Question: "Gnomes" is the seventeenth episode in the second season of the American animated television series "South Park", Season two of "South Park", an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on which date?
Context: "Chickenlover" is the fourth episode in the second season of the American animated television series "South Park".  The 16th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on May 27, 1998.  The episode was written by series co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with David R. Goodman, and directed by Parker.  In the episode, Officer Barbrady resigns as South Park's only police officer because of his illiteracy.  Anarchy ensues, just as chickens are mysteriously being molested across South Park.  Barbrady enlists the help of the boys to learn to read and discover who is molesting the chickens.  Cartman, meanwhile, masquerades as a police officer. The fifteenth season of the American animated sitcom "South Park" began airing on Comedy Central on April 27, 2011 and ended on November 16, 2011.  In response to reactions to the mid-season finale episode "You're Getting Old", which seemed to insinuate that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were wrapping up the series, Comedy Central proclaimed through the media that "South Park" was renewed for two more seasons, and the duo were signed through 2013.  Shortly before the airing of the season finale episode "The Poor Kid", "South Park" was extended again until 2016, taking the show to 20 seasons.  Parker was the director and writer for all episodes, and Robert Lopez was the writer in this eleventh episode for the fifteenth season. Season five of "South Park", an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on June 20, 2001.  The fifth season concluded after 14 episodes on December 12, 2001.  The 14-episode season length would become a standard for later years of the series (up until the seventeenth season). Season two of "South Park", an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on April 1, 1998.  The second season concluded after 18 episodes on January 20, 1999; it remains the longest season of "South Park" to date.  While most of the episodes were directed by series creator Trey Parker, Season 2 includes two episodes directed by Eric Stough. "Gnomes" is the seventeenth episode in the second season of the American animated television series "South Park".  The 30th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on December 16, 1998.  The episode was written by series co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Pam Brady, and directed by Parker.  This episode marks the first appearance of Tweek Tweak and his parents. Season seven of "South Park", an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 19, 2003.  The seventh season concluded after 15 episodes on December 17, 2003, and was written and directed by Trey Parker. Season nine of "South Park", an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 9, 2005.  The ninth season concluded after 14 episodes on December 7, 2005.  All of the episodes in the ninth season were written and directed by Trey Parker. The tenth season of "South Park", an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 22, 2006.  The tenth season concluded after 14 episodes on November 15, 2006.  This is the first season in which Kenny does not die and the last season featuring Isaac Hayes (the voice of Chef) as Hayes quit the show following the backlash behind season nine's "Trapped in the Closet" episode.  This season also had a minor controversy when the Halloween episode "Hell on Earth 2006" depicted "The Crocodile Hunter's" Steve Irwin with a stingray lodged in his chest getting thrown out of Satan's Halloween party for not being in costume.  Episode 2 in this season is the last one with the Braniff Airlines logo.  All the episodes in this season were written and directed by Trey Parker. The twelfth season of "South Park", an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 12, 2008.  The twelfth season concluded after 14 episodes on November 19, 2008.  "Saturday Night Live" cast member Bill Hader is credited as a consultant starting with this season.  Parker was the director and writer in this twelfth season.  Stone was also the writer on the third episode of the twelfth season. Season eight of "South Park", an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 17, 2004.  The eighth season concluded after 14 episodes on December 15, 2004, and was written and directed by Trey Parker.  The season deals with various topics that were relevant at the time of release.  The episodes portray a spectrum of topics, from effect of large scale retails corporations to immigration.
Answer: April 1, 1998