Nostalgia, Controversy, And Strong Storytelling Lead To Big Ratings For ‘King Of The Hill,’ ‘South Park’

Two pillars of animated comedy from the late ’90s and early 2000s are proving that nostalgia, controversy, and strong storytelling still pack a ratings punch. Both King of the Hill and South Park are not only alive but thriving, delivering some of the biggest numbers in streaming and cable this year.

Hulu’s revival of King of the Hill is off to a blockbuster start. The long-awaited 14th season of Mike Judge and Greg Daniels’ acclaimed sitcom debuted on August 4, drawing 4.4 million views in its first week, according to Variety. That figure marks the largest adult animated season premiere across Hulu and Disney+ in the past five years. The premiere episode, “Return of the King,” quickly topped Hulu’s charts and has remained in the platform’s top five ever since.

The enthusiasm extends beyond new episodes: viewership of the original 13 seasons has surged by 26 million hours, a 41% increase, since promotional efforts began in March. On social media, the series has outpaced all other Hulu original comedies this year in engagement and growth.

Meanwhile, over on Comedy Central and Paramount+, South Park is showing no signs of slowing down nearly three decades into its run. According to Nielsen data, the show’s 27th season is setting new benchmarks, with episode two pulling in 6.2 million global multi-platform viewers in just three days, its strongest cable performance since 2018. On Comedy Central, the episode delivered a 54% surge in adults 18–49 ratings and a 70% increase in share compared to the season premiere. Streaming is thriving too, with Paramount+ viewership up 49% over the debut episode, highlighting how new and younger audiences are discovering the series online.

The numbers build on last month’s headline-making season opener, which drew 5.9 million viewers and sparked renewed debate about the show’s relevance. As has been the case throughout its history, controversy only amplified the show’s cultural impact; criticism from the White House press office even seemed to fuel audience interest.

Together, King of the Hill and South Park are proving that there is significant audience demand for heritage animated content. That’s been clear in the theatrical space for years, with sequels, prequels, and spinoffs overloading the box office, and now it seems to be true for TV, too.