50 Shocking Kids Show Scandals

Henry’s Punishment

“Thomas & Friends” (1984-2021)

Who knew a series about anthropomorphic trains would be so heartbreaking? Fans and general audiences alike were horrified at “The Sad Story of Henry,” in which a green engine refuses to come out of a tunnel due to the rain. After many attempts to pull or persuade Henry to desert the tunnel, Henry’s conductor and crew decide to just leave him there. Not only that, but they take away his rails and construct a brick wall to seal him in! In the U.S. series, Edward eventually gets Henry out, but oh boy, was this episode a shocking horror-fest.

“Super Nova”“Buzz Lightyear of Star Command” (2000-01)

Following the beloved “Toy Story” character, this fairly inoffensive show did cause a stir with this one episode. In it, Mira, Buzz’s second-in-command, gets cool new powers when she walks into a Crystallic Fusion Generator. Soon, however, Mira grows erratic and more and more dependent on her powers, against the warnings of her father and the concern of her friends. She even tries to face Zurg himself head on. Anxious Disney executives eventually pulled this dark episode out of rotation, seeing a potential substance use disorder allegory in this story.

Bringing the Club Down

“Beavis and Butt-Head” (1993-97; 2011; 2022-23; 2025-)

Granted, this Gen X show with its sniggering teen protagonists has always been edgy. But this episode may have had darker unintended consequences. In it, Beavis and Butt-head go to a comedy club, inspired by the success of a stand-up comedian. Unfortunately, they are more the butt of the joke rather than admired comedians. Beavis tries to salvage his performance by juggling burning newspapers...only to burn down the club instead. Soon after this episode aired, a five-year-old boy burned down his family’s trailer, killing his sister. Although the family’s claim the boy was watching this particular episode was later debunked, MTV wasted no time on moving the show to a later time slot and censoring the episode. Talk about playing with fire.

Be Careful What You Wish For

“The Fairly Odd Parents” (2001-17)

Well, this was completely out-of-pocket. Tired of doing good deeds for everyone without any appreciation and much criticism, Timmy impulsively wishes he had never been born. Wanda grants his wish, and Timmy is sent to an alternate timeline without him in it…and where everyone is perfectly happy. That’s right, the Turners are living their best life, and even Wanda and Cosmo are fairy godparents to Chester. Jorgen Von Strangle eventually reveals it was all a test to teach Timmy a lesson about doing good deeds for their own sake, and sends him back to his original timeline. The episode was criticized for its mean-spirited tone and isn’t rerun much.

Substance Use Reference“Double Dare” (1986-93; 2000; 2018-19)

This successful game show was good ‘80s fun, where kids win prizes by answering trivia questions and performing physical stunts. The famous slime used on the show was called “gak” by staffers, which was real-life slang for a certain controlled substance. In 2013, host Mark Summers admitted he knew the connection between the name and the controlled substance. The show even sold the slime to kids, and the host even called it “gak” on live TV. Mattel and Jakks Pacific also created and sold their own slime versions, literally called Gak and Goooze. Yikes.

No World Peace

“The Powerpuff Girls” (1998-2005)

This banned musical episode is a doozy. Exhausted with a never-ending life of fighting crime, the Powerpuff Girls are tricked by a devious gnome into losing their powers in exchange for everlasting peace in the world. This “peace” turns out to be a total nightmare, with the citizens forming a cult of worship around the gnome, who is corrupted by power. Fortunately, the utopian deal is broken, and the Powerpuff Girls regain their superpowers to defeat him. With a moral as ethically muddled as this, it’s no wonder the episode was banned in the U.S. and other countries, released later only on DVD.

Rude Clones

“Dexter’s Laboratory” (1996-98; 2001-03)

This episode was rudely removed for obvious reasons. When Dexter invents a machine that removes his and Dee Dee’s rude behavior, he creates rude clones of themselves. The clones eventually escape and wreak havoc throughout the lab and the house, making an angry Mom start brandishing a bar of soap. Although the rude clones’ profanity is completely bleeped out, Cartoon Network felt it was inappropriate and banned the episode. Adult Swim uploaded the episode on its YouTube channel in 2013, but it was quickly taken down. Even bleeps are serious business.

