Do you have a friend that has never seen an episode of South Park? Does that same friend laugh at you dismissively when you try to tell them that it’s a good show and that it’s really funny? I have a friend like that and it embarrasses me to have to explain in words why South Park deserves to be placed among the funniest shows in television history. So I decided to make a list of the 10 most essential episodes of South Park that would make any layman see that South Park is a force to be reckoned with. These are the 10 episodes that should make a fan out of anyone and silence that dismissively-giggling friend of yours.
Side note: I’m aware that Matt Stone and Trey Parker already chose their top 10 episodes in their collection, The Hits Vol. 1, and while it does include some classics, they also chose the episodes that were made famous for the notoriety and not necessarily the humor. That’s why my list wouldn’t include “Trapped in the Closet,” “Stupid Spoiled Whore Video” and “Red Hot Catholic Love.”
Season 5, Episode 4: Scott Tenorman Must Die
I think “Scott Tenorman Must Die” was the first episode that convinced me of South Park‘s greatness. It has one of the wildest twists at the end and it confirmed that Cartman is likely the most evil cartoon character ever to grace television screens. It also features Radiohead telling a 5th grader that he’s “totally uncool.”
Season 5, Episode 8: Towelie
This episode includes the first appearance of Towelie, a talking towel who likes to smoke marijuana. It also features a very complicated war between aliens and the U.S. government.
Season 5, Episode 14: Butter’s Very Own Episode
It’s a special episode about everyone’s favorite character and one unlike any other, Butters. In this episode, Butters was at the height of his popularity and Matt Stone and Trey Parker gave him a very sordid adventure.
Season 6, Episode 3: Asspen
A classic episode with some of my favorite moments of the series, like Stan’s rival performing his song “Darsh,” Jud Crandall from Pet Sematary giving the boys a history lesson, and the “Montage Song.”
Season 6, Episode 13: The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers
The South Park boys go on a very important quest to return a videotape. This episode exemplifies South Park’s ability to parody just about anything.
Season 6, Episode 16: My Future Self ‘n’ Me
This episode offers legitimate parenting advice and also features Cartman owning a successful company that specializes in a very specific revenge.
Season 7, Episode 4: Cancelled
This episode was intended to be the 100th episode of South Park so Matt Stone and Trey Parker made it special. The fate of the entire world lies on the boys’ shoulders and they spend an awful lot of time deciding what form their alien host should take.
Season 7, Episode 14: Raisins
Seeing Stan as a Goth and watching Butter fall in love was fun but this was mainly included because Butters’ advice to Stan at the end about dealing with a broken heart is actually pretty touching.
Season 8, Episode 14: Woodland Critter Christmas
The best holiday episode of South Park and one of the most surprising in the series. Watch Stan and Santa try to stop the Antichrist so everyone can have a good Christmas.
Season 10, Episode 7: Tsst
Cartman has done so many horrible things and all it takes is Cesar Millan to completely cure him. This episode made the list because you finally get to see what Cartman would be like as a good-natured, normal boy.
Those are my picks for the 10 episodes of South Park to turn anyone into a fan. Thank you for going on this journey with me.
