South Parkisn’t just one of the singlegreatest animated shows of all time; it’s also a groundbreaking step forward in American comedy.Trey ParkerandMatt Stonecreated a series that was filled with satire, popular cultural references, and the occasional heartfelt moments, proving to be much more insightful than anyone would have realized. Similar toThe Simpsons’ success in the decade prior,South Parkhas now become a foundational text as it heads into its third decade of existence.
Although it has aired many amazing episodes since its debut in 1997,South Parkhas consistently delivered fantastic holiday-themed installmentsthat often subvert expectations regarding the show’s standard story structure. These episodes allow the show to mock some of its frequent targets, including traditional community values and religious extremism.These are the bestSouth Parkholiday episodes, ranked by how funny they are, how well they integrate the holiday into the plot, and their overall quality.
South Park
10“A Very Crappy Christmas” (2000)
Season 4, Episode 17
“A Very Crappy Christmas” was one of the most importantSouth Parkfestive episodes, as it was one of the initial installments to introduce the character of Mr. Hankey. This peculiar creation is certainly one ofSouth Park’s more divisive characters,as some fans have felt that he has overstayed his welcome due to some less well-received installments within later seasons.
“A Very Crappy Christmas” has Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman actually working together for once to help save Christmas.
Still, “A Very Crappy Christmas” works asan overt parody of classic animated holiday specialslikeA Charlie Brown Christmasand even has a musical number inspired byThe Lion King. While it does contain the cynical edge that has always madeSouth Parksuch a trailblazing program, “A Very Crappy Christmas” also has Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman actually working together for once to help save Christmas, which doesreflect a more positive messagethan the nasty feuds that they have tended to get into throughout the series.
9“Pinkeye” (1997)
Season 1, Episode 7
Although there have certainly been some controversial, divisive, and gross moments in the history of the series,South Parkactually got into some real horror with the Halloween episode “Pinkeye.”Althoughthe running joke of Kenny being brought back to the deadhas been a part of the series since the beginning, “Pinkeye” framed his resurrection amidst a zombie invasion that threatens to take over the town.
“Pinkeye” is a great parody of zombie movies, as it shows how ignorant people would actually be in a situation where the undead threatened to take over.South Parkhas never been for the faint of heart, as it has managed to get more disturbing than even what other contemporary adult animated shows likeFamily GuyorKing of the Hillwere capable of. That being said,“Pinkeye” is just gross, even bySouth Parkstandards.
8“It’s Christmas in Canada” (2003)
Season 7, Episode 15
Canada has been a frequent target of satire inSouth Park, as a fictional war with the United States was even the subject of the critically acclaimed 1999 filmSouth Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut. The episode “It’s Christmas in Canada” brings the tensions back when Kyle’s younger brother Ike is discovered by his birth parents, who attempt to bring him back to Canada to live with them.
There are many episodes of the show that lampoon classic films fromthe Golden Age of Hollywood,but “It’s Christmas in Canada” hasmany hilarious references toThe Wizard of Oz. Although Parker and Stone try to avoid being too sentimental like it is the plague, there are some moments of fraternal bonding between Kyle and Ike that reflect a more heartfelt aspect of what the series could be capable of.
7“Red Sleigh Down” (2002)
Season 6, Episode 17
Santa Claus is aSouth Parkcharacter thatseems well-suited for a spinoff. The series certainly managed to show a radically different version of St. Nick than the one seen in family holiday films likeMiracle on 34th StreetorThe Santa Clause.
“Red Sleigh Down” featuresa team-up between Santa, Jesus, and Mr. Hankey,who are all recruited by Cartman to spread holiday joy to the people of Iraq. It’s actuallyone of the more action-packed episodes of the series, as there are many sly references to recent war films, includingDavid O. Russell’sThree KingsandRidley Scott’sBlack Hawk Down.South Parkhas never been shy of examining controversial topics like the Iraq War, but “Red Sleigh Down” managed to merge festive sentiments with bloody action intoone of the weirdest installments in the show’s early history.
6“Starvin’ Marvin” (1997)
Season 1, Episode 8
In one of the show’s rare Thanksgiving episodes,South Parkmade somerazor-edged points about the reality of charitable programsin “Starvin’ Marvin.” The episode centers on Kyle, Cartman, Stan, and Kenny, who accidentally adopt a starving African child named Marvin after sending money to his home country in hopes of getting a watch.
