Top 20 Times South Park Tackled Serious Issues

Top 20 Times South Park Tackled Serious Issues

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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Times South Park Tackles Serious Issues. For this list, we’ll be looking at instances where “South Park” went there, boldly tackling hot-button topics most shows wouldn’t dare touch. What do you think is the most serious issue “South Park” has tackled? Let us know in the comments.

Even as early as Season 1, “South Park” was addressing issues rarely explored in the TV animation landscape. This Thanksgiving special sees the boys befriend an Ethiopian boy Cartman dubs Starvin’ Marvin, who is mistakenly delivered to America. While much of the episode is dedicated to making fun of Sally Struthers, which admittedly hasn’t aged great, it does explore an issue that hasn’t lost relevance: the indifference and obliviousness many first-world nations have towards the less fortunate. This is naturally epitomized through the insensitive Cartman, who’s given just a small taste of what Marvin has experienced upon being sent to Ethiopia in his place. Marvin may not find the compassion he deserves on Earth, but he does find it on planet Marklar in Season 3.

#19: George Zimmerman “World War Zimmerman”

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In 2013, George Zimmerman was found not guilty for his involvement in the death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-teen-year-old African-American. The verdict enraged many around the country and remains contested even years later. In a “World War Z” parody, Cartman fears how Token will react. It’s Cartman who ends up taking extreme measures, though, all while making the situation about himself. This results in Cartman getting shot by Zimmerman, which isn’t treated as a punishable offense until the authorities realize the victim is white. There’s a lot of grey territory in the stand-your-ground law. Watching this episode, we see how it’s often treated as a one-way street. While Cartman learns nothing, the audience can identify with the episode’s representation of a flawed justice system.

After Stephen finds Butters in a compromising position with Cartman, he jumps to the conclusion that his son is “bi-curious.” Although it’s just a big misunderstanding, Stephen decides to send Butters to a conversion therapy camp. Despite all the talk about being “bi-curious,” nobody explains to Butter what this means. In any case, Butters doesn’t see why he or any of the other boys at the camp should feel ashamed about it. One kid named Bradley feels so ashamed that he nearly jumps to his demise. After hearing some honest words from Butters, Bradley finds that he’s not “confused.” It’s everyone who says he’s “confused” that doesn’t understand. By the end, Butters still doesn’t entirely comprehend the situation, but he is proud to be himself.

#17: Self & Body Image “The Hobbit”

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It’s what’s on the inside that matters most and we’re all beautiful in our own way. This is a message we often hear, but people don’t always live by it. When every girl in school receives a new photoshopped look, Wendy takes a stand against how the media portrays physical attractiveness. In a more conventional show, Wendy would teach everyone a valuable lesson about body and self-image. Instead, she ultimately accepts the notice that photoshop gives some people confidence. The ending is one of the show’s saddest, as Wendy conforms and photoshops an image of herself. Wendy struggles to hold back her tears as she betrays her ethics, leaving us all to contemplate what we’d do in her position.

It seems like every week there’s another report on the news about an unspeakable act of violence that’s taken place. Violence has become so prevalent in our modern world that a lot of people shrug these reports off as if there’s nothing we can do to prevent further chaos. Sharon is the only adult who’s outraged following a catastrophe at school. As everyone else downplays the ongoing mayhem, Sharon feels as if she’s surrounded by emotionless Pod People. Once again, we’re left with an ending that doesn’t find an easy solution to the problem. Sharon accepts the bleak reality she lives in as the new normal. At the same time, the episode serves as a wake-up call for those who’ve grown desensitized to violent tragedies.

#15: HIV/AIDS “Jared Has Aides” & “Tonsil Trouble”

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“South Park” has never shied away from satirizing HIV, but two episodes in particular address it head-on. In a Season 6 episode that kind of predicted the future, the world turns on Jared Fogle. Not because of what Jared later pled guilty to in real life, but due to a miscommunication. While everyone decides that they can finally laugh about the illness, Kyle sees no humor in the situation when Cartman purposely gives him AIDS six seasons later. This episode offers good news and bad news. The good news is that AIDS is much easier to manage than it was in the 80s and 90s. The bad news is that many carriers still don’t have the resources or funds needed to combat the disease.

