Truly an iconic animated series, South Park has been providing viewers with an abundance of laughs since 1997. Naturally, it has given us some of the most recognizable characters in animation history. For a show to last this long, this is absolutely a necessity.
Although characters such as Cartman and Randy have grown to become fan favorites, it should be noted that there are an array of underrated characters who have also been quite stellar. This sometimes even is the case if their roles have been rather limited.
With Season 24 starting off strongly with "The Pandemic Special," we certainly hope for these side characters to have a lot of screentime in upcoming episodes.
Ike Broflovski
Ike is one of the coolest characters the show has to offer. Sure, it took a bit of time to truly find a direction for his character, but it definitely has worked out immensely.
His wit and sharp humor mesh perfectly with his youth. When new viewers take their first gander at him, it is likely that they assume he is an innocent character. However, he has quite a colorful vocabulary, while also having some of the best and mature storylines out of the kids.
Sheila Broflovski
Looking deeper into the Broflovski family, one could argue that Sheila warrants more praise. Yes, many viewers become agitated with her at times, but that is her primary purpose on the show.
Her classic overreactions to everything going on in the town can be quite hysterical at times. Also, for the most part, she rarely gets her own plots in episodes. It would be nice to see this change, as her fits of rage, especially towards Kyle, are often immensely comical.
Scott Malkinson
When Scott Malkinson made his debut back in Season 12, it was clear that he was made to be bullied. Cartman in particular is the character who makes fun of him the most, which is not shocking.
Initially, his infamous lisp and diabetes seemed like all he had to offer. Yet, this has changed. This was made evident in his own episode last season. We caught a glimpse of his rough family life and overall insecurity. This should be explored more.
Craig Tucker
Craig is definitely one of the South Park kids who we should see more of. Even in earlier seasons, he was incredibly intriguing. This was made clear by his high degree of apathy, as evidenced by him flipping off his parents and Mr. Mackey.
Yet, we have seen him blossom even more from that point. He grew to shine with his "I was so happy" quote. Yet, perhaps the best part of his evolution has been his relationship with Tweek. His rational mind is perfect to help moderate Tweek's anxiety struggles.
Tweek
Speaking of Tweek, he is absolutely underused as well. He was once the fourth friend of the primary group, but even then, he was not utilized as often as he should have been. This honestly is even more the case now, as he is a background character again.
However, when given the chance to shine, Tweek never fails. How could one not love his scared reactions to Mr. Garrison/Donald Trump's tweets about him? There is so much more you can do with him with everything happening in the world today too.
Sharon Marsh
Sharon Marsh deserves a medal for dealing with everything Randy does. She was forced to move to an entirely new home so Randy could start his marijuana business, which of course, has brought nothing but a plethora of problems.
However, even in earlier seasons, it is apparent that Sharon has had to possess an abundance of patience. It is clear that she is one of the most levelheaded characters in a town that has anything but. She may not necessarily be the funniest, but she definitely is admirable and should get more of her own storylines.
Kip Drordy
Kip Drordy is the star of the classic episode, "You Have 0 Friends." Sadly, he is the character the title is alluding to. When Kyle added him on Facebook, it would be the first time Kip would display happiness.
The scenes of Kip "hanging out" with Kyle, which is just him with his Facebook page open, were both wholesome and upsetting. This is a character who was so lonely that such a small social interaction completely changed his spirits. Kip deserves to have some real friends in a future episode.
Kenny McCormick
Kenny McCormick may be a member of the main group of South Park, but it can be argued that he is rather underrated. Sure, in earlier seasons, he was rather famous for constantly being killed. However, his dialogue and storylines seem to be dwindling each year that passes.
This absolutely should be changed because he has a lot to work with. Perhaps bringing back another Mysterion episode could help spice up the character's presence. When giving the chance to actually understand what he is saying, there is a lot of substance with this iconic character.
Mr. Mackey
South Park Elementary has seen the vast majority of its original staff leave. Yet, Mr. Mackey is still present, much to the delight of fans. His signature "m'kay" never gets old, along with his speaking voice in general.
However, his character as a whole can be deemed as genuinely one of the funniest on the show. When given storylines, they are always among the top because there is a ton to go off of with him. There is never a moment of dullness with Mr. Mackey, so seeing him more often would be marvelous.
Jimmy Valmer
Jimmy Valmer is one of the best characters out there. He has provided viewers with some of the best quotes this show has to offer. This is because his humor is at an elite level. The uniqueness of his character also adds significant points to his value.
Jimmy is easily among the best side characters on the show. You can never get enough of him, which is why he absolutely should have more screentime in the future. His storylines are always stellar, as it seems impossible for him to do anything wrong.