South Park is a long-running animated sitcom that follows the lives of four young boys in their small Colorado town of South Park. Created by long-time friends Matt Stone and Trey Parker, South Park has managed to distinguish itself from every other show thanks to its unique approach to comedy as well as its cut-out animation style. With over 300 episodes being broadcast over the years, South Park has received critical acclaim and has earned a total of five Primetime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.
Considering the fact that South Park is one of the longest-running animated series of all time, it makes sense that the show would be jam-packed with numerous characters. While some characters were beloved for a long time like Chef (before he was killed off), others have left a rather sour mark on the show, like the unpopular Mr. Hankey, a talking piece of poo who brings Christmas spirit. Of all the characters on the show, some stand out as the best, bringing comedy and depth to the series. Here are the best characters on South Park, ranked.
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8 PC Principal
Paramount Global Distribution Group
Introduced in South Park Season 19, PC Principal was brought in to replace Principal Victoria. His no-nonsense, politically-correct agenda is often achieved through violence and punishment. PC Principal may have seemed like a surface-level character when he was first introduced, but his character gains a great deal of depth. Between his constant presence in the background of the boys’ shenanigans to his forbidden relationship with Vice Principal Strong Woman, and his newfound responsibility in managing the “PC babies,” PC Principal provides an insightful criticism of political correctness and when extremists take it too far.
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7 Randy Marsh
Perhaps one of the most diverse South Park characters is Stan’s father Randy Marsh. Randy’s hobbies and interests are constantly changing, providing the audience with a realistic look into adults pursuing their dreams. Randy’s storylines have been numerous and diverse. From producing a musical to trying to break the world record for the world’s largest dump, despite Randy’s age, he still manages to behave like a third-grader, throwing tantrums when he doesn’t get his way, or when someone criticizes his newest ambition. All of these things are what make Randy one of the best characters on the show as he is constantly getting into new interests, most recently leaving South Park to run a weed farm called Tegridy Farms before eventually returning to his career as a geologist.
6 Satan
Despite his sinister name, Satan appears as a rather sympathetic and helpful being. Seeming to have been cast out of Mormon Heaven for being gay, Satan manages an expansive afterlife of people, from Adolf Hitler to Princess Diana. While Satan is not a regular on the show, his appearances are memorable. Over the years, Satan has had a number of relationships, most memorably to Saddam Hussain before asking God to take Saddam Hussain to Mormon Heaven, a true hell for Saddam. Satan even manages to help Stan understand his addiction to the Canadian mobile game and winds up facing off against the even worse Canadian devil. Satan’s gentle nature on South Park goes against the typical portrayal of Satan, but it is quite refreshing to see such a different portrayal of the ruler of Hell.
5 Kyle Broflovski
Based on the co-creator of South Park, Matt Stone, Kyle Broflovski is one of the main four characters. The child of laid-back lawyer Gerald and overbearing Sheila, Kyle is raised in a Jewish household, a fact that makes him the target of Eric’s bigoted badgering. He serves as a moral compass when his friends become misguided by the actions of the adults around them. Kyle is even willing to sacrifice his own happiness and sanity for the sake of a greater good, as seen when the ginger cow arrives and the world’s three biggest religions come together, and Kyle must endure Cartman’s farts and do his bidding to keep said peace.
4 Eric Cartman
Paramount+
In terms of morality, Eric Cartman is definitively at the bottom of said list. However, in terms of laughs, Cartman is one of South Park’s main sources. His selfish, racist, and abusive behavior means he will go to extreme lengths to make himself happy, including pretending to be transgender to get his own bathroom. Cartman also manages to bring his classmates together for recreations of things like Game of Thrones, The Avengers, and even Lord of the Rings. While he is not exactly a lovable character, his never-ending attempts to get what he wants makes for great content on the show that is bound to tickle your funny bone.
3 Mr. Garrison
Mr. Garrison is by no means a good person. Considering the fact that he took over the role of Trump in the more recent seasons, it’s clear where his values align. Originally serving as the teacher to the children at South Park Elementary, part of what makes Mr. Garrison such a great character is his never-ending journey of self-discovery. Between his admission of his sexuality and his transition and de-transition from being a woman, Mr. Garrison’s antics bring with it a great deal of quality content that is bound to put the whole of South Park on its knees. Mr. Garrison’s insistence of his own righteousness, despite his previous position often contradicting his current one, he shows us the realities of how someone like Trump would behave outside the Oval Office.
2 Butters
Leopold “Butters” Stotch is a sweet naive young child who will do anything to please not only his parents, but his classmates and friends as well. Butters’ nature is the direct result of his parents — namely his father — blaming him for everything that goes wrong and grounding him for anything and everything. While Butters’ naivety sets him apart from his peers in South Park, it makes him the target of some dark antics, including Cartman convincing Butters that there’s been an apocalypse and that he must stay in a bunker, all so that Cartman can go to Kyle’s birthday party at Casa Bonita. Butters does let loose when he plays as the supervillain Professor Chaos while still maintaining his G-rating.
1 Kenny McCormick
Classically known as the character with muffled dialogue, Kenny McCormick is undoubtedly the best character on South Park. While he was originally known as the character who was killed off every episode before miraculously returning to life in the next episode, the show has since evolved and made Kenny a heroic character. When playing as his alter-ego Mysterion, it’s revealed that he has the legitimate ability to be reborn when he dies, making him immortal. While Kenny’s deaths began as a joke, they eventually grew into something poignant that causes him a great deal of suffering as he feels all the pain when he dies and suffers the trauma while his friends have no memory of him ever dying. Kenny is a valuable friend and a loyal brother, making him the best character on South Park.
