South Park’s 28th season kicked off with a bang, but the ride hasn’t been smooth for everyone. The premiere, “Twisted Christian,” set the tone with its biting satire of modern-day politics, religious extremism, and the viral “six-seven” meme.
Cartman’s antics, Peter Thiel’s conspiracy theories, and the ongoing saga of Satan’s pregnancy grabbed headlines and divided opinions. According to IMDb, the season opener scored a 6.7 out of 10, making it the highest-rated episode of the season among fans. Yet, as the season progressed, ratings began to dip.
Episode 2, “The Woman in the Hat ,” fell to 6.3, and the trend continued, with some episodes dropping below 6.0.
Audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes paint a picture of a show that’s lost its edge for some longtime fans. Many lament the shift from the classic South Park formula of random, irreverent humor to a more politically charged, repetitive style.
Despite the mixed reactions, the season’s ratings suggest that the show still has a dedicated core audience. The first few episodes saw solid viewership, but by episode 2, there was a noticeable drop, falling over 20% from the premiere, with only 312,000 viewers tuning in.
This trend reflects a broader fatigue with the show’s recent focus on politics, as many fans long for the days when the boys were just causing chaos for the sake of laughs.
Episode Rankings: The Good, The Bad, and The Controversial
South Park’s 28th season offered five episodes, each with its own blend of humor, satire, and controversy. Here’s how they stack up, based on audience ratings and critical consensus.
1. Twisted Christian (Episode 1)
The season opener is widely considered the best episode, thanks to its inventive take on the “six-seven” meme and its sharp political satire. Cartman’s cult, Peter Thiel’s obsession with the Antichrist, and Jesus’s confrontation with PC Principal all contributed to a chaotic, memorable episode.
The episode’s blend of absurdity and social commentary resonated with many fans, earning it the highest rating of the season
South Park Season 28 (Credit: Paramount+)
2. The Woman in the Hat (Episode 2)
This episode continued the season’s political themes, but it didn’t land as well with viewers. The storyline involving JD Vance and the ongoing Antichrist saga felt repetitive to some, and the episode’s rating reflected that. While it had its moments, it was seen as a step down from the premiere.
3. Sora Not Sorry (Episode 3)
This episode took a different turn, focusing on Butters’ AI revenge plan and the resulting epidemic of fake videos at school.
Detective Harris’s struggle to distinguish fantasy from reality provided plenty of laughs, and the storyline was praised for its creativity and relevance to modern tech issues. While not as politically charged as the premiere, “Sora Not Sorry” offered a welcome change of pace.
4. Turkey Trot (Episode 4)
The annual Turkey Trot race was the centerpiece of this episode, with Cartman using questionable science to win. The episode’s humor was more traditional, focusing on the boys’ antics rather than political satire. It received a solid rating of 7.4, indicating that fans appreciated the return to classic South Park humor.
5. The Crap Out (Episode 5)
The season finale , “The Crap Out,” delivered a shocking twist with the revelation that the Antichrist baby died in the womb. The episode’s dark humor and meta-commentary on narrative control and media spin divided fans. Some praised its boldness, while others found it anticlimactic and overly controversial. The finale’s rating was lower than the premiere’s, but it sparked plenty of discussion and debate.
The Impact of South Park’s Latest Season
South Park’s 28th season has once again proven that the show is not afraid to push boundaries. The return of classic characters like the Woodland Critters and the continuation of the Antichrist storyline kept fans engaged, but the show’s heavy focus on politics and current events has alienated some longtime viewers.
The season’s ratings and reviews suggest that while South Park still has the power to shock and provoke, it may need to find a balance between satire and the irreverent humor that made it a cultural phenomenon.
The controversy surrounding the finale, with its dark twist on the Antichrist narrative, has set the stage for future seasons. Whether the show can recapture its former glory or continue to evolve in new directions remains to be seen.
For now, South Park’s 28th season stands as a testament to the show’s enduring ability to challenge and entertain, even if not every episode hits the mark.
South Park’s latest season is a reminder that, after nearly three decades, the show is still capable of sparking conversation and controversy. As the series moves forward, fans will be watching closely to see what Matt and Trey have in store next.
