‘South Park’s 30 Most Controversial Episodes of All Time, Ranked
It’s in South Park‘s DNA to be controversial. That’s part of its genius. The most offensive South Park episodes fire shots at everyone: celebrities, politicians, religious figures, and every demographic present in modern society. No one is safe. Show-runners Trey Parker and Matt Stone take a sort of impish delight in ruffling feathers and smashing taboos. From episode one, South Park has served up profane, violent, and outrageous storylines that are certainly not for the faint of heart — but which are also painstakingly funny.
The series has been on air since 1997 and has produced over 320 episodes. In this time, there has been no shortage of stories from South Park that annoyed some segments of the population or got under the skin of the celebs being satirized. Plenty of episodes caused a stir, but the ones that led to threats of legal action or were outright banned are the cream of the crop.
- Release Date
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August 13, 1997
- Network
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Comedy Central
- Directors
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Adrien Beard
- Writers
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David A. Goodman, Nancy M. Pimental, Kenny Hotz, Philip Stark, Dave Weasel, Dan Sterling, Susan Hurwitz Arneson, Trisha Nixon, David R. Goodman, Tim Talbott, Pam Brady, Robert Lopez, Dani Michaeli, Kyle McCulloch, Karey Dornetto, Jonathan Kimmel, Jane Bussmann
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Liane Cartman / Wendy Testaburger / Mrs. Crabtree (voice)
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Kyle Broflovski / Kenny McCormick (voice)
30
“Red Sleigh Down”
Season 6, Episode 17
Cartman’s undying sense of self-interest crosses paths with the festive spirit in the South Park holiday episode “Red Sleigh Down.” It sees the troublesome child having to manipulate his way onto Santa Claus’ “nice” list in order to be eligible to receive the gift he yearns for. In a bid to show his good qualities, Cartman recruits Santa, Jesus, and Mr. Hankey to bring Christmas cheer to the children of Iraq, a sentiment that backfires when Santa’s sleigh is shot down.
Referencing films like Black Hawk Down and Three Kings throughout, the episode pulls no punches in its appetite for parody humor, an endeavor that had some fans in hysterics while others could only gasp in shock. Additionally, the episode also marks Kenny’s return to the series, effectively resolving the ongoing arc of him being dead and his spirit living on in Cartman’s body.
29
“Pinewood Derby”
Season 13, Episode 6
“Pinewood Derby” sees Randy helping Stan win a boy cub scout motor race only to inadvertently make him the first human being to reach light speed and establish contact with an alien race. When alien gangsters lose a stash of space money in South Park, local residents decide to store the looted cash and hide it from the alien police who are searching for it.
The episode actually copped some critical derision, with its pitfalls being exacerbated by the fact that it aired the week after the hilarious episode, “Fishsticks.” Still, it remains noteworthy for its skewering of multiple political figures and world leaders, with Mexico taking particular exception. The episode was not aired in the country given its mockery of former president Felipe Calderón. While the episode did eventually screen in Mexico, it still causes a strange little controversy for fans to enjoy.
28
“Jared Has Aides”
Season 6, Episode 1
Despite airing long before Subway spokesman Jared Fogle became a controversial figure for well-documented illegal reasons, South Park had no trouble making the former weight-loss maestro a source of shock comedy. The Season 6 premiere sees the dieting phenomenon take hold in South Park, with the boys talking with Jared when he visits their school. However, when he mentions his aides also helped him lose weight, the boys misunderstand and believe he has AIDs, a miscommunication that inspires outrage in the town.
“Jared Has Aides” is not only a hilarious display of social misunderstandings and the passion many have when it comes to weight loss, but it also thrives as a brilliant parody of the 1993 legal drama titled Philadelphia. The episode is among the best of Season 6, and thrives as a sparkling example of how the series excels when it is at its most controversial.
27
“Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Classics”
Season 3, Episode 15
Styled to unfold like a festive variety show, “Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Classics” sees everyone’s favorite Christmas poo filling the role of the host as he sits by the fire in his sewer home, introducing acts as they come on screen. The episode’s sporadic nature allows it to overflow with shocking gags, including singles from such performers as Adolf Hitler and Satan, as well as a song called “Christmas Time in Hell” that depicts a number of beloved celebrity figures in the underworld.