Dad Pretends to Be Pregnant

“Bluey” (2018-)

This message of radical empathy may have been too radical. In this episode, Bandit finds Bingo’s old baby harness and shows her how it works. When Bingo climbs in and insists on being a baby, Bandit gamely plays along as the expecting parent…but of course, pregnancy pains are no joke. The game even goes as far as to make Bandit go into “labor” in their backyard. Perhaps the depiction of pregnancy and childbirth proved a little too real for Disney executives, for the episode never aired. It was uploaded on the “Bluey” official YouTube channel, though, so all’s well that ends well.

The Devil Takes Darkwing’s Soul

“Darkwing Duck” (1991-92)

Don’t you just hate it when that happens? In this playful “Batman” parody show, Darkwing Duck and Gosalyn go to a magic school where Morgana is to present her paper. Gosalyn even tries her hand at magic, but when she gets too confused by all the math involved, she is tricked by Beelzebub himself into using a forbidden spell. This spell allows Beelzebub to steal Darkwing’s soul, and Gosalyn is forced to get it back. A good ending, but soul stealing was perhaps a step too far, as the episode was not rebroadcast after its original run.

The Vanessa Hudgens Leak

It was the 2000s, unfortunately. In 2007, this “High School Musical” star became mired in scandal after photos of her in lingerie and even naked were leaked online without her consent. It happened again in 2009, this time with photos of her topless, and Hudgens finally took action. She sued a website for posting nude photos of her, taken from a mobile phone in a private home. It was fortunate Disney didn’t drop her from “High School Musical 3,” but these scandals nevertheless took a toll on Hudgens’ wholesome reputation. And unfortunately, the Internet never forgot either. Poor Hudgens.

World War II Satire Falls Flat

“TaleSpin” (1990-91)

Now, this is interesting. In an obvious parody of “Shangri-La,” this adventurous show follows Baloo as he discovers a similarly mystical land, Panda-La. Panda-La turns out to be no true paradise, as the pandas there launch an attack on Cape Suzette through hot air balloons. This was a very clear reference to the Pearl Harbor attacks in World War II. There were also crude instances of Asian stereotyping, with the pandas dressed in Japanese kimonos and speaking accented English. For these very obvious reasons, the episode was banned from reruns and removed from streaming services.

Planned Seduction“Rocko’s Modern Life” (1993-96)

What do you mean, infidelity is not for kids? An episode of this black comedy series features an unhappy Bev Bighead, who feels unloved and unappreciated by her husband Ed. So she calls a clueless Rocko to do chores for her around the house for some extra money, trying to seduce him in the process. In the end, Bev finally gives Rocko his money and kisses him, just as Ed walks through the door. Eventually, Ed apologizes to Bev for his lack of attention and they make up. While it wasn’t banned or censored in its premiere, the episode was eventually banned from airing in the U.S. and Canada.

Miley Cyrus’ Smoking Video

The many scandals of this “Hannah Montana” star are well-known by now. The singer-actress caused a wave of controversy when a video of her smoking from a bong was posted online, taken just days after her eighteenth birthday. While initially believed to be marijuana, the substance was actually salvia, with similar effects but with fewer legal restrictions at the time. Regardless, Cyrus apologized for disappointing her fans and admitted it was a mistake. Cyrus’ scandalous behavior continued, but this early scandal was one of the first to cement Cyrus’ radical departure from her clean teen persona.

A Racist ‘Merrie Melodies’ Collection

“Merrie Melodies” (1931-69; 1979-97)

Some toons are not so merry. Needless to say, these vintage ‘40s cartoon shorts cause quite a wave of controversy for modern audiences. Arguably the most offensive was this 1944 cartoon. This short depicted Japanese soldiers as racial stereotypes, with Bugs himself giving them offensive nicknames. Although controversial in the ‘60s, the shorts were not pulled until the ‘90s VHS release, with Japanese groups criticizing the distribution. Eventually, Warner Bros. pulled the short off home video, replacing it with “Racketeer Rabbit.” The short never appeared on television networks again, for good reason.

Gun Lesson Too Graphic

“Gargoyles” (1994-97)

This cult classic sci-fi show caused some contention with this episode, perhaps the show’s most controversial. Inspired by the gun-toting antics in a western movie, Broadway accidentally shoots his friend Elisa while playing cowboy with her gun. Panicked, Broadway brings a bleeding Elisa to the hospital. Elisa manages to recover, with a repentant Broadway swearing he would never touch a gun again. It is a powerful message about the dangers of guns and the consequences of gun violence. Still, parents got squeamish at the image of Elisa lying in a pool of her own blood, which led to the episode being temporarily pulled from circulation and re-edited to remove the blood.