Even for “South Park,” “Bloody Mary” proved to be a controversial episode, primarily due to a running gag involving a Virgin Mary statue. The episode is mainly about alcohol, though, and its power over people. Upon receiving a DUI, Randy decides to simply drink less. However, when Randy is led to believe that he has no power concerning his drinking or the reckless actions that stem from it, he goes into a downward spiral. While the episode’s portrayal of Alcoholics Anonymous is sure to divide some, Stan does teach Randy a valuable lesson about moderation. Randy finds the willpower to stop after a couple of beers, showing growth and discipline. Of course, this doesn’t prevent Randy from drinking too much in various episodes that follow.

Jack Sparrow makes the life of a pirate seem like nothing but fun and games. So, when Cartman and several others learn about the piracy taking place in the Indian Ocean, they set a course for Somalia. Leaving school and parents behind, they anticipate nothing but smooth sailing and treasure hunts on the horizon. Upon arriving, however, the kids quickly find that being a pirate isn’t as glamorous as it sounds. That doesn’t stop Cartman from trying to make his childish fantasy a reality. Aside from addressing pirate hijacking, which was especially timely in 2009, the episode encourages the more fortunate to not take their dull, boring lives for granted. Butters and Ike, in particular, learn the true meaning of first-world problems.

Paralleling the 2004 U.S. presidential election, South Park Elementary is given two options for their new mascot: a giant douche or a turd sandwich. Cartman is for team turd, Kyle is a douche backer, and Stan could care less. Although he’s pressured by the whole town, not to mention P. Diddy, Stan refuses to vote and is banished as a result. As over-the-top as this sounds, the episode is eerily relatable. Even when neither candidate is ideal, both sides of the political spectrum can become aggressive about securing votes. The episode hilariously and honestly explores vote-shaming, which has only grown more common in the social media era. Ultimately, Stan casts his ballot, realizing that most elections boil down to a douche or turd.

#11: The Washington Redskins “Go Fund Yourself”

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For decades, the Washington Redskins’ name and logo ignited no shortage of controversy. By 2014, many seemed to agree that the football team’s trademark was insensitive to Native Americans. Nevertheless, owner Daniel Snyder refused to budge on the subject. The eighteenth season of “South Park” aired around the same time that the football team was in jeopardy of losing its trademark. When Cartman snatches up the trademark, Snyder isn’t at all pleased. Bringing out the irony in hypocrisy, Snyder is offended that Cartman is making a mockery of the name and using it for his own gain. In real life, the team didn’t lose this trademark, but the name change process was finally initiated in 2020 during the early George Floyd protests.

Following a traumatic birthday at an aquarium, Stan becomes committed to saving the whales and dolphins. The episode revolves around whaling in Japan, which remains a heavily protested practice even to this date. Of course, the episode is also an excuse to take shots at “Whale Wars” host Paul Watson, whose anti-whaling tactics are depicted as ineffective. Despite this savage roast, Watson was supposedly happy that the episode shined a spotlight on the issue. In the end, the boys steer the Japanese government away from sea life, inspiring them to instead target barnyard animals. Although the episode doesn’t offer a realistic solution to whaling, at the very least, it helped bring the subject to the attention of a wider audience while also bringing the laughs.

#9: The Treatment of Amazon Workers “Unfulfilled” & “Bike Parade”

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Few things are more satisfying than walking out onto your front doorstep to find a new Amazon package. Although it’s the ultimate convenience for the consumer, many of the employees responsible for shipping and delivering those packages have expressed dissatisfaction with their working conditions. In this two-parter, an Amazon fulfillment center is set up in South Park. When one worker suffers a particularly bizarre accident, a strike erupts. Earlier that year, some called for an Amazon Prime Day boycott and the Stop BEZOS Act was initiated. Portraying founder Jeff Bezos as an all-knowing overlord, the episodes also touch upon how the retail giant has overshadowed smaller businesses. In the end, the episodes demonstrate how instant gratification doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be left fulfilled in the long run.

#8: ICE Detention Centers “Mexican Joker”

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Even before the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was formed in 2003, immigration detention was a major talking point. Opinions surrounding the issue became especially heated with the election of President Donald Trump, whose “zero tolerance” policy has resulted in numerous children being separated from their families. Cartman, being...well...Cartman, sees this as an ample opportunity to get rid of Kyle. ICE quickly realizes that Kyle sticks out like a sore thumb and his Jewish heritage doesn’t help their image. Yet, that doesn’t stop them from picking up Cartman later on. The episode depicts ICE as an incompetent agency that cares more about saving their own skin than the psychological ramifications detention centers have on children.

