15 Best TV Shows Like South Park

They're rude, they're crude, and they aren't even in junior high school yet. Fans have been turning to the kids (and the wacky adults) who populate the quiet mountain town of South Park for outrageous, boundary-pushing humor and sharp social commentary for decades now. Co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker have managed to keep the show relevant over the years, partly because of the quick turnaround time compared to other animated shows, but mainly because they've always had their fingers on the pulse when it comes to things like politics and celebrity culture.

The best-ever episodes of "South Park are hard to beat, but there are several shows out there that strike a similar chord in terms of their approach and content. Some of them are just as adept at social commentary, while others simply offer a similarly intoxicating mixture of gross-out and boundary-pushing humor. The shows listed below will call "South Park" to mind for multiple reasons, but they're definitely not simply pale imitators of the original. Here are fifteen shows you should check out if you're a fan of "South Park."

When it launched on Comedy Central back in 2004, "Drawn Together" was seen as a rip-off of "South Park" in numerous ways, but this reality show parody manages to stand on its own and draw laughs thanks to the foibles of its incredibly flawed cast of characters. It's very of-its-time and edgy, so not every episode has aged well – it's likely to make you cringe as much as laugh, but some episodes are still top drawer. The show even took aim at "South Park" itself in its series-wrapping movie "Drawn Together The Movie: The Movie," introducing the Suck My Taint Girl, a parody of Eric Cartman and his NSFW catchphrase. She delivers a devastating commentary on how the crudities of "South Park" are unfairly seen as more acceptable than those in "Drawn Together" and other similar shows.

"Drawn Together" is underpinned by the reality-warping adventures of a set of housemates whose lives are beamed out to the world in the style of "Big Brother" as they share a household and deal with their presents, pasts, and futures. Characters include Princess Clara, an all-singing, all-dancing fairytale princess who also happens to be a huge bigot; the alcoholic and utterly feckless Betty Boop-like Toot Braunstein; sociopathic Superman parody Captain Hero; and Foxxy Love, a Hanna-Barbera style mystery-solving musician who is typically the only person in the house with a brain cell. Fans of the show defend it to this day, with many pointing out that it's a great watch for "South Park" fans. "I think there is a huge cross over audience in terms of sense of humour," one fan wrote on Reddit.

Mike Judge's "Beavis and Butt-Head" broke new ground in adult animated comedy, following a pair of Texas teens – the scheming Butt-Head and somewhat more sensitive Beavis — who spend their days happily underachieving and causing physical damage to one another and anyone unfortunate enough to cross paths with them. They work part-time jobs at their local burger joint, attend high school, and roam their neighborhood, causing problems as they search for food, money, and the opportunity to "score" with a chick. There was nothing like it on TV at the time, and the show inspired none other than "South Park" co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

According to Parker, they appreciated that the Mike Judge show was "actually trying to say something," adding that it was a "great satirical look at where a lot of teenagers in America were at the time." Judge became something of a mentor for Stone and Parker, even taking them out just before "South Park" debuted. Parker recalls the advice that he gave them: "Don't let people take advantage of you, because they're dumb." Judge would later voice Kenny in "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut," and there were even plans for a crossover at one stage, as Parker revealed at San Diego Comic-Con in 2025. The two shows tick a lot of the same boxes, and, with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the 2022 reboot is just as good.

Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon's critically acclaimed animated series "Rick and Morty" became an overnight sensation after it dropped to rave reviews in 2014 and it would go on to break viewership records in the coming years, with its third season becoming the most-watched in Adult Swim history. Rick Sanchez is a dimension-bending, time-traveling super scientist whose life is a fraught mess thanks to his poor decision making skills. Morty Smith, Rick's grandson, often accompanies him on his adventures, usually getting caught up in the crossfire. Danger strikes, lessons aren't quite learned, and together they try to survive the ride.

While the scope is a lot larger, "Rick and Morty" has the same nihilistic questioning of authority that "South Park" is famous for, and both shows gleefully torture their own characters in hilarious ways. And, like "South Park," "Rick and Morty" knows exactly how to balance gross-out and shocking humor with storylines that pack a hidden punch. The two shows also have similar origins, both being spawned from NSFW viral shorts: "South Park" was born from "The Spirit of Christmas," while "Rick and Morty" began as "The Adventures of Doc and Mharti," an unapologetically vulgar "Back to the Future" parody.

It's no secret that Seth MacFarlane has been in a public feud with Trey Stone and Matt Parker for what seems like forever, but don't let the bitter feud between "Family Guy" and "South Park" stop you from enjoying the former. Yes, MacFarlane's series relies on cutaway gags for much of its humor, but the truth is that "Family Guy" played an important part in making animated shows for adults acceptable among mainstream audiences.

Set in Rhode Island, it follows the Griffin family — brainless patriarch Peter; hard-as-nails housewife Lois; angst-ridden teen daughter Meg; doofy son Chris; insufferable family dog Brian; and matricidal genius toddler Stewie. The series also boasts many memorable supporting characters, such as the pervy pilot Glenn Quagmire and the apathetic Cleveland Brown.