The Alleged Justice-Grande Feud

“Victorious” (2010-13)

This popular sitcom led by Victoria Justice playing an aspiring singer led to one of the oddest rumors to come out of the show: Justice’s alleged beef with her co-star Ariana Grande as Cat Valentine. There was a 2010 interview with the cast, in which Justice saucily replied, “I think we ALL sing” to a comment about Grande singing all the time on the show. This reply became a meme and sparked rumors of behind-the-scenes tension between the two. Both Justice and Grande have consistently denied it, however, so perhaps the rumors will finally be put to rest.

Death of Caillou’s Voice Actor

“Caillou” (1997-2011; 2024)

While initially popular with good critical reviews, this show eventually got backlash for what some perceived as its questionable moral messages and bratty behavior of its titular protagonist. But the series also suffered a major tragedy. The show’s protagonist, Caillou, was voiced by no less than three actors. The second of them, 17-year-old Jaclyn Linetsky, was tragically killed in a car accident in 2003 on the way to the set of “15/Love.” Linetsky was replaced with Annie Bovaird, who voiced the part until 2010. The film “Caillou's Holiday Movie” was dedicated to her. RIP.

Minnie Takes Care of Pluto

“Mickey Mouse Works” (1999-2000)

It’s what it says on the tin. This episode had Minnie dog sitting Pluto. When a frustrated Minnie tells Pluto to stay out of her way, Pluto gets visited by his shoulder angel and shoulder devil. The shoulder devil tries to persuade him Minnie is out to get him, while the shoulder angel stresses patience with her. The dark imagery of the shoulder devil was particularly frightening, including an instance where Minnie buries Pluto alive! Talk about “taking care” of someone. Faced with parental complaints, ABC pulled the short out of circulation and never showed it again on the air.

Not a Kid-Friendly Christmas Video

“Rainbow” (1972-97)

This is another wholesome kids show that had really naughty behind the scenes moments. “Rainbow” was like a British version of “Sesame Street,” albeit set in a house instead of a street. At one point, the cast of “Rainbow” decided to do a very adult sketch just for their Thames TV staff Christmas video. This sketch featured several sexual innuendos and imagery, as well as double entendres like “The Plucking Song.” Naturally, this sketch was never intended to be broadcast. So it was a shock when it premiered in 1997, on Channel 4’s “TV Offal.” The episode became viral in the early Internet, for obvious reasons.

Buffalo Gals

“Cow and Chicken” (1997-99)

In this series, Cow and Chicken meet the Buffalo Gals, a group of female bikers. When one of them gets a crush on Cow, Chicken hurries to rescue her from their clutches. The bulk of the Buffalo Gals, references to carpet chewing, and their propensity for playing softball, led many to interpret them as coded lesbians. Head writer Bill Burnett insisted the parallels were purely unintentional and the Buffalo Gals were not meant to be queer. In any case, the episode was aired only once before it was pulled out of circulation. They were not, alas, a league of their own.

Stunt Negligence

“iCarly” (2007-12)

In the episode iGet Pranky, there is a scene where Carly, Freddie, and Sam go to leave before reminding themselves to get Gibby to leave with them. Gibby suddenly falls from the ceiling in a way you would only expect from Gibby. Unfortunately, the bit was far from hilarious years after airing. According to Gibbys actor, Noah Munck, the stuntwoman posing as his character, Katina Waters, suffered from serious injuries during filming. Turns out that Waters was not wearing enough safety equipment, and the person in charge of lowering her did not do so at the speed it was practiced. Waters would later sue Nickelodeon, MTV Networks, and Schneider’s Bakery, “iCarly’s” production house, in 2014.

