It’s in
South Park’s DNA to be controversial.That’s part of its genius.The most offensive South Park episodes fire shots at everyone: celebrities, politicians, religious figures, and every demographic present in modern society.No one is safe.Show-runners Trey Parker and Matt Stone take a sort of impish delight in ruffling feathers and smashing taboos.From episode one, South Park has served up profane, violent, and outrageous storylines that are certainly not for the faint of heart — but which are also painstakingly funny.
The series has been on air since 1997 and has produced over 320 episodes.
In this time, there has been no shortage of stories from South Park that annoyed some segments of the population or got under the skin of the celebs being satirized.Plenty of episodes caused a stir, but the ones that led to threats of legal action or were outright banned are the cream of the crop.
[ South Park ](/tag/south-park-tv/)
*Availability in US
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– Release Date
– August 13, 1997
– Cast
[Trey Parker](/tag/trey-parker/), [Matt Stone](/tag/matt-stone/), April Stewart , Mona Marshall
– Seasons
– 26
– Studio
– Comedy Central
20 “Hell on Earth 2006”
Season 10, Episode 11 (2006)
South Park episodes are created in the week leading up to the day that they air, a rigorous approach that enables Parker and Stone to comment on and target trending topics with incredible immediacy.
However, this tight turnaround has sometimes led to some “too soon” episodes, with Season 10’s “Hell on Earth 2006” an obvious example of this as it featured Satan having a sweet 16-type party in L.A.on Halloween.
Many
celebrities were mocked in the South Park episode, including those who had died, like Australian wildlife enthusiast and television personality Steve Irwin, who was depicted with a stingray barb through his chest.The episode aired less than two months after Irwin’s death, garnering criticism for its seemingly pointless, shock-factor inclusion and even prompting a response of disapproval from those close to the Irwin family.Parker and Stone stated that they were surprised by viewers’ strong pushback, expressing that they felt the episode was far less offensive than many others they had made.
19 “Bloody Mary”
Season 9, Episode 14 (2005)
There is not a single topic or societal issue that is off-limits to South Park, and one of the showrunners’ favorite targets has always been religion.
The Season 9 episode, “Bloody Mary,” exhibits the series’ scripture skewering at its most inflammatory.It revolves around a statue of Mary that starts “bleeding out its ass” in South Park’s neighboring town, a phenomenon that Randy believes can cure him of his alcoholism if he can get the statue to bleed on him.
While its content is relatively tame by South Park’s standards, the episode caused mass outcry upon release in 2005.
Catholic groups and leaders in America, New Zealand, and Australia launched a scathing condemnation of the episode’s attacks on the Virgin Mary and made stern attempts to prevent it from ever airing again or even being included in DVD releases.The episode is available to stream on Max.
18 “Holiday Special”
Season 21, Episode 3 (2017)
One of
many Randy Marsh episodes that has had a significant cultural impact, “Holiday Special” revolves around Columbus Day and modern society’s consideration of the effect of such holidays.
Randy helms an anti-Columbus Day campaign which sees the holiday discontinued, meaning the boys have to go to school.As they try to confront Randy on his vehement yet uneducated stance on the issue, he finds himself clashing with a genealogy company.
Disguised as a hilarious depiction of Randy Marsh at his most reckless, obsessive, and moronic, “Holiday Special” is a favorite episode of many fans, but it also has plenty of eyebrow-raising moments throughout.Randy, dressed as Christopher Columbus, being filmed beating up the Native American man on his driveway is a shocking display of circumstantial comedy that is both ghastly and hysterical.However, there were viewers who took issue with the scene and the episode’s overall focus, stirring up some controversy despite Randy’s staunch anti-Columbus stance.
17 “Mr.Garrison’s Fancy New Vagina”
Season 9, Episode 1 (2005)
An episode that could arguably be viewed as being ahead of its time considering the societal investment in topics of gender and sex now compared to when the episode was released in 2005, “Mr.
Garrison’s Fancy New Vagina” sees the schoolteacher undergo sex reassignment surgery.Meanwhile, Kyle uses his teacher’s decision as inspiration to have “negroplasty” surgery to become Black so he can pursue his dream of being a basketball player.
