The latest season of the long-running animated satire South Park has seen its audience figures skyrocket, more than doubling compared to the previous year, as co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker turn their comedic fire on former President Donald Trump.
Record-Breaking Ratings for Political Satire
The season 27 premiere, which aired earlier this year, achieved a remarkable 5.9 million viewers across Comedy Central and the Paramount+ streaming service. This marks the show's most successful season debut since 2022.
According to Nielsen data, viewership over the last four months has consistently climbed, with figures more than double those recorded in 2023, when the show last broadcast new episodes. This surge coincides directly with the season's intense political focus.
Creators Drawn to the 'Taboo' of Trump Era
In a candid interview with the New York Times, the masterminds behind the series explained their attraction to the political landscape. Trey Parker clarified that the shift was not a conscious move into politics, but a reflection of a cultural shift, stating: "It’s not that we got all political. It’s that politics became pop culture."
His partner, Matt Stone, added that criticising the Trump administration had developed its own aura of being "taboo". He elaborated on their creative instincts, saying, "Trey and I are attracted to that like flies to honey. Oh, that’s where the taboo is? Over there? OK, then we’re over there."
White House Clapback and Halloween Haunting
The show's pointed satire has not gone unnoticed. After one of the initial episodes took aim at Trump, the White House issued a sharp response to Variety. A statement from a spokesperson named Rogers accused the political left of hypocrisy, suggesting they were now praising a show they had previously labelled offensive.
The statement further dismissed South Park as a "fourth-rate show" that "hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years" and was relying on "uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention."
Undeterred, the show continued its political commentary with a Halloween special titled "The Woman in the Hat". The episode mocked the real-life demolition of the White House's East Wing for a $300 million ballroom project.
In a surreal storyline, Trump's character is haunted by an entity after tearing down the East Wing, which is later revealed to be a depiction of Melania Trump wearing an enormous purple hat, a clear parody of the outfit she wore during a state visit to the UK.
This season has also featured other bold narrative choices, including a running gag centred on Trump's sexual relationship with Satan, cementing the creators' commitment to tackling subjects others might avoid.