Total Derailment

“Childrens Hour” (1922-64)

In 1953, BBC’s “Childrens Hour” broadcast its own adaptation of “The Sad Story of Henry,” infuriating the book's original author, Reverend Wilbert Awdry. One shot showed Henry’s model go off the rails, and even a hand placing Henry back onto the track before resuming the show. Awdry wrote a scathing letter to the BBC, threatening to pull the rights from them should a mistake like this occur again. The letter made national headlines across the UK, even getting BBCs Head of Programmes involved. To think all of this outrage occurred over a toy train’s unexpected derailment on live television. As Murphy’s Law states: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

The Ranger Walkout

“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” (1993-95)

Considering the immense popularity of the Power Rangers, one would hope that the cast and crew would be well taken care of. Sadly, that was not the case for the original '90s show, at least the one that aired in the U.S. In the middle of Season Two’s production, Austin St. John, Walter Emmanuel Jones, and Thuy Trang, who played the Red, Black, and Yellow Rangers, respectively, left the show due to the awful working conditions. Because the show was a non-union production, the cast and crew were expected to work long hours for very little pay with no royalties. As St. John would clarify in 2014, “I could have worked the window at McDonald's and probably made the same money the first season.”

Katy Perry’s Appearance

“Sesame Street” (1969-)

“Sesame Street” has featured a wide selection of celebrity appearances since its 1969 debut. Some have been fairly controversial, but when Katy Perry was set to appear in Season 41, it seemed as if “Sesame Street” was suddenly a not-so-friendly street. Parents were furious at Perry’s revealing attire and put “Sesame Street” on blast across the internet. Sesame Workshop released a statement acknowledging the backlash and that the segment would not be featured in the proper show, but Katy Perry fans will still be able to view the video on YouTube. At the time of this video, the segment does not seem to be available on “Sesame Street’s” YouTube channel, only living on through reuploads.

Jamie Lynn Spears’ Pregnancy

“Zoey 101” (2005-08)

For a time, it seemed as if Jamie Lynn Spears was about to begin her own path to stardom while big sister Britney dominated the music scene. However, everything took a turn for the worse when “Zoey 101” suddenly got canceled. In a 2007 interview with OK! Magazine, Spears, who was still a minor at the time of the interview, revealed that she was three months pregnant. Parents and news outlets were swift in voicing their outrage and concerns, deeming Spears a bad influence on their children. Nickelodeon would clarify that the fourth season had finished production prior to Spears’s pregnancy before revealing that Season Four would be “Zoey 101’s” final season.

Post-Show Woes

“Barney & Friends” (1992-2010)

“Barney & Friends” has been forever stained by some uncomfortable, sometimes disturbing details involving performers and even creator Sheryl Leach’s family. For starters, one of Barney’s performers, David Joyner, was outed as a tantric massage therapist (if you know, you know). Then, Sheryl Leach found her name being dragged through the mud as news outlets reported on her son, Patrick, firing a gun at their neighbor in 2013. Details have spread here and there over the years about turmoil within the Leach family, much of it involving Barney’s inception as well. Combine all of that with the weirdly intense hatred towards the purple dinosaur, this is a show many are hesitant to associate with.

Everything to Do With John Kricfalusi

“The Ren & Stimpy Show” (1991-96)

While Ren and Stimpy continue to have adoring fans from the early Nickelodeon years, their history has a disturbing shadow that may never be shaken off. In 2018, creator John Kricfalusi was exposed for having inappropriate relationships with Robyn Byrd and Katie Rice, who had begun talking to Kricfalusi when they were teenagers. This prompted other veterans from within the animation industry to share their own disturbing stories about the “Ren & Stimpy” creator. Kricfalusi would apologize for his behavior, citing mental illnesses as the reason. However, he has been largely exiled from the industry. The chihuahua and cat may make a comeback, but Kricfalusi won’t be coming along for the ride.

Not All That

“All That” (1994-2005; 2019-20)

Many unsettling stories about Nickelodeon shows have come out in recent years. We’ll get to the biggest soon, but one of the most shocking stories comes from former “All That” cast member Angelique Bates, who faced harassment from a fellow cast member and lead writer Dan Schneider. Bates has denied reports that her mother was also abusive, saying, “It was Nickelodeon that verbally and emotionally abused me.” According to the actress, she was even told by colleagues to stay quiet. It wasn’t until the docuseries “Quiet on Set” exposed many dark situations Nick stars were subjected to that Bates became more vocal about her personal experiences.

