Sitcoms are supposed to deliver pleasure into the houses of those that watch them. Nevertheless, not each episode manages to please each viewer and, in some situations, may fire up sufficient outrage to get banned. Such a destiny really befell a few of the following episodes from the very best sitcoms of all time which induced controversy.
“The Pet Episode” – Ellen
On the similar time Ellen Degeneres got here out of the closet in actual life, so did her sitcom alter ego – the primary lead character on a TV sequence to take action – in “The Pet Episode.” Whereas the two-part Season 4 episode of Ellen proved to be an Emmy-winning success and an enormous scores win, many associates of ABC refused to air the episode and several other sponsors selected to not promote throughout its broadcast
“Edith’s 50 Birthday” – All In The Household
In a two-part episode from the eighth season of All within the Household referred to as “Edith’s fiftieth Birthday,” Jean Stapleton’s character is sort of assaulted by a stranger posing as a detective whom she manages to flee however not with out traumatizing circumstances. Whereas remembered as some of the highly effective dramatic moments in a sitcom, seeing a personality like Edith concerned in such a harrowing scenario was overwhelmingly “heartbreaking” for some to look at.
“Partial Phrases Of Endearment” – Household Man
Initially supposed to be the Season 8 finale for Household Man, “Partial Phrases Of Endearment” sees Lois (Alex Borstein) agree to hold a toddler for a pair however, after they instantly die in an accident, she considers having an abortion. The episode’s satirical method to a hotly debated severe subject led it to be banned from airing on American tv however has been made obtainable in the US on DVD.
“Working Zack” – Saved By The Bell
Zack Morris is thought right this moment as some of the ill-behaved sitcom children for a lot of causes however one time Saved by the Bell tried to ache him in an admirable gentle has since backfired closely. Star Mark-Paul Gosselaar later voiced remorse over this Saved by the Bell episode by which his character discovers he has Native American ancestry and truly dons a headdress for a category presentation.
“You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato” – Murphy Brown
Within the Season 4 finale of Murphy Brown, Candace Bergen’s title character chooses to boost her new child on her personal – a choice that was criticized by then-Vice President Dan Quayle. The next season’s premiere was written in response to this and even instantly acknowledged the vp’s feedback.
“Do not Ask, Do not Inform” – Roseanne
Roseanne was a revolutionary second in sitcom historical past as a TV present that includes blue-collar characters however it additionally pushed boundaries in lots of different methods, comparable to an episode when Roseanne Barr’s title character kisses a girl in a lesbian Barr. The comic needed to battle ABC on their hesitation to air the episode fearing there it will spark a backlash from non secular conservatives they usually turned out to be proper.
“The Bicycle Man” – Diff’hire Strokes
In a well-known “very particular episode” of Diff’hire Strokes, Arnold (Gary Coleman) and his good friend, Dudley (Shavar Ross) uncover {that a} bicycle store proprietor named Mr. Horton (Gordon Soar) is the sort of grown-up dad and mom wouldn’t need their kids to be alone with. Whereas acclaimed for its daring depiction of the hazards of inappropriate consideration from adults directed at minors, it was criticized for not downplaying its humor as a lot because it might have.
“Episode #1.1” – Cleaning soap
Proper out of the gate, the revolutionary daytime drama spoof Cleaning soap garnered intense backlash by a large margin for its method to subjects that have been nonetheless very delicate within the late Seventies. Billy Crystal’s character, Jodie Dallas, was criticized each by anti-gay teams in addition to the homosexual group, which felt that the in any other case groundbreaking characters portrayed their tradition in a stereotypical and mocking vogue.
“Maude’s Dilemma” – Maude
Within the premiere season of Maude, the additionally beloved spin-off from All within the Household aired a two-part episode by which Bea Arthur’s title character turns into pregnant and decides that, at her age, she would reasonably not have the child. “Maude’s Dilemma” was the primary episode of a tv present to acknowledge the abortion debate, which led to CBS receiving hundreds of letters in protest.
“The Puerto Rican Day” – Seinfeld
The penultimate episode of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David’s mega-hit comedy shouldn’t be thought of probably the greatest episodes of Seinfeld for a similar causes it was taken out of circulation for years. “The Puerto Rican Day” – by which the gang will get caught in site visitors because of the eponymous parade – was seen as culturally insensitive, significantly for one scene when Kramer by chance lights a Puerto Rican flag on hearth and tries to stomp it out, however has since been made obtainable in syndication and on streaming.
