After spending many years with full seasons on an annual release schedule, South Park has spent recent years with only limited specials and brief seasons, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic and 2023 Hollywood strikes. More recently, the show has grown more topical after the Season 27 premiere, with plans to release new seasons more annually and through 2030, by which point it will be on Season 31.
In Season 27’s early episodes, the show has made references to recent political events and figures, such as portraying Eric Cartman as Charlie Kirk, and diving into U.S. politics such as Donald Trump and ICE backlash.
As reported by Deadline, South Park Season 27 will continue its strange one week on, one week off release pattern all season long. This marks the first time the show has applied such a schedule in its long 28-year history.
The long-awaited Season 27 premiered on Wednesday, July 23 and waited two weeks to continue on August 6 and, most recently, August 20. This will officially continue for the full 10-episode run with new episodes coming to Comedy Central and Paramount+ on every other Sunday.
Based on South Park’s new bi-weekly release schedule, the 10-episode season will conclude on Wednesday, November 26:
- Episode 1 - July 23
- Episode 2 - August 6
- Episode 3 - August 20
- Episode 4 - September 3
- Episode 5 - September 17
- Episode 6 - October 1
- Episode 7 - October 15
- Episode 8 - October 29
- Episode 9 - November 12
- Episode 10 - November 26
That said, there may be a missed week here or there, or mid-season break placed somewhere, as the outlet noted that the 10-episode season could conclude on December 10, two weeks after.
South Park’s Release Schedule Delay Could Benefit Show
In terms of why South Park has shifted its schedule to release shower, that may be due to its Paramount+ streaming home. As the show is one of the services most popular originals, releasing similtaneously with Comedy Central, Paramount may want to keep subscribers around longer.
Depending whether voice lines for the whole season have already finished recording, this could give creators time to fill the later episodes with up to date references and commentary on the real world’s most outrageous events.
If South Park remains on an annual release schedule around the same time of year, subscribers may only need to wait just over half a year for a ten-episode, five-month Season 28, and the same again for years to come, has it has been renewed until Season 31 in 2030.