Ham’s Arrest

“Andi Mack” (2017-19)

While Disney has been known for maintaining a seemingly spotless reputation, some uncomfortable events have occurred behind the scenes of its films and TV shows. “Andi Mack” is no exception. A 2018 article from Deadline reported that Stoney Westmoreland, who played Andi’s grandfather, Ham, had been arrested for planning to meet up with a minor whom he had met online. Disney almost immediately fired Westmoreland and even went so far as to edit his character out of all future episodes where he would have been featured. “Andi Mack” was already midway into its third and final season at the time of his arrest.

The New Teenage Dora

“Dora the Explorer” (2000-19)

In an effort to grow up with the audience, Nickelodeon and Mattel put Dora through a massive redesign as she went from a small child into a tween. In 2009, the two companies revealed upcoming shows and merchandising with this new Dora, a tween girl sporting long purple jeans, a pink top with orange trim, and a gold necklace. Some parents grew angry over this redesign, claiming that Nickelodeon and Mattel had turned Dora from a tomboy into something much more promiscuous. Regardless, the companies stood by the redesign, claiming that Dora had not changed from her innocent origins.

Peer Pressure & Drunk Driving

“Tiny Toons Adventures” (1990-92)

Even for cartoon characters, the dangers of underage drinking are far too real. And “Tiny Toon Adventures” didn't shy away from any of it. It's bad enough showing Buster, Plucky, and Hamton sipping on a beer. But it's even worse seeing them get trashed, steal a cop car, and then drive into the aptly-named Death Mountain. Suffice it to say, it went a bit too far for a children's-oriented program. In the end, the only thing this PSA accomplished was getting the entire episode banned for over twenty years. Nowadays, the segment is readily accessible on streaming and DVD releases. That doesn't make it any more appealing, though.

Prejudice Against Tinky Winky

“The Teletubbies” (1997-2001)

Certain groups out there will go to any lengths to prevent what they perceive as gay advocacy from appearing on television. Unfortunately, back in 1999, the Teletubbies came under their scope. Controversy arose when the conservative activist Jerry Falwell alleged that the purple character Tinky Winky was a covert gay role model. The reason for this is because, while the character is assumed to be male, he carries around what looks like a woman’s handbag. The BBC and the production company behind Teletubbies clarified that it was simply a magic bag, and Tinky Winky wasn't gay or straight, simply a character in a children's series.

Bob the Builder Drops the F-Bomb?

“Bob the Builder” (1997-2011)

You know whenever you think you hear something, but it sounds like something else? Well, that’s precisely what happened to this British, hard hat-wearing staple of children's stop motion animation. During the Season 2 episode “Wallpaper Wendy,” Bob the Builder attempts to decorate the inside of a house to mixed results. During this segment, Bob mumbles as he struggles with the task. These mumbles resulted in some parents claiming to hear the frustrated builder swearing. While it was stated that this mumbling was simply being misinterpreted, the obscure lines were muted for later broadcasts.

Kermit Gets Fired

“The Muppets” Franchise (1955-)

Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the others are about as unproblematic as you can get. But, the puppeteers behind them are a different story. For 27 years, Steve Whitmire continued The Muppets legacy as the performer of several iconic characters. Most famously, Kermit himself. However, parent company Disney alleged that many of those years were filled with outrageous demands and unacceptable workmanship. It reached a tipping point in late 2016 when Whitmire was terminated from The Muppets altogether. He didn't go quietly, though. Whitmire vehemently refuted Disney’s story and claimed he was let go over union disagreements and other minor gripes. No matter which side is true, odds are Whitmire won’t be returning to Kermit any time soon.

Scary Spiders

“Peppa Pig” (2004-)

Like most kids her age, Peppa is frightened of arachnids. But, with some help from George, she ends the episode “Mister Skinnylegs” thinking they aren't so bad. It’s a nice message and all; the issue is that some spiders are feared for very good reasons. For example, in Australia, where there’s a whole bunch of creepy crawlies carrying lethal venom. There, the episode drew significant controversy for minimizing the threat of spiders, especially among young, impressionable kids. Eventually, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation deemed the episode inappropriate and completely banned it from the country. Apparently, they agreed that spiders are to be feared, after all.

Adoption Jokes

“You Can't Do That On Television” (1979-90)

Ironically, this show’s title is exactly what some viewers said about a few of its tasteless jokes. In the episode bluntly titled “Adoption,” several sketches made very questionable gags at the expense of orphans and foster care - in particular, one scene featured a politician adopting a kid, using him to do chores, and then trying to return him to the orphanage. Instead of playful, the whole thing came across as mean-spirited and out-of-touch. So it's no surprise that, reportedly, “Adoption” only aired twice before being yanked off American airwaves indefinitely. Years later, even one of the show's creators admitted that these jokes crossed a line.

