South Park

The First Flip: What Lands On Screen

Going to South Park on Pikashow is like flipping on a channel where the filters are off and shows are cut from construction paper by some assertive kid from school. In 1997, this became something new for TV. You're tossed into a world of four irritated, foul-mouthed, and unapologetic elementary school boys - Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny - in a quiet Colorado town. The first ten minutes can be crash course in nonstop insults, aggressive scenarios, and blunt commentary that could almost hurt your neck. It doesn't take any shots. It's pure animated violence. It can make you laugh but offend everyone.

This is what made the first season of South Park a runaway success. The critical response at its premiere highlighted the success of the show’s ratings and gave credit to the show’s original network for putting it ‘on the map.’ The first episode got almost a million views, which for cable at that time was impressive. Within a couple of months the viewership tripled. South Park quickly became a show that students on college campuses watched at gatherings. The word-of-mouth advertising for the show was strong. For a casual viewer, either the unconventional nature of South Park’s animation and humor were strong enough for the show to be a long time favorite, or they were strong enough for a viewer to continue looking for the show on cable. For the first couple of seconds of the show’s debut, the grittiness of the show along the show’s refusal to censor itself and its comedy that was often witty and biting were hits. The show's unwillingness to tone its irreverence down made the show an instant favorite for decades.

Settling In: The Binge Test

After the first awe-shock subsides, South Park really gets tested on longevity. Does this sort of humor stand up to length? A really long sit? A lengthy binge? For many, the answer is a resounding yes, primarily because of its remarkable ability to stay relevant. South Park's creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, have mastered rapid production, often writing, animating and producing episodes in a week to ensure that the episode is buying them time to offer their remarks on events in a timely manner, and to a surprising extent, remain relevant. Relevance is their best kept secret, turning the series from shocking to funny to sharp and incisive remark. The series runtime (around 22 minutes) is ideal for this, spitting wit and absurdity in a well-timed mutually exclusive dose. Its simple presentation of visual gags helps to keep an engaged viewer watching multiple episodes. The voice work, primarily by Parker and Stone, gives the characters an identity, despite their drawn 2-dimensional looks.

The show draws a solid audience rating throughout its many seasons. It has even seen a rise in ratings in subsequent seasons despite the media's loss of interest. Audience love the show's ability to “wittily” and “intelligently” “ruthlessly mock people” and “celebrity takedowns.” It’s entertaining, rather than offensive. The show paces well and is boundary-pushing, despite its consistent volume and quality of output. Those in on the joke will happily binge Season after Season of the show's humor. Pikashow's HD streaming provides sharper visuals and clearer audio without disrupting the show’s deliberate low-fi look. The colors, timing, and writing of the show are able to showcase the crux of the jokes without technical distractions.

Keep or Flip: Does It Beat Live?

Will South Park stand against the immediacy of live TV and the drama of cricket? For particular audiences, South Park’s uniqueness of fast-paced animation, adult content (TV-MA for a reason) and lightning-fast culture commentary can offer live TV something it rarely has, satire that can be, and often is, offensive but is unbeatably sharp. Live television, be it news or sports, offers real-time reporting, while South Park provides real-time commentary of these events that is sharp and witty. It manages to stay timely, even with older episodes, because its parodies provide insight and commentary on trends and culture, providing a satirical take on the human condition and humor that is universal.

While South Park's initial ratings moved to a more consistent but dedicated audience, that audience is extremely loyal. For those that enjoy offense, South Park is a homespace. It is definitely not kid friendly, but for those looking for a different view on comedy that breaks the norms and laughed at pretentiousness, it's a good choice. It is one of the best shows to keep on the TV. It justifies the flipping of all other shows. South Park deserves to come first, because it always has the funniest moments.