Copyright MassLive
The internet was set ablaze after it appeared that Season 27 of “South Park” abruptly ended after five episodes. But Comedy Central has an explanation. “South Park” aired its latest episode, “Twisted Christian,” on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The episode was released as the first of the show’s 28th season instead of the sixth episode of season 27, as it had been reported by AZ Central beforehand. However, Comedy Central itself never explicitly stated that “South Park” Season 27 was supposed to have 10 episodes. Both Season 27 and Season 28 were each meant to be only five episodes long, according to The Hollywood Reporter and a spokesperson for the network confirmed to MassLive Monday. Comedy Central also never announced the number of episodes in Season 27 when its original premiere date of July 9 was revealed in April, the spokesperson clarified. The season premiere was later pushed back to July 23. In addition, when Comedy Central announced in September the air dates for more episodes of “South Park” — scheduled for Oct. 15, Oct. 29, Nov. 12, Nov. 26 and Dec. 10 — the network never specified which season these episodes would fall under. The confusion amongst fans may have been caused by the lack of a long break between “South Park” seasons. The last episode of 27th season, titled “Conflict of Interest,” aired just three weeks ago on Sept. 24. The Hollywood Reporter mentioned how the latest season of “South Park” shifted from a weekly drop to bi-weekly drop. The show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, have yet to comment on the scheduling change. Ahead of the premiere of the 27th season, Parker and Stone inked a five-year deal with Paramount for the show’s streaming rights worth $1.5 billion, according to Variety. The season was the subject of widespread attention due to its focus on current politics, depicting fictionalized versions of political figures such as President Donald Trump and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Season 27 of the show enjoyed a surge in ratings. The season’s second episode, titled “Got a Nut,” drew 6.2 million global multi-platform viewers across Comedy Central and Paramount+ in its first three days. It was also the highest-rated episode of the series since 2018, The episode was centered on conservative activist Charlie Kirk. And following Kirk’s death while speaking on a university campus in Utah, the episode was pulled from airing on Comedy Central, though it remains available to stream on Paramount+. Those without cable can watch the show for free through Philo, FuboTV or DIRECTV which are each offering a free trial to new users. Sling is another option for streaming the show, and promotional offers are available.