Homophobia

“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” (1993-95)

In most episodes, these spandex-clad heroes fought the bad guys, learned a lesson, and saved the day. However, behind the scenes, one of them was fighting a very different kind of battle. In the years since his departure from the series, original Blue Ranger David Yost has revealed that he faced intense homophobia on the set of the hit 90s program. Eventually, the constant ridicule forced Yost to exit the show without even filming a goodbye. Instead, “Power Rangers” used archival recordings and a ham-fisted aging plotline to write Billy out without his actor. Knowing all that Yost endured makes revisiting the franchise’s early days much more difficult.

A Different Kind of Street

“Sesame Street” (1969-)

On October 16th, 2011, Elmo and the others woke up to some very unwelcome guests in their neck of the woods. Someone had hacked “Sesame Street's” official YouTube page and replaced the kid-friendly content with videos for a much, much older audience. And that's putting it lightly. Before you ask, no, apparently none of them included “Sesame Street” characters. The only silver lining is that the lewd content was presumably only live for around twenty minutes. Afterward, the channel was taken down and later reverted back to the rightful owners. Thankfully, “Sesame Street's”YouTube page has stayed safe for all ages ever since.

LGBTQ+ Content

“Arthur” Franchise (1996-)

On two separate occasions, this classic cartoon went out of its way to normalize same-sex couples. The first instance occurred in 2005 when the spinoff “Postcards from Buster” came under fire for depicting children with two mothers. Even though there was no use of the word lesbian, it was still banned from several American television stations. The flagship series faced similar resistance in 2019 when Mr. Ratburn married another man. Once again, there were little-to-no overt references to the same-gender aspects of the storyline. But, sadly, that didn't stop the state of Alabama from refusing to air the episode altogether.

Canceled Creator

“The Loud House” (2016-)

In the middle of its highly-rated second season, this show made some noise for all the wrong reasons. The series creator, Chris Savino, was abruptly terminated from Nickelodeon following several long-standing sexual misconduct allegations. A week later, Savino owned up to his actions and expressed regret over how he handled the situation. Since “The Loud House” was based on the experiences of its creator, many were skeptical about how it would continue without him. Luckily, the show bounced back from this PR disaster with more laughs than ever before. Even without Savino, “The Loud House” has continued to thrive.

War & Conflict

“Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” (1968-2001)

It’s somewhat poetic that an arc named “Conflict” so thoroughly lived up to its name. It all started in 1983 when “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” spent a whole week's worth of episodes discussing the realities of war, death, and violence. To be fair, the show was no stranger to tackling difficult subject matter. But this frank examination of the current political climate was simply too much for some. “Conflict” aired for the last time in 1996, and since then, it's been left out of just about every official release of the show. If it weren't for fans spearheading a restoration effort, there's a chance these controversial episodes would have been lost to time.

Identity Panic

“Spongebob SquarePants” (1999-)

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob Squarepants! And who is also supposedly a secret gay advocate? Potentially everyone’s favorite underwater sponge! In 2005, a wide range of popular children’s shows collaborated for a charity music video. Sponsored by the We Are Family Foundation, it sought to promote diversity and tolerance in the spirit of Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family.” Cool, right? But, no, upon its release, conservative religious groups attacked the organization. While series creator Stephen Hillenburg had denied that Spongebob was gay years earlier, he stated that he considered the character somewhat asexual. So much for a faux-morality panic.

Controversial Tweets

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (2012-17)

Whenever you're an actor for a children’s show, there is a common expectation that you’ll have a somewhat tame public image. However, it seems that Jason Biggs, who played Leonardo in “TMNT,” didn’t get the memo. The actor shared his thoughts on Twitter about the Republican National Convention and the private parts of Ann Romney, Paul Ryan, and Janna Little. Nickelodeon quickly apologized for the comments, and the incident led to Jason being replaced on the show from Season 2 onwards.