The episode is both pointed and ridiculous, featuring Gerald Broflovski having plastic surgery to appear more like a dolphin while also taking Mr.Garrison and Kyle’s arcs to the most extreme and absurd lengths.While its subject matter is undeniably touchy, what really makes the episode so controversial is its decision to briefly include footage of a real sex reassignment operation.It is abruptly confronting, and led many viewers to question if it was necessary to include it.
16 “Cartman Joins NAMBLA”
Season 4, Episode 5 (2000)
South Park specializes in the taboo and the outright gobsmacking, a pursuit that was on full display in the fifth episode of Season 4, “Cartman Joins NAMBLA.” While looking for older friends online, Cartman falls in with the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), a predatory group of pedophiles, a misstep that sees all the boys of South Park come under threat.All the while, Kenny tries to prevent his parents from having another baby, and a separate association, the North American Marlon Brando Look-Alikes, becomes entwined in the NAMBLA clash with the FBI.
While the episode has been positively reviewed ever since its release, it did stir some controversy due to its many overt references to pedophilia as well as its equally disturbing subplot concerning Kenny.The British satellite channel Sky One even went so far as to ban it, though it has since been broadcast on other channels and is available to stream.
15 “Crack Baby Athletic Association”
Season 15, Episode 5 (2011)
As is always the case with
South Park episodes that feature Eric Cartman as the central character, “Crack Baby Athletic Association” saw Kyle volunteer to aid helpless children at the hospital after seeing a heartbreaking commercial, only to grow suspicious when he discovers Cartman volunteering his time as well.
Kyle soon discovers that Cartman has set up a business called “Crack Baby Athletic Association,” which forces the crack-addicted babies to fight for drugs, a notion which captures the interest of EA Games.
Interestingly, the episode received only mixed reviews, with many suggesting the creators should have explored the episode’s point of the NCAA not compensating its players with more power.Still, many viewers were understandably stunned by the South Park episode’s depiction of fighting, drug-addicted babies, which marked it a very controversial installment of the series.
14 “It Hits the Fan”
Season 5, Episode 1 (2001)
An episode that proved to be a shocking spectacle, even for hardcore fans, “It Hits the Fan” saw
South Park kick-start its fifth season in eye-opening fashion.Life for the residents of South Park is upended when Cartman’s foul mouth appears on television, normalizing a swear word that proves to be a literal curse that unearths and spreads a new iteration of the black plague while also awakening the Knights of Standards and Practices.
The South Park episode’s social commentary takes aim squarely at the many regulations surrounding censoring on television, which was a hot topic at the time, and while it makes its point clearly, it was actually not its most polarizing aspect.That belonged to both the obscene cartoon gore on display as the people begin vomiting their intestines, and the frequent profanity, with the word “s**t” being said a staggering 162 times throughout the episode’s 22-minute runtime.
13 “The Death Camp of Tolerance”
Season 6, Episode 14 (2002)
As its title would suggest, “The Death Camp of Tolerance” pulled absolutely no punches in its endeavor to make audiences laugh at some of the most shocking and vile gags the series has provided.
The episode starts with Mr.Garrison as, hoping for monetary gain, he plots to get fired by depicting overtly sexual acts which only leads to the boys being sent to a rigorous tolerance camp as their parents fear their complaints are based on homophobia.
The episode is relentless in its pursuit of jokes that would stir controversy, with its targets including homophobia, political correctness, and even the holocaust as it lampooned
Schindler’s List to hilarious effect.It also featured a musical odyssey of a gerbil which was shoved up Mr.Garrison’s rectum with its adventure through the teacher parodying 1977’s animated adaptation of The Hobbit.
12 “Canada on Strike”
Season 12, Episode 4 (2008)
An episode that has become even more controversial in recent times, “Canada on Strike” was released in April 2008 and worked as a thinly veiled mockery
of the WGA Writers Strikes that were ongoing at the time.
In the episode, Canada goes on strike and demands money, which prompts the boys to try making Butters a viral internet sensation.
Interestingly, while the targeting of the Writers Strike did raise some eyebrows, Comedy Central faced a lawsuit for the episode’s recreation of the then viral video “What What (In the Butt)” in a case that was dismissed.Laced with strong jokes that land frequently throughout, the episode was seen as being one of the series’ better entries of its Twelfth season.
