History of South Park in Timeline

South Park is an animated sitcom centered on four boys—Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny—living in the fictional Colorado town of South Park. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the show is known for its profanity, dark humor, and surreal scenarios. It satirizes a wide array of topics, often political and social issues, using the children's perspectives to offer commentary. The series has gained notoriety for pushing boundaries and its distinctive animation style.

1997: South Park's Debut in Australia

In 1997, South Park began broadcasting in Australia on SBS, and in the same year, the series debuted and the number of households that had Comedy Central jumped from 9.1 million.

1997: South Park Debut

In 1997, South Park debuted. From 1997 to 2008, the series had been originally produced in standard definition, with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

1997: South Park wins CableACE Award for Best Animated Series

In 1997, South Park won the CableACE Award for Best Animated Series, marking an early achievement for the show.

1997: Comedy Central Households Increase

In 1997, when South Park debuted, the number of households that had Comedy Central jumped from 9.1 million.

April 22, 1998: "Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut" Airs

On April 22, 1998, the second episode of season two, "Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut", aired, earning an 8.2 rating (6.2 million viewers) and setting a record as the highest-rated non-sports show in basic cable history at the time.

June 1998: Comedy Central Household Numbers Jump

The success of South Park prompted more cable companies to carry Comedy Central. By June 1998, the number of households that had Comedy Central jumped to 50 million.

1998: April Fools' Day prank controversy

In 1998, South Park faced controversy regarding an April Fools' Day prank played on its viewers.

1998: South Park nominated for Annie and GLAAD Awards

In 1998, South Park was nominated for the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Primetime or Late Night Television Program. It was also nominated for the 1998 GLAAD Award for Outstanding TV – Individual Episode for "Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride".

1998: South Park nominated for Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program

In 1998, South Park was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, marking the first of many nominations for the show.

1998: Highest-Rated Season Premiere Since 1998

The season 14 premiere in 2010 gained 3.7 million viewers, the show's highest-rated season premiere since 1998.

1999: Series Ratings Begin to Decrease

By the third season in 1999, the series' ratings began to decrease, with the premiere episode drawing 3.4 million viewers.

1999: South Park T-shirts banned in schools and game release canceled

In 1999, students in two schools were barred from wearing South Park-related T-shirts. Also, the headmaster of a UK public school asked parents not to let their children watch the programme. Parker and Stone went on record to cancel the release of the Game Boy Color game based on the series.

Game Boy Color - Atomic Purple (Renewed)

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2000: South Park nominated for Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program

In 2000, South Park received another nomination for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, continuing its recognition in the animation industry.

2000: Ratings Drop Further in Fourth Season

In 2000, the ratings for South Park dropped further in its fourth season, with episodes averaging just above 1.5 million viewers.

2002: Cartman's "Hey!" included in The Oxford Dictionary of Catchphrases

In 2002, Cartman's eccentric intonation of "Hey!" was included in the 2002 edition of The Oxford Dictionary of Catchphrases, highlighting its cultural impact.

2002: South Park nominated for Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program

In 2002, South Park received a nomination for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, furthering the show's recognition.

2002: Cartman ranked in TV Guide's "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters"

In 2002, the character of Cartman ranked 10th on TV Guide's list of the "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters", recognizing his popularity and impact.

2002: Regular DVD Releases Begin

Since 2002, complete seasons of South Park have been regularly released in their entirety on DVD.

2003: Broadcast syndication rights acquired by Debmar-Mercury

In 2003, Debmar-Mercury acquired broadcast syndication rights to South Park.

2004: South Park voted third-greatest cartoon by Channel 4

In 2004, Channel 4 voted South Park the third-greatest cartoon of all time, recognizing the show's impact and quality within the animation industry.

2004: South Park nominated for Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program

In 2004, South Park was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, demonstrating its consistent quality.

2004: Broadcast syndication rights acquired by Tribune Entertainment

In 2004, Tribune Entertainment acquired broadcast syndication rights to South Park.

September 19, 2005: South Park Episodes in Syndication

On September 19, 2005, episodes of South Park that were edited for content began running in syndication and were aired in the United States with a TV-14 rating.

2005: Cartman listed as one of TV's scariest characters by MSNBC

In 2005, Cartman was listed as second on MSNBC's list of TV's scariest characters, highlighting the character's darker aspects.

2005: South Park wins Emmy for "Best Friends Forever"

In 2005, South Park won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour) for the episode "Best Friends Forever", marking one of its Emmy wins.

