The grownup cartoon South Park is humorous, good, and stuffed with hidden (and never so hidden) Easter eggs. The definition of an Easter egg is a bit unfastened, generally referring to an inside joke or a secret lurking inside a piece of media. Nonetheless, the definition has advanced over time to incorporate references as nicely, a few of that are hidden like real-life Easter eggs, and others that may merely fly over most viewers’ heads.
South Park
- Launch Date
-
August 13, 1997
- Community
-
Comedy Central
-
Karri Turner
Liane Cartman / Wendy Testaburger / Mrs. Crabtree (voice)
-
Kyle Broflovski / Kenny McCormick (voice)
On this listing, we have compiled a few of the most and least well-known Easter eggs hidden all through the South Park franchise. From muffled traces to secret cameos, these Easter eggs add a layer of enjoyable for followers to an already entertaining present.
10
Kenny’s Intro Strains
One of the beloved characters in all of South Park, Kenny is an effective pal, nice brother, and large pervert. In the course of the present’s intro sequence, he sings a really muffled line, the lyrics of which have modified over time. Early on, he talked about what he preferred about ladies, whereas later, he referenced what he needed to do with Britney Spears. Throughout Season 6, Kenny and his line had been changed by Timmy singing about himself, however since Season 7, Kenny and his muffled line are again, with the road remaining unchanged since Season 10.
Different Intro Adjustments
Together with Kenny’s altering traces, the intro has additionally drastically modified its animation type over time, in addition to its music. Moreover, a number of intros have been utterly overhauled, equivalent to “Goth Youngsters 3: Daybreak of the Posers,” which reinvented the intro completely with new phrases and a concentrate on the primary 4 goths. Though the episode falls low on our listing of Halloween specials, the intro itself was a success with followers.
9
Kenny With out his Hood
As talked about earlier than, Kenny has a muffled approach of talking, largely because of his orange parka, which additionally obscures his face. Nonetheless, a handful of episodes have proven Kenny with out his hood, permitting viewers to extra clearly hear his voice and see his face (which admittedly seems to be like a lot of the different characters’ faces, minus his soiled blonde hair). Funnily sufficient, as a result of his hoodless appearances occur so sometimes, some viewers do not even understand it is Kenny they’re seeing on display screen.
Hoodless Appearances
Kenny has appeared with out his hood a couple of dozen occasions, together with within the episodes “The Jeffersons” (during which he nonetheless wears a masks) and “The Shedding Edge” (during which he nonetheless wears a hat). He additionally appeared hoodless on the finish of the film Greater, Longer, & Uncut. Oftentimes, these hoodless appearances are supposed to punctuate an particularly humorous or dramatic scene. Different occasions, they’re important to the plot, equivalent to when Mysterion reveals his id to Kyle in “The Coon” (even when it took viewers members a bit longer to determine it out).
8
Kenny’s Varied Deaths
There are a variety of Kenny Easter eggs on this listing, and that is maybe probably the most well-known out of all of them. Towards the start of the collection, it was a frequent prevalence for Kenny to be gruesomely killed, solely to reappear within the subsequent episode. A few of these deaths performed an necessary position within the episode, whereas others had been extra for comedy or shock worth. Whereas Kenny’s deaths have occurred much less ceaselessly in newer seasons, largely because of his character enjoying a much less distinguished position within the present total, it is nonetheless enjoyable to return and see the inventive methods during which he was killed off and his frustration that nobody else appears to recollect.
Oh My God, They Killed Kenny!
As talked about beforehand, an Easter egg would not have to be hidden for it to be efficient. On this case, Kenny’s deaths function a kind of in-joke for in-the-know viewers. In truth, his frequent deaths had been a notable plot level in “Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo,” during which Kenny efficiently makes an attempt to stave off dying. Marking the primary time he survived an episode, Kenny celebrates, solely to be become a duck-billed platypus and get shot within the very subsequent episode.
