The premiere episode of South Park Season 27 has made a groundbreaking return, attracting an audience of 5.9 million across Comedy Central and Paramount+ during its first three days of release between July 24 and July 26. This opening episode, which featured a satirical take on former President Donald Trump, has now become the most-watched season premiere since the show’s record-setting 1999 episode, according to Dexerto.
Titled Sermon on the ‘Mount’, the episode has sparked widespread attention not just for its bold political commentary but also for achieving the highest linear ratings for South Park in more than two decades. Paramount confirmed that it marked the best season premiere rating for the series since 2022.
Series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone used their signature satire to portray Trump in a controversial and provocative storyline, even going so far as to depict the character in a relationship with Satan—an approach previously used in the show’s portrayal of Saddam Hussein. This sparked sharp backlash from the White House, which criticized the show for being out of touch and accused it of seeking attention through outdated humor.
Despite the criticism, South Park posted a strong 0.996 rating among adults aged 18-49, showing a 15% increase from the Season 26 premiere. The episode also received massive praise from viewers, earning a 9.6/10 rating on IMDb—far surpassing the 7.3 rating of last season’s first episode.
The strong reception follows Parker and Stone’s renewed partnership with Paramount Global, a deal reportedly worth $300 million annually for the next five years. The contract includes 50 new episodes and grants exclusive streaming rights for the entire South Park library to Paramount+.
Paramount further revealed that the premiere was not just a ratings success but also the most talked-about South Park episode online, becoming the top trending TV show on social media on the day of its release.
While the next episode in Season 27 was initially delayed due to the show’s tight production schedule, fans can expect Episode 2 to air on August 6.