South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone issued a rare apology to fans after missing another production deadline this week.
The duo acknowledged they failed to complete the latest episode in time for its scheduled broadcast slot. Comedy Central aired a rerun instead of new content Wednesday night.
"This one’s on us, we didn’t get it done in time," Parker said in a statement released through the network.
The missed deadline marks the second production delay this season for the long-running animated series. South Park typically operates on an extremely tight six-day production schedule that allows the show to tackle current events with remarkable speed.
Stone explained the creative team encountered unexpected challenges during the animation process.
"We pushed ourselves too hard on this one and it just didn’t come together the way we needed it to," he said.
The episode was originally planned to address recent political developments, according to sources familiar with the production. Parker and Stone often write and produce episodes that respond to news events from just days earlier.
South Park has maintained its rapid production timeline for over 25 years. The show’s ability to create episodes in less than a week has become a trademark of the series.
Comedy Central hasn’t announced a new air date for the delayed episode. The network confirmed it will continue with the regular schedule next week.
The creators said they’re already back to work on upcoming episodes. They promised fans the delayed content will still air later this season.
"We know people look forward to new episodes every week," Parker added. "We don’t take that lightly and we’re sorry we let everyone down."
The production team rarely misses deadlines despite the show’s notoriously compressed schedule. Industry observers note the creators’ willingness to publicly acknowledge the delay reflects their commitment to transparency with viewers.