Associated
South Park Creators Aren’t Afraid of Cancel Tradition
Trey Parker and Matt Stone say they’ve been ‘ready to get canceled for 30 years.’
7
References to South Park’s Unique Shorts
Precursor to South Park, “The Spirit of Christmas” consists of two animated shorts by Matt Stone and Trey Parker: Jesus vs. Frosty and Jesus vs. Santa. Within the first quick, the boys construct a snowman and produce him to life, solely to appreciate he is evil. Within the second, Jesus seeks out Santa, offended that the latter is taking consideration away from his birthday. These shorts are largely answerable for why South Park got here to be, and in a number of episodes, educated viewers would possibly acknowledge a number of references to them.
The Shorts vs. the Present
In “The Simpsons Already Did it,” the boys inform Tweek to place a nostril on his snowman, just for Tweek to fret that the snowman will come to life and kill him. This leads Stan to ask, “Tweek, when has that ever occurred, apart from that one time?” Moreover, in “Crimson Sleigh Down,” Cartman remarks, “Oh, Christ,” adopted by the opposite boys saying, “Jesus,” which is analogous to what they did within the quick. Maybe most notably, throughout “A Very Crappy Christmas,” the boys create a cut-out animation that resembles “Jesus vs. Santa.”
6
Hidden Superstar Voices
South Park has featured some superb visitor voices through the years, from the steel band Korn, who performed themselves in “Korn’s Groovy Pirate Ghost Thriller,” to the streamer PewDiePie, who performed himself in “#REHASH” and “#HappyHolograms.” South Park has additionally drawn consideration to lesser-known artists equivalent to Wing within the episode of the identical identify, whereas a handful of actors have appeared in a number of seasons and roles, equivalent to Invoice Hader, who additionally labored as a workers author and marketing consultant. On the identical time, there are a number of actors who performed sudden or shocking roles, which many followers might need missed upon an preliminary viewing.
From Pop Tradition to Pets
South Park has parodied many celebrities through the years, with Trey Parker and Matt Stone usually offering the celebrities’ voices. Nonetheless, throughout the episode “The Cissy,” the character of Lorde was performed by each Parker and the singer, Sia, the latter of whom sang the vocals to her tune, “Push.” Different situations of sudden celeb performances embrace “Metropolis on the Fringe of Perpetually,” during which Henry Winkler voiced the Child-Consuming Monster, in addition to “Huge Homosexual Al’s Huge Homosexual Animal Sanctuary,” during which George Clooney performed Stan’s canine, Sparky.
5
Film References
At this level, South Park’s film references are a core a part of the present. These embrace overt references, like The Lord of the Rings trilogy in “Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers,” in addition to extra refined nods to films, equivalent to Psycho in “Metropolis Sushi.” Moreover, sure episodes look like about one film however are actually about one other, like within the case of Dances with Smurfs, which wasn’t actually about Smurfs a lot because it was an homage to Tron.
The Film’s Film References
Notably, it is not simply the South Park collection that options film Easter eggs. The South Park film, Greater, Longer, & Uncut additionally largely references the musical Les Miserables, in addition to a number of Disney classics equivalent to The Little Mermaid. Whereas followers needn’t know these different films to take pleasure in Greater, Longer, & Uncut, it makes for an excellent higher viewing expertise and offers much more causes to understand the soundtrack.
Associated
How South Park: The Streaming Wars Takes a Stance on Local weather Change with ManBearPig
South Park has all the time used its comedy to discover necessary points. What’s the message of the latest South Park: The Streaming Wars specials?
4
TV Present References
From Pokémon to Recreation of Thrones, South Park would not draw back from its TV references. As with its film references, a few of these are extra overt (just like the Pokémon of “Chinpokomon”) whereas others fly beneath the radar or solely final a scene, such because the occasions when different youngsters dressed as Star Trek characters. Typically, these references pay homage to the exhibits they parody, however different occasions, the intent of the references is way extra crucial.