11 “Krazy Kripples”
Season 7, Episode 2 (2003)
South Park has a reputation for toeing the line of what is acceptable, but “Krazy Kripples” took that endeavor for socially revealing comedy up a notch.With Christopher Reeve arriving in town to promote stem cell research, Jimmy and Timmy unite in response to the attention Reeves amasses, forging a gang called “the Crips,” which gets them involved with the street gang of the same name.
Stone and Parker had been tentative about making an episode about Reeves for some time but decided to do it after being dissatisfied with the sentiment of the actor’s appearance on Larry King Live.The South Park episode was also controversial for its graphic engagement with – and lampooning of – stem cell research and its commentary on gang violence.
10 “The Worldwide Privacy Tour”
Season 26, Episode 2 (2023)
A recent episode to ruffle its targets is the second episode of the latest season, which made fun of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.Although it doesn’t call out the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by name, it features a Prince of Canada and his wife who look very much like them.The couple moves to South Park where — banging drums — they loudly and repeatedly demand privacy.
It’s a classic slice of acerbic satire from South Park, and one of the most entertaining episodes of Season 26.
The royals, however, were apparently none too pleased.
Markle was reportedly “upset and overwhelmed” for days about the episode.There were even rumors that Harry and Meghan were planning some kind of legal action, but their spokesperson has since denied this.
9 “Proper Condom Use”
Season 5, Episode 7 (2001)
This episode tackled the socially taboo topic of sex education in schools.
The parents are too squeamish to talk to their kids about sex, so they hand the task over to the teachers — who do an abysmal job at it.The characters end up more confused than they were at the beginning, which escalates to an all-out war between the boys and the girls.
There’s one particularly graphic scene where Mr.Garrison demonstrates how to put a condom with his mouth.This led the British channel Sky One to ban the episode for its sexual and violent content.
Even Comedy Central forced Parker and Stone to cut parts of it for broadcast.Beneath all the obscenity, though, the
irreverent South Park episode makes a relevant point about how difficult it can be for kids to get access to good information on such topics.
8 “All About Mormons”
Season 7, Episode 12 (2003)
“Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb.” “All About Mormons” focuses on Gary, a Mormon boy, who moves to South Park and befriends the show’s main characters.Gary shares the story of the founding of the Mormon religion, leading to a series of hilarious misunderstandings and misadventures as Randy declares that the Marsh family will be Mormon as well, on account of how friendly he finds the religion to be.
The episode is notable for its humorous treatment of the faith, and it is often cited as an example of the show’s ability to tackle complex and sensitive topics in an entertaining and enlightening way.Parker and Stone would explore similar themes in greater depth with their hit 2011 Broadway musical
The Book of Mormon.However, not everyone liked it: in a statement, the LDS church called the episode “a gross portrayal of church history”.
7 “Woodland Critter Christmas”
Season 8, Episode 14 (2004)
Spinning the idea of a charming and
wholesome sitcom Christmas special on its head, South Park presented one of its most renowned episodes with “Woodland Critter Christmas”, which excelled at being hilariously funny, sickeningly twisted, and shockingly dark all in equal measure.The episode follows Stan as he stumbles upon a group of cute and seemingly innocent forest creatures preparing for the arrival of their savior, a prophesied “immaculate” birth.
However, it soon becomes evident that the adorable animals are in fact devoted Satanists awaiting the rise of the Antichrist.
From there, the story takes a decidedly twisted turn, culminating in a gory finale involving murder, ritual sacrifice, and a bloody orgy.It’s a testament to the show’s ability to blend crude humor with biting commentary on religion and pop culture, alongside copious buckets of animated blood.
6 “Band in China”
Season 23, Episode 2 (2019)
An episode that addressed Hollywood’s growing tendency to cater to Chinese censors in order to maintain access to the nation’s lucrative market, “Band in China” saw South Park pull no punches as it took aim at the American entertainment industry.The episode sees Randy land in trouble when he travels to China to expand a sketchy business venture while Stan writes a new death metal song which becomes a hit, but he grows frustrated as his rising popularity is compromised by his producer’s insistence that he complies with Chinese censorship.
