South Park Season 27 Takes Week-On, Week-Off Release Schedule Into December

Fans of South Park will have to exercise some patience this fall. After releasing its third episode of Season 27 on August 20, the long-running animated series is taking another short break, with no new installment airing this week on either Comedy Central or Paramount+.

The series, created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker, has adopted a week-on, week-off rollout pattern for its latest season. According to Paramount, the next new episode will arrive on September 3, followed by another on September 17. If the current plan holds, the staggered schedule will continue throughout the 10-episode run, stretching the season into December.

Season 27, which premiered July 23 with "Sermon on the Mount," has leaned heavily into satirical portrayals of Donald Trump, religion, and even Satan. The show's trademark immediacy - turning current headlines into animated storylines in a matter of days - has made scheduling trickier than usual this year.

A source close to production explained the pacing shift, saying, "Episodes are taking more time than usual to finish. So much happens with Trump in just a single day that no one wants to risk missing the mark. Accuracy comes first, even if it means slowing down the release schedule." They added, "We're not going to argue with success. The numbers are strong, the buzz is huge - if the creators want to stretch 10 episodes over 20 weeks, that works for us."

The new rollout comes after a tumultuous period behind the scenes. Following studio legal battles, last-minute deal-making, and a $1.5 billion exclusive licensing pact with Paramount+, South Park secured its future with a five-year commitment for 50 new episodes. All past 26 seasons are now available exclusively on Paramount+, positioning the series as a pillar of the platform alongside juggernaut franchises like Taylor Sheridan's "Manoverse."

Produced by South Park Digital Studios, a joint venture between Parker and Stone's Park County and Paramount, the show remains under the watch of David Ellison, CEO of Skydance, and Cindy Holland, who is leading Paramount+'s streaming strategy.