Season 2 of Netflix’s 3 Body Problem is set to ramp up the stakes, shifting focus to the Wallfacer Project, a secret initiative introduced at the end of Season 1.
In the finale, Saul Durand (Jovan Adepo) is chosen as one of three Wallfacers, individuals tasked with devising strategies to defeat the Trisolaran invasion without revealing their plans to anyone, since the aliens can monitor every human action but not human thoughts.
This concept, lifted directly from Cixin Liu’s The Dark Forest , will drive much of Season 2’s narrative, as Saul and his fellow Wallfacers wrestle with isolation, secrecy, and the weight of humanity’s survival.
The dark-forest hypothesis, another central theme from The Dark Forest, will also play a key role. The idea is that the universe is like a dark forest, with every civilization hiding its existence for fear of attack from others.
Humanity’s only hope is to find a way to bluff or threaten the Trisolarans into backing down, without revealing Earth’s location to other, potentially more dangerous aliens.
This theory is not only terrifying but also philosophically rich, forcing characters and viewers to consider the ethics and psychology of interstellar warfare.
The Wallfacer Project’s tension comes from the fact that these individuals are completely cut off from their peers, forced to work alone, and make decisions that could affect billions.
The showrunners have hinted that Season 2 will explore the psychological toll of this isolation, as well as the intricate, often conflicting plans the Wallfacers devise.
Expect to see Saul, Thomas Wade (Liam Cunningham), and Jin Cheng (Jess Hong) hibernating and waking up in the future, stepping into a world where the stakes are higher and the dangers more immediate.
Production Shifts and Visual Expansion
Netflix is taking a bold step with Season 2 by moving the bulk of production from the UK to Hungary. This change is not just logistical; it signals a major expansion in the show’s visual and narrative ambition.
The Hungarian shoot will cover Seasons 2 and 3, with filming set to run from July 2025 to August 2027, and a budget of over $267 million, making it one of the most expensive sci-fi productions in streaming history.
The Hungarian government’s generous filming incentives of up to 30% on eligible spend have made this ambitious move possible.
3 Body Problem Season 2 (Credit: Netflix)
The move to Hungary also means new locations, new sets, and a broader canvas for the show’s universe. The production team is expected to use Hungary’s diverse landscapes and architecture to create alien worlds, futuristic cities, and epic battle scenes that will dwarf Season 1’s more grounded, Earth-based visuals.
The increased budget will likely be evident in the show’s special effects, with more elaborate space sequences, alien encounters, and large-scale action set pieces.
Season 2 will also introduce new characters, including Captain Van Rijn and Ayla, who will add fresh dynamics to the story.
The showrunners have emphasized that while the adaptation will remain faithful to the spirit of Liu’s novels, they are not afraid to make changes for the sake of pacing and accessibility. This means viewers can expect both familiar faces and new surprises as the story unfolds.
Adapting a Universe-Spanning Epic
Adapting Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy is no small feat. The books span billions of years and multiple dimensions, with humanity evolving from a primitive species to a cosmic power.
Netflix’s 3 Body Problem is tackling this challenge by grounding the story in personal relationships and emotional stakes, even as its scope grows exponentially. The showrunners have stated that they plan to adapt all three books, possibly splitting Death’s End into two seasons due to its massive length and complexity.
The adaptation’s strength lies in its ability to balance intimate character drama with grand, universe-spanning sci-fi. Season 2 will continue this approach, focusing on the psychological and emotional toll of the Wallfacer Project while also expanding the story’s cosmic horizons.
The show’s creators have promised to introduce new alien species and civilizations, revealing the vast, terrifying universe that exists beyond Earth.
The upcoming seasons will also tackle some of the trilogy’s most controversial and thought-provoking ideas, such as the ethics of interstellar warfare, the nature of consciousness, and the possibility of transcending physical existence.
These themes are not just fodder for sci-fi spectacle; they are central to the show’s exploration of what it means to be human in a universe that is both beautiful and horrifying.
As 3 Body Problem Season 2 enters production, expectations are high. The show has already proven that it can handle complex, philosophical sci-fi with style and substance, and the next chapter promises to be even more ambitious.
Whether you’re a fan of the books or a newcomer to the franchise, Season 2 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and thought-provoking sci-fi series of the decade.
