South Park season 12 is the twelfth season of the American animated television series South Park. The season was produced by Comedy Central and created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who served as the series' primary writers, directors, and voice actors. It consists of fourteen episodes and originally aired in the United States from March 12, 2008, to November 19, 2008.
Production
- Showrunners: Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
- Production companies: South Park Studios, Inc.; Comedy Central.
- Animation: The series continued its use of computer-assisted animation based on the original cut‑out style, with animation completed by South Park Digital Studios.
- Music: The season’s score was composed by Trey Parker and Kevin McKeough, with original songs featured in several episodes.
Episode list
- “The Ring” – March 12, 2008
- “The Coon” – March 19, 2008
- “Margaritaville” – March 26, 2008
- “Eek, a Penis!” – April 2, 2008
- “Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut” – April 9, 2008
- “Britney's New Look” – June 4, 2008
- “Pandemic” – June 11, 2008
- “Pandemic 2: The Startling Truth” – June 18, 2008
- “About Last Night…” – June 25, 2008
- “The Ungroundable” – July 30, 2008
- “The List” – August 6, 2008
- “Pee” – August 13, 2008
- “A Song of Ass and Fire” – August 20, 2008
- “The China Probrem” – November 19, 2008
Notable episodes and themes
- “Britney's New Look” satirizes the 2007 media controversy surrounding pop star Britney Spears and introduced the recurring gag of “the fight of the century” between characters.
- “A Song of Ass and Fire” parodies the fantasy epic Game of Thrones, incorporating a storyline about a stable‑built “ass” as a symbolic object.
- “The Ungroundable” addresses the rise of vampire subculture among middle‑school students, referencing contemporary media such as Twilight.
- “Pandemic” and its sequel “Pandemic 2: The Startling Truth” were later expanded into the feature film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) referenced as a thematic precursor; these episodes mock conspiracy theories and public panic regarding disease outbreaks.
Reception
Critical reception for season 12 was generally positive. Review aggregators such as Rotten Tomatoes reported a favorable approval rating, noting the season’s sharp cultural commentary and its balance of absurdist humor with topical satire. Several episodes, including “The Coon” and “A Song of Ass and Fire,” received particular praise for their parody of contemporary media trends.
Awards and nominations
- Primetime Emmy Award (Outstanding Animated Program for Programming Less Than One Hour): Nominated for “The Ungroundable.”
- Annie Award: Won for Best Writing in an Animated Television Production for “A Song of Ass and Fire.”
Home media
Season 12 was released on DVD and Blu‑ray in Region 1 on March 10, 2009, and in Region 2 on May 4, 2009. The set includes all fourteen episodes, commentary tracks on select episodes, and a collection of deleted scenes.
Cultural impact
The twelfth season continued South Park’s reputation for rapid production cycles that allow the series to incorporate events occurring within weeks of broadcast. Its satire of pop culture phenomena such as reality television, celebrity scandals, and internet memes contributed to academic discussions on media criticism and the role of animated satire in contemporary discourse.