We need to have a serious public lecture about cartoons .
It is long established by consensus thatThe Simpsonsis the greatest renovate TV comedy of all clip – and from approximately 1990 to 1997 , this is inarguable . But in the subsequent 20 year , the innovational genre of the alive situation comedy has experimented and acquire , and is now something all unlike , for good or bad .
For me , it ’s the latter : recreate situation comedy are much better now than they were two decennium ago . But this could be said of many genres . What is also true is thatThe Simpsonsonly mother interesting these day when it tapdance the mojo ofoutsiders .
Comedy Central
This brings us toSouth Park , which just entered its 20th time of year . Quickly after premiering on Comedy Central in 1997 – coincidently , around the same timeThe Simpsonsbegan to drift away from its sitcom - with - a - pull root –South Parkgave a generation with an insatiable hunger for fresh catchphrases such zinger as " deference mah authoritah " and " Oh my God , they vote down Kenny ! You bastards ! " while at the same time remind affright among the culturally prudish , just as Bart Simpson and crew had antecedently done with T - shirt - ready adage like " corrode my shorts ! " and " Do n’t have a cow , world ! " LikeThe Simpsons , which enters its twenty-eighth time of year on September 25th , South Parkoutlasted the plug that surround its rise to prominence . UnlikeThe Simpsons , however , South Parkremains brilliant .
The twentieth anniversary of Matt Stone and Trey Parker ’s satiric cartoon show present me with an opportunity to confront this argument : ifSouth Parkhas been at least pretty honest for twice as long asThe Simpsonswas great , does n’t that makeSouth Parkan overall superior program ? And ifSouth Parkis better thanThe Simpsons , does n’t it logically keep abreast thatSouth Parkis now the greatest animate comedy of all time ?
TheSouth Park - Simpsonsrivalry is alive and aggro on the net . Stone and Parker even confronted the issue in the infamous Season 10 two - parter " Cartoon Wars . " But I ’m quick to deliver my punch . And I ’m not just a contrarianSouth Parkdevotee ; I have genuine , good - to - gosh math to support my hypothesis . Here ’s whySouth Parkstands above the dare protagonist .
Comedy Central
South Park vs. Springfield, by the numbers
Tally up the Metacritic exploiter scores for each ofSouth Park ’s existing 19 seasons , then do the same for all 27 already - aired mint ofThe Simpsons . The result average bode poorly for Matt Groening ’s atomic kinsfolk . South Parkscores a unanimous 8.68 time of year average , humiliatingThe Simpsons , which scarce come up a C+ at 7.84 . The gap grows even wide when we yoink data point from Rotten Tomatoes : South Parkcollectively scores a 90 % fresh , next toThe Simpsons ' 75 % .
The metrics are n’t perfect . At least 20 newSimpsonsepisodes have bare every year since 1990 . Meanwhile , noSouth Parkseason has ever surpassed 17 eps , and the Creator have maintain themselves to a tight 10 per class since 2013 . Thus , Simpsonsis about to crack 600 episodes , while Cartman and the gang wo n’t quite breach 300 for a few more years .
Per - episode averages would n’t be significantly different from the aforementioned per - season averages , but arguably , The Simpsons ' connection - mandate indigence to broadcast good ideas out twice as thin givesSouth Parkan unjust reward .
Comedy Central/YouTube
What about the other cartoon staples?
If we gauge solely by bit on review collector sites , we could hypothetically make the same showcase for any cartoon show that never shift gears likeThe Simpsons . But those other programs miss either a sufficient sample distribution sizing ( Rick and Morty , Bob ’s Burgers ) or comparable cultural impact ( King of the Hill , Futurama , pretty much everything on Adult Swim ) , or the show isFamily Guy . And if you thinkFamily Guybelongs in the same stratum asSimpsonsorSouth Park , please watch the second one-half of"Cartoon war . "
The Simpsonswill always be the Mr. Burns of animation
The SimpsonssquashesSouth Parkin what may be both the most and least significant metric : cold unvoiced hard currency . concord to the latest estimates from Statistic Brain , South Parkin syndication Yankee down $ 25 million in one-year advertising revenue , compared to the more than $ 5 billionThe Simpsonspulls on primetime broadcasts alone . The Simpsons Moviedid almost $ 530 million at the box office ; the gleefully R - ratedSouth Park : big , Longer & Uncutracked up $ 83 million in ticket stubs .
By the same criteria , the notable success ofTwo and a one-half Menbests the shameful nonstarter ofArrested Development . Money is n’t everything . But the fact that Bart Simpson ’s on the loose change could pay off to haveSouth Parkcanceled ca n’t be omit .
Scott Tenorman vs. the Monorail
Though referential and easy to withdraw in its current loop , The Simpsons ' high points are a notch or two aboveSouth Park ’s zenith – or so the internet insist .
TimeandRolling Stoneboth declare " Marge vs. the Monorail " the best episode ofThe Simpsons , and for the sake of give up ourselves an argument that could drag on for months , let ’s pretend to agree with them . The Season 4 tentpole offers 23 minutes of back - to - back - to - back gag written by bona fide comedy master Conan O’Brien . That ’s about all it extend .
The single greatestSouth Parkepisode – grant to my own instinct , and vindicated by a handful of " in force of " lists – is the 5th season’s"Scott Tenorman Must Die . “Penned by Parker and channelise by longtime collaborator Eric Stough , " Tenorman " stays lightheaded and silly until a lash - inducing tonal geological fault in the final minutes . The adult reveal masterfully blends hilarity with existential dread , all while providingRadioheada legitimate understanding to be on the show . It ’s charming . And while " Monorail " trounces " Tenorman " in terms of chuckle per instant , The Simpsonshasn’t mustered anything as ingenious as the Shakespearean twist of Cartman ’s ghastly triumph .
Rose - colour in nostalgia meth be curse . " Scott Tenorman Must Die " furnish a better - rounded , more cheering viewing experience than " Marge vs. the Monorail , " and enhances the case to declareSouth Parkthe greatest adult - aimed animated cartoon of all metre .
Maybe that fathom boundary line sacrilegious . But just wait . I betcha in 10 or 20 years , telecasting historian will mouth about the undisputed reign ofThe Simpsonsthe same way we verbalise about mass who think the sun orb around the earthly concern .
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