Sitcoms are meant to bring joy into the homes of those who watch them. However, not every episode manages to please every viewer and, in some instances, might stir up enough outrage to get banned. Such a fate actually befell some of the following episodes from the best sitcoms of all time which caused controversy.
"The Puppy Episode" - Ellen
At the same time Ellen Degeneres came out of the closet in real life, so did her sitcom alter ego – the first lead character on a TV series to do so – in "The Puppy Episode." While the two-part Season 4 episode of Ellen proved to be an Emmy-winning success and a big ratings win, many affiliates of ABC refused to air the episode and several sponsors chose not to advertise during its broadcast
"Edith's 50 Birthday" - All In The Family
In a two-part episode from the eighth season of All in the Family called "Edith's 50th Birthday," Jean Stapleton's character is nearly assaulted by a stranger posing as a detective whom she manages to escape but not without traumatizing circumstances. While remembered as one of the most powerful dramatic moments in a sitcom, seeing a character like Edith involved in such a harrowing situation was overwhelmingly "heartbreaking" for some to watch.
"Partial Terms Of Endearment" - Family Guy
Originally intended to be the Season 8 finale for Family Guy, "Partial Terms Of Endearment" sees Lois (Alex Borstein) agree to carry a child for a couple but, when they suddenly die in an accident, she considers having an abortion. The episode's satirical approach to a hotly debated serious topic led it to be banned from airing on American television but has been made available in the United States on DVD.
"Running Zack" - Saved By The Bell
Zack Morris is known today as one of the most ill-behaved sitcom kids for many reasons but one time Saved by the Bell tried to pain him in an admirable light has since backfired heavily. Star Mark-Paul Gosselaar later voiced regret over this Saved by the Bell episode in which his character discovers he has Native American ancestry and actually dons a headdress for a class presentation.
"You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato" - Murphy Brown
In the Season 4 finale of Murphy Brown, Candace Bergen's title character chooses to raise her new baby on her own – a decision that was criticized by then-Vice President Dan Quayle. The following season's premiere was written in response to this and even directly acknowledged the vice president's comments.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" - Roseanne
Roseanne was a revolutionary moment in sitcom history as a TV show featuring blue-collar characters but it also pushed boundaries in many other ways, such as an episode when Roseanne Barr's title character kisses a woman in a lesbian Barr. The comedian had to fight ABC on their hesitation to air the episode fearing there it would spark a backlash from religious conservatives and they turned out to be right.
"The Bicycle Man" - Diff'rent Strokes
In a famous "very special episode" of Diff'rent Strokes, Arnold (Gary Coleman) and his friend, Dudley (Shavar Ross) discover that a bicycle shop owner named Mr. Horton (Gordon Jump) is the kind of grown-up parents would not want their children to be alone with. While acclaimed for its bold depiction of the dangers of inappropriate attention from adults directed at minors, it was criticized for not downplaying its humor as much as it could have.
"Episode #1.1" - Soap
Right out of the gate, the revolutionary daytime drama spoof Soap garnered intense backlash by a wide margin for its approach to topics that were still very sensitive in the late 1970s. Billy Crystal's character, Jodie Dallas, was criticized both by anti-gay groups as well as the gay community, which felt that the otherwise groundbreaking characters portrayed their culture in a stereotypical and mocking fashion.
"Maude's Dilemma" - Maude
In the premiere season of Maude, the also beloved spin-off from All in the Family aired a two-part episode in which Bea Arthur's title character becomes pregnant and decides that, at her age, she would rather not have the baby. "Maude's Dilemma" was the first episode of a television show to acknowledge the abortion debate, which led to CBS receiving thousands of letters in protest.
"The Puerto Rican Day" - Seinfeld
The penultimate episode of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's mega-hit comedy is not considered one of the best episodes of Seinfeld for the same reasons it was taken out of circulation for years. "The Puerto Rican Day" – in which the gang gets stuck in traffic due to the eponymous parade – was viewed as culturally insensitive, particularly for one scene when Kramer accidentally lights a Puerto Rican flag on fire and tries to stomp it out, but has since been made available in syndication and on streaming.
