Trey Parker and Matt Stone started the show South Park in 1997 and since then has proved to be a cultural phenomenon. They are currently in the midst of their 20th season and people have continued to either support South Park or hate South Park. While people may be correct in their claims of South Park’s vulgarity, and offensiveness one thing is clear: South Park is without a doubt the most culturally aware show of all time. The issues shown in South Park are directly reflective of the societal issues going on during the time of the episode. Now to some of you, this is common knowledge, but others don’t know the intelligent nature of South Park and assumes it to be ignorant garbage. If you are one of these people, I urge you to watch last season, and the season currently going on to be proven otherwise.
Any season of South Park is like a screencap of society and its flaws at the time. I will focus on season 19, seeing as it is the most recently completed and arguably best season of the shows history. The season focused on so many topics from censorship to ads on webpages but even from the get go South Park is entertaining while also educating fans. In the very first episode of season 19 South Park Elementary gets a new principal, appropriately named PC Principal, alluding to the political correctness wave around the world, obviously. PC Principal is a radical, irrational figure who more focuses on whether things are offensive than whether things are justified. PC Principal isn’t just a goofy exaggerated character: he’s an embodiment of real people in the world today. It also delved into gentrification in America as they show the ugly side of it and how it really affects the poor culture it claims to help by focusing on Kenny and how they ruined that part of town for former residents in an attempt to make it better. The accuracy of that entire season shows its intelligence and isn’t just a show for offensive jokes and inappropriate behavior…it’s a show for offensive jokes, inappropriate behavior, and intelligent social commentary.
Now you are probably saying to your computer/mobile device “Hey author dude, why do you support South Park so much if you acknowledge the fact that its offensive content????” Well curious reader, I will tell you: it’s realistic. The other great thing about South Park is its elements of realism. The world is an offensive place and South Park acknowledges that with the stories they tell. They don’t single one group out either, no one is safe from South Park, which is what life is. The current season expressed that in one of the most recent episodes, as it equally makes fun of both presidential candidates, by making Hillary Clinton a puppet that only does what she is told to win, and Donald Trump (who in South Park’s world is Mr. Garrison) an inexperienced and unfit candidate who despite saying things that should make people vote for the other side only strengthens his support. South Park is, in my opinion, one of the smartest shows on television ever, and people continue to underestimated Stone and Parker’s ability to create a show with coherent social commentary, despite them delivering it to the world every week for everyone to see.
