‘South Park’ Returns as ‘South America’ as Plot Stays Local and Trump-Free

South Park , one of the longest-running comedy series on television, returned to Comedy Central for its 29th season after making the unexpected move of changing the show’s name to “ South America ” — a gag that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone announced as a possible marketing gimmick but is certainly also a jab at President Donald Trump. Wednesday night’s season premiere provided little explanation as to when and why the name change happened for the fictional Colorado town, but it does offer a vague metaphor for current U.S. politics around immigration.

Seasons 27 and 28 of South Park had shifted from the show’s traditional stand-alone episodes to a season-long arc centered on fictionalized happenings within the White House, including President Trump’s clandestine affair with Satan. With the premiere, the show appears to be returning to its traditional format — stand-alone episodes that may still carry overarching themes. It’s not entirely clear whether we’ve seen the last of South Park ‘s satirical Trump character and the supporting cast of cabinet officials, hangers-on and vice-president-turned-lover J.D. Vance, but they’re absent from this one-off episode, which stays within the confines of the titular town. Related Stories TV When and Where to Stream 'South Park' Season 29 (AKA 'South America') TV South Park's 'South America' Rebrand Isn't Going Anywhere in Season 29 Premiere

“Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of ‘South Park’ to ‘SOUTH AMERICA,'” Parker and Stone said in a Sept. 8 statement announcing the name change. One might have expected the season premiere to show Trump signing an executive order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America” before eventually getting to South Park. Instead, the season begins after the name change has already been accepted — essentially baking the joke into the show, as characters refer to their town as “South America” without question. Only once does a character allude to the name change itself, and it’s clear the moment was divisive for the town.