"Lucy Is Enceinte" - I Love Lucy
In the 1950s, saying the word "pregnant" was not permitted on television, which is why you never actually hear Lucy (Lucille Ball) say the word in her many attempts to tell Ricky (Desi Arnaz) her big news in this classic I Love Lucy episode. Despite its clever censorship, "Lucy is Enceinte" almost did not air due to advertisers' reluctance because the mere topic of making Lucy pregnant would mean acknowledging that she and Ricky had been intimate.
"The Speech" - The IT Crowd
In 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 traditionally masculine tasks), which leads to a violent end to their relationship. Considered abhorrent upon broadcast, the U.K.'s Channel 4 decided to pull the episode from its streaming service in 2020, prompting creator Graham Lineman to cut ties with the network.
"The One With The Lesbian Wedding" - Friends
The first TV series to depict the marriage between two women was Friends in Season 2's "The One with the Lesbian Wedding." However, many NBC network affiliates, including in Texas, refused to air the episode in which Ross' ex-wife, Carol (Jane Sibbett), and her girlfriend, Susan (Jessica Hecht), tie the knot.
"Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" - Community
For years, the Season 2 Community episode, "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" was not available to stream, due to a moment when Ken Jeong's Chang dons what appears to be blackface to cosplay as a "dark elf." However, Community cast member Yvette Nicole Brown, when speaking to Gizmodo, defended the episode, especially since her character, Shirley Bennett, calls out Chang's insensitive act.
"Stark Raving Dad" - The Simpsons
Michael Jackson makes an uncredited appearance in an episode of The Simpsons as the voice of an institutionalized man who believes he is the "Thriller" singer. In 2019, following the release of the documentary, Leaving Neverland, the episode was pulled from circulation and has since been made unavailable to stream.
"Eric's Buddy" - That 70s Show
Joseph Gordon-Levitt guest starred on That '70s Show as Buddy, whom Eric (Topher Grace) discovers is interested in more than lab partners when he plants a kiss on him. The otherwise refreshingly open-minded episode has been criticized for reducing the openly gay character to not much more than a punchline and a means for Eric to reinforce his identity as a straight man.
"200" - South Park
South Park is known for its many boundary-pushing moments, which creator Matt Stone and Trey Parker decided to pay tribute to in the animated series' two-part 200th episode. Unsurprisingly, the episode would face heavy backlash and, since its initial broadcast, has been censored for its depiction of Muslim faith.
"Koi Pond" - The Office
One example of an ill-fated prank from The Office that some fans have probably never seen comes from the since-removed cold open for an episode called "Koi Pond." In it, Michael (Steve Carell) stages a suicide for Dunder-Miffling's Halloween haunted house attraction, traumatizing the young trick-or-treaters and angering viewers for its insensitive approach to the subject.
"Comedians" - Beavis And Butt-Head
When Beavis and Butt-Head pursue stand-up comedy careers and fail, they retaliate by setting fire to the club where they performed and happily giggle as it burns to the ground. In 1993, a The New York Times report claimed that five-year-old Austin Messner watched the episode and accidentally killed his sister by setting his own home on fire, prompting MTV to pull it from rotation. However, in 2008, the 20-year-old Messner revealed (via PopCulture) that he never watched Beavis and Butt-Head because his addict mother could not afford cable.
"I'll See You In Court" - Married... With Children
While Married... with Children never had the squeakiest reputation, Fox refused to air an episode in which Al (Ed O'Neill) and Peg Bundy (Katey Sagal) discover their night at a motel was recorded and file a lawsuit. While initially deemed in poor taste, an edited version of the episode finally made it to air on FX years later.
"Live Show" - 30 Rock
Both times 30 Rock put on a live episode, the shows were met with backlash for the use of Blackface. For instance, the East Coast broadcast of Season 5's "Live Show" would be pulled from syndication for a scene in which guest star Jon Hamm's character shows off his hand transplant from a Black donor.
"Prom-ises, Prom-ises" - Boy Meets World
Some episodes of the beloved TGIF comedy Boy Meets World were removed from Disney Channel's rotation of reruns, including Season 5's "Prom-ises, Prom-ises." The plot sees teen lovers Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) considering the decision to consummate their relationship on prom night, only to discover his parents are having their own fun in a nearby hotel room.
"The Hunger Strike" - The Boondocks
It took 12 years for "The Hunger Strike," an episode of The Boondocks that was originally called "BET Sucks" and set to air on Adult Swim in 2008, to finally be shown on American television. The actual reason for the banning has not been confirmed but reports claim that BET threatened litigation, due to its overtly scathing spoofing of the cable network's programming.
"Mid-Life Crustacean" - SpongeBob Squarepants
Even a Nicktoon as beloved as SpongeBob Squarepants has a couple of episodes that modern audiences will never see on Nickelodeon or with a Paramount+ subscription and, in retrospect, it is surprising that one of them ever made it to air. Season 3's "Mid-Life Crustacean" involves a scene when Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), in a bid to reclaim his youth, joins SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) to raid a woman's undergarment drawer, only to discover too late that they have broken into his mother's house.
"Boston" - Aqua Teen Hunger Force
In 2007, battery-powered LED placards designed to resemble Aqua Teen Hunger Force characters called The Mooninites were placed around Boston as a marketing strategy for the adult animated movie, Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, but were mistaken for explosive devices. The original show's writers decided to create an episode based on the incident, in which Frylock (Carey Means), Master Shake (Dana Snyder), and Meatwad (Dave Wilis) are mistaken for explosives in Boston. The episode would become the first in the series to get banned but was later leaked online in 2015.
"Something's Up There" - Back To You
The short-lived Fox sitcom Back to You – starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton as bickering news anchors – has been largely forgotten since it ended in 2008. However, one episode was deemed controversial upon airing for the following line said to a Polish character when trying to convince them to go bowling: "Come on, it's in your blood, like Kielbasa and collaborating with the Nazis."
"Leap Frogs" - Rocko's Modern Life
Not only was Rocko's Modern Life one of the weirdest Nicktoons ever but it was especially one of the lewdest. Nickelodeon let plenty of mature humor slide but did ban an episode in which Mrs. Bighead tries to seduce the titular wallaby.
"Elephant Issues" - Tiny Toon Adventures
The Steven Spielberg-produced Tiny Toon Adventures served as a new era for the Looney Tunes legacy but did make a few dark turns during its run. For instance, one banned episode, which was meant to serve as a PSA of sorts, saw Buster Bunny, Plucky Duck, and Hamton J. Pig getting intoxicated and suffering a car accident
"Dentist" - Adventure Time
The plot of the Adventure Time Season 6 episode, "Dentist," – in which Finn (Jeremy Shada) receives oral treatment from a colony of ants – offers nothing controversial in concept. However, it caused a bit of an internet uproar when a character named Lt. Gamergate (which is the name of a type of ant) was interpreted as a reference to the recently developing "GamerGate" movement.
30. "Fat Like Me" - Daria
Spun-off from Beavis and Butt-Head, Daria followed the misadventures of the cynical, monotone titular teen (voiced by Tracy Grandstaff). One episode of the animated never aired in reruns on the Nickelodeon subsidiary Teen Nick (formerly known as The N) because of the way it depicts obesity's connection to high school social status.
"Terms Of Endearment" - Drawn Together
Drawn Together is a mockumentary-style animated Comedy Central series following a group of cartoon characters living together. One episode was met with controversy for its satirical portrayal of the horse riding accident that paralyzed Superman actor Christopher Reeve, who passed away shortly before the series premiered.
"Man's Best Friend" - Ren & Stimpy
One of the most unhinged episodes of Ren & Stimpy was banned on Nickelodeon for a violent scene in which Ren beats up a character with an oar, as well as the depiction of dog treats that, for some reason, look like cigars and feces. The episode was later broadcast on MTV, which is certainly a more appropriate home for its subject matter.
