South Park takes on COVID-19 in The Pandemic Special airing later this month

The animated series has delivered some sharp satirical offerings in the recent past and never shies away from tough subject matters, so it's safe to say that nothing is off the table here.

A trailer for the upcoming episode teases some plot details, opening with Randy announcing a "pandemic special" flash sale, which appears to be linked to increased marijuana usage in his fictional town.

The focus then shifts to the kids as Cartman and Kyle argue about whether it's wise to be returning to school, where they are now boxed into plastic cubicles and faced with the challenge of a new teacher: Detective Harris.

The official episode description reads: "Randy comes to terms with his role in the COVID-19 outbreak as the on-going pandemic presents continued challenges to the citizens of South Park. The kids happily head back to school but nothing resembles the normal that they once knew; not their teachers, not their homeroom, not even Eric Cartman."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6bEaBeOVkg

South Park: The Pandemic Special is the first ever hour-long episode of the hit animated series, not including the 1999 movie that was first released in cinemas.

The hotly anticipated new chapter will air on Wednesday 30th September in the US, with a UK date still to be confirmed.

However, in recent years, brand new South Park episodes have premiered on Comedy Central UK within 48 hours of their transmission in the States, so it's quite likely the episode will be available to British fans in early October.

South Park is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.