South Park

South Park is a prominent American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

It airs on the Comedy Central network and focuses on the adventures of four young boys. These characters are Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick. The series is set in the fictional town of South Park, located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. While the town is fictional, its appearance is based on the real-life town of Fairplay, Colorado. The show is famous for its dark, surreal humor and its use of satire. Satire is a technique used to mock or comment on real-world subjects through humor.

The production of South Park is unique because of its incredible speed.

Most traditional animated series are hand-drawn by studios in South Korea, a process that can take eight to nine months. In contrast, the South Park team uses computer animation software, primarily Autodesk Maya, to create its episodes. This digital method allows for a much faster workflow. During the first seasons, the staff could generate an episode in about three weeks. Today, with a staff of approximately 70 people, episodes are typically completed in just one week. Some episodes are even finished in as little as three to four days.

The series revolves around four central boys who navigate various extraordinary events. Stan Marsh is often portrayed as an average American boy, though he frequently faces mishaps. Kyle Broflovski is Jewish, and his character is often used to satirize social perspectives. The characters of Stan and Kyle are modeled after the creators, Parker and Stone, to reflect their own friendship. Eric Cartman serves as a frequent antagonist and is described as amoral. Kenny McCormick wears a parka hood that obscures his face and muffles his speech. In the first five seasons, Kenny died in nearly every episode, only to reappear in the next without a clear explanation.

The history of the show began with two animated short films titled The Spirit of Christmas. The first short was released in 1992, and the second was released in 1995. The 1995 short, often called "Jesus vs. Santa," became one of the first viral videos on the internet. This digital popularity helped Parker and Stone develop the concept into a full television series. They initially attempted to work with the Fox Broadcasting Company. However, a disagreement occurred regarding a character named Mr. Hankey, a talking stool. Parker and Stone refused to remove the character, so they left Fox to negotiate with MTV and Comedy Central. They chose Comedy Central because they wanted to avoid the show being turned into a program for children.

Since its debut on August 13, 1997, South Park has achieved massive commercial success. The pilot episode, "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe," was produced using cutout animation. While the show initially faced concerns from test audiences, it quickly became one of the highest-rated programs on basic cable. The series has earned significant critical acclaim and numerous prestigious awards. It has won five Primetime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award. In 1999, the creators released a theatrical film titled South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. This film was a critical and commercial success and earned an Academy Award nomination.

The show is known for its specific themes and its "equal opportunity offender" approach to satire. Parker and Stone use the show to spoof both liberal and conservative viewpoints. They often write plots as parables regarding religion and politics. While the show uses strong profanity and adult themes, the creators aim to maintain a "moral center." They use the boys to act as the voice of reason when the adults in town act irrationally. This allows the show to explore complex social issues while still focusing on the idea of "kids being kids." Many episodes conclude with a character sharing a lesson learned from the day's events.

South Park has maintained a long-lasting presence in the media landscape through various deals and expansions. In 2019, it was announced that WarnerMedia would hold exclusive streaming rights for HBO Max starting in June 2020. Following the expiration of that deal in June 2025, Parker and Stone entered a new five-year agreement with Paramount+. This agreement includes the production of 10 new episodes per year and exclusive streaming on Paramount+. The show continues to grow through television specials and new seasons, such as the twenty-eighth season which premiered in October 2025. This longevity makes it one of the longest-running programs in the history of Comedy Central.