Originally scheduled for August 13, its release was pushed to August 20 amid South Park Day festivities, when classic episodes were aired instead. While the delay was pre-planned, it arrived on the heels of significant controversy—from the nude Trump deepfake in the season premiere to the puppy-shooting parody involving Kristi Noem.
Noem publicly criticized her portrayal as “lazy” and “petty,” claiming the show targeted her physical appearance instead of her record.
All of this drama unfolds amid a massive $1.5 billion streaming deal between Paramount and the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. With that deal ensuring at least 50 new episodes and its entire archive on Paramount+, South Park’s relevance and boldness have only increased scrutiny.
Despite the heat, Comedy Central and the creators seem undeterred—delivering fresh satire while riding the highest viewership wave in decades.
