South Park made its return for Season 29 under the new name 'South America,' marking a shift from its recent political focus. The show’s creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone announced the change in a statement that The Hollywood Reporter described as both a possible marketing idea and a jab at President Donald Trump. A new version of the show’s classic theme song was unveiled, featuring vocals from Primus frontman Les Claypool. The Season 29 premiere also included a brief animated depiction of President Donald Trump in the opening sequence. The episode, titled “South American Biker Gangs,” aired September 16 on Comedy Central and became available on Paramount+ the next day.
Despite the rebranding and new music, the episode did not lean heavily into political satire like previous seasons, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Instead, it followed a more traditional format with stand-alone storylines that still carried deeper social commentary.
The episode began with Eric Cartman pretending to be bullied at school to get his mother to buy him an e-bike. His mother, Liane Cartman, agreed to the purchase, and soon Cartman was terrorizing the town on the adult-sized bike. Other children in South America followed suit, causing chaos around town with their new vehicles. The Hollywood Reporter described this scenario as a metaphor for groups of immigrants moving into American communities.
Kyle tried a similar trick but had to go through his father Randy, who was now cycling in spandex and sneakers. Randy’s group of 10-speed riders formed a gang that began targeting the e-bike kids. The Hollywood Reporter described the adult gang as a stand-in for Immigration and Customs Enforcement as it hunted the e-bike kids.
The episode also included satire aimed at companies and public figures that used the new geographic names. It referenced Trump’s renaming of Lake Ontario as Lake America and included a Google-search gag that returned “extreme violence” as a response to gang violence in South America. Trump signed an executive order on August 27 directing the federal government to use “Lake America” for Lake Ontario. The change applies to U.S. federal usage and cannot force Canada to adopt the name, according to the Associated Press. Google Maps later began showing “Lake America” to U.S. users while Canadian users still see “Lake Ontario,” Reuters reported.
The show also mocked the anticipation around the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, tying it to upcoming midterm elections. One character noted that people were hoping for change in November when the game was expected to come out. The Hollywood Reporter interpreted the game as a stand-in for the midterm elections and hopes for political change. Rockstar Games currently lists Grand Theft Auto VI for release on November 19.
This approach marked a clear departure from the previous season’s focus on the White House and its fictionalized events. The creators have not yet confirmed if this e-bike storyline will continue throughout the season. The premiere ends after Kenny’s e-bike explodes and kills him. The town then outlaws e-bikes and begins selling “South America Strong” shirts.
Season 28 had centered on a long-running arc involving President Trump and his fictionalized adventures. The change in tone and format suggests a return to the show’s traditional episodic style. Five more Season 29 episodes are scheduled through November 25.
The name change was announced by Parker and Stone as a statement inspired by tech companies like Apple and Google. Characters in the episode accepted the new title without question, showing how deeply the joke had taken root. Only one character directly referenced the name change, and it was met with division among the town’s residents. Paramount+ still lists the series as South Park even as the official South Park Studios site uses South America branding for Season 29.