2005: "Trapped in the Closet" episode denounces Scientology and leads to Isaac Hayes' departure

In 2005, the season nine episode "Trapped in the Closet" criticized Scientology, leading to controversy and Isaac Hayes' departure from South Park.

2005: Controversy over depiction of the Virgin Mary in "Bloody Mary"

In 2005, the season nine finale "Bloody Mary" caused controversy due to its depiction of the Virgin Mary, angering several Catholics.

2006: South Park receives Peabody Award

In 2006, Comedy Central received a Peabody Award for South Park, acknowledging its "stringent social commentary" and "undeniably fearless lampooning".

2006: Parker and Stone express political views

In 2006, Parker and Stone clarified their political stance, explaining that they were "rooting for Hillary Clinton in 2008 simply because it would be weird to have her as president".

2006: South Park wins Emmy for "Make Love, Not Warcraft"

In 2006, South Park won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour) for the episode "Make Love, Not Warcraft", recognizing its comedic and satirical quality.

2006: Controversy over depiction of Steve Irwin in "Hell on Earth 2006"

In 2006, South Park's episode "Hell on Earth 2006" stirred controversy due to its depiction of Steve Irwin with a stingray barb shortly after his death.

2007: South Park recognized as one of the "100 Best TV Shows of All Time" by Time

In 2007, Time magazine included South Park on its list of the "100 Best TV Shows of All Time", highlighting its role as "America's best source of rapid-fire satire". That same year, Rolling Stone declared it to be the funniest show on television since its debut 10 years prior.

March 2008: Comedy Central Makes Every Episode Available for Free Streaming

In March 2008, Comedy Central made every episode of South Park available for free full-length on-demand legal streaming on the official South Park Studios website.

October 2008: South Park Site Exceeds 55 Million Streams

By October 2008, the South Park Studios website had served more than 55 million streams of full episodes.

2008: Series Originally Produced in Standard Definition Concludes

From its debut in 1997 to the season twelve finale in 2008, the series had been originally produced in standard definition, with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

2008: Parker and Stone express political views

In 2008, Parker and Stone expressed they were "rooting for Hillary Clinton in 2008 simply because it would be weird to have her as president".

2008: South Park named 12th-greatest TV show by Entertainment Weekly

In 2008, South Park was named the 12th-greatest TV show of the past 25 years by Entertainment Weekly, solidifying its place among top television programs. Also in 2008, AOL declared it as having the "most astute" characters of any show in history when naming it the 16th-best television comedy series of all time.

2008: South Park wins Emmy for "Imaginationland" trilogy

In 2008, the "Imaginationland" trilogy of episodes won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or More), recognizing the show's storytelling ability.

2008: Imaginationland Reissued on DVD and Blu-Ray releases started

In 2008, the three-episode Imaginationland story arc was reissued straight-to-DVD as a full-length feature, and Blu-ray releases started with season twelve.

2008: 20th Television Replaces Tribune as Co-Distributor

In early 2008, 20th Television replaced Tribune as co-distributor of South Park.

September 2009: South Park Studios Website Launched in the UK and Ireland

In September 2009, a South Park Studios website with streaming episodes was launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

2009: South Park wins Emmy for "Margaritaville"

In 2009, South Park won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour) for the episode "Margaritaville", showcasing its continued excellence.

2009: Switch to High Definition Production

In 2009, the South Park series switched to being produced in 16:9 high definition 1080p with the beginning of the thirteenth season.

2009: South Park Broadcast Change in Australia & Streaming in the UK and Ireland

In 2009, the show aired on SBS Viceland, and the series switched to being produced in 16:9 high definition 1080p with the beginning of the thirteenth season. Also in September 2009, a South Park Studios website with streaming episodes was launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

April 2010: Episodes Removed from Online Streams

In April 2010, the season five episode "Super Best Friends" and the season fourteen episodes "200" and "201" were removed from the South Park Studios website.

2010: Season 14 Premiere Gains High Viewership

The season 14 premiere in 2010 gained 3.7 million viewers, the show's highest-rated season premiere since 1998.

2011: South Park nominated for Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program

In 2011, South Park was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, continuing its recognition in the animation industry.

2011: South Park voted number one animated TV series by Entertainment Weekly

In 2011, South Park was voted number one in the 25 Greatest Animated TV Series poll by Entertainment Weekly, further cementing its status as a leading animated show.

2011: "Super Best Friends" Not Released on iTunes

In 2011, the fifth-season episode "Super Best Friends" was not released alongside the rest of the season when it was released in HD on iTunes.