The episode’s criticism of China’s censorship and the Hollywood companies that compromise their films to cater to it was scathing and had no interest whatsoever in being subtle, with Mickey Mouse’s presence making a particular point of chastising Disney.In response, the Chinese government banned South Park entirely, a move which was met with Parker and Stone
issuing a sarcastic apology on Twitter.
5 “Trapped in the Closet”
Season 9, Episode 12 (2005)
A merciless skewering of Scientology, “Trapped in the Closet” was
a Stan-focused South Park episode that followed the young protagonist as he learns of his high thetan levels, making him the potential leader of the Church of Scientology as many within the religion begin to believe he may be the reincarnation of L.Ron Hubbard.As the story unfolds, it includes Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and R Kelly hiding in Stan’s bedroom closet in despair before Stan denounces Scientology as a scam.
While the show has no qualms about skewering the religious institution with its trademark crude humor, some of the episode’s funniest moments simply detail what Scientology actually teaches, while its depiction of some of Hollywood’s high-profile Scientologists proved to be an attention-grabbing swipe.
It even resulted in Isaac Hayes, the actor who
voiced Chef and a Scientologist himself, to quit the show.
4 “The China Problem”
Season 12, Episode 8 (2008)
Running with two equally wrong stories that unfold co-adjacently, “The China Problem” was a chaotic and consistently offensive installment to the series which shocked even some of the show’s most hardened viewers.Having watched the Beijing Olympics on TV, Cartman grows certain that China is planning to invade America and recruits Butters to form the American Liberation Front to resist against the threat.Meanwhile, Stan and his friends have a difficult time addressing their disappointment with
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
The boys imagine some graphic scenes involving Steven Spielberg and George Lucas violating Indiana Jones in a manner which a lot of fans thought may have crossed a line even for South Park.In the other plot thread, Cartman dresses up in stereotypical Chinese clothing to infiltrate a local Chinese restaurant to gain information on the looming invasion.
All in all, “The China Problem” is one of the series’ most consistently shocking episodes, one which sparked some controversy upon release.
3 “With Apologies to Jesse Jackson”
Season 11, Episode 1 (2007)
“With Apologies to Jesse Jackson” is a satire on the nature of racism and the complicated issues surrounding public apologies in modern American society.The episode centers around Randy Marsh, who inadvertently uses a racial epithet on a live TV game show, leading to a national controversy.
Parker and Stone poke fun at how individuals and institutions often attempt to apologize for offensive behavior without truly understanding or addressing the underlying issues.
The
rewatchable South Park episode pushes the envelope in all sorts of ways: Jesse Jackson declares himself the “Emperor of Black People,” Cartman makes a mockery of his sensitivity training, and a racial slur is uttered a full 43 times.The Parents Television Council criticized the episode, but most commentators actually praised its approach to the subject matter.
2 “200” and “201”
Season 14, Episode 5 & 6 (2010)
Episodes “200” and “201” are among the most heavily censored episodes in the series’ history.The two-parter features the return of Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology, who want a meeting with the “Muhammad” character that was introduced in a previous episode.The episode explores the controversy surrounding depictions of the prophet Muhammad, which are forbidden in Islam.
The episode led to violent threats against South Park online.It was too risqué even for Comedy Central, who
bleeped out parts of the South Park episode and removed others entirely.The episodes were never broadcast again or put online for streaming.
Thirteen years later, the only way to watch them is to buy them on Blu-Ray or DVD.It still stands as one of the most controversial South Park episodes ever made.
1 “Cartoon Wars”
Season 10, Episode 3 & 4 (2006)
In “Cartoon Wars,” the TV series
Family Guy plans to show Muhammad in one of its episodes.Extremists threaten violence if the episode airs, but the people of South Park decide to literally bury their heads in the sand rather than acknowledge the danger.The second part of the episode also features the hilarious revelation that the Family Guy writing staff are a group of manatees.
Comedy Central cut the Family Guy scene, replacing it with a black screen and a title card reading, “In this shot, Mohammed hands a football helmet to Family Guy.Comedy Central has refused to broadcast an image of Mohammed on their network.” Thus, the South Park episode itself became an example of the kind of censorship it was satirizing.Beneath the absurdity and crude jokes, South Park often has a clear sense of the issues facing society, though the episodes
cannot be found on Max today.
NEXT:
The Best ‘South Park’ Episodes of All Time, Ranked According to IMDb.
