Top 20 TV Shows CANCELLED over Controversy

Top 20 TV Shows Cancelled Over Controversy

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable shows that were taken off the air owing to some kind of backlash.

#20: “Flip It Forward” (Unaired)

Canceled Because of Controversial Beliefs
David and Jason Benham are two conservative Christians from the southeastern US. After playing minor league baseball, the brothers became real estate agents and started their own company, attracting the attention of HGTV. They hoped to start a home improvement show with the brothers called “Flip It Forward,” but the project was canceled before it even got off the ground. The progressive group People for the American Way made public a report condemning David Benham and his “extremist” views and actions. This includes making homophobic and anti-Muslim remarks, protesting outside abortion clinics, and trying to get same-sex marriage banned in North Carolina. HGTV canceled the Benham brothers’ show the day after the report was published.

#19: “All My Babies’ Mamas” (Unaired)

Canceled Because of Its Premise
Another unaired show, “All My Babies’ Mamas” was marketed as “an intimate look at unconventional families with larger than life personalities.” That’s one way to put it. The Oxygen series was going to follow the late rapper Shawty Lo, who was the dad of eleven children by way of ten different women. The basic premise was widely criticized, with some arguing that it fell into negative Black stereotypes while others claimed that it romanticized intimate relations with multiple partners. In short, no one was very happy with this one. A petition was immediately created to have the show canceled, and they got their wish when Oxygen decided to drop the program from production.

#18: “Heathers” (2018)

Canceled Because of Sensitive Themes
The cancellation of “Heathers” is a perfect, and unbelievably sad, symbol of the changing times. The Paramount show was a reboot of the 1989 film of the same name, which followed Veronica, the titular group of high school students and an outcast who planned on killing popular students and destroying his school. What could be considered a black comedy in 1989 was, unfortunately, all too real in 2018. The show was pushed back from its original US airdate following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School attack in February and canceled altogether after the Santa Fe High School incident in May. It finally aired on American TV following an international debut, but the episodes were heavily edited and condensed to account for its sensitive themes. There never was a season two.

#17: “To Catch a Predator” (2004-07)

Canceled Because a Target Took His Own Life
While it didn’t last long, “To Catch a Predator” was enormously popular. Presented by Chris Hansen, it saw adults posing as minors online, setting up a sting operation, and catching the titular “predators” who agreed to meet with the child. When said predator arrived at the predetermined location, they were met by Hansen and usually arrested by law enforcement. One of the show’s targets was Louis “Bill” Conradt, an assistant district attorney who was exchanging lurid pictures with an undercover officer. He took his own life after police served him with a search warrant. The show’s handling of the case was met with criticism, and Conradt’s estate successfully sued NBC for an undisclosed sum. The show was canceled not long after.

#16: “Playmakers” (2003)

Canceled Because of Pressure from the NFL
In 2003, ESPN wanted to get into original dramatic programming. Enter “Playmakers,” which followed a fictional football team called the Cougars. The show was enormously successful for the network, becoming their highest-rated program outside of college football and the NFL. But in the end, it was the NFL who killed the program. The league didn’t take kindly to the show’s depiction of football or the players’ personal lives, especially when it came to contentious themes like substance use and legal issues. Executive vice president Mark Shapiro claimed, “We’re not in the business of antagonizing our partner” and had the show canceled after its first season.

#15: “Megan Wants a Millionaire” (2009)

Canceled Because a Contestant Murdered His Wife
Wanting to be a trophy wife, Megan Hauserman became the host of “Megan Wants a Millionaire,” in which seventeen rich men “competed” to be her husband. One of them was Ryan Jenkins, who eventually placed third. After being eliminated from the show, Jenkins met and married swimsuit model Jasmine Fiore. But on August 15, 2009 - during the show’s run - Fiore was found dead near a Buena Park dumpster. The show was put on hiatus out of respect for Fiore’s family and the supposedly-grieving Jenkins. But just five days later, it was announced that Jenkins was being charged with his wife’s murder. The show was immediately canceled, and Jenkins took his own life to escape justice.