Understandably, the episode left plenty of jaws on the floor as it fired through the obscene and absurd musical numbers with a desire to make each one more offensive than the last. While the Christmas episode aired in 1999, Russian prosecutors had the episode banned from television in 2008 due to excessive complaints.
26
“Ginger Kids”
Season 9, Episode 11
One of the more famous South Park episodes, “Ginger Kids” sees Cartman embarking on a spiteful tirade against red-haired people. When his vitriolic rhetoric inspires Kyle to trick Cartman into thinking he himself is becoming infected with “gingervitus,” Cartman begins defending those with red hair, even going so far as to unite ginger kids everywhere under the idea that they must rise as the master race.
The clear parable to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich is one thing, but the episode began causing genuine controversy when it sparked the infamous “National Kick a Ginger Day” event that led to actual acts of violence, including one that was treated as a hate crime in Canada. Ed Sheeran has jokingly claimed that the episode ruined his life and was the beginning of a wave of discrimination against red-haired people.
25
“Super Best Friends”
Season 5, Episode 3
Featuring religious mass suicides, a plethora of religious leaders, and a not-too-subtle mockery of the indoctrination of those who practice their faith in extreme measures, “Super Best Friends” represents South Park at its satirical and angry best. David Blaine arrives in town and enchants the boys with his magic tricks before enlisting them to his growing cult, “Blaintology”. As Stan grows suspicious of the group, he turns to Jesus Christ and the Super Best Friends group for help.
Released in 2001, the episode’s depiction of the prophet Muhammad would only become a point of genuine controversy after the Jyllands-Posten cartoons controversy in 2005 led to a violent outcry on an international stage. Also mocking the Church of Scientology and notions of religious extremism, “Super Best Friends” pulls no punches and, interestingly, its portrayal of Muhammad hasn’t been censored on reflection like the creators were forced to do in later episodes.
24
“Tonsil Trouble”
Season 12, Episode 1
While the Season 12 premiere may not have made headlines for its controversial moments, it still sees South Park poking as much fun as it can at HIV with a story that is intrinsically focused on Cartman and Kyle’s antagonism. Following a tonsillectomy, Cartman learns that a blood transfusion during the operation has infected him with AIDS. Outraged when Kyle finds his ailment to be hilarious, Cartman purposefully infects his classmate with the virus. While feuding, the two boys visit Magic Johnson to help them develop a cure.
Reviews of the episode were generally mixed, regarding that “Tonsil Trouble” has an interesting focus, but the story runs out of steam towards the end. Still, its exploration of AIDS in the modern day is both insightfully pointed and darkly comical. Likewise, its criticism of new and effective treatments of the virus being largely inaccessible to many sufferers is indicative of the series at its satirical and pointed best.
23
“World War Zimmermann”
Season 17, Episode 3
One of the most outwardly pointed episodes in South Park‘s more recent seasons, “World War Zimmermann” parodies the plot of Word War Z as a means to comment on issues of race in America and criticize the nation’s gun laws. Cartman experiences nightmares in which African Americans are likened to a plague that is spreading. He decides to take action by targeting his classmate Tolkien, and embarks on a ridiculous adventure that leads him to George Zimmermann’s house.
The episode thrives as it ends on the poignant note of Zimmermann being arrested and tried for his shooting of Cartman, a white child, while its mockery of America’s technicality surrounding gun laws is quite apparent as well. Released just months after the Trial of George Zimmermann was determined, the Season 17 episode has a ferocious immediacy that makes its satire particularly scorching and incredibly powerful, while its content ensures it remains a controversial yet progressive masterstroke.
22
“Cripple Fight”
Season 5, Episode 2
Season 5 sees South Park at its remorseless and provocative best, as is evinced by containing multiple episodes that feature on this list. It should come as no surprise, given its title, that “Cripple Fight” belongs among the season’s more controversial entries. The boys join a Mountain Scouts troop where the parents take exception to Big Gay Al, while the arrival of a new disabled kid sees the wheelchair user Timmy grow aggravated.
The episode has plenty of fun at the expense of the Supreme Court case Boy Scouts of America vs. Dale regarding the exclusion of homosexuals from the BSA, while it also introduces fan-favorite Jimmy in his first episode, appearing as Timmy’s adversary. The episode handles its central issues with admirable insight while still squeezing every drop of comedic punch it can from its basis and its provocative story.
