The story begins with a name change. In early September 2026, Trey Parker and Matt Stone announced that the town at the centre of their long-running cartoon would, for the new season, be called South America. “Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of ‘South Park’ to ‘South America,’” they said. Then came the dig at their own bosses: “We especially want to thank our parent company Paramount, a Skydance Capitulation.”
The joke has a target. Just Jared described it as a riff on President Donald Trump renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America, with Apple and Google then updating their US maps to match. TheWrap tied it to the administration’s wider renaming habit, naming the Gulf of Mexico as another example.
A premiere about e-bikes
Season 29 started on Wednesday, 16 September, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central. The first episode is called “South American Biker Gangs.” The official synopsis reads: “When e-bikes arrive in South America, the boys take over the streets and the parents of South America can hardly recognize South America.”
Viewers should not expect a weekly fix. The season has six episodes, released every other Wednesday: 30 September, 14 October, 28 October and 11 November, ending with the finale on 25 November. Each one reaches Paramount+ the next day in the United States, Canada and Australia.
What the boys are walking into
The show arrives with momentum. TheWrap noted that Season 27, which began in July 2025, won Outstanding Animated Series at the Creative Arts Emmys. That was a first win in more than a decade. The show had collected eight nominations and no wins between 2013 and this year’s ceremony, after five wins between 2005 and 2013. The politically charged season portrayed Trump as literally in bed with Satan and took aim at JD Vance too, and the team celebrated on social media by mocking Trump over it.
ComingSoon.net, in a report carried by AOL, called Season 27 the most-watched season in six years, topping cable rankings in 2025. Season 28 was a short run, from October to December.
The business around the cartoon is shifting as well. Parker and Stone recently signed a new five-year agreement reported to be worth $1.5 billion, while Paramount Skydance is pursuing an acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. The show has aired more than 330 episodes since 1997, and its 30th anniversary arrives in 2027.
Sources
- How to Watch the 'South Park' Season 29 Premiere on TV and Streaming (TheWrap)
- 'South Park' Season 29 Episode Schedule, Finale Date & Why It's Now Called 'South America' (Just Jared)
- South Park Season 29 Sets Premiere Date for Return of Comedy Central Series (AOL / ComingSoon.net)
