South Park’s Thanksgiving Episode Starts Political Conversations on the Internet

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South Park’s 28th season premiered on November 26th with a Thanksgiving episode – the first since their 2011 special, “A History Channel Thanksgiving.” The new installment, known for its edgy humor, continues the show’s recent focus on political topics, but with a holiday spin that’s already getting fans talking.

The South Park episode “Turkey Trot” begins with the town council searching for a sponsor for their annual Thanksgiving 5K race. Because of the tough economy, local businesses weren’t very interested in providing funding. Ultimately, Saudi Arabia steps in as the sponsor, offering a $5,000 prize, but with one condition: participants aren’t allowed to say anything negative about the Saudi Royal family.

A separate plotline in the episode features a visit from U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to South Park Police Sergeant Harrison Yates. Hegseth insists the police release Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel. This episode represents a shift back to South Park’s usual storytelling style after a season focused on Donald Trump and his administration. Although the episode didn’t feature a significant Trump storyline, some viewers on social media still expressed dissatisfaction with the political themes presented in “Turkey Trot.”

Fans React to “Turkey Trot”

On X (formerly Twitter), user @Thoughtsfrommct expressed frustration with the current direction of South Park, saying it’s become overly focused on Donald Trump and political commentary when they just want to enjoy the show as an escape. They miss when the show explored adult themes through a child’s perspective. Another user, @newyawkmd, tagged Elon Musk in a post questioning whether a recent insult directed at Pete Hegseth on South Park qualifies as free speech and if it was a fair and accurate statement. They asked Musk to weigh in on the discussion, wishing him a Happy Thanksgiving.

On Instagram, a user named adam_t_jenkins left a comment on the official South Park account wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. He also expressed gratitude for freedom of speech and South Park’s willingness to use it to criticize the government.

South Park is on a short break and will be back with a new episode on Comedy Central on December 10th. You can currently watch the most recent episode, “Turkey Trot,” on Paramount+.

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2025-11-27 18:17