#7: Controversial Flags “Chef Goes Nanners”

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Now more than ever, displaying the Confederate flag is bound to result in a passionate debate. This isn’t anything new, however. Even back in the year 2000, “South Park” was parodying flag controversy in this episode. Chef insists that the South Park town flag be changed due to its offensive imagery. Jimbo, meanwhile, feels that the flag is a part of the town’s history and therefore should be preserved. The episode wisely doesn’t vilify Chef or Jimbo, exploring the argument from both of their perspectives. In the end, they find a way to make both sides happy. The flag is changed to be more diverse, although it retains elements of the original design. Twenty years after this episode aired, people still aren’t any closer to reaching a compromise.

From Stan’s stint as a Guitar Hero to Cartman’s fried chicken operation, drug use has been parodied in a number of “South Park” episodes. One of the most effective examples occurred in Season 8 when Jimmy entered the Special Olympics. To give himself a competitive edge, Jimmy turns to steroids. Despite Timmy’s qualms, Jimmy continually justifies his actions, arguing that most athletes do this sort of thing anyway. Although his performance is enhanced, the steroids take a drastic toll on Jimmy’s personality and relationships. “South Park” may be a comedy, but this episode gets surprisingly dramatic and downright uncomfortable at certain points. Fortunately, Jimmy learns his lesson by the end thanks to Timmy and - inadvertently - Cartman.

Climate change isn’t going away overnight, hence why it remains a recurring theme in “South Park.” Granted, “South Park” hasn’t always taken climate change very seriously - or should we say “cereally.” In a Season 9 episode parodying the response to Hurricane Katrina, shots were also fired at “The Day After Tomorrow” and its take on global warming. The following season, Al Gore tries to warn everybody about a creature called ManBearPig, an obvious allegory for climate change. Although it seems that ManBearPig is imaginary, his existence is confirmed by Season 22. It leaves us with a grim message: global warming is real, it may be too late to reverse the damage, and most people would rather ignore the problem than make a small sacrifice.

Being such a controversial show, censorship has always provided commentary for “South Park.” Freedom of speech even led to a war against Canada in the 1999 feature film. While the U.S. and the Great White North have since buried the hatchet, Randy had a bone to pick with China in Season 23. Due to China’s economic impact on the U.S. entertainment industry, many American companies have played ball with the country’s regulations, despite how unusual some of them sound. Winnie-the-Pooh, for example, was banned in China after Xi Jinping was compared to Disney’s interpretation. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this episode got “South Park” banned in China. Randy and Towelie would have some harsh words for the Chinese government the following week.

#3: COVID-19 “The Pandemic Special” & “South ParQ Vaccination Special”

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It was only a matter of time before South Park covered the coronavirus. And they did not hold back. The show’s first ever television special, “The Pandemic Special”, covered a lot of ground, from Covid-19’s effect on small businesses to the dilemmas it's caused with reopening schools. However, since it’s South Park, it also takes time to ridicule the situation as a whole, poking fun at the habits we’ve adopted since the pandemic’s inception. A “Vaccination Special” also followed …

When Randy gets an answer incredibly wrong on “Wheel of Fortune,” his mistake follows him everywhere. Even after literally kissing up to Jesse Jackson, the only people who sympathize with Randy are Michael Richards, Mark Fuhrman, and several others who came to regret their choice of words. While Randy’s storyline provides clever commentary, the episode’s most poignant dynamic is between Stan and Token. Although Stan wishes to reconcile, Token isn’t so quick to forgive. He feels that Stan doesn’t understand what hearing a certain word means to him. Token’s line about Jesse Jackson actually came from Vernon Chatman, a staff writer who’s half-black. It isn’t until Stan realizes that he can never understand how Token feels that he finally begins to grasp the situation. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Homelessness, “Night of the Living Homeless” An Issue That Requires Serious Change The Iraq War, “I’m a Little Bit Country” Donny, Marie, Cartman Bring South Park Together in Harmony The Ethics of Life Support, “Best Friends Forever” A Nuanced Approach to a Nuanced Issue

One year after the CBP was formed, “South Park” delivered a satire of illegal immigration that’s still incredibly relevant. The immigrants in this episode travel from a bleak future where the world has become overpopulated and destitute. By venturing back to the 21st century, people are able to make enough money to provide for their families in the 4th millennium. Modern workers, however, argue that this is taking away their jobs - or “jerbs” as some might say. As funny as the episode is, it’s also harrowing to think that so little has changed since 2004. For all we know, this could still be a serious issue by the time we get to 3045. After all, satire may be our greatest window into the future.