21
“Scott Tenorman Must Die”
Season 5, Episode 4
There are few episodes of any series in television history that have left viewers as stunned and as speechless as South Park‘s infamous classic “Scott Tenorman Must Die.” The episode revolves around Eric Cartman, who, having been tricked into buying an older kid’s pubic hair as a prank, vows to take revenge on the student, Scott Tenorman, for his malicious ploy.
While many of his vengeful schemes seem to fail, the episode’s climax reveals that the evil and cunning Cartman has masterminded a ruse that sees Scott Tenorman unknowingly eat a bowl of chili that contains the remains of his parents. There is nothing politically or socially pointed in the episode, but the violent and sudden turn of Cartman’s vile plot certainly gives the episode a dark and controversial ending that will never be forgotten.
20
“Hell on Earth 2006”
Season 10, Episode 11
South Park episodes are created in the week leading up to the day that they air, a rigorous approach that enables Parker and Stone to comment on and target trending topics with incredible immediacy. However, this tight turnaround has sometimes led to some “too soon” episodes, with Season 10’s “Hell on Earth 2006” an obvious example of this as it featured Satan having a sweet 16-type party in L.A. on Halloween.
Many celebrities were mocked in the South Park episode, including those who had died, like Australian wildlife enthusiast and television personality Steve Irwin, who was depicted with a stingray barb through his chest. The episode aired less than two months after Irwin’s death, garnering criticism for its seemingly pointless, shock-factor inclusion and even prompting a response of disapproval from those close to the Irwin family. Parker and Stone stated that they were surprised by viewers’ strong pushback, expressing that they felt the episode was far less offensive than many others they had made.
19
“Bloody Mary”
Season 9, Episode 14
There is not a single topic or societal issue that is off-limits to South Park, and one of the showrunners’ favorite targets has always been religion. The Season 9 episode, “Bloody Mary,” exhibits the series’ scripture skewering at its most inflammatory. It revolves around a statue of Mary that starts “bleeding out its ass” in South Park’s neighboring town, a phenomenon that Randy believes can cure him of his alcoholism if he can get the statue to bleed on him.
While its content is relatively tame by South Park’s standards, the episode caused mass outcry upon release in 2005. Catholic groups and leaders in America, New Zealand, and Australia launched a scathing condemnation of the episode’s attacks on the Virgin Mary and made stern attempts to prevent it from ever airing again or even being included in DVD releases. The episode is available to stream on Max.
18
“Holiday Special”
Season 21, Episode 3
One of many Randy Marsh episodes that has had a significant cultural impact, “Holiday Special” revolves around Columbus Day and modern society’s consideration of the effect of such holidays. Randy helms an anti-Columbus Day campaign which sees the holiday discontinued, meaning the boys have to go to school. As they try to confront Randy on his vehement yet uneducated stance on the issue, he finds himself clashing with a genealogy company.
Disguised as a hilarious depiction of Randy Marsh at his most reckless, obsessive, and moronic, “Holiday Special” is a favorite episode of many fans, but it also has plenty of eyebrow-raising moments throughout. Randy, dressed as Christopher Columbus, being filmed beating up a Native American man on his driveway is a shocking display of circumstantial comedy that is both ghastly and hysterical. However, there were viewers who took issue with the scene and the episode’s overall focus, stirring up some controversy despite Randy’s staunch anti-Columbus stance.
17
“Mr. Garrison’s Fancy New Vagina”
Season 9, Episode 1
An episode that could arguably be viewed as being ahead of its time considering the societal investment in topics of gender and sex now compared to when the episode was released in 2005, “Mr. Garrison’s Fancy New Vagina” sees the schoolteacher undergo sex reassignment surgery. Meanwhile, Kyle uses his teacher’s decision as inspiration to have “negroplasty” surgery to become Black so he can pursue his dream of being a basketball player.
The episode is both pointed and ridiculous, featuring Gerald Broflovski having plastic surgery to appear more like a dolphin while also taking Mr. Garrison and Kyle’s arcs to the most extreme and absurd lengths. While its subject matter is undeniably touchy, what really makes the episode so controversial is its decision to briefly include footage of a real sex reassignment operation. It is abruptly confronting, and led many viewers to question if it was necessary to include it.