#14: “Clone High” (2002-03; 2023-24)

Canceled Because of an Offensive Depiction
A cult classic from Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Bill Lawrence, “Clone High” is about a school full of young clones. These clones are modeled after famous historical figures, one of them being Mahatma Gandhi, depicted as a big partier who resents the popularity of his “clonefather”. Unfortunately, this depiction was wildly controversial in Gandhi’s native India, and over one hundred people staged a protest outside of Viacom’s India branch. One of the protesters was Gandhi’s great grandson, Tushar. MTV canceled the show not long after, and while a revival later aired in 2023, Gandhi is noticeably absent.

#13: “Luck” (2011-12)

Canceled Because of Numerous Horse Deaths
This HBO drama had a ton of big names attached to it. It starred Dustin Hoffman, the pilot was directed by Michael Mann, and it was created by David Milch following the wildly successful “Deadwood.” Set in the world of horse racing, “Luck” used fifty trained horses throughout production, but three didn’t make it out alive. Two died while filming the first season, having been euthanized after breaking their legs. A third horse died during production of the second season, prompting HBO to suspend filming while an investigation took place. They found that it was “impossible to guarantee” the safety of the horses and canceled the series.

#12: “Kid Nation” (2007)

Canceled Because of Reported Mistreatment
A very “Lord of the Flies”-esque experiment, “Kid Nation” got forty young people together, plunked them in a New Mexico movie ranch, and let them attempt to create a functioning society without adult supervision (or at least, very little of it). It’s a fun idea, but the show was mired with controversy, specifically in its treatment towards the participants. The contract required them to be available 24 hours a day, which seemingly broke some New Mexico labor laws. Safety concerns were also raised, as one received grease burns and another reportedly drank bleach (although they were immediately treated by medical staff on set). And that’s on top of the reported conditions regarding sanitation and hygiene, with all forty forced to share one outhouse. Unsurprisingly, the show was canceled after just one season.

#11: “Sons of Guns” (2011-14)

Canceled Because the Host Was Arrested
After serving in the Marines, Will Hayden started a custom weapons shop called Red Jacket Firearms. This shop attracted the attention of the Discovery Channel, who created a program called “Sons of Guns.” The show followed Hayden and his family as they ran the shop and catered to their customers’ needs, creating unique firearms and showing them off to the camera. But the show was canceled after season 5 when Hayden was arrested on charges of sexual abuse and assault involving minors. He was eventually convicted and received two life sentences. His sentence also prevents him from receiving parole, meaning he will spend the rest of his life in prison.

#10: “The O’Reilly Factor” (1996-2017)

Canceled Because of Misconduct Allegations
“The O’Reilly Factor,” a political talk show starring conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly, aired for over two decades on Fox News. However, this long run came crashing down in April 2017 when The New York Times reported that O’Reilly and Fox News had settled five sexual harassment lawsuits, dating back 15 years. More than half of “The O’Reilly Factor’s” advertisers pulled their support following the allegations, and O’Reilly was subsequently fired from Fox News on April 19. The show continued for three episodes without O’Reilly before officially ending on April 21, 2017.

#9: “CeeLo Green’s The Good Life” (2014)

Canceled Because of Offensive Tweets
“CeeLo Green’s The Good Life” was a reality show that aired for just six episodes on TBS, starring everyone’s favorite R&B artist CeeLo Green. Sounds charming and cool, right? Well, he WAS everyone’s favorite R&B artist. And then came the tweets. While pleading no contest to forcing a woman to take an illicit substance, CeeLo Green vented on Twitter and insinuated that only conscious individuals can be sexually assaulted. His show was immediately cancelled by TBS; and although a source claimed that it was purely due to poor ratings, the timing is extremely suspect.

#8: “House of Cards” (2013-18)

Canceled Because of Misconduct Allegations
“House of Cards” was once Netflix’s signature show. But in October 2017, actor Anthony Rapp accused star Kevin Spacey of a sexual advance when Rapp was still a teenager in 1986. Just twelve hours later, Netflix announced that they were cancelling “House of Cards” and that the upcoming 2018 season would be its last. A few days later, Netflix announced that they were severing all ties with Kevin Spacey, so he would not appear in the final season. And while sources claim that Netflix had decided to end “House of Cards” before Rapp’s accusation, many doubt the authenticity of these claims.

