Why the creators of South Park are right to call out this "s---show" merger for delaying Season 27

We were all excited for the new season of South Park to come out on July 9, 2025. I was ready with my Cheesy Poofs, had my seat on the couch, and was ready for more of the show's trademark pandemonium. Then, the news came: Comedy Central moved the start date back two weeks to July 23. Most shows wouldn't mind a two-week delay, but for South Park, it felt like a betrayal. But what creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone did next was precisely what I expected and why I adore them: they called out the corporate "s---show" merger, which shows how much they care about the show's ethics.

When business gets in the way of creative work, it's annoying. Parker and Stone's forthright comment on social media was a breath of fresh air. They just remarked, "This merger is an s---show and it's ruining South Park." We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow." This directness is a big part of their work, and it's what has kept South Park fresh and current for almost 30 years.

The delay of South Park Season 27 shows how businesses get in the way.

The merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media is taking longer than expected, which is why South Park season 27 has been pushed back from July 9 to July 23 at 10 PM ET/PT on Comedy Central. It's a huge contract worth billions of dollars that has produced a lot of problems behind the scenes, especially with the rights to broadcast the show. The $500 million exclusive streaming arrangement with HBO Max ended in late June 2025, and it's not known where the show will stream next.

Parker and Stone have even said that a new executive at Paramount is getting in the way of their talks with other streamers like Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery, supposedly to help Paramount+. South Park loves to make fun of this kind of business fighting, so it's not surprising that the creators become angry when it affects their own work. Their desire to be honest about this difficult circumstance only makes me admire them more.

The secret to South Park's success is its unique production schedule.

The production schedule for South Park is one of the most amazing aspects about the show. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who write, direct, and voice act most of the episodes, have been able to make episodes in less than a week since season 4. Sometimes they even make them just hours before they air. The program can be very relevant and respond rapidly to current events because of its crazy pace, which is something that not many other animated shows can do. The show's dedication to being on time is a big reason why it has stayed so fresh and important.

Comedy Central began airing South Park on August 13, 1997. Since then, it has shown 328 episodes, making it one of the longest-running scripted shows in American television history. The show turned 25 in 2022, and it's still going strong, with fresh episodes coming out until 2027. Parker and Stone didn't talk about the 2024 presidential race during season 26 because they thought it would be too hard and not as amusing. This shows that they care more about having fun with creative work and making a difference with satire than just following every news.

The Spirit of Christmas Shorts: Where South Park Got Its Irreverent Roots

To really understand South Park, you need to look at where it came from. The first two animated shorts on the broadcast were called The Spirit of Christmas. Parker and Stone made the first one, "Jesus vs. Frosty," in 1992 when they were still students at the University of Colorado. It was rough, had kids who swore, and Kenny died, which set the tone for what was to come.

The famous series started with Jesus vs. Santa.

The second short, "Jesus vs. Santa," which came out in 1995, was much more like the program we know today. The lads looked like they do now, and their character relationships were already there. This short was one of the first viral films on the internet, and it led directly to Comedy Central ordering the show. It's interesting to see how their early, rough inventiveness connected with people right away.

The "Lost" shorts showed that South Park had a consistent style.

Many fans might not know that Parker and Stone made shorts for Comedy Central from 1997 to 2000 and sometimes after that. These "lost" shorts typically pushed the limits and tried out new concepts. For instance, the "Dead Friend Sketch" from 1999 was a funny version of the Monty Python "Dead Parrot" sketch that featured Cartman, Kyle, and Kenny. In 2000, there was also an MTV Movie Awards short that made fun of Gladiator and Scientology in a lighthearted way. John Travolta played his Battlefield Earth persona in it. "The Real South Park," a live-action short from 2010, was an April Fool's spoof that made fun of a real version. These shorts, which are often overlooked, show that Parker and Stone's style of humor and social satire has been the same since the beginning.

What to Look Forward to in Season 27 of South Park

The preview for South Park season 27 teases at a wild ride, even though there was conflict behind the scenes. This is in keeping with the show's satirical roots. We can look forward to stories about ketamine trips, a bloody battle with Canada, air traffic control disasters, and even Sean "Diddy" Combs from another galaxy. It looks like the world of South Park, Colorado, will keep being like the crazy world we live in, but with its own silly twist.

I'm very happy that Parker and Stone are still in charge. They make us laugh and think at the same time. It's really impressive how committed they are to their artistic vision, even when they have to deal with "s---shows" at work. It's evident that season 27 of South Park will be just as fearless as the rest of the show. I can't wait to hear what funny, controversial, and shockingly smart stories they'll tell next.

Comedy Central will air the first episode of South Park season 27 on July 23 at 10 PM ET/PT.

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