In the animated world ofSouth Park, all sorts of things can happen, but there are times when things are a little more unusual than, well, usual, and adventures can become increasingly surreal as they go on. Sometimes, the episode is presented with unusual formats or features, like live-action actors. Episodes can also focus on the most random of characters or beings, with some stories barely featuring the main cast, if at all.
South Park
There are even a few times it feels like the show is intentionally playing a joke on the viewers. It also helps that the series is famous for how quickly it can be made, meaning the show can also be surprisingly timely when it wants to be, referencing real-life events almost as soon as they’ve happened. Of course, while this has made some episodes somewhat controversial over the years, there are still fans who might cite some of the weirder episodes among their favorites.
Season 4, Episode 14
“Pip"is an episode retelling Charles Dickens' novelGreat Expectations, which sees Pip play his namesake character. Featuring none of the other regular characters, the story starts up in the small English town of Draftingshire-Upon-Topsmart.
Pip is a young orphan who is hired by the calculating Miss Havisham to serve as a playmate for her cruel daughter, Estella, with who he falls in love. Thanks to a mysterious benefactor, Pip gets the chance to rise above his station and properly court Estella, but things aren’t all as they appear.
“Not at All, I’m Sure.”
The story starts out like a faithful retelling of the story early on, but things take a turn for the weird when Miss Havisham reveals herself to be something ofaJames Bond-style villain, complete with robot monkey minions. She ultimately plans to harness the power of broken hearts to power the “Genesis Device,” which will allow her to switch bodies with Estella, meaning it’s up to Pip to stop her.
The episode is also notably styled to resemble an episode of an anthology series, complete with live-action vignettes hosted by Malcolm McDowell. As surreal as the final episode is, it could have been even more over-the-top, as the episode allegedly was originally planned as a musical.
9"It’s Christmas in Canada”
Season 7, Episode 15
“It’s Christmas in Canada,“also known as “Christmas in Canada,” sees the Broflovski family lose one of their own when a Canadian couple arrives at their doorstep, explaining they are Ike’s biological parents. Claiming they gave him up during the Cola Wars, they reveal they want Ike back, with a new law from the Canadian Prime Minister requiring the return of adopted Canadian children to their home country.
When the town donates their Christmas savings to the grieving Broflovskis, the boys decide to venture to Canada, get Ike back, and save Christmas. The adventure soon turns into aparody ofThe Wizard of Oz,with the boys easing on down the “only road” to see the Prime Minister, befriending a Mountie, a mime, and a Newfoundlander along the way. Despite many hurdles, including the gang going the wrong way for most of the journey,Ike ultimately gets to returnto the States.
One of the stories' big twists is that the Prime Minister, appearing as a giant head, is actually Saddam Hussein, leading to his arrest. Given the timely nature of the show, this was a reference to the real-life figure actually having been arrested four days before the episode came out.
8"Lice Capades”
Season 11, Episode 3
“Lice Capades"starts with the children of South Park getting checked for head lice. Clyde learns he has lice, but keeps it secret out of fear the other kids will bully him. However, the boys soon learn that someone in the class has lice, but not who. When blame falls on Kenny, it is up to Clyde to confess the truth. However, this story doesn’t just belong to Clyde.
“Hope For a… Chance at Tomorrow?”
The episode shifts perspective between the regular characters to the lice living on top of Clyde’s head. Initially living in peace, one louse, Travis, becomes aware of what’s going on and tries to warn the other lice to evacuate. His pleas fall on deaf ears, only for most of the lice to be killed by a medicated shampoo.
Having lost his wife, Travis must get their unborn daughter Hope to safety. With the help of a housefly, Travis escapes to a fabulous louse city, found within Angelina Jolie’s pubic hair.
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7"The Death Camp of Tolerance”
Season 6, Episode 14
“The Death Camp of Tolerance"sees Mr. Garrison return to teaching. However, upon learning he could sue for millions if he was fired for discriminatory reasons. He proceeds to perform a variety of sexual acts with his new assistant, Mr. Slave. However, when the kids try to explain the situation to their parents, they get sent off to the camp that gives the episode its name, in the hopes of making them more tolerant.
The episode is especially known for a subplot starting off with the class pet Lemmiwinks getting trapped up Mr. Slave’s anus. Lemmiwinks will have to go through a variety of trials to escape Mr. Slave’s body, all the while encountering ghostly animal kings. Lemmiwinks even gets a theme song in a parody ofRankin-Bass' adaptation ofThe Hobbit. In the end, Lemmiwinks escapes and is crowned the Gerbil King by the spirits.
6"South Park Is Gay!”
Season 7; Episode 8
“South Park Is Gay!“sees a new metrosexual trend become popular with the boys and men of South Park, thanks to the popularity of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Kyle sticks with his own style, but feels pressured to join the crowd. Meanwhile, Mr. Garrison and Mr. Slave, while initially excited about the trend, grow to be insulted by it. Kyle, Mr. Garrison, and Mr. Slave decide they must confront the Fab Five themselves.
“Crab People, Crab People. Taste Like Crab, Talk Like People.”
