Top 10 Shocking Moments in South Park
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most insane scenes and moments in “South Park”’s history. Some of these contain major plot points so a spoiler warning is in effect. What scene surprised you the most from “South Park”’s catalog? Shock us down in the comments below!
#10: Cartman's Fate
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With the exception of Cartman in the “My Future Self n’ Me” episode, we had never seen what the future might hold for our favorite gang of 4th graders. That is until we got two one hour-long specials featuring the aftereffects of COVID-19 on the town. Although there were a few surprises, Cartman’s future as a Jewish dad was something no one ever saw coming. But even more than that, after the boys change events in our present time, we see how Cartman really turned out. He becomes an angry, alcoholic homeless man, shouting obscenities at anyone who passes by. While surprising nonetheless, it is somewhat sad seeing his deeds catch up to him considering he’s a fan favorite.
#9: The South Park Flag
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“South Park” has never been afraid of controversy and Season 4’s “Chef Goes Nanners” is evidence of that. The episode centered the show’s own take on the uproar around the confederate flag. The town’s own flag is clearly a racist depiction of people of color, which Chef adamantly insists be changed. That alone is bad enough, but hearing Jimbo and others defend the flag in the name of “history” is even more shocking. There’s never a good time to defend racism so it’s pretty unsettling to see it here. What’s perhaps just as outrageous is the final “solution” to the issue…
#8: Britney Spears Reaches Her Breaking Point
There was a time when you couldn’t turn on a television or click on a news website, without spotting some piece of news about Britney Spears. “South Park” took Spears’ story and found a far more compassionate way to illustrate the pressures someone like her was under. How they went about it, however, was far more ghastly. When she’s just about had enough of the overbearing attention, she attempts to take her own life. Although she survives, it only gets worse from here. In the aftermath, no one seems to care about her mental health, and instead, continuously mock her “new look” and terrible post-tragedy performance skills. Both the gunshot and subsequent fallout are so unsettling it’s hard not to feel sympathy for Spears.
#7: ManBearPig’s Dinner Buffet
With everything that goes on in this town, it should come as no surprise that a half-man, half-bear, half-pig (yeah, we know, but let’s move on) creature would choose the town of South Park to go on a rampage. Setting aside the fact that ManBearPig is the show’s metaphor for climate change, the veracity of this creature had yet to really be seen until season 22. As a family of three debates the authenticity of MBP while eating at Red Lobster, the creature smashes into the restaurant and goes on a tear. We’re not sure which is more shocking: People being literally torn from limb to limb, or the father’s insistence that MBP is nothing to worry about.
#6: Paris Hilton's Fate
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Now here’s one for you. Paris Hilton comes to town and finds herself in a questionable contest with Mr. Slave. Hilton’s perceived reputation precedes her and all the girls in town are sure Hilton has got Garrison’s boyfriend beat. In what can only be described as the most inappropriate competition ever, Paris appears to have the lead as Mr. Slave just sits off to the side. It’s not until the very end we find ourselves with mouths agape, and in complete and utter disbelief of what we’ve just witnessed. We still can’t believe what we just saw, only to be greeted by a familiar face shortly afterwards…
#5: Garrison's Way Too Detailed Surgery
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After finally coming out as queer, Garrison decided to undergo gender-affirming surgery. Instead of playing it safe and giving audiences a mere glimpse at the before and after, “South Park” opted to go in a different direction. What we get is a literal play-by-play of the surgery, including live action clips of an actual operation. The sheer contrast of the doctor’s somewhat calm attitude and the raw nature of the footage gives even the strongest stomach a bit of a tug. After viewers were treated to such a graphic scene, everything else that followed in the episode seemed so mild in comparison.
#4: Steve Irwin’s Afterlife
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The folks at “South Park” decided to feature the notable wildlife enthusiast in an episode about Satan’s Halloween party. At the festivities, we see plenty of known and unknown individuals dressed in various costumes. When one partygoer complains about another guest and their costume, we shake our heads in shock at who the guest is. That’s right. We see Irwin depicted with a stingray through his chest, as Satan asks him to leave because his “costume” is too offensive since Irwin just died a few weeks prior. What’s worse is Satan’s reaction after he finds out that it’s actually Steve Irwin. Even for the most devout fans of the show, this was a moment full of cringe.
#3: Randy's Wheel of Fortune Appearance
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Randy has made it to “Wheel of Fortune”’s bonus round and is one word away from winning it all. When the board spells out the letters from the word “naggers” with the A missing, anyone watching the show wondered exactly what he, and therefore the show itself, would actually say. And as audiences collectively held their breath, Randy did what Randy does and not only guessed the wrong word, but the word any caucasian should never say. Just like the host, Stan’s family, and the studio audience, we were left dumbfounded.
#2: Scott Tenorman's Chili
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Come on? Did you really think we weren’t going to include this one? Having appeared on several of our other lists, the famous “South Park” chili incident has lived on in infamy since it aired all the way back in 2001. If you’re one of the few who don’t know the story, here’s the abridged version. A kid named Scott Tenorman tricked Cartman one too many times. Seeking out the ultimate revenge, Cartman uses the remains of Scott’s parents in a special chili that he then feeds to the young redhead. The moment we learned Cartman had orchestrated their death, and their inclusion in Scott’s dinner, we all knew this big-boned boy was to never be messed with.
#1: Not So Cuddly Critters
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Watch any stop-motion or animated story around Christmas time, and there’s no lack of cute talking animals to melt your heart. So when “South Park” delivered its own version of one of these stories, we wondered how long it would go before the jig was up. Sure enough, eight minutes in and after Stan has “saved” the critters from their worst enemy, they reveal their true intentions. But wait, there’s more! Satan-imals alone weren’t enough. They sacrifice one of their own in a very bloody ceremony that turns into an or– we’ll just say big satanic celebration. Stan’s look of pure disbelief likely mirrored every person who watched this episode for the first time.