Easter Eggs Throughout Genres
Maybe probably the most well-known TV references from South Park are available “Cartoon Wars,” which closely critiqued Household Man and featured a Bart Simpson lookalike. Nonetheless, South Park has additionally parodied actuality TV, speak exhibits, and numerous different codecs and genres. In flip, numerous different exhibits have additionally referenced South Park, together with all the pieces from sitcoms like The Workplace to cartoons equivalent to The Powerpuff Ladies.
3
Episode Callbacks
For a very long time, South Park was an episodic present, that means that the episodes did not actually join. Nonetheless, a number of occasions, the present included references to earlier occasions, such because the Antonio Banderas blow-up doll from “Korn’s Groovy Pirate Ghost Thriller” that seems in “Make Love, Not Warcraft,” or the Chinpokomon that seem in that very same episode. Then there’s the reference to “Pandemic 1 and a couple of” in “Elementary Faculty Musical,” when Craig tells the opposite youngsters that they have been away in Peru, or Cartman bringing items to the varied folks he wronged in “The Dying of Eric Cartman.” Being that South Park did not grow to be serialized till not less than Season 18, these references are sudden and enjoyable to catch.
Some Intentional, Others Unintentional
In fact, not each callback within the present was intentional or essentially meant as an Easter egg. Maybe the largest instance is a retroactive one, because it considerations the episodes the place Tolkien’s identify is (bizarrely and offensively!) spelled “Token.” Moreover, since Season 18, the callbacks aren’t actually Easter eggs a lot as a part of the present’s continuity. Nonetheless, it is enjoyable to see these little winks to earlier episodes, which function reminders of the larger South Park universe.
Associated
What Makes Every Episode of South Park Season 1 Vital
South Park has a large forged of characters and an extremely fleshed-out world. However that takes time. And Season 1 acquired the ball rolling in a giant approach.
2
Actor and Superstar References
Together with incorporating hidden celeb voices, South Park additionally contains obscure references to a number of celebrities. For instance, within the episode “Metropolis on the Fringe of Perpetually,” a “Lacking” picture of Macaulay Culkin seems, acknowledging the actor’s “disappearance” from media within the ’90s. Moreover, in “Volcano,” Patrick Duffy is used as Scuzzlebutt’s leg, solely to be switched out for Brent Musburger throughout a flashback in “Metropolis on the Fringe of Perpetually.” This was completed to poke enjoyable on the nondescript nature of the actor and commentator, a joke that doubtless went over many viewers’ heads.
Greater Superstar Parodies
In fact, some celeb references had been extra integral to the present, such because the remedy of Tom Cruise in “Trapped within the Closet,” Barbra Streisand in “Spookyfish” and “Mecha-Streisand,” and Kanye West/Ye in “Fishsticks” and “The Hobbit.” We do not actually think about these Easter eggs since they weren’t hidden from viewers or meant as an in-joke. Clearly, although, there is a little bit of wiggle room right here, since understanding Parker and Stone’s emotions towards Streisand higher explains her position in “Spooky Imaginative and prescient,” whereas familiarity with “Fishsticks” and “The Hobbit” provides an attention-grabbing ingredient to “Cupid Ye.”
1
Aliens
Maybe South Park’s most well-known Easter egg, skinny grey aliens, often called “Guests,” seem in lots of episodes. They have been a part of South Park because the starting and had been answerable for giving Cartman an anal probe within the very first episode. Since then, they’ve unexpectedly proven up within the background of random scenes. Whereas their appearances have waned lately, it is all the time enjoyable to identify them hiding in certainly one of South Park’s crowds.
Have You Seen Me?
Notably, a poster of a Customer seems within the cafeteria in over a dozen episodes, saying, “Have you ever seen me?” On this sense, it is an Easter egg referencing different Easter eggs. This is not shocking for South Park, given its cleverness and talent with meta-narratives. As we head into the brand new season, now we have a hunch that there can be much more Easter eggs—together with extra of our beloved aliens—to return.