What do The X-Files, The Ellen Show, and Outlander have in common? At one point, they all caused fierce debate over whether a specific episode or episodes was appropriate for TV. Some of these episodes are controversial because they go against the mores of the time, tackling issues that are no big deal now but caused waves back when they first aired. Some made viewers so angry they threatened to boycott the show, and one even landed viewers in hospital. Here are 20 of the most controversial TV episodes of all time.
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1 | Diversity Day—The Office
NBCBack when Michael Scott was not supposed to be likable (the character really developed with later seasons of The Office, thank goodness) there was Diversity Day. Pulled from syndication, the racial jokes were clearly too much for some.
2 | Chapter Seven: The Lost Sister—Stranger Things
NetflixStranger Things rarely gets it wrong, but fans were confused with this episode. It felt like a spinoff, more than part of the original show.
3 | To Ransom a Man's Soul—Outlander
StarzOutlander doesn’t shy away from violence, but this episode was—and is—too much even for die-hard fans of the show. Graphic depictions of sexual violence raised the issue of exploitation of the actors.
4 | Home—The X-Files
FOXThe X-Files isn’t exactly family-friendly viewing but this episode about incestuous farmers was a lot for the time. It was unsurprisingly pulled from syndication.
5 | The Puerto Rican Day—Seinfeld
NBCThe Puerto Rican flag on fire in this episode caused controversy and accusations of cultural disrespect. The episode was pulled from rotation.
6 | The Puppy Episode—The Ellen Show
ABCIt’s hard to imagine now, but Ellen DeGeneres caused so much controversy simply by coming out on her own sitcom. The show ended up canceled as a result, but the episode itself ended up breaking viewership records.
7 | Blame It On Lisa—The Simpsons
FOXRemember when The Simpsons was constantly ruffling feathers in the more innocent 90s/00s? This episode managed to offend the entire country of Brazil who didn’t appreciate being stereotyped.
8 | Return To Camelot—Dallas
CBSImagine being told an entire storyline didn’t really happen. That’s what happened in this infamous episode of Dallas, where Bobby’s death was all just a dream.
9 | Nude Awakening—NYPD Blue
ABCNYPD Blue’s Nude Awakening episode had actual nudity on primetime TV. The result? A $1.2 million fine from the Federal Communications Commission.
10 | Maude’s Dilemma—Maude
CBSMaude’s Dilemma caused waves for the same reason the topic causes waves now. The main character chooses to get an abortion at 47, which caused a backlash from many viewers.
11 | Breaker Of Chains—Game of Thrones
HBOGame of Thrones is going to feature more than once in this list, surprise surprise. Breaker Of Chains features incest and sexual assault, and even hardened fans of the show thought it went too far.
12 | Plato's Stepchildren—Star Trek
NBCTV’s first interracial kiss between Lt. Uhura and Captain Kirk caused controversy. It was the 60s and unheard of for the time.
13 | Electric Soldier Porygon—Pokemon
Cartoon NetworkPokemon caused people to actually end up in hospital because of this episode. It was removed from rotation after viewers had seizures from the flashing lights.
14 | One Beer—Tiny Toon Adventures
Kid's WBThis episode was banned after three cartoon characters got drunk, stole a police car, and drove off a cliff. Yep, this was a children’s show!
15 | Conflict—Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
PBSMister Rogers’ Neighborhood is one of the coziest children’s TV shows, but this episode got a little dark. Aired during the Cold War, it touches on the danger of nuclear war.
16 | NYPD Blue—Pilot
ABCNYPD Blue was groundbreaking when it first aired on TV in 1993. It might not seem such a big deal these days, but the language and nudity was controversial for the times.
17 | 200 and 201—South Park
Comedy CentralComedy Central heavily edited these episodes which were offensive to many people for religious reasons. It ended up yanking the episodes entirely, causing outcry.
18 | The Animals—Orange Is the New Black
NetflixFan-favorite Poussey ended up dead on this episode, leading to anger from viewers. Many viewers threatened to abandon the show altogether.
19 | Lucy Is Enceinte—I Love Lucy
CBSLucy’s pregnancy on I Love Lucy was so controversial the word ‘pregnancy’ wasn’t even allowed to be said. Hence using the French word enceinte, or Ricky’s use of “spectin’”.
20 | Game of Thrones—The Rains of Castamere
HBOAKA The Red Wedding, The Rains of Castamere caused near-hysteria when it first aired. The entire episode is a giant massacre with beloved characters cruelly dispatched.