2012: South Park wins Emmy for "Raising the Bar"

In 2012, South Park won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour) for the episode "Raising the Bar", marking one of its Emmy wins.

December 2013: End of Daily New Episode Posting

From March 2008 until December 2013, new episodes were added to the South Park Studios website the day following their debut, and an uncensored version was posted the following day. This practice ended in December 2013.

2013: South Park nominated for Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program

In 2013, South Park was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, demonstrating its consistent quality.

2013: South Park ranked among "101 Best-Written Shows Ever" by Writers Guild of America and "60 Greatest Cartoons of All Time" by TV Guide

In 2013, the Writers Guild of America ranked South Park at number 63 among the "101 Best-Written Shows Ever", recognizing its writing quality. Also in 2013, TV Guide listed the show at number 10 among the "60 Greatest Cartoons of All Time".

July 2014: Hulu Signs Exclusive Streaming Rights Deal

In July 2014, Hulu signed a three-year deal purchasing exclusive online streaming rights to South Park for a reported $80 million.

September 2014: Limited Free Episodes on South Park Studios Website

As of September 2014, following the premiere of the eighteenth season, only 30 select episodes would be featured for free viewing at a time on a rotating basis on the South Park Studios website, with new episodes being available for an entire month after airing. The entire series became available on Hulu by this point.

2014: Episodes Remain Unavailable After Hulu Purchase

Following the 2014 purchase by Hulu, the episodes previously removed in April 2010 remain unavailable.

July 2015: South Park Available for Streaming in Canada on CraveTV

As of July 2015, all episodes of South Park were available for streaming in Canada on CraveTV, initially consisting of seasons 1–18.

2015: End of Syndication Run

In 2015, South Park's run in syndication ended; by this time, it aired in 90 percent of television markets across the United States and Canada.

2016: South Park's Popularity in Colorado

In 2016, a New York Times study found that South Park is most popular in Colorado.

December 5, 2017: "Super Best Friends" Re-Release on Blu-ray

The fifth-season episode "Super Best Friends" was re-rendered and made available for the Blu-ray release of the season on December 5, 2017, presented in its original presentation.

December 2017: First Eleven Seasons Released on Blu-ray

In December 2017, the first eleven seasons of South Park were released on Blu-ray for the first time.

2018: South Park nominated for Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program

In 2018, South Park was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, showing its continued success.

October 2019: Streaming Rights Bidding War

In early October 2019, industry rumors suggested that the streaming rights for South Park were being offered to various services, leading to an intense bidding war.

2019: CBS Television Distribution Takes Over Full Distribution Rights

In 2019, CBS Television Distribution took over the full distribution rights to South Park following the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company.

2019: South Park banned in China after "Band in China" episode

In 2019, South Park was banned in China following the release of the season 23 episode "Band in China" due to its sensitive content regarding taboo topics in China.

2019: South Park ranked among "100 best TV shows of the 21st century" by The Guardian

In 2019, the series was ranked 42nd on The Guardian newspaper's list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century, reaffirming its cultural significance.

June 24, 2020: HBO Max Secures Streaming Rights for South Park

On June 24, 2020, HBO and South Park Digital Studios announced that HBO had secured a multi-year deal for the exclusive streaming rights for South Park on their HBO Max service starting.

September 2020: South Park Removed from SBS Line-Up in Australia

In September 2020, SBS in Australia, which had been airing South Park since 1997, removed the show from its television line-up, although reruns were still possible on SBS Viceland.

2021: Renewal Deal with ViacomCBS

In 2021, South Park Studios struck a deal with ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global) to renew the show up to season 30 and 14 additional films, extending it to at least 2027.

2021: South Park nominated for Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program

In 2021, South Park was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, demonstrating its consistent quality.

2022: HBO Max Posts New Episodes

Beginning with season 25 in 2022, HBO Max posts new episodes the day after their Comedy Central airing.

February 2023: Warner Bros. Discovery Files Lawsuit Against Paramount

In February 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery filed a lawsuit claiming that Paramount breached its exclusivity contract with HBO Max by airing South Park on its own streaming platform.

2024: Season 27 Delayed

Though season 27 would have originally aired in 2024, the season was delayed due to what Parker and Stone claimed to be uncertainties about the 2024 United States presidential election (mainly the exhaustion of humor set around Donald Trump), along with the proposed merger of Skydance Media and Paramount Global.

2025: Paramount+ to Become Exclusive Streaming Home

Once the deal with HBO Max expires in 2025, Paramount+ will become the exclusive streaming home for South Park.

2027: South Park Extended to at Least 2027