<P> Parker and Stone state that subjecting themselves to a one - week deadline creates more spontaneity amongst themselves in the creative process, which they feel results in a funnier show . The schedule also allows South Park to both stay more topical and respond more quickly to specific current events than other satiric animated shows . One of the earliest examples of this was in the season four (2000) episode "Quintuplets 2000", which references the United States Border Patrol's raid of a house during the Elián González affair, an event which occurred only four days before the episode originally aired . The season nine (2005) episode "Best Friends Forever" references the Terri Schiavo case, and originally aired in the midst of the controversy and less than 12 hours before she died . A scene in the season seven (2003) finale "It's Christmas in Canada" references the discovery of dictator Saddam Hussein in a "spider hole" and his subsequent capture, which happened a mere three days prior to the episode airing . The season 12 (2008) episode "About Last Night ..." revolves around Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election, and aired less than 24 hours after Obama was declared the winner, using segments of dialogue from Obama's real victory speech . </P> <P> On October 16, 2013, the show failed to meet their production deadline for the first time ever, after a power outage on October 15 at the production studio prevented the episode, season 17's "Goth Kids 3: Dawn of the Posers", from being finished in time . The episode was rescheduled to air a week later on October 23, 2013 . In July 2015, South Park was renewed through 2019; extending the show through season 23 with 304 episodes overall . </P> <P> The show's style of animation is inspired by the paper cut - out cartoons made by Terry Gilliam for Monty Python's Flying Circus, of which Parker and Stone have been lifelong fans . Construction paper and traditional stop motion cutout animation techniques were used in the original animated shorts and in the pilot episode . Subsequent episodes have been produced by computer animation, providing a similar look to the originals while requiring a fraction of the time to produce . Before computer artists begin animating an episode, a series of animatics drawn in Toon Boom are provided by the show's storyboard artists . </P> <P> The characters and objects are composed of simple geometrical shapes and primary colors . Most child characters are the same size and shape, and are distinguished by their clothing, hair and skin colors, and headwear . Characters are mostly presented two - dimensionally and from only one angle . Their movements are animated in an intentionally jerky fashion, as they are purposely not offered the same free range of motion associated with hand - drawn characters . Occasionally, some non-fictional characters are depicted with photographic cutouts of their actual head and face in lieu of a face reminiscent of the show's traditional style . Canadians on the show are often portrayed in an even more minimalist fashion; they have simple beady eyes, and the top halves of their heads simply flap up and down when the characters speak . </P>

When did south park switch to computer animation
find me the text answering this question