Only One South Park Episode From The 2020s Has Entered IMDb's Top 10 List

The first episode of the 27th season of "South Park," titled "Sermon on the 'Mount," aired on July 23, 2025, and immediately attracted a lot of publicity. The episode takes aim at Donald Trump, mocking his weak character, short temper, and alleged embarrassing anatomy. Trump (voiced by Trey Parker) is seen in the White House, whining about his portraits and threatening to sue anyone who slights him. He then slinks into his bedroom, strips naked, and slides into bed with Satan (also Parker). Even the Devil is grossed out by Trump and expresses his frustrations with his attitude and his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. The last time "South Park" fans saw a wannabe dictator in bed with Satan, it was Saddam Hussein in 1999's "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut." 

Meanwhile, Cartman (Parker again) laments that the world has become as bigoted as he always was. Cartman loved being a villain, happy to outrage people with his hateful attitudes. When the Trump world can match Cartman's hate, he undergoes an identity crisis. What's the point of being hateful when no one is horrified anymore?

It's crass, low satire, but when the real-life Donald Trump ... well, behaves like Donald Trump, "South Park" can be accepted as daring. "Sermon on the 'Mount" was praised by fans and immediately accrued a glowing rating on IMDb, jumping to the third-highest-rated episode of the series. As of this writing, its 9.5 rating is only behind "Make Love, Not Warcraft" (October 6, 2006) and "Scott Tenorman Must Die" (July 11, 2001). Indeed, of the 15 highest-rated episodes of the series, it's the only one to have been made in the 2020s, and one of only two to have been made since 2006. Matt Stone and Trey Parker pulled no punches, and they were justly rewarded. 

Of course, "South Park" is doing more than just cracking jejune penis jokes. They're mocking Trump's own pettiness. Trump infamously attacks those who mock him, and he has, in his second administration, been taking legal action against TV networks for perceived slights. Networks, rather frustratingly, have been capitulating to Trump's demands, paying the president giant settlements in court, announcing that they're willing to bend the knee to Trump and his desire to control the way mass media treats him. 

Notably, Paramount, "South Park's" parent company, recently paid $16 million to Trump over what the president (very wrongly) saw as election interference. Paramount's "60 Minutes" re-edited an interview with Kamala Harris, Trump's opponent during the 2024 presidential race, for clarity, and that was, in his eyes, tantamount to interfering with his campaign. He also threatened to sue the company for their reportage over his craven and unethical practice of targeting law firms that targeted him. Had the case gone to court, Paramount could likely have won, but it was clear to casual observers that the company feared Trump might punish them — perhaps by yanking their broadcasting licenses — if they didn't play ball. Also, Paramount needed the government's approval to merge with Skydance, a move that would save the company from its financial dire straits. They settled for $16 million (lower than the $20 billion Trump sued for). Trump was being petty and was incorrect, but Paramount gave him $16 million anyway. Fans of the First Amendment see it as a way the president can muzzle dissent.

Another factor, Paramount infamously canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" amidst the kerfuffle. Colbert has long been openly critical of Trump and his villainy, so it was hard to see the cancellation as anything other than a way to placate the capricious president. Parker and Stone made a joke about the Colbert firing in "Sermon on the 'Mount." 

The settlement came early in July 2025, which was enough time for "South Park" to cram in jokes about it. "South Park" is famously produced on the quick, with some episodes turned in to the studio mere hours before their initial broadcast. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are used to being topical, and it seemed that now was the time to attack. Hence the "'Mount" in the title.

It should also be noted that Stone and Parker had only recently landed a massive sweetheart deal at Paramount. The Paramount/Skydance merger was delaying production of their show, and the two show creators were openly annoyed about it. They still managed to land a five-year streaming deal for their series, paying them $300 million a year. That's a $1.5 billion contract, a massive deal by any stretch. With their five-year deal secured, Stone and Parker suddenly found themselves in an untouchable place. And, annoyed by all the legal capitulation to the president, it was high time they struck. Stone and Parker now seem hellbent on doing everything they can to anger Trump and criticize his evil policies. And they can't be canceled because Paramount wouldn't want to renege on their $1.5 billion deal. 

So "Sermon on the 'Mount" wasn't just a funny way of making fun of the president — mocking presidents is a traditional American pastime — and it was just a series of immature wiener gags. It was a secure political attack. And audiences noticed. It was actually daring to make fun of Trump's little penis, given the political and legal climate of the episode. Hence, "Sermon on the 'Mount" is rated incredibly high.

It also helps that it's really funny.