The Top 10 Greatest Cartoon Shows Of All Time (part 3)
#6. South Park
Speaking of extreme violence (as in the case of Itchy and Scratchy), the reigning champion of extremeness in animated entertainment is, without a doubt, South Park. The show’s main characteristic can be summarized in one word -depraved – but the show is more than just 22 minutes of foul language and sick humor. For a show to run over 11 seasons, it would have to be, wouldn’t it? (Then again, Howard Stern has been doing his schtick for decades now.)
Picture At Left: From season 11′s ‘Imaginationland’
While the show’s trademark is shock value, its relentless pressing of the envelope seems to serve a higher purpose, albeit in a twisted way. Episodes are often written with the intent of getting uncomfortable situations out in the open, having fun with them, and ultimately leaving the viewer with something to reflect on. Take for instance the Season 11 episode “Le Petit Tourette.” This one got quite a bit of mileage out of presenting Tourette’s syndrome for humor’s sake, but it also dealt compassionately with the feelings of a young boy afflicted with a particularly debilitating form of the illness. Eric Cartman, one of the show’s main characters, who predictably feigned having Tourette’s to get away with shouting obscenities, was given a nice dose of karma after he began involuntarily shouting embarrassing things about himself.
Oh My God! They Killed South Park!..
Some would say that after 11 years South Park has worn out its welcome and its brand of humor has become stale. This results of this past season (its highest rated season since 1998), as well as the previous season’s Emmy® Award are objective proof that the show’s popularity is anything but declining. For its timeslot, the show is the most popular among people between the ages of 18 and 49 of any other show on television.
#5. The Flintstones
30 Years before The Simpsons ushered in a new era of prime-time cartoons for an adult audience, there was the Flintstones. And although the Simpsons has lasted longer than the original Flintstones series (or just about any other show for that matter), the show’s characters, catchphrases and sight gags remain a part of popular culture to this day. Ask just about anyone where the phrase “Yabba Dabba Doo” comes from and it’s unlikely you’d get “what the hell is ‘Yabba Dabba Doo?!’ for an answer. Incidentally, a Google search for “Yabba Dabba Doo” (quotes included) currently yields 77,200 results. It would be impossible to list all the references to the show made in other media (though a particular Ren and Stimpy episode comes to mind.)
To justify the show’s inclusion on this list would be, of course, superfluous. If there is any argument against the inclusion of the show in this list (limited animation is not a valid argument, sorry) it could only be made by a prehistoric aardvark who earns a living as a vacuum cleaner.
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