Paramount+ Won't Say If It Will Ban Certain South Park Episodes

There are, famously, five episodes of South Park that aren't available on the South Park Studios website or Max (formerly HBO Max), where the beloved animated show has been available to stream since a $500 million deal in 2019. Those banned episodes — "Super Best Friends," "Cartoon Wars" parts one and two, and "200" and "201" — all feature or discuss depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.

But a list circulating online created by an X user with the handle @ArtieReviews claims an additional ten episodes will be unavailable when the rights to stream South Park in the U.S. revert to Paramount+ on July 1. HBO Max currently streams all of the episodes except the five Muhammad-related ones.

The list of potentially canned episodes includes "Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride" from season one, which addressed open homosexuality and won a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Individual Episode in 1997, the year it aired. Many of the episodes the X user suggests are on the chopping block relate to gayness or Jews.

When South Park finally arrives on Paramount Plus in the US on July 1, the following episodes will be banned from the streaming service:

- Season 1 Episode 4: "Big Gay Al's Big Boat Ride"
- Season 2 Episode 1: "Terrance And Phillip In Not Without My Anus"
- Season 4 Episode 14:… pic.twitter.com/f0jU0S3kob

— ArtieRaccoonReviews (@ArtieReviews) May 17, 2025

Paramount isn't exactly known for its balls at this moment in time, when the news operation at CBS News and 60 Minutes has been weakened in an attempt to suck up to the Trump Administration, which is suing CBS over the editing of an interview with former vice president Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign.

The communications apparatus at Paramount+ wasn't eager to talk about the potential banning of ten additional South Park episodes, either. It took repeated emails to multiple communications operatives at Paramount+ to receive the following statement: "At this time, Paramount has no further comment beyond what was said during our Q1 earnings call."

The Q1 earnings call mentioned South Park exactly twice, with no reference to withholding episodes: "South Park continues to be a top starts driver and a top engagement driver. And starting this July, the series will be coming to Paramount+ in the US." and "Now the second half of the year will see more originals to maximize the impact of increased viewership, starting in July with South Park, followed by Dexter: Resurrection, Showtime's biggest franchise returns with star Michael C. Hall."

Paramount's unwillingness to talk doesn't mean fans should freak out just yet — observant enthusiasts have noted that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone would be likely to put up a fight against banning episodes. Trey and Matt, get in touch if you can offer any clarity on this.