South Park (1997 — 2024)

The American animated show South Park (1997–2024), developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central and created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, centers on four boys: Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman and Kenny McCormick. These boys reside in the fictional small town of South Park, located within the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. The town is also home to various other characters such as students, families, elementary school staff, and residents. The show features prominent settings including South Park Elementary, different neighborhoods and the surrounding mountain range. These locations are based on similar places in Fairplay, Colorado. Being one of the few shows that takes place in the Mountain West region outside of Denver’s urban core, South Park often showcases the unique culture of this area. This includes cattle ranchers, Old West theme parks, snowy climates, mountaineering, Mormons,and real-life Colorado landmarks like Casa Bonita and Cave of the Winds. Additionally,the show highlights many other regionally specific characteristics of this area.

Stan is initially shown as a typical American boy, but his journey through the series is filled with various misfortunes. While he lived in South Park for the first 22 seasons, he later moves to Tegridy Farms in subsequent episodes. On the other hand, Kyle, one of the few Jewish characters in South Park, is often portrayed satirically. Both Stan and Kyle are based on their creators, Parker and Stone respectively, and their close bond mirrors that of Parker and Stone’s own friendship. Meanwhile, Cartman is known by his last name and is depicted as an amoral and increasingly psychotic character who often serves as an antagonist. His extreme hatred towards Jews has sparked a continuous rivalry with Kyle.