16
“Cartman Joins NAMBLA”
Season 4, Episode 5
South Park specializes in the taboo and the outright gobsmacking, a pursuit that was on full display in the fifth episode of Season 4, “Cartman Joins NAMBLA.” While looking for older friends online, Cartman falls in with the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), a predatory group of pedophiles, a misstep that sees all the boys of South Park come under threat. All the while, Kenny tries to prevent his parents from having another baby, and a separate association, the North American Marlon Brando Look-Alikes, becomes entwined in the NAMBLA clash with the FBI.
While the episode has been positively reviewed ever since its release, it did stir some controversy due to its many overt references to pedophilia as well as its equally disturbing subplot concerning Kenny. The British satellite channel Sky One even went so far as to ban it, though it has since been broadcast on other channels and is available to stream.
15
“Crack Baby Athletic Association”
Season 15, Episode 5
As is always the case with South Park episodes that feature Eric Cartman as the central character, “Crack Baby Athletic Association” saw Kyle volunteer to aid helpless children at the hospital after seeing a heartbreaking commercial, only to grow suspicious when he discovers Cartman volunteering his time as well. Kyle soon discovers that Cartman has set up a business called “Crack Baby Athletic Association,” which forces the crack-addicted babies to fight for drugs, a notion which captures the interest of EA Games.
Interestingly, the episode received only mixed reviews, with many suggesting the creators should have explored the episode’s point of the NCAA not compensating its players with more power. Still, many viewers were understandably stunned by the South Park episode’s depiction of fighting, drug-addicted babies, which marked it a very controversial installment of the series.
14
“It Hits the Fan”
Season 5, Episode 1
An episode that proved to be a shocking spectacle, even for hardcore fans, “It Hits the Fan” saw South Park kick-start its fifth season in eye-opening fashion. Life for the residents of South Park is upended when Cartman’s foul mouth appears on television, normalizing a swear word that proves to be a literal curse that unearths and spreads a new iteration of the black plague while also awakening the Knights of Standards and Practices.
The South Park episode’s social commentary takes aim squarely at the many regulations surrounding censoring on television, which was a hot topic at the time, and while it makes its point clearly, it was actually not its most polarizing aspect. That belonged to both the obscene cartoon gore on display as the people begin vomiting their intestines, and the frequent profanity, with the word “s**t” being said a staggering 162 times throughout the episode’s 22-minute runtime.
13
“The Death Camp of Tolerance”
Season 6, Episode 14
As its title would suggest, “The Death Camp of Tolerance” pulled absolutely no punches in its endeavor to make audiences laugh at some of the most shocking and vile gags the series has provided. The episode starts with Mr. Garrison as, hoping for monetary gain, plots to get fired by depicting overtly sexual acts, which only leads to the boys being sent to a rigorous tolerance camp as their parents fear their complaints are based on homophobia.
The episode is relentless in its pursuit of jokes that would stir controversy, with its targets including homophobia, political correctness, and even the holocaust as it lampooned Schindler’s List to hilarious effect. It also featured a musical odyssey of a gerbil which was shoved up Mr. Garrison’s rectum with its adventure through the teacher parodying 1977’s animated adaptation of The Hobbit.
12
“Canada on Strike”
Season 12, Episode 4
An episode that has become even more controversial in recent times, “Canada on Strike” was released in April 2008 and worked as a thinly veiled mockery of the WGA Writers Strikes that were ongoing at the time. In the episode, Canada goes on strike and demands money, which prompts the boys to try making Butters a viral internet sensation.
Interestingly, while the targeting of the Writers Strike did raise some eyebrows, Comedy Central faced a lawsuit for the episode’s recreation of the then-viral video “What What (In the Butt)” in a case that was dismissed. Laced with strong jokes that land frequently throughout, the episode was seen as being one of the series’ better entries of its twelfth season.
11
“Krazy Kripples”
Season 7, Episode 2
South Park has a reputation for toeing the line of what is acceptable, but “Krazy Kripples” took that endeavor for socially revealing comedy up a notch. With Christopher Reeve arriving in town to promote stem cell research, Jimmy and Timmy unite in response to the attention Reeves amasses, forging a gang called “the Crips,” which gets them involved with the street gang of the same name.
Stone and Parker had been tentative about making an episode about Reeves for some time, but decided to do it after being dissatisfied with the sentiment of the actor’s appearance on Larry King Live. The South Park episode was also controversial for its graphic engagement with – and lampooning of – stem cell research and its commentary on gang violence.
