Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s South Park has grown from a crudely animated and foul-mouthed fascination to one of the smartest and most fearless satires that’s currently on television. Many adult animated series have made their mark on the industry, but South Park has produced more than 300 episodes across 25 seasons with still no end in sight.
South Park’s sensibilities haven’t greatly shifted since the series’ inception, but it’s gradually evolved with the times and the current televised models of serialized storytelling. There are hundreds of characters that South Park has explored over the course of its run. Some individuals have always been popular with audiences, but there are also many South Park figures who took years to reach their currently celebrated status.
10 There Are More And More Moments Where South Park Feels Like Randy’s Show
Randy Marsh, Stan’s enthusiastic and reactionary father, has been with South Park since the very beginning. However, it’s fascinating to see how Randy has gradually become more of the series’ surrogate for Trey Parker and Matt Stone as they’ve grown older. Randy-centric storylines would sometimes be the random highlight of a season, but the show’s later years have arguably put more of a focus on Randy than some of the central children. Randy’s Tegridy Farms venture hasn’t just become a pillar of modern South Park, but it’s also separated the Marsh family from much of South Park.
9 PC Principal Ushers In New Times In A Reflexive Way
South Park has gone through several phases over the course of its legendary run. Some characters have been around the background of the town for years, only to recently emerge in big ways, while other important individuals are complete outsiders to South Park. The series’ 19th season kicks off with PC Principal picking up the slack at South Park Elementary. PC Principal’s more inclusive and friendly ideas are a constant through the season, but he’s remained at the school and an important sounding board as South Park heads further towards modernity.
8 Towelie Has Evolved From Cynical Gag To A Genuine Character
South Park is an incredibly self-aware comedy series and some of their best ideas are when they rage against the very machine that supports them. Towelie first appears in season five’s “Towelie” as a direct parody of two-dimensional characters that exist purely for catchphrase and merchandising purposes.
Towelie is shallow and reductive as a result. However, South Park has slowly humanized the character in surprising ways and he’s even become Randy’s business partner at Tegridy Farms, which frequently puts him in the spotlight. Towelie still largely functions as a joke about bad characters, but he’s at least allowed some depth.
7 Tolkien Black Has Gradually Gained Empathy And Found His Voice
South Park is full of children that the core cast is able to turn to in different situations. Tolkien Black has always occupied the background of South Park Elementary, but he’s frequently reduced to a stereotype, especially by Cartman. More attention has been given to Tolkien and his family over the years, which has culminated in season 25’s “The Big Fix.” This episode is devoted to the condescending assumptions that have been made about Tolkien over the years, including his name. It’s a fascinating character study, but the Blacks also prepare to oppose Tegridy Farms and are set to become even more important.
6 City Wok’s Tuong Lu Kim Has Earned His Keep In South Park
Tuong Lu Kim, more colloquially known in South Park as the proprietor of the City Wok establishment, is introduced as an easy, cheap gag that comes at the character’s expense. For seasons, any material with Tuong Lu Kim plays into the character’s nationality, but these jokes are made without malice and the community does seem to genuinely value Kim’s contributions. Kim remains featured in the context of City Wok, but he’s been given larger showcases over time, like his war against City Sushi in season 15.
5 Craig Has Advanced From The Background To Prove His Worth
Craig Tucker is a very unassuming, normal-looking kid from South Park, who under different circumstances, could easily be part of Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny’s core friend group. Craig works because he’s just a regular kid for so much of his run in the series, but over the course of hundreds of episodes, it’s only natural to flesh him out.
Craig has gradually become more of a supporting player to the boys, but he’s also become a lot more popular after the shipping between him and Tweek.
4 Harrison Yates And His Unconventional Cop Work Are Now A South Park Staple
South Park’s early seasons feature Officer Barbrady as the community’s primary law enforcement. Change can be a fickle thing in South Park, but Barbrady’s bumbling and uneducated nature eventually gets replaced by Harrison Yates, a new cop who’s equally ridiculous, but somewhat more professional. Harrison Yates is initially just the “red-haired cop,” but he tackles larger operations and his unusual methods become a trademark of South Park’s police department. More about Harrison Yates has come to light too, like that he has a wife named Marie and a son.
3 Butters Is Pure Joy Who Must Be Protected At All Costs
Butters has grown into one of South Park’s best and most entertaining characters due to his perpetual innocence and how he frequently becomes the brunt of the universe’s jokes. Butters’ cruel karmic fate first gets a serious showcase in season five’s “Butters’ Very Own Episode.” Butters is now an integral part of the show, especially when he’s opposite Cartman, and his alter ego, “Professor Chaos,” has also become increasingly important. The odd evolution of Butters’ character is one of the best things that South Park has done.
2 Tweek Tweak Has Risen Above His Roots And Contains Multitudes
Tweek Tweak first shows up in South Park’s second season as a frantic ball of nerves. The character’s odd name hints at the caffeinated boy’s paranoid demeanor, which makes an impression on the boys because it’s such a change of pace from the norm. Tweek even gets to fill in a lengthy stint as the “fourth friend” during Kenny’s extended death. Tweek has steadily become more than just easy jokes about anxiety, and his unexpected relationship with Craig has provided appreciated depth for both characters.
1 Scott Malkinson Is Now More Than His Lisp And Medical History
The past few seasons of South Park have featured some of the biggest structural and stylistic swings for the long-running animated series. Scott Malkinson is a diabetic student at South Park Elementary who first receives some attention back in season 12’s “Elementary School Musical.” However, Scott’s pathetic nature and the world’s tendency to ignore him becomes an important plot point seasons later in “Gluten Free Ebola,” “Skank Hunt,” and season 23’s “Basic Cable,” where it reaches its boiling point. Scott’s banal antics even become the basis for his own South Park “spin-off.”
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