South Park: Every Multi-Part Episode, Ranked Worst to Perfect

Since its beginning, *South Park* has frequently experimented with longer, more complex storylines. This often takes the form of multi-part episodes, ranging from two-parters to full three-part arcs. The creators also released the feature-length film *South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut* in 1999, and more recently, a series of exclusive “movies” on Paramount+ that feel more like extended episodes. While many fans haven’t been thrilled with the recent *Post Covid*, *The Streaming Wars*, *Joining the Panderverse*, *Not Suitable For Children*, and *The End of Obesity* specials, it raises the question: how do the show’s traditional multi-part episodes stack up?

Here’s our ranking of all fourteen story arcs that span multiple episodes. We considered arcs of any length, from two-part stories to longer trilogies. However, we didn’t include the “Meteor Shower Trilogy” because it isn’t officially recognized as a single, multi-episode arc, though it would have ranked highly.

14) “#REHASH” & “#HappyHolograms”

The two-part finale of Season 18, titled “#REHASH” and “#HappyHolograms,” satirizes the trend of “Let’s Play” videos-where people record themselves playing and commenting on video games-and the entertainment industry’s focus on gaining views and likes rather than producing meaningful or lasting content.

The two-part episode, titled “#REHASH,” relies too heavily on recycled jokes. A prime example is the bit about police interacting with Michael Jackson, which was much more effective in a previous episode (“The Jefferson”) and falls flat this time around. The episode reaches its low point with a joke involving Iggy Azalea’s backside singing a Christmas carol, signaling a real decline in quality for multi-part episodes.

13) “Sponsored Content” Trilogy

The two-part episode is arguably the weakest of *South Park*’s multi-episode stories, but episodes like “Sponsored Content,” “Truth and Advertising,” and “PC Principal Final Justice” don’t feel essential either. Season 19 marked the show’s first real attempt at a continuing storyline, after Season 18 began to hint at connections between episodes.

Season 19 suffers from a repetitive storyline that ultimately weakens the final three episodes. Instead of feeling like a cohesive trilogy, they come across as disconnected parts of a rather uninteresting whole. By the time the last episode, “PC Principal Final Justice,” arrives, viewers may wonder what the point of the trilogy was and how much longer the character of PC Principal will remain on the show – a question sadly answered by his continued presence.

12) “Unfulfilled” & “Bike Parade”

“Unfulfilled” and “Bike Parade” feel more like season-ending episodes tying up loose ends than complete stories that needed two full episodes. They don’t really stick with you – you quickly forget about them.

Is it amusing to see Jeff Bezos portrayed as a caricature of a *Star Trek* character? It has its moments, but the show really shines when it points out how Amazon’s success has essentially turned shopping malls into relics of the past.

11) “Time to Get Cereal” & Nobody Got Cereal?”

The two-part episodes “Time to Get Cereal” and “Nobody Got Cereal?” kick off the second half of Season 22 and are a definite improvement over the season’s final episodes. However, like many *South Park* episodes since Season 19, they rely too heavily on political themes, making them less enjoyable to re-watch repeatedly.

Despite continuing to poke fun at Al Gore, it was good that Parker and Stone had him appear and accept their apology in the show. The episode also cleverly criticizes those who deny climate change, illustrated by a scene where a man dismissively tells his wife there’s no real evidence of a ‘ManBearPig’ – all while the creature is wreaking havoc and ultimately biting him in the restaurant.

10) “200” & “201”

“200” and “201” are almost great. Almost, all-timers, in fact. But Comedy Central killed them.

The real issue is episode 201. By giving in to fear, Comedy Central unintentionally confirmed the point made by the show’s creators, Parker and Stone, about succumbing to pressure – even threats. It’s frustrating and disheartening that even Kyle’s closing speech is completely censored. However, at least Tom Cruise still gets to insult Jimmy Buffett’s music with a colorful phrase.

9) “Pandemic” & “Pandemic 2: The Startling”

A lot of people aren’t fans of the “Pandemic” films, and it’s easy to understand why. The shaky camera work, meant to mimic found footage movies like *Cloverfield*, quickly becomes tiresome.

It’s really strange, but the idea of cute, harmless guinea pigs being the threat is what makes it so funny. The image of a whole town fleeing from these tiny, innocent-looking creatures is just hilarious. The episode also cleverly satirizes Michael Chertoff, a former head of Homeland Security, portraying him as an over-the-top villain obsessed with unlikely dangers, even going so far as to bizarrely extract his colleague’s brain.

8) “Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?” & “Probably”

These two episodes from Season 4 are surprisingly good and represent the show’s first two-part story in a long time – since the very beginning of Season 2, actually. What makes them special is that they focus on a smaller, more personal story, which is refreshing compared to some of the show’s bigger, more complex episodes.

Season 4 saw the boys, especially Cartman, at their best with surprisingly realistic scams – this time, pretending to be a televangelist. However, the most memorable part of these two episodes is the return of Satan and Saddam Hussein’s unusual relationship, which was a highlight of the *South Park* movie. Their love triangle is easily one of the strangest ever shown on television. It’s particularly clever how Satan seeks advice from JonBenét Ramsey about it, playing out with a surprisingly sincere tone, which is classic early *South Park*. These episodes also stand out for their message: that the idea of Hell is mostly used to scare people, and being a good Christian means living a moral life, not just talking about it.

