5: Imaginationland Parts 1-3 – Season 11, Episodes 10-12
What is there not to love about these 3 episodes?
The Imaginationland trilogy is perfect, it’s hilarious, imaginative, socially aware, and chocked full of cultural references and throw backs. Some of my personal favourite moments are: Michael Bay being asked to help the situation by the US government ‘That’s not an idea Mr Bay, that’s a special effect’ ‘There’s a difference?’ Cartman taking Kyle to court because he won’t suck his balls, and pretty much every scene involving the Christmas Critters.
The Imaginationland trilogy is pretty much as good as South Park gets.
4: Trapped in the Closet – Season 9, Episode 12
Any single episode of TV that can take down scientology and also parody R-Kelly’s hilarious Trapped in the Closet singles is always going to score high with me.
Many have poked fun, or tried to explore Scientology in their time but none have done it with as much panache as South Park did. Having been roped into the Scientology cult Stan records results in processing that are off the scale, leading the heads of the church to conclude that he is in fact L. Ron Hubbard reincarnated. What follows is one of the sharpest, and funniest episodes of the show ever written. Never ones to shy away from controversy the episode offended many, and lead to the unfortunate departure of long time collaborator Issac Hayes, a dark patch on an otherwise brilliant episode of television.
Also, fun fact – every name that appears in the credits of this episode is listed as John Smith, or Jane Smith. This was because of The Church of Scientology’s record of suing people.
3: With Apologies to Jesse Jackson – Season 11, Episode 1
Randy saying the N word live on national television and Cartman fighting a midget. What more could you possibly want from an episode of South Park?
With Apologies to Jesse Jackson is one of the most consistently funny episodes of the show ever made and is still incredibly relevant today. The opening scene of the show has gone down as one of the show’s funniest and Cartman’s first encounter with Dr David Nelson, and the subsequent conversation between the pair in the principle’s office are comedy gold.
The show is also an excellent comment on white privilege and Randy is superb through out. His open mic performance is still on his finest scenes.
2: Make Love, Not Warcraft – Season 10, Episode 8
Perhaps the most iconic South Park episode of the last 10 years Make Love, Not Warcraft saw the boys entering the World of Warcraft online video game to take down a troll who was killing all the characters within the game.
The episode’s novel concept provides some brilliant moments, Butters turning up as the same character as Eric after finally getting the game is one of my favourite moments, and the climactic final battle that sees Randy join the boys to help save the day is great fun.
The episode’s best moment though is the training montage that sees the boys waste a month of their lives playing the game, whilst their bodies spiral out of control and their faces become contorted with acne and multiple chins, all whilst their friends enjoy the great outdoors and live a normal life.
1: Scott Tenorman Must Die – Season 5, Episode 4
Oh come on, you all knew what number one was going to be. There is a reason Scott Tenorman Must Die is commonly named as the greatest episode in South Park’s history, and that’s because it is the greatest episode in South Park history.
I remember the very first time I watched this episode and the ending genuinely shook me. I laughed my head off, but boy was I disturbed by it. Every moment of this episode is perfect – the opening scene where Cartman brags about getting his pubes is hilarious, the scene where Cartman gets on a bus to sell the pubes at a pube fair is brilliant, and those final moments are exceptional.
This episode also laid the groundwork for so many other episodes on this list. Before this we had never seen Cartman go this far. Sure, he was Anti-Semitic and abused the poor, but killing someone’s family and feeding it to them over eight dollars!? That is something else. The episode established Cartman as perhaps the most twisted TV character of all time, animated or otherwise.
Agree with this list? Let Liam know what he got right, and what he missed out on Twitter- @liamhoofe
Originally published December 14, 2016. Updated April 16, 2018.