Potential Islamophobia

“Fireman Sam” (1987-)

Children’s cartoons are mostly expected to contain lessons about moral and societal values. But this incident may make you consider if “Fireman Sam” was secretly preaching intolerance. This episode of the British animated cartoon first aired in 2014, but the error only came to light in 2016. One of the characters enters a room and slips on some papers, one of which looks like a page from the Qur'an. Mattel came out saying it was an unfortunate error when a member of the production company thought they were putting scribbles on a page. Despite the apology, people were up in arms about it on social media.

Censored Dance

“Steven Universe” (2013-19)

In a show that includes a lot of LGBTQ+ themes, you would think that the network that commissioned it would want to maintain that vision around the world. Apparently not in the United Kingdom. During the episode “We Need to Talk,” the characters Rose Quartz and Pearl dance romantically with each other. If you saw this in the US, you would’ve gotten the whole dance, including a moment where the two are very close to each other. But if you saw it in the UK, you instead would've gotten some alternative close-ups omitting that small segment. Fans were outraged, but Cartoon Network stood by their decision, saying that it was in line with the UK rating system.

Host Troubles

“Blue Peter” (1958-)

When a show is framed as family-friendly, the cast and crew are under a lot of scrutiny. This is the case for “Blue Peter,” the longest-running children’s TV series globally, which has had its fair share of hiccups. In 2007, a “Blue Peter” editor was fired after the show rigged a cat naming contest. But this was far from the most troublesome issue. One of the most notable involved former presenter Richard Bacon, leading up to “Blue Peter’s” 40th anniversary in the late 90s. Tabloids revealed that Bacon reportedly did cocaine during his tenure on the show. This revelation sparked media outrage, prompting a response from the Head of Children’s Programming at the BBC, resulting in him being let go from the program.

Flashing Images Cause Mass Mania

“Pokémon” (1997-)

When companies translate a foreign cartoon to English, sometimes they choose to censor certain bits, like a particularly infamous joke during a beach episode in this show's Season 1. Unfortunately, something got left in another time. During the “Pokemon” episode “Denn Senshi Porygon,” Ash and the gang get stuck inside a machine and have to fight Team Rocket and Porygon. Towards the end, an explosion animation featured red and blue flashes happening in quick succession, which triggered seizures in children with epilepsy. And then the news of it reportedly created mass hysteria. It of course wasn't the intention of Japanese animators to harm anyone - and us either, which is why we’re not going to show the scene in question - but the episode was understandably pulled from broadcast.

Dan Schneider’s Legacy

Various

In 2018, Nickelodeon parted ways with one of their most prolific creators of all time. But despite his resume, odds are Dan Schneider will only be remembered for the mountain of allegations levied against him. While Nickelodeon’s firing only explicitly cited his quick temper, many insiders have come out accusing Schneider of repeated sexual harassment. This included former “iCarly” star Jennette McCurdy, who spent a section of her memoir detailing her harrowing experiences with someone only referred to as The Creator. Given the extent of the charges, many fans have also pointed to scenes in Schneider’s work that have not aged well at all. As a result, it's unlikely Schneider, or his legacy, will ever recover.

Elmo Actor Allegations

“Sesame Street” (1969-)

“Sesame Street” can’t seem to get a break when it comes to controversies. As we know, a controversy arose over celebrity guest Katy Perry’s dress during a music video, causing the segment to be removed. Then there’s the already mentioned hacking of their YouTube channel. All parents really want is to make sure that their children are safe watching these shows, so when dangerous claims are made, it can cause panic. Kevin Clash, the actor behind the popular “Sesame Street” character Elmo, had several extremely serious allegations of sexual impropriety leveled against him in 2012. These claims garnered a lot of media attention, and despite the accusations eventually being legally dismissed, Clash left the series.

Terrible Reality

“Kid Nation” (2007)

There are reasons why there are stringent laws and regulations regarding children working in the film and television industry. Sure, it might make for exciting programming, but the aim isn't to scar them for life! The cash-prize reality show “Kid Nation” sent a group of 40 children of various ages into the desert, challenging them to create a functioning society. The crew was informed to be as little involved as possible, allowing these vulnerable kids to experience genuinely distressing events. The disturbing premise resembles Willam Golding’s novel “Lord of the Flies,” and audiences agreed. Unfortunately, the parents were apparently poorly informed regarding what was involved, and the backlash meant it only lasted one season.

Which other kids show do you know got scalded in the fires of controversy? Let us know in the comments down below!