South Park Heads Straight Into Controversy in Season 27 Opener
Nothing says 'South Park is back' like a bold, headline-grabbing premiere, and this season’s first episode didn’t waste a minute. The long-running animated series unleashed its usual no-holds-barred comedy, targeting Donald Trump, Paramount, and even CBS—just hours after a jaw-dropping $1.5 billion deal guaranteed the show’s future with 50 more episodes.
Within minutes, viewers saw a cartoon Trump presented naked in bed alongside 'Satan,' delivering the kind of gasp-worthy satire the show is known for. But the episode didn’t stop there. Trump’s character sues the entire town of South Park, sending up his many real-world legal battles. And then came an even sharper barb: a reference to Trump’s connections with Jeffrey Epstein, a topic that’s sent shockwaves through U.S. politics before.
Paramount, CBS, and the Wrath of the White House
Why would South Park bite the hand that just fed it so generously? That’s the show’s style—no sacred cows, not even its own corporate parent. The episode lampooned Paramount’s dealings, taking a direct shot at the entertainment giant’s recent $16 million settlement with Trump over a prickly 60 Minutes interview involving Vice President Kamala Harris. South Park’s writers also mocked CBS, another arm of Paramount, for axing The Late Show brand—leaving its current star, Stephen Colbert, out in the cold. These jabs came at a sensitive time as Paramount angles to merge with Skydance, a move that still needs green lights from the federal government, and by extension, the Trump-era appointees who hold sway over such big deals.
Not everyone was laughing, though. The White House—as expected—quickly blasted the episode as 'disrespectful.' But for South Park, which has thrived on this sort of chaos, the backlash is often part of the point. The timing couldn’t have been juicier, either: just as Paramount faces scrutiny over its attempted merger, South Park sparks fresh headlines and social media storms.
The premiere’s South Park stamp—a mix of political ridicule, celebrity lampooning, and corporate snark—lands right where the show’s fans expect it. With a brand-new mega-deal locked in, the creators seem emboldened to push even harder at the boundaries of TV satire, ensuring that Paramount’s investment is already making waves well beyond their streaming platform.
Write a comment