South Park may parody everyone else, but this kids’ show turned the tables

Since 1997, South Park has built its name on never holding back. If something is out there in pop culture, politics, or the news, odds are Matt Stone and Trey Parker have already roasted it.

No celebrity, no trend, no weird quirk in society is off-limits. That blunt, irreverent humor, along with their unmistakable cutout animation, made South Park a landmark in adult animation. But the usually mild-mannered children’s show Arthur actually flipped the script and parodied South Park in return. This little moment happened in Arthur’s fourth season, in the episode called The Contest.

Arthur, if you grew up with it, is the PBS classic based on Marc Brown’s books, a show known for gentle stories and life lessons, not edgy jokes. It is about as far as you can get from South Park’s wild, adult humor. But in The Contest, the Arthur team went meta for once. They poked fun at South Park by mimicking its rough animation and even nodding to one of its famous episodes.

Seeing a sweet kids’ cartoon aimed at a show like South Park caught a lot of people off guard. It was clever, and it worked because it came from such an unexpected place. Arthur managed to toss in a wink to grown-up viewers while still keeping things safe for kids.

Exploring Arthur Season 4 The Contest and its South Park parody

In The Contest, Arthur and his friends jump into a competition to come up with story ideas for their favorite TV show, Andy & Company. Each of them pitches a story, and the show animates these pitches in styles that nod to different hit shows from the ’90s. Buster’s story, The Day the Earth Was Saved, stands out the most, and it is a clear parody of South Park’s first episode, Cartman Gets an Anal Probe.

Buster’s story basically puts a South Park twist on Arthur. Arthur gets snatched by aliens that look just like the ones from South Park, and things get weird and funny. The episode doesn’t just borrow the idea; it actually copies some of South Park’s lines and scenes.

There is the alien probe, Arthur’s totally baffled reaction (kind of like Cartman’s in the original), and even Francine’s shout, “Hey! You squished Buster!” That is a clear riff on South Park’s famous, “Oh my God! They killed Kenny! You bastards!” And when Francine snaps, “I’m outta here!” it’s a dead giveaway she is channeling Cartman’s classic, “Screw you guys! I’m going home!” The whole thing is packed with spot-on references; if you know both shows, you will catch all the winks.

This South Park parody isn’t just a random gag; it is actually part of a bigger setup where each friend pitches a story, and each one shows off a different animation and storytelling style. Arthur is having fun with 90s pop culture here. The episode also pokes fun at other adult cartoons like Beavis and Butt-Head, but the South Park bit stands out the most. It nails that rough animation and edgy humor, which feels totally different from what you would expect in Arthur.

This parody feels more like a tip of the hat than a jab. Arthur’s creators clearly saw just how much South Park had shaken up pop culture, even though it had only been around for two years. It is not every day you see a kids’ show openly reference something as wild and satirical as South Park. Usually, South Park pokes fun at everyone else, but here, the roles flip. That twist adds a little extra depth to The Contest. Kids get to enjoy the main story, and adults pick up on the hidden jokes; everyone gets something out of it.

There’s no record of South Park ever replying to Arthur’s parody of their show. Matt Stone and Trey Parker haven’t said anything, at least not publicly, about that Arthur episode.

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It is a common assumption that the creators took the whole matter in a very light way, perhaps even as a slight recognition. It is a reasonable assumption in light of the fact that South Park very frequently makes fun of its own and other series. It seems more like a part of the perpetual pop culture back-and-forth rather than a fight. Parody in animation is not only legal, but it is also regarded as a sign of prestige. Therefore, what it really looks like in the end is more like mutual respect than anything else.

Arthur hit TV screens on October 7, 1996, on PBS in the US. Created by Marc Brown, the show was made for kids between four and eight. It stuck around for 25 seasons and wrapped up on February 21, 2022. Over the years, Arthur stood out for its gentle stories and the way it taught kids important lessons. It is one of the longest-running animated shows for children ever.

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