South Park is back next month, and Butters is quite literally the butt of the joke

A new teaser for the next season of South Park reminds viewers there's no place quite like the titular town

By Hattie Lindert  |  January 20, 2023 | 8:28pm
TV News South Park
South Park is back next month, and Butters is quite literally the butt of the joke
Butters Stotch in the teaser for South Park’s 26th season Screenshot: South Park Studios/Comedy Central

After twenty-five seasons, South Park knows how to draw generational viewership in: you have to somehow be both timely and timeless. Last season, the series tackled topics ranging from the globally pressing (Russia’s war on Ukraine) to the enduringly existential (city people are really annoying—but are country people too?)

But some of South Park’s most ageless comedy keeps it completely simple, and a new trailer for the series’ upcoming 26th season falls explicitly in that camp. Sometimes, the best way to elicit a laugh is still a joke about an ass, and Trey Parker and Matt Stone are but humble students of the comedic craft.

South Park Season 26 Premieres Feb 8 on Comedy Central

In the short and sweet new teaser, some hand-stitched text reminds viewers “There’s no place like here,” as Butters Stotch, trapped in what must be the invasive doctor’s appointment from hell, whimpers while preparing for a machine to, well, breach his butthole.

“No, no, no, no,” Butters mumbles softly before eventually succumbing to…whatever kind of procedure this is. Can this possibly be legal? Insured? There really is nowhere like Colorado.

With a new season, South Park continues to cement its extensive legacy. The long-running animated comedy has aired on Comedy Central on Wednesday nights since 1997 (a time slot consistency that these days, most shows can only dream of.) Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s deal with MTV Entertainment Studios includes a green light for the series through at least 2027, which will bring the show to a massive 30-season run.

The new season of South Park premieres Wednesday, February 8 at 8 P.M. E.T. on Comedy Central.

 
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