"Family Guy" has managed to stay fresh over the decades, evolving with the times to stay relevant. The show was actually cancelled and brought back from the dead twice thanks to its dedicated fans, many of whom enjoy both "Family Guy" and "South Park" in equal measure. If you want another long-lived series that's less cerebral — think "South Park" when it was more about mayhem and silliness instead of living in the public sphere — then "Family Guy" is for you.

Not unlike "South Park," "The Boys" is laden with blood, violence, and gore. Ergo, it's not shocking that the animated spin-off, "The Boys Presents: Diabolical," has a bit of a "South Park" flavor to it. This chaotic anthology series set within the Voight International-ruled world of "The Boys" will no doubt entertain animation fans and those who like the out of control world that "South Park" promotes — there are some pretty disturbing moments in "The Boys Presents: Diabolical," that's for sure.

"The Boys Presents: Diabolical" offers a variety of tales. There are prequel stories (one featuring Homelander's first mission, for instance) and short stories taken from the long-running comic book series. Some of them aren't directly connected to "The Boys" or any of its characters, but they include themes that the show often addresses. They range from the comical (a baby supe discovering its powers) to the tragic (a janitor risking his life to get Compound V for his dying wife). The end result is a lovely and messy mosaic of all things "The Boys"-related.

"Clone High" has all of the sarcastic, cerebral fun of latter-day "South Park" mixed with some goofiness, some celebrity cameos, and some hilarious parodying of sitcom tropes. The series revolves around the titular high school, which is stocked top to bottom with the genetically cloned spawn of famous figures. There's Abe Lincoln, an awkward teenager who has a crush on popular jock cheerleader Cleopatra; Joan of Arc, an artistic filmmaker pining away for Abe; Gandhi, who lives for get rich quick schemes; and JFK, Cleo's popular boyfriend, who is reckless because "nothing bad has ever happened to the Kennedys!"

Debuting on MTV in the United States back in 2003, "Clone High" was the brainchild of regular collaborators Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who worked with "Scrubs" creator Bill Lawrence to bring the show to life. It was canceled that same year, but it quickly became a cult favorite and is retrospectively viewed as one of the most underrated animated shows ever made. Max revived it in 2023 and it landed to rave reviews — it has a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If that isn't enough to convince "South Park" fans to give it a go, the revival's showrunner is Erica Rivinoja, who worked as a writer and consultant on "South Park" for over a decade.

The DC show "Harley Quinn" is a black comedy that gives the titular character a new lease on life as she comes into her own following her breakup with the Joker. With five seasons, a special, and a spin-off following Kite Man (a Batman villain with a sad past) to consume, anyone who appreciates action-based, character-driven humor should jump right on this. "South Park" fans will no doubt enjoy the show's take-no-prisoners style and adult humor, which is augmented by the season-long, twisty mysteries that Harley must solve while trying to get respect in Gotham's underworld.

Most of the show follows Harley's burgeoning relationship with fellow villainess Poison Ivy, with whom she tries to start her own criminal gang multiple different times. Harley maintains a frenemy relationship with most of the major DC superheroes, including Batman and Superman, while also stealing their property. "Harley Quinn" has launched a number of minor DC villains back into the limelight and remains very popular among critics with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 96%. One unique aspect of the show is that it explores Harley Quinn's medical background, an often-ignored part of the character.

If you like the edgy side of "South Park," then you'll no doubt enjoy "High School USA!," an edgy, short-lived animated series that aired between 2013 and 2015. It came by way of Fox, which extended its Animation Domination programming block into the nighttime hours in an attempt to compete with Adult Swim. Airing on Saturday nights, the block included an adaptation of the hit web comic "Axe Cop," but "High School USA!" was the standout, an Archie Comics parody filled with dark, often perverse humor and ridiculous situations.

The show's central teenagers attend the titular high school and experience issues such as peer pressure, keeping up with educational responsibilities and dealing with strict parents. There's the hopeful, guitar-strumming Marsh Merriwether (think: Archie Andrews); the innocent and ditzy blonde Amber Lamber (Betty Cooper); the rough and tough (and brainless) jock Brad Slovee (Moose); the materialistic snob Cassandra Barren (Veronica Lodge); and the intelligent nerd Lamort Blackstein (Jughead). And yes, they do have a band.

James Gunn's sense of humor shines through in "Creature Commandos," the first entry in the DC Universe, and it's an approach that fans of "South Park" are bound to appreciate. There's some great worldbuilding here, and Gunn makes you believe that yet another group of rag-tag nogoodniks might make it as a superteam. The fact that it's the debut entry in the DCU also means you can go into it fresh with no prior knowledge of the franchise or of DC if you're not exactly a superhero fan, though there are a few links for those that are. 

