Amazon and Netflix have finally caught up with South Park. The first streaming service offers all the seasons and Netflix the last 5.
Created in 1997 by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the series established itself in 301 episodes as the most versatile of social satires. We’ve already told you about the film, also available on Netflix, here.
Cartman, Kenny, Kyle and Stan, the four main characters, are like the Beatles of Generation Y. A definite impact, and one that’s not about to stop. In their honor, here’s a selection of the 10 best episodes for your daily firecracker break :
5) “It’s a jersey thing” (Season 14, Episode 9)
This episode parodies “Jersey Shore”, the American reality show that a few years later gave rise to “Les anges de téléréalité” and “Marseillais Vs Ch’tis” in France. In this episode, the town is invaded by New Jersey residents who are as noisy as they are violent. It’s an opportunity for the townspeople to join forces with Osama Bin Laden to fight the invasion. It’s all nonsense.
Why watch it high: It’s the only reality show that makes you smarter, all the more reason to enjoy it high.
4) “Scott Tenorman Must Die” (Season 5, Episode 4)
Cartman is ripped off by a smarter-than-him teenager, Scott Tenorman, who has sold him pubic hair at full price. Throughout the episode, poor Cartman devises plans that all fall through, and is gradually humiliated by Scott. His revenge will be terrible…
Why watch it high: This is one of the most shocking episodes of the series, the one that really reveals Cartman’s potential to be a nuisance. A an episode that marks a switch in the character’s development from annoying kid… to evil genius. He’s obnoxious, selfish and cruel. So this is an absolutely brilliant episode for fans of the character. But you’ll never be able to eat chili in peace again. I warn you.
3) “Smug Alert” (Season 10, Episode 2)
When the town of South Park goes hybrid, the residents become insufferable and pretentious, and Stan tries to win back his friend Kyle, who has moved to San Francisco. What’s more, a terrible disaster threatens: the gases given off by hybrid car drivers are terribly toxic.
Why watch it high: Because it’s South Park’s most psychedelic episode, thanks to the evocative setting of San Francisco, the hippie 2.0 paradise. It’s also the only chance you’ll get to see Cartman do a good deed. Even George Clooney (who is heavily mocked in the episode for his right-thinking speeches) is a fan. He’s a real class act, George.
2) “Make Love, Not Warcraft” (Season 10, Episode 8)
This episode is an important part of global television history. It’s the first time a “real” game was used by fiction to tell a story. Indeed, half the episode takes place in South Park and the other half in the virtual world of Warcraft, as we follow Cartman, Kenny, Kyle and Stan as they struggle relentlessly to gain experience. The goal? Beat the world’s biggest “No-life” and stop him from killing every player in the kingdom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl_k_Zv5jM0
Why watch it high: Because it’s one of the best episodes ever made by South Park, it won them an Emmy (an award never won by Family Guy) and because it’s the only time Blizzard has given permission to use their game for a parody. The episode is even topical, since Blizzard launched this year: Classic Warcraft, a “stripped-down” version of the game similar (minus the bugs) to the one played by our four friends. A cult episode M’kay?
1) “Medicinal Fried Chicken” (Season 14, Episode 3)
Of course, we had to end our selection with an episode dedicated to the phenomenon of Medical Cannabis in the United States. In this episode, Randy Marsh tries to obtain the precious sesame so he can smoke the way he should. The way he does it… is original. Meanwhile, Cartman sets up a smuggling ring to feed his addiction to fried chicken. Somewhere between “Harold and Kumar” and Breaking Bad, this episode is as clever as it is indispensable to the culture of every stoner.
Why watch it high: Because it’s hilarious to recognize the stoners’ tics combined with the series’ very trashy humor. It’s no wonder the show’s creators are big advocates of legalization. Without spoilers, I can only tell you that I too would put my private parts in a microwave to have the right to smoke legally. The episode deftly denounces the hypocrisy of an America in the throes of a health crisis. What if the solution was simply to smoke?
Mike Teeve
