Top 10 South Park Changes That Made Fans Rage Quit

“The Return of Chef”

“Towelie”

Merchandising is a big part of media these days. It’s not enough to have a great show. You have to have merchandise the fans can buy. Poking fun at the commercialization of their own show, the creators of “South Park” invented a character specifically to be as annoying as possible but would spout catchphrases that could easily be put on a t-shirt or towel (pun intended). His first appearance is otherwise forgettable and indeed accomplished what the writers set out to do. Entire Reddit threads have been spawned regarding the uselessness of the character, and how some fans adore him, while others despise him. He’s also been compared to the Crab People, which were a desperate plot idea used to fill time in an episode.

“ManBearPig”

It’s safe to say that Matt and Trey at one time weren’t avid believers when it came to climate change. This was apparent in their tear-down of Al Gore during Season 10’s “ManBearPig” episode. Replacing the climate crisis with a mythical creature, the episode paints Gore as kind of a lunatic with crazy ideas. If you happened to be on the side of science when this episode hit the air, you may not have taken it too lightly. Thankfully, the show’s creators backtracked, and even apologized in season 22, admitting they were wrong about ManBearPig. If you bailed on the show years ago because of their attitude towards global warming, maybe it’s time to reconsider.

“South Park: The Stick of Truth” (2014) & “South Park: The Fractured but Whole” (2017)

If you were around back in 1998 when the first videogame of “South Park” came out, then you’d remember how terrible it was. The show’s creators had no input on any of the earlier games, and subsequently, most of them were met with awful reviews. So when Matt & Trey collaborated with Ubisoft to build “South Park: The Stick of Truth”, it was a completely new experience for gamers. Yet, with so much time and effort being put into this new direction, there’s an argument to be made about whether or not the show’s episodes have taken a hit because of it. Given the massive deal with Paramount+ for new content, hopes are high for great stories to be told.

Various

When “South Park” started using Mr. Garrison as their own version of Donald Trump, there was an expectation that it would be short-lived. The creators didn’t think “The Apprentice” star would actually win. So when he did, the show kept the narrative going, and going, and going. Like countless late-night comedians, the jokes about the then-president seem to write themselves, and after a while, nothing was funny anymore. Even though the show often reflects the real world, fans often want escapism in their entertainment, and this was just a constant reminder of the realities of the world. Thankfully, even the show’s creators got sick of it and dialed back their President Garrison’s airtime.

“Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus”

Every fan of the show wanted to know who Cartman’s dad was. Having waited over a month to get an answer, fans were understandably upset when the season two premiere episode was focused entirely on Terrance & Phillip. Thousands of email complaints were sent to Comedy Central, and audiences had to wait one more week to get their real answers. It was a dangerous stunt in the show’s early days which likely cost them some of their early fans. There have been accounts of people holding a grudge against the show for as long as five years because of this prank. If you’ve held out this long, maybe it’s time to consider making your way back.

“Kenny Dies”

One of the most common running gags on “South Park” was how Kenny would always die in the episode, only to reappear on the next one. Fans would tally how many times he’d bit the dust and the means by which he met his maker. Yet, in Season Five, Kenny bought the farm for an extended period, changing the core lineup. The show played with the idea of having a carousel of other characters replace Kenny as the fourth kid. However, fans were not happy about the loss of the character and it may have affected the way the following season played out. By the time Season Six ended, Kenny had returned, and fans upset by his absence found their way back as well.

Various

Before the days of streaming, people would rewatch old episodes through reruns on regular television. Episodes would often air out of order, which meant TV producers hated the idea of serialized stories. The binge-watch era changed all that. Even though “South Park” has jumped from Netflix, to Hulu, and now to Paramount+ and HBO Max, they embraced the idea of longer stories that would last multiple episodes. Seasons may have become shorter, but the use of long-form storytelling has forced fans to keep up with the show week to week. This change has not been without its opponents. Those who preferred self-contained stories may be far more reluctant to tune in week after week to follow the town’s events.

Various

Can you name a couple of Cartman’s most famous catchphrases? At one time, you couldn’t go a single episode without hearing at least one of them. With all the terrible things that kid has done, he did at least give us some quotable bits. So what happened? An argument could be made that catchphrases just aren’t as popular as they were at one time. But ultimately, it’s likely this is just a natural progression of the show. As Randy has become a much heavier player in the story, things like repeatable quips aren’t as interesting to the writers anymore. With Cartman being such a popular character, this shift may have turned his biggest fans against the show.

Various

When this show first emerged, it shocked audiences with its so-called offensive nature. But if you go back and watch those early episodes now, they seem so incredibly tame compared to what they release now. Sure, the world has evolved and tends to tolerate far more than it did 25 years ago. But in order to keep its edge, the show has had to push the boundary again and again. Depending on the viewer, the constant barrage of new and interesting ways to offend their viewers can become very tiresome. Fans may have walked away after having enough, but sadly they would have missed some of the show’s greatest stories and lessons.