The 15 Best South Park Episodes

South Park, created in 1997 by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, has been pushing the boundaries of TV comedy ever since its debut. Few shows have ever managed to achieve the same staying power and cultural impact. Over its many seasons, the series has tackled everything from politics to pop culture with its infamous blend of biting satire and controversial humor. While the show has produced countless hilarious and memorable episodes over the years, we've selected 15 that stand out as some of the all-time greatest.

15. Good Times with Weapons

Season 8, Episode 1 (2004)

We start off our list with "Good Times with Weapons," a unique episode that blends South Park's crude animation with an anime-inspired style. In the episode, the boys buy martial arts weapons at the fair and pretend to be ninjas. But when Butters gets injured, the boys panic and frantically try to hide the incident from their parents. The episode ends with a humorous jab at society's misplaced priorities of moral outrage.

Memorable quote: "W-w-what's the matter fellas? Are you ninjas or p-pussies?" - Jimmy

14. Fishsticks

Season 13, Episode 5 (2009)

In "Fishsticks," Jimmy comes up with the perfect joke, but Cartman tries to take the credit for it. The joke becomes a nationwide sensation, but Kanye West is comically incapable of understanding the joke. According to Matt and Trey, they came up with the joke after seeing salmon jumping on a writers' retreat at Ballard Locks in Seattle. They chose to portray Kanye West as being unable to get the joke because they thought he took himself too seriously.

Memorable quote: "Do you like fishsticks?" - Jimmy

13. Chinpokomon

Season 3, Episode 11 (1999)

Another episode with an anime influence, "Chinpokomon" was released as Pokémon was first taking the world by storm. In the episode, the boys get hooked on "Chinpokomon," a Japanese franchise that heavily resembles a more violent version of Pokémon. However, what makes the fictional franchise different from our real life counterpart (as far as we know), is that Chinpokomon is actually a plot by the Japanese government to take down America. The episode serves as a hilarious critique of consumerism, marketing, and the power of fads.

Memorable quote: "We are very simple people, with very small penis." - Mr. Hirohito

12. Scott Tenorman Must Die

Season 5, Episode 4 (2001)

One of the most iconic South Park episodes and also one of the most disturbing, "Scott Tenorman Must Die" is when we learned just how diabolical Cartman actually is. The episode follows Cartman’s quest for revenge against Scott Tenorman, an older boy who tricked him into buying pubic hair. The plot escalates into one of the most shocking and twisted endings in TV history. It’s a defining episode for both Cartman as a character and South Park as a series.

Memorable quote: "Oh, the tears of unfathomable sadness, mmm, yummy." - Cartman

11. You're Getting Old + Ass Burgers

Season 15, Episodes 7 and 8 (2011)

When Stan turns ten in the first episode of this two-parter, everything suddenly starts to seem like shit. He finds himself unable to enjoy anything, from ice cream to movie trailers to "tween wave" music. In the following episode, Stan is mistakenly diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, but finds out that the treatment center is actually a front for cynical freedom fighters who believe that the world really has turned to shit. Some of the more somber episodes in South Park’s history, "You're Getting Old" and "Ass Burgers" deal with the disillusionment that comes with growing older. Their heavy subject matter and lack of a happy ending make them somewhat unique among South Park episodes, but they still manage to deliver plenty of laughs.

Memorable quote: "It's a condition called being a cynical asshole." - Doctor

10. Christian Rock Hard

Season 7, Episode 9 (2003)

When Cartman gets kicked out of the boys' band, he starts a Christian rock band with Token and Butters. By simply replacing words like "baby" and "darling" with "Jesus," he is able to write hit songs and the group becomes a huge success. "Christian Rock Hard" is a sharp commentary on the hypocrisy of the music industry and the commercialization of faith.

Memorable quote: "Token, how many times do we have to go through this? You're black. You can play bass." - Cartman

9. Asspen

Season 6, Episode 2 (2002)

The kids and their families take a vacation together in Aspen. However, Stan gets challenged to a race by a cocky skier named Tad, while the parents wind up stuck in an endless timeshare presentation. "Asspen" is a parody of '80s ski movies and '80s movies in general, complete with all of the cheesy tropes and over-the-top characters. Remember, if you french fry when you should pizza, you're gonna have a bad time!

Memorable quote: "Stan Marsh? Stan DARSH is more like it!" - Tad

8. Creme Fraiche

Season 14, Episode 14 (2010)

Randy gets addicted to the Food Network and becomes obsessed with cooking, while Sharon compensates for his lack of attention by turning to the Shake Weight. As Randy immerses himself in the world of gourmet cooking, his fixation spirals out of control and leads to chaos. An iconic Randy episode, "Creme Fraiche" cleverly parodies the rise of food culture as well as modern exercise and fitness trends.