“Starvin’ Marvin” was one of the earliest episodes ofSouth Parkand showed how dark the series was willing to get with itsjokes about the human rights crimes committed in overseas countriesand why Americans were so ignorant. Cartman’s true ignorance and cruelty came out in a way unforeseen in the show previously. The episode also featured a hilarious war scene involving the Chef that parodiedBraveheart, theMel Gibsonwar epic that hadwon the Academy Award for Best Pictureand Best Director just a few years prior.
5“Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson!” (1998)
Season 2, Episode 16
“Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson!” is actuallyone of the most important episodes ofSouth Park, as it involves one of the first true disputes between Stan and his parents. Although Stan’shome life has always been a bit dysfunctional, he defies their authority when he decides to join his friends to visit Cartman’s grandparents during a holiday trip to Nebraska.
As the title would suggest, “Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson!” features an appearance by the signature serial killer and cult leaderwho was responsible for the death ofSharon Tatein 1969. While Manson has been depicted subsequently inQuentin Tarantino’sOnce Upon A Time In Hollywoodand the second season ofMindhunter, it was stillfairly groundbreaking forSouth Parkto crack jokes about it. Involving Manson with Cartman’s villainous Uncle Howard was another instance where the series blurred reality and fiction together.
4“Fantastic Easter Special” (2007)
Season 11, Episode 5
In one of therare episodes set outside the South Park town,“Fantastic Easter Special” sees Stanquestioning the connection between the Easter Bunny and Jesus, as he isn’t able to understand what they have to do with each other. After his parents give him an unsatisfying answer, Stan goes out on an adventure to solve the mystery, leading to a secret society that protects an age-old secret.
“Fantastic Easter Special” does a great job atparodying conspiracy thrillers, as the notion of a secret organization that operates behind closed doors feels somewhat inspired byStanley Kunbrick’serotic thrillerEyes Wide ShutandAlan J. Pakula’s political mysteryThe Parallax View. “Fantastic Easter Special” was alsoan important episode for Stan’s development, as he begins to question the values that he has been raised on, leading to more disputes with his parents in subsequent seasons.
3“Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo!” (1997)
Season 1, Episode 9
“Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo!”was the first Christmas-themed episode ofSouth Parkand is responsible for establishing many of the show’s running storylines. Although the first season is generallynot heralded as one ofSouth Park’s best,it did have an important task of introducing key concepts that would be addressed at a later point.
“Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo!” wasone of the first instances in whichSouth Parktook aim at political correctness. Although most of the town’s residents think that Kyle’s belief in Mr. Hankey is silly, they feel a need not to deny his beliefs out of fear of offending him. Many aspects of the show have changed in the subsequent decades, but Parker and Stone seem just as adamant in criticizing the ways in which political correctness can be a barrier to logic.
2“A Song of Ass and Fire” (2013)
Season 17, Episode 8
“A Song of Ass and Fire” was part of a trilogy ofSouth Parkepisodes that parodied Black Friday shoppingand how ridiculous it can get when consumerism goes wild. Although there had been previous make-believe episodes in which the boys played characters fromThe Lord of the Rings,“A Song of Ice and Fire” drew fromGame of Thrones, which was then heralded as one of thegreatest drama shows of all time.
“A Song of Ass and Fire” is just funny and ridiculous enough that even those who have never seen or read Martin’s novels or seenGame of Thronescan enjoy it.
“A Song of Ice and Fire” was perfectly timed, as it aired amidst the third season ofGame of Throneswhen the “Red Wedding” incident took viewers who had not already readGeorge R.R. Martin’sbooks by complete surprise. That being said, “A Song of Ass and Fire” is just funny and ridiculous enough that even those who have never seen or read Martin’s novels or seenGame of Thronescan enjoy it. The hilarious episode even provokeda response from Martin himself, who denied the show’s insinuation that he’s obsessed with “weenies.”
1“Woodland Critter Christmas” (2004)
Season 8, Episode 14
“Woodland Critter Christmas” isone of the most perfectSouth Parkepisodesand certainly one of the darkest. The notion of a group of friendly wild animals gathering for Christmas is a part of many beloved family holiday specials. However,South Parkmanages to take a considerably more disturbing take on this classic narrative when Stan travels into the woods outside of South Park and discovers that the animals are involved in an evil, cannibalistic ceremony.
“Woodland Critter Christmas” proves once again thatnothing is sacred inSouth Park, as there isn’t anything that Parker and Stone were incapable of mocking. Although the series would go on to pull off more extended storylines in subsequent seasons, the shock ofthe big twist in “Woodland Critter Christmas” remains one of the most jaw-dropping momentsin the entire history ofSouth Park, which is really saying something when you think about it.
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