“Lucy Is Enceinte” – I Love Lucy
Within the Fifties, saying the phrase “pregnant” was not permitted on tv, which is why you by no means really hear Lucy (Lucille Ball) say the phrase in her many makes an attempt to inform Ricky (Desi Arnaz) her huge information on this traditional I Love Lucy episode. Regardless of its intelligent censorship, “Lucy is Enceinte” nearly didn’t air resulting from advertisers’ reluctance as a result of the mere subject of constructing Lucy pregnant would imply acknowledging that she and Ricky had been intimate.
“The Speech” – The IT Crowd
Within the third season of the hilarious British sitcom, The IT Crowd, Matt Berry’s Douglas Reynholm discovers his girlfriend, April, is a transwoman (as demonstrated in a tasteless montage of her performing historically masculine duties), which ends up in a violent finish to their relationship. Thought of abhorrent upon broadcast, the U.Ok.’s Channel 4 determined to tug the episode from its streaming service in 2020, prompting creator Graham Lineman to chop ties with the community.
“The One With The Lesbian Marriage ceremony” – Associates
The primary TV sequence to depict the wedding between two girls was Associates in Season 2’s “The One with the Lesbian Marriage ceremony.” Nevertheless, many NBC community associates, together with in Texas, refused to air the episode by which Ross’ ex-wife, Carol (Jane Sibbett), and her girlfriend, Susan (Jessica Hecht), tie the knot.
For years, the Season 2 Group episode, “Superior Dungeons & Dragons” was not obtainable to stream, resulting from a second when Ken Jeong’s Chang dons what seems to be blackface to cosplay as a “darkish elf.” Nevertheless, Group forged member Yvette Nicole Brown, when talking to Gizmodo, defended the episode, particularly since her character, Shirley Bennett, calls out Chang’s insensitive act.
“Stark Raving Dad” – The Simpsons
Michael Jackson makes an uncredited look in an episode of The Simpsons because the voice of an institutionalized man who believes he’s the “Thriller” singer. In 2019, following the discharge of the documentary, Leaving Neverland, the episode was pulled from circulation and has since been made unavailable to stream.
“Eric’s Buddy” – That 70s Present
Joseph Gordon-Levitt visitor starred on That ’70s Present as Buddy, whom Eric (Topher Grace) discovers is eager about greater than lab companions when he vegetation a kiss on him. The in any other case refreshingly open-minded episode has been criticized for decreasing the overtly homosexual character to not way more than a punchline and a method for Eric to strengthen his id as a straight man.
“200” – South Park
South Park is thought for its many boundary-pushing moments, which creator Matt Stone and Trey Parker determined to pay tribute to within the animated sequence’ two-part two hundredth episode. Unsurprisingly, the episode would face heavy backlash and, since its preliminary broadcast, has been censored for its depiction of Muslim religion.
“Koi Pond” – The Workplace
One instance of an ill-fated prank from The Workplace that some followers have in all probability by no means seen comes from the since-removed chilly open for an episode referred to as “Koi Pond.” In it, Michael (Steve Carell) phases a suicide for Dunder-Miffling’s Halloween haunted home attraction, traumatizing the younger trick-or-treaters and angering viewers for its insensitive method to the topic.
When Beavis and Butt-Head pursue stand-up comedy careers and fail, they retaliate by setting hearth to the membership the place they carried out and fortunately giggle because it burns to the bottom. In 1993, a The New York Instances report claimed that five-year-old Austin Messner watched the episode and by chance killed his sister by setting his own residence on hearth, prompting MTV to tug it from rotation. Nevertheless, in 2008, the 20-year-old Messner revealed (by way of PopCulture) that he by no means watched Beavis and Butt-Head as a result of his addict mom couldn’t afford cable.
“I am going to See You In Courtroom” – Married… With Kids
Whereas Married… with Kids by no means had the squeakiest popularity, Fox refused to air an episode by which Al (Ed O’Neill) and Peg Bundy (Katey Sagal) uncover their evening at a motel was recorded and file a lawsuit. Whereas initially deemed in poor style, an edited model of the episode lastly made it to air on FX years later.
“Reside Present” – 30 Rock
Each instances 30 Rock placed on a reside episode, the exhibits have been met with backlash for using Blackface. As an example, the East Coast broadcast of Season 5’s “Reside Present” can be pulled from syndication for a scene by which visitor star Jon Hamm’s character exhibits off his hand transplant from a Black donor.