Memorable quote: "Your workout is finished. Here is some cab fare. Now going to sleep mode." - Shake Weight

7. Casa Bonita

Season 7, Episode 11 (2003)

Kyle is allowed to invite three of his friends to go with him to Casa Bonita for his birthday, but instead of inviting Cartman, Kyle decides to bring Butters. Dismayed, Cartman devises a scheme to get Butters out of the way. When his plot is almost discovered, he has to go to increasingly elaborate lengths to keep Butters concealed. "Casa Bonita" is one of the all-time classic South Park episodes, especially for Cartman and Butters.

Memorable quote:
"Was it worth it?" - Police Officer
"...Totally." - Cartman

6. Medicinal Fried Chicken

Season 14, Episode 3 (2010)

New state laws result in the closure of all KFCs in Colorado, causing South Park's KFC location to become a medical marijuana dispensary. Randy gives himself testicular cancer to get a doctor's referral for marijuana, making his testicles so big he has to carry them in a wheelbarrow. Meanwhile, Cartman becomes a black market KFC dealer. A great example of South Park’s ability to take current events and make them funny, "Medicinal Fried Chicken" was released 2 years before Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize recreational marijuana.

Memorable quote: "It's like a hoppity hop." - Randy

5. Black Friday + A Song of Ass and Fire + Titties and Dragons

Season 17, Episodes 7-9 (2013)

The most recent episodes to make our list, this trilogy from 2013 comes in at #5. In "Black Friday," the children of South Park prepare to battle the crowds on Black Friday to get a deal on a new gaming system. However, the kids are split into two factions, one for Xbox and the other for Playstation. In the following episode, "A Song of Ass and Fire," anticipation for the battle continues to build. Finally, in "Titties and Dragons," the battle commences, and Xbox emerges victorious (although the PS4 turned out to be more successful in real life). This epic three-part series is a masterpiece of satire, parodying Game of Thrones, the consumer frenzy of Black Friday, and "console wars" between Xbox and Playstation fans.

Memorable quote: "Winter is coming and there's dragons and zombies on the way. I'm pretty excited for that. Just could do with a little less gay wiener is all." - Butters

4. Butters' Bottom Bitch

Season 13, Episode 9 (2009)

After paying a girl for his first kiss, Butters inadvertently starts a prostitution ring by pimping kisses at school. Meanwhile, a local police sergeant goes a little too deep undercover in his sting operation. Hilarious from start to finish, "Butters' Bottom Bitch" is possibly the greatest episode to star Butters, and offers a brilliant contrast between childhood innocence and the darker realities of the adult world. Do you know what I am saying?

Memorable quote: "Bitch, you wanna make some motherfucking money?" - Butters

3. Trapped in the Closet

Season 9, Episode 12 (2005)

After taking a "personality test" from some Scientologists, Stan produces such a high reading of "thetan levels" on the "E-meter" that the results are immediately sent to Scientology's headquarters, where the President of Scientology declares that Stan is the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. Notable Scientologist Tom Cruise locks himself in the closet and refuses to come out after he learns that Stan isn't a fan of his acting. An episode that sparked some controversy, "Trapped in the Closet" is notorious for exposing some of the harmful practices and bizarre beliefs of Scientology.

Memorable quote: "Tell me why Tom Cruise in the closet or else I'm gonna shoot someone." - R. Kelly

2. The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers

Season 6, Episode 13 (2002)

An extended parody of "The Lord of the Rings," the episode sees the boys on a quest to deliver a rented copy of "The Lord of the Rings" to Butters' house. However, the tape had accidentally been switched with a porno, and Butters ends up watching it. Upon realizing their mistake, Stan's parents task the boys with retrieving the tape from Butters and returning it to the video store. To do so, they must also defend it from the sixth graders. The ensuing quest is both a clever parody and a hilarious adventure in its own right.

Memorable quote: "Five midgets spanking a man covered in thousand island dressing, is that making love?" - Token Black

1. Make Love, Not Warcraft

Season 10, Episode 8 (2006)

The boys start playing World of Warcraft, but a high level player keeps killing them. Cartman comes up with a plan to take down the renegade player by killing millions of boars in the game to level up their characters. As their in-game characters become more powerful, their real bodies become fatter and pimplier. With some help from the developers of the game, the boys are finally able to defeat the rogue gamer and save the world... of Warcraft. Notably, South Park staff also had some help from the developers of "World of Warcraft," who assisted them in creating the in-game sequences. While it's impossible to choose an objectively best episode, "Make Love, Not Warcraft" is definitely among the most hilarious and iconic and for that reason it ranks #1 on our list. It also won an Emmy.

Memorable quote: "How do you kill that which has no life?" - Blizzard Executive

Select episodes of South Park are available to stream for free on South Park's website. If you're having trouble picking an episode to watch, try letting our South Park random episode generator pick one for you. And if you enjoyed our list of the best South Park episodes, check out our list of the best Family Guy episodes too.