Who could have guessed that the most important show on television would’ve started in 1997 with a pilot about anal probes?

The first episode of “South Park” — painstakingly difficult to create, using only construction paper and cutouts — pales in comparison to the show we have come to know. The computers that “South Park” switched to eventually would allow it to become more relevant with higher quality.

In almost every episode, there is a cultural or social reference, taking jabs at some current issue. Only “South Park” can parody the book “A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey with a stoned towel and still keep the viewer watching.

The fact is, “South Park” stays groundbreaking because it consistently pushes the envelope in every single episode. Because of this, when the show goes over the line, it is not as big of a shock to their viewers, possibly due to some sort of desensitization.

There are certain episodes that we will always remember as a large part of our contemporary popular culture (mainly the Scientology-questioning “Trapped in the Closet” episode).

Unlike “Arrested Development”, which kept its jokes dry yet fluid, and “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, which uses improvisation to make the show even better, “South Park” is able to pull anything out of contemporary culture, at anytime, and use it to its advantage.

We cannot ignore Cartman’s dead on impression of Dog the Bounty Hunter in an episode which derived its material from the Mark Foley scandal. This episode is a perfect example of why “South Park” is so great. Here they are, taking on big, sensitive issues, and throwing in a great pop culture reference, too, while keeping us entertained.

Something “South Park” does best is parody. Parodies of everything from “Rocky” to “The Karate Kid” to “Ronnie James Dio”, to actors John Travolta and Tom Cruise. No subject is too taboo for creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

“South Park” is the best show on TV by far, and it hits the nail on the head every time. Even when it comes to big topics like the war and animal rights, they make both sides look equally ridiculous.

“South Park” even aired an episode featuring Muhammad before controversy over the same subject matter would ensue in Europe when a Dutch paper did the same exact thing.

The show’s humor regarding their own content just makes it funnier. If you really think there is a show out there that is better than South Park, think about this: South Park has aired over 220 episodes in (including the upcoming half season) and just keeps getting better.

It’s the opposite of “Simpsons” and “Family Guy,” two shows that were great and then both fell to terrible lows and aren’t even watchable anymore. It seems like every episode of these shows is just a repeat of the same old jokes.

When “South Park” comes on, you can expect both social commentary and low-brow humor, similar to what “Family Guy” is failing at right now.

The note that’s left in the viewer’s mind is that everyone takes themselves too seriously over matters which can be parodied in a 20-minute cartoon show. Enjoy “South Park.” It’s better than you think it is, you just need to watch it more closely.