“Promenade-ises, Promenade-ises” – Boy Meets World
Some episodes of the beloved TGIF comedy Boy Meets World have been faraway from Disney Channel’s rotation of reruns, together with Season 5’s “Promenade-ises, Promenade-ises.” The plot sees teen lovers Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) contemplating the choice to consummate their relationship on promenade evening, solely to find his dad and mom are having their very own enjoyable in a close-by resort room.
“The Starvation Strike” – The Boondocks
It took 12 years for “The Starvation Strike,” an episode of The Boondocks that was initially referred to as “BET Sucks” and set to air on Grownup Swim in 2008, to lastly be proven on American tv. The precise cause for the banning has not been confirmed however experiences declare that BET threatened litigation, resulting from its overtly scathing spoofing of the cable community’s programming.
“Mid-Life Crustacean” – SpongeBob Squarepants
Even a Nicktoon as beloved as SpongeBob Squarepants has a few episodes that trendy audiences won’t ever see on Nickelodeon or with a Paramount+ subscription and, on reflection, it’s stunning that one in every of them ever made it to air. Season 3’s “Mid-Life Crustacean” includes a scene when Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), in a bid to reclaim his youth, joins SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick (Invoice Fagerbakke) to raid a girl’s undergarment drawer, solely to find too late that they’ve damaged into his mom’s home.
“Boston” – Aqua Teen Starvation Drive
In 2007, battery-powered LED placards designed to resemble Aqua Teen Starvation Drive characters referred to as The Mooninites have been positioned round Boston as a advertising and marketing technique for the grownup animated film, Aqua Teen Starvation Drive Colon Film Movie for Theaters, however have been mistaken for explosive gadgets. The unique present’s writers determined to create an episode primarily based on the incident, by which Frylock (Carey Means), Grasp Shake (Dana Snyder), and Meatwad (Dave Wilis) are mistaken for explosives in Boston. The episode would grow to be the primary within the sequence to get banned however was later leaked on-line in 2015.
“One thing’s Up There” – Again To You
The short-lived Fox sitcom Again to You – starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton as bickering information anchors – has been largely forgotten because it led to 2008. Nevertheless, one episode was deemed controversial upon airing for the next line stated to a Polish character when attempting to persuade them to go bowling: “Come on, it is in your blood, like Kielbasa and collaborating with the Nazis.”
“Leap Frogs” – Rocko’s Trendy Life
Not solely was Rocko’s Trendy Life one of many weirdest Nicktoons ever however it was particularly one of many lewdest. Nickelodeon let loads of mature humor slide however did ban an episode by which Mrs. Bighead tries to seduce the titular wallaby.
“Elephant Points” – Tiny Toon Adventures
The Steven Spielberg-produced Tiny Toon Adventures served as a brand new period for the Looney Tunes legacy however did make a couple of darkish turns throughout its run. As an example, one banned episode, which was meant to function a PSA of kinds, noticed Buster Bunny, Plucky Duck, and Hamton J. Pig getting intoxicated and struggling a automotive accident
“Dentist” – Journey Time
The plot of the Journey Time Season 6 episode, “Dentist,” – by which Finn (Jeremy Shada) receives oral remedy from a colony of ants – affords nothing controversial in idea. Nevertheless, it induced a little bit of an web uproar when a personality named Lt. Gamergate (which is the identify of a sort of ant) was interpreted as a reference to the not too long ago creating “GamerGate” motion.
30. “Fats Like Me” – Daria
Spun-off from Beavis and Butt-Head, Daria adopted the misadventures of the cynical, monotone titular teen (voiced by Tracy Grandstaff). One episode of the animated by no means aired in reruns on the Nickelodeon subsidiary Teen Nick (previously generally known as The N) due to the best way it depicts weight problems’s connection to highschool social standing.
“Phrases Of Endearment” – Drawn Collectively
Drawn Collectively is a mockumentary-style animated Comedy Central sequence following a gaggle of cartoon characters dwelling collectively. One episode was met with controversy for its satirical portrayal of the horse driving accident that paralyzed Superman actor Christopher Reeve, who handed away shortly earlier than the sequence premiered.
“Man’s Greatest Good friend” – Ren & Stimpy
One of the crucial unhinged episodes of Ren & Stimpy was banned on Nickelodeon for a violent scene by which Ren beats up a personality with an oar, in addition to the depiction of canine treats that, for some cause, seem like cigars and feces. The episode was later broadcast on MTV, which is definitely a extra acceptable residence for its material.