Set after the events of Season 1 of "Peacemaker," "Creature Commandos" tracks the efforts of Amanda Waller to turn a group of metahuman villains into a superhero team. As they enter the world outside of jail and try to figure out how to operate as a team and let their heroic sides shine through, evil forces gather to take the team out and keep them from reaching their potential. Blood will spill, but in the end only the mighty will stand tall and face down the dawn.

While the easy suggestion here might be "Futurama" or the other better-known Matt Groening animated series, "Disenchantment" has a core of fantasy silliness and a sense of character knowledge that makes it a solid watch for "South Park" fans. After all, the series has never been afraid to show its nerdy side and parody geeky properties like "The Lord of the Rings." If you like "A Song of Ass And Fire" — the "Game of Thrones" parody from "South Park" Season 17 — and other such episodes, then this will be the series for you to binge next.

"Disenchantment" follows Princess Tiabeanie Mariabeanie De La Rochambeaux Grunkwitz, better known as Bean. She's alcoholic princess who has no time for balls, fancy talk or anything else you might connect to royal duties. She's off on a heroine's journey, accompanied by Luci — her own personal demon — and Elfo, an elf who has a crush on her. Surely, fame, fortune and infamy are just around the corner, right? Well, not exactly. 

Filled with bloody brawls and rich superhero lore, this is another one for fans of complex plotting and dark-hearted worldbuilding. "Invincible" has plenty of grey-hatted protagonists and a whole lot of action to keep people entertained. "South Park" fans who enjoy episodes like "Good Times with Weapons" will probably enjoy all of the bloody good times this show has to offer.

"Invincible" is about Mark Grayson, whose life as an ordinary teenager is interrupted when he starts developing superpowers at the age of seventeen. He turns to his dad, Nolan, for help in managing them. Soon he finds himself fighting crime beside his dad, who is the superhero Omni-Man. But Nolan has been hiding much of the truth about his superheroing from Mark, who is about to get quite an eyeful of reality. 

"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" provides chaotic, surreal, blood-laden laughs to comedy fans up far past their bedtime. "South Park" definitely helped prove that adult-themed animated series were a viable commodity, which helped Cartoon Network in turn launch the Adult Swim lineup, and "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" was long a staple of the lineup. Years after its cancellation, it continues to be a staple in reruns. The wackiness it brings will likely be enjoyed by any "South Park" fan. 

The series is all about three anthropomorphic fast food items — narcissistic Master Shake, level-headed Frylock, and innocent Meatwad — who share a suburban house together. The earlier seasons of the show have a crime-fighting element, with the trio forming a bizarre superhero team of sorts. That vanished over the years, but the hilarity didn't. Most of the time the gang end up indulging in ridiculous adventures alongside their human neighbor, Carl Brutananadilewski, and all manner of creatures.

Another contemporary of "South Park," "The Ren & Stimpy Show" combined over-the-top "Looney Tunes" style gags with a whole lot of violence, gore, and bathroom humor. The two shows were like peas and carrots when it came to introducing the youth of America to rebellious, sometimes naughty animated fun. "South Park" fans will dig much of the show's humor, though they might not always follow it into it's wilder places — which says something, since we're talking about "South Park" here.

"The Ren & Stimpy Show" features the episodic adventures of a cat named Stimpy and a chihuahua named Ren. Through bouts of madness, wild abandon, and plenty of other basic incidents of tomfoolery, they manage to get through the day, pursuing money, a stable home, and good food. It will certainly provide a nostalgia kick for those who were young at the time, and it will enthral younger fans who enjoy offbeat adult animation. 

Another "Adult Swim" show, "Metalocalypse" follows a metal band whose destiny involves saving the world — if they can survive their own petty squabbling for long enough. "South Park" fans will enjoy the show's over-the-top portrayal of its characters while getting entrenched in the mythology and the overall worldbuilding at hand.

Dethklok is the world's most dangerous metal band, in that gatherings of their fans often end with violence. From mainly tragic backgrounds filled with danger, the band's various members are nonetheless extremely rich and extremely hedonistic. There isn't a woman they wouldn't kiss, a drug they wouldn't do, or a bottle of booze they wouldn't chug. And it turns out that after years of recklessly (though non-directly) killing others, their ultimate destiny is to save humanity itself.

Fox tried its hardest to make "Golan the Insatiable" a hit, but it never managed to break away from the pack. And yet fans of "South Park" will likely be enchanted by this two-season wonder, which springs from the imagination of one small, death-worshipping girl and the evil demon who has become her best friend. Fans of the "South Park" version of Satan will love this one.

We follow the titular Golan, who is trapped in our dimension. Back home, he was a fearless, enemy-slaying God. Here, he has to live in Dylan's bedroom and hang out with her completely uncool family. Nevertheless, he finds himself developing a bond with the little goth girl and guiding her through life's early milestones.

Fox was so sold on the "Golan the Insatiable" concept that it was rebooted after the Animation Domination block died sporting a star voice acting cast, with Rob Riggle voicing Golan and Aubrey Plaza as Dylan. It was no more successful in this format, but it was a fun series that "South Park" fans will likely be happy to rediscover.