This review is based on the first 10 seasons of South Park, minor spoilers might be involved.

South Park has always been one of those TV shows I’ve heard about, later when YouTube was a thing saw a clip or two from it, but never fully watched it from the very start.

I’ve decide to fix it (long before COVID-19, but sure is great having more time than even on your hands… god, I miss outside world) and started to watch it from the very first episode.

Let me tell you, except the graphics, and some references, you wouldn’t have known the first episodes are over 20 years old now. The show is as topical now as ever, it’s clever, but most importantly, it’s genuinely funny!

Unlike Family Guy this show doesn’t rely on pop-culture references as much and when they do use them, it’s usually something as big as Lords of the Rings mania, Nintendo Wii, World of Warcraft etc. which even if you haven’t played/watched it, you still kind of know what it is.

Another, and the most major difference between those two shows (and let’s face it, it wouldn’t be fair to compare South Park to The Simpsons as they are not allowed, or wanting to be as edgy/dark/pushing the limits of what can/can’t be shown on TV, so I will leave everyone’s favorite yellow family out of this) their episodes/story lines might seem random/bizarre at first glance, but usually there is always something behind them, especially in later episodes.

South Park has established themselves as the “fair” TV show. They will mock you no matter what, and that’s something I admire – no matter if the creators/writers believe in something or not, they are more than willing to make fun of it and even if sometimes they do have the need to “explain” the lesson little too on the nose (mainly in first couple of seasons), it never goes overboard into preachy territory.

What fascinates me about this show is how fresh it feels, even after 10 seasons I’ve seen so far – I could probably count the number of “boring” episodes on fingers of one hand of very unlucky woodworker. And some topics they decided to cover over those 10 seasons are (unfortunately) as relevant today as they were back then (race, politicians, abortion issues, women’s issues, religion, the list goes on and on) and that’s why this is the perfect TV show, which won’t age as badly as others.

I also need to take my hat off before the creators, as I am not sure how they got away with some episodes being aired at all (and I’m not talking about the prophet Muhammad episodes) like Satan having his birthday party on Earth, bringing back three notorious serial killers to get him a cake, and of course, they kill PLENTY of people in the most graphic way possible. Just an example.

My favorite episodes so far: Starvin’ Marvin, Cartman’s Mom Is a Dirty Slut, Conjoined Fetus Lady, Spookyfish, Sexual Harassment Panda, Starvin’ Marvin in Space, Timmy 2000, Cartman Joins NAMBLA, Scott Tenorman Must Die, Red Hot Catholic Love, Free Hat, A Ladder to Heaven, The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers, Casa Bonita, All About Mormons, The Passion of the Jew, Douche and Turd, Woodland Critter Christmas, The Death of Eric Cartman, Trapped in the Closet, Make Love, Not Warcraft, Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy

That’s all for this one, I might do a part two once I’m finished with the entirety of South Park. Do you like South Park or do you think it’s overrated? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke