Top 20 Most Controversial Netflix Originals

Despite "Big Mouth"’s acclaim and popularity, not everyone enjoys its candor about the awkwardness of puberty. The raunchy jokes, visuals and situations would be scandalous if the show was all about grown-ups. With kids at the center, many accuse it of focusing too heavily on adolescent sexuality. On the other hand, some have complained about the show's shortcomings in casting white actors to play diverse characters. Co-creator and star Nick Kroll has acknowledged issues with casting. At the same time, he holds "Big Mouth" to a high standard of unflinching honesty about how adolescents come to terms with themselves. At least everyone can agree "Big Mouth" isn’t a cartoon for kids.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s brand Goop has been widely criticized for questionable products and services based in pseudoscience. Netflix took a share of that criticism by giving Paltrow a platform with “The Goop Lab”. The docuseries promoted things like psychic therapies, bee stings to treat injuries, and cold temperatures and hallucinogens to treat mental illness. And many felt it was a big commercial for Goop’s expensive and sometimes absurd products. Netflix was at least somewhat conscious of potential issues. At the start of each episode, there was a disclaimer advising viewers to take the show’s medical advice with a grain of salt. “The Goop Lab” may mean well by promoting women’s health. But many say it mostly just promoted Paltrow’s personal brand.

With its supernatural plot and teenage characters, this series has more than a few similarities to “Stranger Things.” However, it wasn’t the mystery and intrigue that kept people talking, but rather the shocking finale. Brit Marling stars as Prairie Johnson, aka “The OA,” a blind woman that disappears for seven years and then returns with a new perspective, along with her sight. She performs something called “The Movements,” a type of dance that can supposedly open an interdimensional portal. In the Season One finale, a shooter goes to menace a real life location that felt all too real for some. He’s ultimately distracted by – yes, “The Movements.” Some found the episode distasteful for blending real life tragic topics with a sci-fi premise.

When this science fiction series premiered, many people tuned in for the Wachowskis’ distinct visual style. To their credit, they explore many societal issues in Season 1, with the most important being human connections. By episode 6, four of the characters share an erotic moment. It was very graphic and extremely sensual. This marked a turning point where some critics felt that the adult content became too much of a focus for the show. There was another controversy when the show’s cancellation was abruptly announced in between seasons. Fortunately for fans, a special was greenlit to help wrap up as much as the writers could.

Netflix doesn't just take risks on American productions. The Brazilian comedy troupe Porta dos Fundos imagined if Jesus learned about his divine parentage at his 30th birthday party. It’s a touchy satirical subject to begin with. However, “The First Temptation of Christ” drew more ire when its suggestion that Jesus had a boyfriend. The special quickly became a scandal in Brazil and throughout the Christian world. After petitions and an attack on the production company’s office, a judge ordered Netflix to remove the title from their Brazilian platform. He was overruled by the Supreme Federal Court, in defense of freedom of expression. Nonetheless, Netflix has since made its own choice to remove “The First Temptation of Christ”.

When Netflix cast Finn Jones for this Marvel Comics adaptation, the Internet had a polarizing reaction. A vocal portion of viewers felt like casting a white actor to play a character whose life revolved around kung fu felt inappropriate. On the other hand, others defended the casting because it reflected the original comic book character. Ironically, both sides came together over the unified opinion that the show was disappointing. The biggest controversy people remember about “Iron Fist” is that the dialogue, characters and overall plot fell short. Critics also felt Jones didn’t do well in the fight scenes either. In the end, the casting of “Iron Fist” was the least of the show’s problems.

Our culture’s rampant obsession with true crime doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. Despite there being no shortage of retellings of Jeffrey Dahmer’s story, this Netflix series felt the need to rehash his tale. While the show was widely watched, many people have taken issue with how the subject matter was handled and represented– particularly the families of Dahmer’s victims. Netflix also insensitively decided to tag the series as “LGBTQ,” labeling this horrific true story of the murders of queer men alongside programs that have positive representation and uplifting messages for the community. They ultimately removed the tag, but it doesn’t change the fact that this series failed to do anything but glamorize atrocious crimes.

For many viewers, this stand-up special didn’t feature Amy Schumer at her best. Some found the crude brand of humor to be too offensive. According to various reports, a coordinated effort was made to lower the Netflix Original’s rating. That practice resulted in a lengthy Instagram reaction from Schumer herself. Outside the external controversy, a portion of her gags were poorly received. Detractors claim that Schumer’s raunchy jokes wore thin after the half hour mark. Despite some critical acclaim, “The Leather Special” ultimately made headlines for its poor ratings and divisive content.

Critics were split by “Messiah”, a thriller series about the rise of Christ figure al-Masih. Certain Muslim viewers in particular were turned-off before the show even premiered. And that wasn't just because of the sensitive religious and political themes. The name al-Masih has a double-meaning in Arabic, referring to both the Messiah and the deceitful Antichrist figure Dajjal. Giving the show’s main character that name instantly caused people to have strong reactions before seeing a minute of the show. Some were just offended by the idea of a series where the protagonist was possibly the Antichrist. However, that mystery remains unsolved because “The Messiah” was canceled after only one season due to a bad reception.

Based on a massively popular Japanese manga series, this Netflix Original made news for being entirely Americanized. Directed by noted horror auteur Adam Wingard, “Death Note” is based in Seattle and stars Nat Wolff not as Light Yagami, but rather as Light Turner. As a whole, critics picked apart the filmmaking. Long-time “Death Note” fans expressed their displeasure about the casting and lack of Asian actors. According to many, it’s another case of “whitewashing” that could have easily been avoided with a more thoughtful approach. The nearly pitch perfect casting in adaptations like “Cowboy Bebop” suggest Netflix took the feedback from “Death Note”.

