South Park is an iconic adult animated sitcom that has been airing on Comedy Central since 1997. It follows the misadventures of four grade-schoolers in South Park, Colorado. Its absurd humor and social commentary has earned it a cult following and critical praise. With 27 seasons, there are many great episodes to choose from. Here are our top picks for the best South Park episodes, ranked!
From classic episodes like "Scott Tenorman Must Die" and "Make Love, Not Warcraft" to more recent gems like "Band in China" and "Time to Get Cereal," South Park has offered up a wide variety of hilarious and thought-provoking stories over the years. With its blend of satire, parody, and wit, it's no wonder South Park is still going strong after 27 seasons.
Whether you're a die-hard fan or just getting into the show, these are the best South Park episodes you need to check out. From classic favorites to more recent standouts, there's something for everyone in this list of the best South Park episodes, ranked!
Written by Sophie and last updated on dec 20, 2024.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
Someone played an April Fools joke on the boys and it didn't go over well. Butters is incapacitated, Cartman is furious and the rest of the boys are afraid someone might do it again.
The episode was rated 7.10 from 658 votes.
Powerful forces are tormenting Ike. He's freaked out and the stress could kill him. Kyle and the boys are doing everything they can to save him but the poltergeists won't leave Ike alone.
The episode was rated 7.59 from 657 votes.
Randy is determined that Stan will win this year's Pinewood Derby. He comes up with a plan that will assure Stan a first place trophy.
The episode was rated 7.73 from 685 votes.
Things at the water park are not what they seem. The boys' fun filled day is about to turn deadly. Events are in play at Splash Town that signal the end of the world is upon us. Cartman tries to warn everyone but no one will listen. Disaster is about to strike and the boys are in a race to survive.
The episode was rated 7.74 from 678 votes.
Thinking it's his way into her heart and other body parts, Kenny takes his new girlfriend to a Jonas Brothers concert. His dream of taking their relationship to the next level is crushed when the Jonas Brothers give them purity rings.
The episode was rated 7.78 from 760 votes.
Eric Cartman seizes the opportunity to become the voice of change at the school when he takes over the morning announcements. His target is South Park Elementary’s Student Body President, Wendy Testaburger. Cartman is asking the tough questions and gaining followers.
The episode was rated 7.83 from 697 votes.
Everyone agrees they've had enough of the loud and obnoxious bikers that have arrived in South Park. The boys are taking on the Harley Riders. They thrown down the F word and the game is on.
The episode was rated 7.83 from 751 votes.
Stan and his family are spending his birthday at the Denver Aquarium where they will get to swim with the dolphins. Things turn bloody when the Japanese attack, kill all the dolphins and ruin Stan’s big day. There seems to be no end to the senseless killing. Stan takes on the cause to save the dolphins from the Japanese.
The episode was rated 7.85 from 721 votes.
Butters and a small group of recruits join Cartman in his dream of living on skull island. Cartman promises that paradise awaits if they can just get to Somalia.
The episode was rated 7.92 from 716 votes.
The boys have found their new calling in life and they hurry to sign up for the wrestling club. They soon find out the kind of wrestling they teach at school is not the same thing they saw at the WWE.
The episode was rated 7.94 from 737 votes.
“The Coon” rises from the trash and takes his place as a lone vigilante who wipes out crime in the town of South Park. A rival superhero appears on the scene in the form of “Mysterion” and challenges the Coon’s place as a “symbol” for the town.
The episode was rated 7.97 from 728 votes.
Randy steps forward with a solution to fix the desperate financial state everyone finds themselves in. The town gets behind him and everyone starts to live a life that no longer depends on any economy at all. Meanwhile an unlikely savior makes the ultimate sacrifice to solve everyone’s problems.
The episode was rated 8.05 from 788 votes.
In the South Park episode "Fishsticks," Cartman decides to help Jimmy with his comedy routine. The boys come up with a joke that ends up being a huge hit and gets featured on all of the late night talk shows. Unfortunately, someone tries to take credit for it, and it leads to a conflict between the boys and the person trying to steal their joke.
The joke revolves around a fish sticks/dicks joke, which does not make sense in England, as they refer to them as fish fingers. This makes the joke a bit weaker than it would be in the United States, and this contributes to the episode dragging on. In addition, the episode also references Kanye, though many viewers may not be familiar with him or his family.
The episode was rated 8.13 from 796 votes.
In the episode "Butters' Bottom Bitch", Butters has been made fun of by his friends due to the fact that he has never kissed a girl. Determined to prove them wrong, Butters attempts to catch up with the other boys in his class. Meanwhile, a cop is determined to take down prostitution in South Park. What the characters don't know is that Butters has become a pimp and the cop is actually a prostitute.
This episode is full of humorous moments, as Butters attempts to find a way to make a kiss happen while he is also dealing with the cop's mission to take down the prostitution in South Park. The characters are unaware of what is going on and it leads to some funny moments as Butters attempts to make a kiss happen. It is a humorous episode that is sure to make the audience laugh.
The episode was rated 8.22 from 846 votes.