#7: “Politically Incorrect” (1993-2002)

Canceled Due to Political Controversy
Now who would have thought that a show called “Politically Incorrect” would be cancelled for being politically incorrect? In an episode dated just one week after 9/11, host Bill Maher and guest Dinesh D’Souza generated controversy by arguing that the terrorists were brave warriors and that the American military were cowards for “lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away.” Advertisers quickly withdrew their support, and the network soon found immense difficulty in finding advertisers to fund their show. “Politically Incorrect” was cancelled the following June, and while ABC claims that the cancellation was a result of bad ratings, Maher and many others directly blamed the post-9/11 controversy.

#6: “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” (2012-14)

Canceled Because of Abuse Accusations
This was one of those shows that somehow gripped an entire nation, gave its subjects their fifteen minutes of fame and made them immensely wealthy along the way. By August 2014, the show had aired forty-eight episodes and seven specials and was riding high as one of TLC’s most successful programs. However, the show was canceled the following October after it was revealed that the matriarch, June Shannon, was dating the man allegedly responsible for abusing her own daughter ten years earlier. An entire season’s worth of episodes went unaired, and “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” quickly faded into obscurity.

#5: “Charlie Rose” (1991-2017)

Canceled Because of Misconduct Allegations
“Charlie Rose” was a long-running talk show in which the titular host interviewed leading writers, politicians, businesspeople, entertainers, and scientists. It was syndicated on PBS for over 25 years until it was swiftly canceled in November 2017, after Rose was accused of sexual misconduct. Bloomberg Television and PBS immediately announced that they were suspending the show, and pulled reruns from the air. The following day they canceled the show’s distribution and severed their ties with Rose.

#4: “Louie” (2010-15)

Canceled Because of Misconduct Accusations
“Louie” was one of the most-critically-acclaimed comedies of the last decade. But in November 2017, The New York Times published a story about sexual misconduct allegations against C.K. According to the women in the report, C.K. had asked them to watch him during inappropriately intimate situations. Despite C.K. having initially denying the rumors, he finally admitted his transgressions after the Times story was published. While “Louie” had been on an extended hiatus following the conclusion of Season 5, FX severed all ties with C.K. following the allegations, essentially ending “Louie” in the process.

#3: “Roseanne” (1988-97; 2018)

Canceled Because of Racist Tweet
Roseanne Barr achieved something most TV stars can only dream of. Her beloved sitcom was brought back twenty years after its initial conclusion. It garnered strong, if mixed, reviews, and was an enormous ratings success. And then she blew it. Barr took to Twitter to comment on Obama’s senior advisor Valerie Jarrett in a very negative way. The tweet obviously generated a ton of outrage and ABC swiftly cancelled “Roseanne,” stating that her remarks were “abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values.” Yep, that’s one way to put it.

#2: “19 Kids and Counting” (2008-15)

Canceled Because of Abuse Accusations
Like “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” “19 Kids and Counting” was a ratings smash for TLC that both weirdly mesmerized fans and generated a ton of hate towards its subjects. This show followed the devout Duggar family, which included parents Jim Bob and Michelle and, yes, their nineteen children. However, a terrible secret was revealed in 2015. In Touch Weekly revealed a police report from 2006 claiming that the eldest son, Josh Duggar, had behaved inappropriately towards multiple girls, including some of his own sisters, while they were asleep. Many advertisers pulled their support and TLC quickly cancelled the show.

#1: “Paula’s Best Dishes” (2008-13)

Canceled Because of Racist Comments
Celebrity chef Paula Deen, known for her delicious and super-rich Southern comfort cuisine, had a long and successful history with the Food Network. Her first show, “Paula’s Home Cooking,” premiered in 2002, and she followed this up with both “Paula’s Party” and then “Paula’s Best Dishes.” However, Deen found herself in some hot grease when she admitted, during a legal deposition, to having used racial slurs. The Food Network was quick to act; they severed ties with Deen and decided against renewing her contract, ending “Paula’s Best Dishes” and terminating their long relationship with the queen of butter.

Were these shows justifiably canceled? Let us know in the comments below!