The Pandemic Special

"The Pandemic Special" is the first episode of the twenty-fourth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 308th episode overall of the series, it premiered on Comedy Central in the United States on September 30, 2020, and was also simulcast on MTV and MTV2.

"The Pandemic Special" centers on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people of South Park; it particularly focuses on Randy Marsh, who is desperate to conceal his role in the outbreak of the pandemic, while the students of South Park Elementary are placed on lockdown following an incident with police. The episode satirizes aspects of the United States' response to the pandemic, police brutality and racial unrest, including mental health, handling of face masks, education, Sinophobia and divestment from the police. Critics praised the social commentary and humor, but criticized the plot and overall length of the episode, with Adam Beam of The Slate opining that the episode's running time was not sufficient to develop its various story threads.

It was the highest-rated South Park episode in over seven years, amassing over 4.05 million viewers and becoming the most-watched program of the night.

After its premiere, the episode was released on the South Park website for free, as well as on the Comedy Central app and website with TV Everywhere authentication. It was also released on HBO Max in the United States 24 hours after its premiere, becoming the first new South Park episode released after the service acquired the series' streaming rights.