Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (October 14, 2026)
You know you’re old when you still think a “TV season” should include at least 22 episodes. Granted, South Park never went with that many shows, as it peaked with 18 programs during Season Two.
Still, each South Park season included at least 10 episodes through number 23 until Season 24 only include two programs, albeit both “double-length”.
Season 25 “rebounded” with six shows, and that becomes the case for Season 26 as well. This single Blu-ray Disc includes all six shows and the plot synopses come from the release’s liner notes.
Cupid Ye (aired February 8, 2023): “Cartman is jealous of the friendship that’s developed between Kyle and Tolkien and decides to do something about it.”
If you wonder how the show’s title connects to that episode, Cartman imagines a little Ye-style Cupid of himself that encourages anti-Semitic notions. Since when did Jew-hating Cartman need Ye to encourage these thoughts?
He doesn’t, but the episode allows South Park to seem “topical” and comment on Ye’s nuttiness. Cartman-focused programs usually are money in the bank but this one feels stale and without many laughs.
The Worldwide Privacy Tour (aired February 15, 2023): “The Prince of Canada and his wife try to find privacy and seclusion in a small mountain town.”
“Tour” exists for one reason: to mock Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle after they stepped away from their roles in the British royal family. Although they apparently never used a desire for privacy as a reason for this, “Tour” goes to town with that concept.
Which makes it pretty tedious, as does the mean-spirited take on Meghan. The use of Canadians always inspires a few laughs but “Tour” can’t do much with its flawed premise.
Japanese Toilet (aired March 1, 2023): “South Park learns about the wonders of Japanese toilets.”
An episode of literal toilet humor, the program comes with a major flaw: it uses the ever-tedious Randy as its main character. Despite that drawback, the show comes with some laughs – especially when it parodies JFK - and fares better than the two prior episodes, even if it feels like a promo for bidets.
Deep Learning (aired March 8, 2023): “Stan is reeling when a cheating scandal hits the school.”
This all involves AI, with an emphasis on ChatGPT. It starts with how Clyde uses that to communicate with his girlfriend and then Stan does the same before he finds everyone utilizes it to do their work.
Some of this follows predictable paths, and like too many South Park episodes, it ends with overt moralizing. Still “Learning” delivers amusement along the way.
DikinBaus Hot Dogs (aired March 15, 2023): “The South Park boys renovate and open a historic restaurant in Colorado.”
Back in Season Seven, South Park focused on a real restaurant called Casa Bonita. Series bigwigs Trey Parker and Matt Stone actually bought that location a few years back and that becomes the inspiration here.
Well, loosely, of course, as “DikinBaus” focuses on Cartman’s terrible work ethic more than anything else and how that prompts him to open his own hot dog stand. It becomes a pretty strong show and probably the best of S26.
Spring Break (aired March 22, 2023): “Spring Break is an excuse for Mr. Garrison to jump back into his former depraved lifestyle.”
Not only does the show focus on Garrison but also it features Randy in a prominent role. Is there any chance two wrongs make a right and this turns into a good program?
Uh, maybe? “Break” does find a clever twist on what we expect from Garrison’s debauchery but Randy seems as tedious ever. Though “Break” fares better than feared given its Garrison and Randy concentration, it still feels pretty mediocre.
And that goes for S26 as a whole. Despite some good material, the overall impact of the year seems too spotty to become above average.
