Tiny Town, Big Balls. South Park.

A quiet town is often the most engaging platform for the typical animated sitcom structure, by introducing lovable and relatable townsfolk of great diversity and strengths. The small fictional town of South Park located within Colorado holds a residence of not so typical townspeople with a wide variety of Politically Correct staff and students, out of this world redneck parents, and the chaotic imagination of wonderful children. As the show itself centers around 4 boys, Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick, and their misadventures alongside the many wacky and outlandish side characters the town of South Park has to offer. Including and not limited to Kung Fu violence, giant robots blowing up the town, a “Jersey Shore” take over, and the political uprising of a transexual teacher taking office.

Starting from the current season run of the 28 year running series, season 27, much of South Park’s narrative structure is focused upon a "cause and effect” instead of “and then” the show aims to focus on “therefores” to organize plot and relevance towards the story of the episode itself. For season 27, there are a few obscures on what truly are the current problems the townspeople will be facing. The biggest reveal of the first episode was having a recurring villain of the series, and a real time evil power, Saddam Hussein, make a return as being portrayed as the current president of the United States, Donald Trump. Since the town of South Park was fighting not to be “canceled” since every other show was, they decided to speak to the president and come to a deal. Thus dealing with promoting the president in a "shining light.” Said problems are expected to continue to come up within the season, as not just the townspeople, but the whole world is dealing with in terms of problems. This, and alongside social and political changes are affecting the townspeople, such as the rise of “Jesus back in schools” and economic growth for the town.

South Park’s long run has been character building and world constructing for many years. The beauty behind the show is stapled through what can and has become of each episode, simply to put, a viewer can walk into any episode and feel a familiar sense of community with the establishing act of the show and characters. While as foul mouth the kids of South Park are, they become almost like a piece of remembrance towards the childhoods and friends we once and most likely still have. As small of a town South Park is, it becomes inviting, for each and every episode becomes another day we are welcoming these animated characters into our home and lives. What the show aims to do is create and establish a pre recorded history of characters with their own set personalities and diversity mindsets. As most, even the main characters, have different political and ideological beliefs on whatever may be going on for said episode and period of time. Such as our main character Eric Cartman swapping beliefs of the typical democrat or liberal mindset, causing him to get into many troubles for said beliefs. These differences bring characters closer and even away from one another, as even conflicts throughout episodes and longevity of stories grow and continue to move forward due to these events and thoughts. This is often what brings the people of South Park together and what helps us as the viewers identity with said community.

In the animated town of South Park, many problems arise in difference and similar to the juxtaposition of the current and real world around us. While inner conflicts establish and become built up between the four boys, many of said reasons occur due to the current state of the world and how the town is reacting to said news and or events. Within the first episode of season 27, we open with Cartman’s sorrow as his favorite podcast program upon the platform NPR has taken away a program in which he loved listening to liberals cry and scream. Cartman finds little of reason upon living during said episode and even attempts suicide with a electric car. As his fellow friend Stan Marsh sees “hopeless” in the current state of a “woke” world. While during said day the recurring character of Jesus Christ is attempting to bring more faith and hope into the elementary school of South Park. Many of these events are due to current world events, as each character is reacting and attempting to react to said events in their own ways. As the character of Eric Cartman has always been one to offend and outright troll the different side of political beliefs he does not agree with, down right even becoming Hitler for one episode many years ago.

What is already established about the current run of the South Park season is not the recurring characters and setting, but is the fact we know someone is going to be offended somehow. Within this new season, off the bat, we are hit with the darkest and potential twisted jokes we have yet to have from the series in a long while, and that is already the shift of the president Donald Trump being portrayed as evil power Saddam Hussein. This hooks the audience and viewers from each and every political spectrum, no matter the indifferences and stances of said character, the first episode is unnailing the coffin of political comedy and releasing an unheard ghost of offensive comedy past. There is no information left out, dirty jokes, such as the president having tiny genitals, to dark comedy, having the president sleep with recurring homosexual character Satan, create a stepping stone for what will come of the story and how it affects later episodes in the season. This season is truly guns blazing wanting the audience to know what they are setting up for the season and even beyond for the future and comedy of South Park as a whole. All the audience truly needs to know about “what makes sense” about South Park, is there is no making sense to making fun of the current state of the world, but to rather laugh and displace one’s self from reality. 

South Park has had plenty of time under their long running history to have made marks both with society and within the space of edgy animated sitcoms. What makes the show significant is the fact through the years, it will never apologize for any joke or story told. It will continue to push forward the social norms and leave people in often uncomfortable or awkward positions, while leaving the audience with questions on current reality, politics, and the social standings of the world around us. It seeks to not offend, but leave the easily offended, laughing at their own selves and everyone else. South Park will continue to push these limits and make millions for said laughter, while even the creators make marks on the world of animated comedy for creating something even they themselves are questioning why it has had such a lasting impact. 

(Photo/Video editor: Dante Ellis, Writer: Jamey Soliz, Producer: Isabel Cisneros.)