However, this is when the story takes a twist: the whole plot came from an ancient race of crab people who seek to conquer the human race and rule the Earth. They also briefly give Kyle and his allies a crustacean makeover. Allegedly, the showrunners came up with the “Crab People” twist as a placeholder until they could think of another twist, but couldn’t think of anything else.
5"Spookyfish”
Season 2, Episode 15
“Spookyfish"is one ofthe series' Halloween specials. Aunt Flo comes to visit the Marsh family, complete with a new pet fish she gifts to Stan. However, the fish turns out to be evil, even eventually killing Aunt Flo. Meanwhile, when Cartman starts acting uncharacteristically friendly, it turns out to be another Cartman from a parallel universe, who seems to be from the same world the fish came from.
Presented in “Spooky Vision.”
Probably the strangest thing about the episode is that, during its original airing, it was broadcast in “Spooky Vision,” in which pictures of singer Barbra Streisand’s face were placed in each corner of the screen. Interestingly, some later broadcasts of the episode dropped the gimmick.
One thing that fans have also found surprising about the story is that Randy Marsh plays the straight man to his wife Sharon, who covers up the fish’s murders and is implied to have done something similar in the past. Other episodes usually have Sharon as the more sensible one. Another famous joke from the story is that, when Cartman appears with his doppelgänger, things are edited to resemble a bad split-screen effect, despite being animated.
4"Canada on Strike”
Season 12, Episode 4
“Canada on Strike"opens up with Canada Appreciation Day and the President of the World Canadian Bureau,the memetic Stephen Abootman, releases a viral video praising Canada’s contributions to the world. However, when the world ends up treating the video like a joke, Abootman declares that Canada on strike, complete with a lavish musical number. TheSouth Parkboys get involved, however, when they learn this will mean no more new episodes of Terrance and Phillip.
“I’m Not Your Friend, Guy.”
The boys' plan to help Canada involves making Butters a viral video star, but can’t figure out how to get money from the internet. Along the way, they encounter cameos from various Internet sensations of the time, like Tay Zonday, Chris Crocker, the “TronGuy,” the “Star WarsKid,” and the “Numa Numa” vlogger.
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3"Butters' Very Own Episode”
Season 5, Episode 14
“Butters' Very Own Episode"is an episode starting out as a parody of a sitcom,focusing on the title character, only to take a dark turn. Butter starts out excited about his parents' upcoming anniversary, complete with a celebration at Bennigan’s, his favorite restaurant. However, things take a turn for the worse when it comes to light that Butters' father visited a gay bathhouse and an adult theater. Enraged, his mother, Linda, attempts to drown her son.
“It’s Butters!”
Butters survives, but his parents assume he’s already dead by the time they reconcile. While trying to cover up Butters' disappearance as a “missing child” scenario, they soon encounter other figures convicted in the court of public opinion.
The episode hasbecome controversial in later years, as figures like John and Patsy Ramsey or Gary Condit, were portrayed as being guilty of real-life crimes, when evidence would exonerate them in the years following the episode. Trey Parker and Matt Stone later admitted they were wrong years laterin an interview.
2"Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus”
Season 2, Episode 1
“Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus"was an episode made as sort of an April Fools' Day prank, set in Canada and revolving around the two title characters. After their nemesis Scott fails to get them convicted in court, he joins forces with Saddam Hussein. In exchange for getting Terrance and Phillip out of the country, Scott will help Hussein bring his forces into the country. This plan involves kidnapping Sally, Scott’s daughter with singer Celine Dion.
“A Friend in Need Is a Friend With Kraft Dinner.”
The episode, which even aired on the first of April, served as an April Fool’s Day joke. Being the second season opener, it followed the first season’s finale, which ended on a cliffhanger about the identity of Cartman’s father. The episode even opens up explaining that viewers would still need to wait for the resolution.
1"Woodland Critter Christmas”
Season 8, Episode 14
“Woodland Critter Christmas"wasa Christmas specialthat opened up like a storybook. Stan Marsh finds himself in a forest filled with adorable talking animals called the Woodland Critters, with names like “Beavery the Beaver” and “Chickadee-y the Chickadee.” After getting involved with their Christmas festivities, he learns that “Porcupiney” is about to have a baby, who the animals claim is their savior.
“And They All Lived Happily Ever After…Except for Kyle.”
Stan is soon tasked with slaying a mountain lion that could harm the new baby. He succeeds, only to learn too late that the Woodland Critters worship Satan and the new baby is the upcoming Antichrist. As only a mountain lion can stop them, Stan must team up with the slain mountain lion’s cubs. Meanwhile, the Critters soon manipulate Kyle into helping them.
The story’s big twist is that the whole thing is actually a story Cartman is reading to Mr. Garrison’s class. Mr. Garrison tries to stop Cartman from finishing the offensive story, but his classmates want him to keep reading. Stan, the cubs, and even Santa Claus are able to foil the Critters' plot. Cartman assures everyone lives happily ever after, except Kyle, who dies of AIDS weeks later, to the annoyance of the real Kyle.
