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South Park’s Trump Turn Fuels Ratings Rebound as Creators Assert Independence

The creators say a late pivot to focus on the president was meant to signal editorial freedom from their network.

Overview

  • Viewership for the current season has roughly doubled compared with 2023, marking the show’s strongest start in decades according to reporting cited from the New York Times.
  • Trey Parker and Matt Stone say they decided only weeks before launch to center new episodes on Trump to demonstrate independence after Paramount’s recent $16 million settlement and the ending of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show.
  • The producers state that Comedy Central and parent company Paramount have imposed no editorial restrictions and have let the team proceed as they wish.
  • The White House publicly criticized the show in July, with a spokeswoman dismissing it as irrelevant and attention-seeking.
  • The Trump-focused storyline remains in place for now, though the creators suggest next season could take a different direction as audience reactions vary by region.