7) The Coon Trilogy

I absolutely loved parts of those Coon and Friends episodes – especially “Coon 2: Hindsight,” “Mysterion Rises,” and “Coon vs. Coon and Friends”! Captain Hindsight was such a brilliantly silly character, and honestly, the names of his little slug buddies – Woulda, Coulda, and Shoulda – still crack me up every time I think about them. It’s just perfect comedy!

While the show still has some hilarious scenes, they’re often offset by its weakest moment ever – even worse than the infamous “Jakovasaurs” episode. This low point involves Cartman, dressed as the Coon, behaving like a cat while on Cthulhu’s stomach. On the bright side, we finally discovered that Kenny is actually Mysterion, giving us a deeper understanding of this long-running, mysterious character.

6) “Cartman’s Mom Is a Dirty Sut” & “Cartman’s Mom Is Still a Dirty Sut”

From the start, *South Park* demonstrated its creative goals. The show kicked off its first season with a two-part story. While not the show’s best multi-episode arc, it’s fondly remembered by fans. Later episodes, specifically “201,” did change some details of this initial story, but its original charm still shines through.

The brilliance of this two-part story lies in how the second season’s first episode completely subverted expectations. Instead of addressing the cliffhanger from “Cartman’s Mom Is a Dirty S*ut,” it went in a wildly different direction with a surprise Terrance and Phillip special. This perfectly demonstrates Parker and Stone’s willingness to break the rules and disregard typical entertainment formulas.

5) Black Friday Trilogy

The recent “Black Friday” episodes are more impressive for their scope than for being consistently hilarious. However, the scenes where Cartman leads characters through an elderly man’s garden while plotting mischief – and then getting into intense arguments with the man – are genuinely funny. Similarly, the reveal that Tom and Tammy Thompson aren’t having an affair, but are actually siblings, is a surprisingly comedic moment.

While *Game of Thrones* appears throughout the episodes, the central storyline revolves around the rivalry between the Xbox One and PS4 when they first launched. This is where the episodes truly shine, transforming the playful competition into a dramatic and intense battle of corporate secrets and backstabbing, much like the world of *Game of Thrones* itself.

4) “Go God Go” & “Go God Go XII”

The two-part “Go God Go” storyline feels like it could have been a longer, three-part arc, and that actually adds to the humor. The first episode sets things up, but the second, “Go God Go XII,” makes it seem like crucial events happened off-screen. Even Cartman himself is confused about the purpose of his time travel by the end.

This two-part story cleverly explores the conflict between atheism and Christianity, both today (through the character of Mrs. Garrison) and in a future where even atheists are arguing over labels – a wonderfully absurd extension of a pointless debate. The episodes, particularly those featuring Cartman and Butters, are lighthearted and funny, especially seeing Cartman’s over-the-top reactions and the ridiculous image of him riding an ostrich with a retinue of otter-mounted ostriches.

3) “You’re Getting Old” & “Ass Burgers”

The two-part *South Park* episode featuring “You’re Getting Old” and “Ass Burgers” is surprisingly bleak. While *South Park* is usually hilarious, these installments are consistently depressing.

However, these episodes are also surprisingly poignant and, perhaps, hint at Parker and Stone losing interest in the show. Stan’s growing dissatisfaction with everything around him might reflect the creators’ own feelings, and the episodes themselves seem to acknowledge a sense of repetition and creative stagnation, often relying on familiar tropes. The repeated use of Fleetwood Mac’s emotional song “Landslide” further suggests that these episodes marked a significant turning point.

2) “Cartoon Wars” & “Cartoon Wars Part II”

The two-part series, “Cartoon Wars,” is nearly flawless. Some might even call it perfect, except for Comedy Central’s choice to blur an image near the end of the second episode – though this censorship isn’t as damaging as it was in episodes “200” and “201”.

“Cartoon Wars” truly delivers on all fronts. The show doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the often haphazard writing of *Family Guy* – even its creator admits it! And seeing Kyle fall for Cartman’s tricks, then embark on a mission to defeat him, is brilliantly done. The episodes tackle the serious issue of giving in to terrorism with more impact than even previous installments like “200” and “201.” Plus, the scene where Cartman and Bart Simpson trade stories about their most awful deeds is easily one of the funniest moments the show has ever produced.

1) Imaginationland Trilogy

Many fans consider Butters to be the most lovable character in *South Park*, and the “Imaginationland Trilogy” really lets him shine, especially in the episode specifically focused on him. He’s essential to equipping the heroes of Imaginationland with what they need to fight the villains. However, Butters isn’t the only great part of this trilogy; the whole story is fantastic.

The line “Bring me that fing leprechaun! I want it alive!” is hilariously memorable, the first appearance of ManBearPig is a standout moment, and it’s amazing to see so many familiar characters from movies and TV together. Add in the return of Cartman’s creepy Woodland Critters, and the “Imaginationland” trilogy is arguably the best multi-episode story *South Park* has ever done – which is funny, because it started as an idea for just one episode.

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2025-09-16 23:15