Top 10 South Park Episodes That Aged REALLY WELL
#10: “Big Gay Al’s Big Gay Boat Ride”
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Today, TV has no shortage of out and proud characters. That wasn’t the case in September 1997 when this Season 1 episode aired. “Will & Grace” was still a year away and “The Puppy Episode” of “Ellen” debuted only five months earlier. Comedy Central executives weren’t sure how the episode would be received, but it garnered nominations at the Emmys and GLAAD Awards. LGBTQ+ characters have come a long way since Big Gay Al. Stereotypical attributes aside, he was among the first TV characters to advocate for gay people (and animals), teaching Stan a valuable lesson. We’d like to think that everyone has grown more enlightened in the past decades. With some still hesitant to even say “gay,” the episode’s message of acceptance continues to resonate.
#9: “Jared Has Aides”
In 2002, Jared Fogle was the beloved spokesperson for Subway, a role model for those determined to get healthy, and the subject of a catchy ad jingle. While Subway sandwiches factored into Jared’s weight loss, his menu options were limited and exercise was even more integral. The boys point this out to Jared, leading to a misunderstanding that changes the world’s perception of him. Turns out that appearing in somewhat misleading commercials was far from Jared’s worst offense. Fast-forward 13 years, Subway cut ties with Jared after the FBI uncovered his true nature. This episode inadvertently predicted Jared’s downfall, although not even the creators could’ve foreseen how spot-on their depiction would become. Subway wants consumers to forget about Jared, but “South Park” won’t let us.
#8: “Chef Goes Nanners”
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Despite airing in July 2000, this episode just as easily could’ve been written today. Chef deems the South Park flag offensive, demanding that it be changed. Jimbo argues that it’s part of the town’s history, however. The plot was inspired by a debate regarding the Confederate flag’s presence at the South Carolina State House. The state’s General Assembly ultimately voted to remove the flag, but Governor Jim Hodges predicted that it wouldn’t end the racial divide surrounding this symbol. He was right, as discussions over problematic flags, monuments, and mascots are still being had. While the conversation has only escalated, this episode reminds us that the controversy isn’t anything new. Chef and Jimbo come to a compromise, but a real-world resolution remains out of grasp.
#7: “Where My Country Gone?”
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Like many others, Matt Stone and Trey Parker predicted that Hillary Clinton would win the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In the back of their hands, though, they must’ve known that Donald Trump had a very probable road to the White House. The creators even mapped out how this could happen in an episode that aged better than they likely hoped. While they don’t give Trump the “honor” of being on the show, a brash Canadian politician serves as an obvious stand-on. As another Canadian explains to Butters, nobody took this candidate seriously, writing off his campaign as a joke. In time, the joke snowballed into a serious problem. “South Park” warned us over a year in advance, but we weren’t paying attention!
#6: “Band in China”
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People remember this episode for the untimely demise of Winnie the Pooh. Even more notable, it unintentionally set the stage for the COVID-19 pandemic, which unfolded in the ensuing months. It kicks off one of the season’s ongoing themes regarding censorship in China. Ironically, the episode got “South Park” banned in China. The creators touched upon this in the subsequent episode, which was eerily titled “Shots!!!” It’s bizarre how much of this would come back into play with the show’s “Pandemic Special” where Randy learns that he accidentally created COVID during his trip to China. One might assume that this must’ve been planned in advance, but given the timeline, there’s no way the creators could’ve known that “Band in China” would be a turning point.
#5: “Casa Bonita”
Unless you grew up in Colorado, chances are you thought that Casa Bonita was a fictional restaurant when this episode aired. One Google search later, you realized that Cartman painted an all-too-accurate description of a very real establishment. Although this episode raised the restaurant’s profile, the pandemic took its toll almost 17 years down the line. Filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2021, it appeared the Colorado landmark would meet the same fate as its retired Tulsa location. Things came full circle, however, with Parker and Stone buying Casa Bonita for $3.1 million shortly after. Casa Bonita might not exist anymore if it weren’t for this episode, which makes us want to visit the newly renovated restaurant as much as Cartman does.
#4: “The Passion of the Jew”
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You might jump to the conclusion that this episode premiered after Mel Gibson’s infamous arrest in July 2006. It actually came out more than two years earlier when “The Passion of the Christ” was packing theaters and dividing critics. Although the film was always controversial, Gibson was still generally a respected filmmaker and star. As many praised Gibson as “deep” and “spiritual,” “South Park” argued that there was something loonier going on upstairs. Although Gibson has found some success post-“Passion,” he’s never been able to shake the unhinged public image that brings us back to this episode. When Gibson clashed with the cops in Malibu, Stone said it was “probably one of the better days of my life,” having confirmed what he already knew.
#3: “Douche and Turd”
Every four years, opposing sides of the political spectrum go to war over the two candidates vying for the U.S. presidency. People hype their respective candidates as if they’re deities who can do no wrong. With only a few exceptions throughout history, though, virtually every election boils down to - as “South Park” first put it in 2004 - a douche and a turd. Almost two decades later, the candidates haven’t significantly changed and neither have their followers. We still understand where Stan is coming from, as it’s easy not to care when these are your only options. However, sometimes you’re better off with a douche than with a turd - and vice versa. Now more than ever, it’s important to follow this episode’s example and vote.
#2: “Imaginationland”
We live in an age of corporate umbrellas looking to ensnare as many intellectual properties as possible in their web. From the Marvel Cinematic Universe, to “The Lego Movie,” to “Ready Player One,” large-scale crossovers are no longer a novelty. This trend didn’t start with the “Imaginationland” trilogy per se, but “South Park” was ahead of the curve. Since parody is protected under fair use, no fictional character is safe as “South Park” unites superheroes, fairytale icons, and Snarf for an epic showdown. This three-parter essentially foreshadowed the explosion of crossover events and cinematic Easter egg hunts, which have become commonplace to the point that they’re not very imaginative anymore. Maybe that should be the premise of “Imaginationland Episode IV,” assuming they ever make it.
#1: “Goobacks”
Allow us to take you back in time to the year 2004. Immigration was among the most politically-charged topics with numerous Americans arguing that their jobs were being taken. Actually, we don’t need a time machine. We just need to put on the news… or this episode. It’s fitting that “Goobacks” involves time travel, as it could be viewed at virtually any point in history without losing relevance. Making his debut here, the character Darryl Weathers not only became a timely meme, but a manifestation of what many of us think of when considering red states. While the episode is almost twenty years old, it reflects modern times and it’ll likely remain relevant going forward. Few episodes better encapsulate the past, present, and future.