After 22 years of addressing all sorts of controversial topics, taking on massive political figures, putting a hilarious spin on childhood as a whole, and pissing off everyone in the process, SOUTH PARK will continue to do all of the above for at least another few years. As the 23rd season is only weeks away from kicking off (September 25), creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have renewed the show with Comedy Central through 2022 and into season 26.
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"In this day and age, it is more of an achievement than it was before, the fact that we are still going," told THR during an interview about the new season and the show’s renewal. While its episode count may be shorter than that of TV dramas like LAW AND ORDER (which lasted 20 seasons), SOUTH PARK is the second-longest-running TV show in America ever behind only THE SIMPSONS in terms of season count.
As we get into another season filled with takes and jokes that will likely push a few buttons and generate a few think pieces, Stone talked about the current prevalence of what’s been dubbed “cancel culture”. He brought up comedian Dave Chappelle, who is facing backlash for the material he performed in his new Netflix special, STICKS & STONES, but who Stone thinks will be just fine.
"It's new. I don’t want to say it’s the same as it's always been. The kids are f**king different than us. There’s a generational thing going on. I know some people have been canceled for genuinely, like, personal behavior, but Dave is not getting canceled anytime soon.
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This new season will usher in the show’s 300th episode, and while that may put things into perspective for the duo, Parker said the option to renew for more was hardly a matter of discussion. "I don’t think we have ever had an 'OK, let’s sit down and decide if we are going to keep going.'”
Stone added, “I am 48. Trey turns 50 this year. So, I will say that I don’t think we will be doing this show when we're 60.”
The duo also talked about some “really f**king killer ideas” they have for some non-SOUTH PARK movies (the last they did was 2004’s TEAM AMERICA), which they hope to get into theaters despite a growing demand for more TV. "We think of ourselves as filmmakers and it’s like, everyone is doing TV now,” Parker said. “It’s like, movies, even though the movie business is all fucked up. And everyone will tell you don’t go into movies. We just want to do a movie."
As a big fan of the show since its single-digit season days, I'm impressed with Parker and Stone's consistent passion for the show, always finding new, wild ways to address current events. While not every season is great, the fact they can still start to crank out the new episode six days before it airs keeps things fresh, meaning they can rally from a so-so episode the next week by tackling a timely topic through their satirical lens. As for an original movie from them, just, yes; the world needs another TEAM AMERICA-level comedy.
SOUTH PARK season 23 premieres on September 25 on Comedy Central.