A South Park Rip-Off Was So Successful That It Got Its Own Spin-Off

Comedy Central's "South Park" is known for its adult humor and unapologetic irreverence. It's not a series anyone would ever expect to see retooled for children. However, in Kuwait, that's exactly what happened. Not only was a Kuwaiti rip-off of "South Park" developed for young audiences, but the series was so successful it went on to spawn a spin-off series – something the real "South Park" has never achieved.

"South Park," created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, rose from humble beginnings. Parker and Stone created the world of "South Park" in two animated short films in the 1990s, made using simple cardboard cutout animation. When one of these shorts went viral – one of the first online videos to do so – the series was picked up by Comedy Central and arrived on TV in 1997. "South Park" went on to find success globally, laying the foundations for the creation of "Block 13," Kuwait's blatant "South Park" rip-off.

"Block 13" was created by Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari and debuted on Kuwait Television in 2000. The series was developed after "South Park" was banned, perhaps unsurprisingly, in Kuwait for its offensive jokes about Islam. "Block 13" copied many of "South Park's" character designs almost exactly, though characters' clothing was changed to better reflect Kuwait. Instead of emulating "South Park's" adult humor, though, "Block 13" was targeted at families and children of all ages. The series only ran for 3 seasons, but was popular enough that it is still rerun on Kuwait Television every Ramadan.

Although "Block 13" only ran for 3 seasons, the series was a huge success in Kuwait. It was a significant series for the country too, in that it was the first animated series ever produced in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. Much like "South Park," the series dealt with current real-world issues affecting its audience through comedy, though in a much tamer way. And while "Block 13" was aimed at younger audiences, its humor didn't completely lose its edge. Abboud, the series' version of Eric Cartman, was still subject to jokes about his weight, while Saloom, the series' version of Kenny McCormick, was still regularly killed in ludicrous accidents.

After "Block 13" concluded, the series spawned the spin-off "Qatouta and Kaloob" in 2003. The series followed Qatouta, a purple cat, and Kaloob, the pet dog of Honey on "Block 13" (possibly an amalgam of "South Park's" Craig Tucker and Butters Stotch). The series featured a handful of cameo appearances from "Block 13" characters too. Though a second season was planned and due to air on Alrai TV, budget restraints led to its cancellation.

Despite "Qatouta and Kaloob" failing to launch a season 2, the success of "Block 13" has continued. The series received a reboot, titled "13th Street," in 2022. The series features a more polished animation style and reunites many of "Block 13's" creators. The series is still running on VO, Dubai TV and Dubai streaming platform, Awaan.