why everyone is making fun of him.
South Parkis always great at making fun of trends within the entertainment industry, and “Fishsticks” is able to show how silly it is to get overly invested in celebrity feuds. The original song “Gay Fish” sung at the very end of the episode is one of the best numbers that Stone and Parker ever came up with, and proved that their Tony award-winning work onThe Book of Mormonwas not a fluke.
1“Member Berries”
Season 20, Episode 1 (2016)
“Member Berries” became one of the most iconicSouth Parkepisodes of the last decade, as it addressed some very real concerns about the overuse of nostalgia in marketing legacy sequels and franchise films. Although the episode starts off by showing how Stan and Kyle are treated by their elementary school therapist, “Member Berries” tackled the impending presidential election cycle by showing the rise of Mr. Garrison as a far-right extremist candidate meant to lampoonDonald Trump.
The quick turnaround time onSouth Parkepisodes allowed Stone and Parker to add their own analysis to current eventsas they were occurring, resulting in a show that never felt like it was commenting on old news. Trump’s election may have taken the entire entertainment industry by storm, but Parker and Stone were able to intertwine it into the seasonal narrative arc in a way that made sense.
NEXT:The Best ‘South Park’ Episodes From the Last 10 Years, Ranked
