South Park: Season 27
In terms of controversial TV shows, Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s South Park might just be the most famous example one can find. Comedy Central’s flagship animated comedy, which began its run in 1997, is no stranger to offending it’s audience. In fact, the Emmy-Award-winning show has gotten under just about everyone’s skin at one point or another, with the show mocking religious figures, celebrities, and just about everyone in between. This has led to serious real-life threats to both the network and the show’s creators alike.
Despite this, South Park has been repeatedly ranked amongst the most popular shows of all time. The show has risen to new heights of popularity with the release of Season 27 this past July. The most notable thing about this season is the fact that the episodes have been revolving around the current state of America, specifically the events surrounding Donald Trump’s presidency as well as his administration at large. The season’s debut episode, “Sermon on the ‘Mount,” made waves for its direct focus. It featured an unflattering depiction of Trump, where among other things, he is shown to be in a toxic relationship with the personification of evil itself, Satan.
The rest of the season so far has tackled topics including but not limited to: censorship, ICE kidnappings, DC’s military takeover, tariffs, and the Epstein files. The White House made a response soon after the episode’s release calling South Park a “fourth rate show” and “irrelevant.”
Something to think about is that the White House making a statement regarding an animated TV show just goes to show how impactful South Park has become in today’s entertainment industry, but it also displays how prevalent politics have become in every aspect of our lives.
