South Park explains the economic meltdown

Growing up in the seventies, Trey Parker and Matt Stone were part of the first generation to get its civics lessons from animated shows. Considering the incredible power of Schoolhouse Rock, it's hardly surprising that, years later, the two South Park creators would use their own program to explain the complexities of religion, government and the economy.

Of course, South Park's take on the issues tends to be a little twisted. Their analysis of the 2000 election scandal, for example, had a kindergarten classroom unable to to choose a leader because of an indecisive little girl named "Flora" (any confusion with the state of Florida is, of course, completely intentional). Similarly, their take on censorship involved a town full of concerned parents physically catapulting themselves at the headquarters of a television network to protest its airing of an offensive program.