At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, everybody was talking about director Bong Joon-ho and his superpig. But it wasn’t necessarily the plot that made headlines. “Okja” was one of two Netflix films to premiere at Cannes. At the time, many were offended that the Netflix Original didn’t have an official theatrical release date. Additionally, South Korea’s three largest movie chains refused to screen “Okja” because of Netflix’s plan to release it online. Some movie fans also argued that Netflix could potentially limit their directors’ visions. However, Bong Joon-ho reported that the shooting format was his only restriction. Given the amount of original films that the streamer has released in the years since, Netflix is likely to keep debuting movies with this model.

For four seasons, "Atypical" won both acclaim and criticism for its representation of someone with autism. Teenager Sam Gardner's journey to become more independent was well received. But this celebration of what people with ASD are capable of was undermined by the production's lack of autistic creators and consultants. The fact that Sam's actor was neurotypical immediately raised eyebrows. Additionally, critics felt the lead actor’s portrayal was too stereotypical. Although autistic actors and creatives were brought in for later seasons, it wasn’t enough to curb all the negative backlash. While "Atypical" was technically a successful show, it likely wouldn’t do as well if it were released today.

Despite comedian Dave Chappelle’s renown, he’s been criticized in the past for his jokes about the transgender community. He addressed the controversy head on in the Netflix special "The Closer". However, some critics felt that Chappelle made matters worse by questioning transgender identities and saying he supported the TERF movement. His story about a trans friend who took her own life was also considered exploitative. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos defended Chappelle's free speech against massive backlash. Following his statements, a trans employee resource group within the company staged a walkout. The divisive nature of the special and the protest didn’t affect Netflix’s ongoing relationship with Chappelle.

Before this film was released, many people were bothered by the trailer and its graphic visuals. Lily Collins starred as a young woman battling with anorexia. Prior to this point, the actress had actually been on record about her own past with disordered eating. Collins reportedly accepted the role to spread awareness. While critics have praised her performance, along with the film itself, others have feared “To the Bone” could have a negative influence on people. One major concern was that the film included too much detail. As a result, some were worried it could encourage people to follow and repeat disordered eating behavior.

Audiences didn't have much of an appetite for the dark comedy "Insatiable". The story revolved on a formerly overweight teen's scheme to exact revenge against those who tormented her. Throughout the show, jokes about everything from crimes against young people to the constant fat-shaming rubbed people the wrong way. Even before the show premiered, a petition calling for its cancellation gained more than 100,000 signatures. Instead, Netflix gave it a second season. Some felt that it took this opportunity to become more respectful in its commentary. The audience response was nonetheless negative enough to finish off "Insatiable".

Just the title alone makes this Netflix Original controversial. Making a Murderer” focuses on Steven Avery, a man that served 18 years in prison for assault and attempted murder. After he was released because of DNA evidence, he was once again found guilty of homicide in 2007. The 10-part series covers various aspects of Avery’s legal troubles, including his 2007 conviction for murder. Although the show covered a wide scope, commenters suggested that the series had been shaped to make its subject look better. A certain section of viewers even pushed to have Avery pardoned by the President. By the time the last episode aired, there was a lot of debate about whether how controversial crime documentaries should be presented.

When Netflix released the first trailer for Justin Simien’s series, it rubbed some people the wrong way. The YouTube clip actually had more “dislikes” than “likes.” Even so, “Dear White People” is still rated fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have praised the series for its blunt yet insightful approach to racial issues. Detractors claimed that the show was racist towards white viewers. Despite the controversy, the show ran for four successful seasons before its conclusion. And it was never afraid to tackle controversial subjects or sensitive issues during its run. If “Dear White People” meant to get people talking about modern racial politics, it definitely succeeded.

Dealing with the trauma behind legendary Hollywood beauty Marilyn Monroe is a challenging prospect. While there was great anticipation for Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde”, it received polarized reviews. Ana de Armas certainly won universal praise for her performance. However, Dominik was accused of exploiting and over exaggerating Monroe’s tragedies. Critics took umbrage at the dramatic license with her relationships. The way the film handled a disputed abortion Monroe had was especially lambasted. On the other hand, some found the story to be a dark and moving portrait of the icon’s life. Whether viewers believe the movie did Monroe a service or yet another injustice, “Blonde” has inspired as much debate as its subject’s legacy.

After Netflix surprised subscribers by acquiring Polish erotic thriller “365 Days”, they stunned everyone by developing two sequels. The first film had romanticized a plot where a mobster forced a woman into staying with him for a year in the hopes she would fall in love with him. Since the “365 Days” acquisition once stood at the top of “Netflix” charts, the streamer greenlit two sequels. The follow ups didn’t fare nearly as well. Rather than try to make up for the series’ original sin, these movies made the love story look worse. Admittedly, the two Netflix originals were following the blueprint of the books. But they may have been less controversial if they stayed away from the problematic heart of the source material.

Based on Jay Asher’s 2007 novel, this Netflix Original addresses the effects of teenage torment. More specifically, it’s about a young woman who takes her own life. “13 Reasons Why” has been accused of glorifying and sensationalizing its dark subject matter. And since the show was marketed as a teen drama, younger viewers were subject to be exposed to very sensitive topics. Numerous mental health organizations expressed concern about the film’s narrative and graphic nature. After season 1 aired, the finale’s depiction of a fatal act was notably censored. By the time “13 Reasons Why” reached its fourth and final season, it had few supporters left. It will likely stand as one of Netflix’s most controversial dramas for years to come.