Top 20 Most Controversial TV Episodes

“The Office” (2005-13) If there was an award for HR violations, the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin would be drowning in gold medals. Mostly because of Michael Scott. In just the second episode of “The Office,” his not-so-tasteful jokes landed the whole show in a culture debate. While “Diversity Day” is often lauded as one of series’ funniest outings, its flippant portrayal of race has been a long-standing point of contention amongst some critics. As a result, Comedy Central pulled the episode from rerun rotation in 2021. “Diversity Day” is still available on streaming sites and DVD releases, in case you want to see it for yourself. But, heads up, you may want to wear headphones.

#19: “Chapter Seven: The Lost Sister”

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“Stranger Things” (2016-) The demogorgon has nothing on this episode. Right when the second season began to pick up steam, “Chapter Seven” grinded everything to a screeching halt. Look, on paper, there’s nothing wrong with giving the fan-favorite Eleven a standalone adventure. The issue is that, instead of a compelling character piece, it played like a cheap backdoor pilot for a spinoff no one wanted to see. Since “Stranger Things’” second season clocked in a full episode longer than the first, anyways, both fans and critics agreed this was a wholly unnecessary detour. Or, even worse, a plain and simple waste of time. It’s not quite “bitchin’,” that’s for sure.

#18: “I’ll See You in Court”

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“Married... With Children” (1987-97) It was a series notorious for being more racy than its contemporaries, but this episode is perhaps its most controversial, in large part due to censoring by the network. “I’ll See You in Court” sees Al and Peggy attempt to spice up their sex life by trying it somewhere new, only to end up being filmed without their consent; which leads them to seek compensation for the violation of their privacy. Going unaired for years on US television, the episode gained a reputation as the “lost episode.” Upon viewing it however, more recent critics have found it fairly vanilla. Chalk this one up to overzealous censors.

“All in the Family” (1971-79) The moment Sammy enters the Bunker house, television greatness ensues. It just took a while for people to get the joke. The story is a hilarious look at racial relations in America peppered in with quips about sexuality and religion. Given that the episode aired in 1972, it’s really no wonder “All in the Family” kicked up so much dust. While its envelope-pushing drew its fair share of ire at the time, modern viewers rightfully hail “Sammy’s Visit” as one of the greatest, singular episodes of television, ever. To prove it, the interracial kiss that closes the show marked one of the longest, sustained bouts of audience laughter in broadcast history.

“Degrassi” (2001-15) While this teen drama has never shied away from controversial or taboo topics, one of its most contentious moments was this season 13 episode, which featured the death of fan-favorite character Adam Torres. Drawing on modern issues, Adam dies after an accident caused by texting and driving. The death of a beloved character is often a sad and anger-invoking event for many fans, but being the first transgender character on the show, Adam’s death was a particularly rough blow for “Degrassi” viewers.

#15: Various

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“It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2005-) For years now, the Paddy’s Pub gang have flirted with all things offensive, controversial, and ban-worthy. At this point, it's part of the charm. And yet, that philosophy hasn’t always worked out. Like, for example, the handful of episodes that were pulled for featuring blackface - one of which is quite literally named “The Gang Turns Black.” You can imagine how well those went over. But, hey at least they aren’t alone. They joined an ever-growing list of banned “It’s Always Sunny” episodes; some for use of slurs, some for sexual content, some for islamophobia, and many, many more. Honestly, it’s amazing a show like this ever aired on television in the first place.

#14: "To Ransom a Man's Soul"

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“Outlander” (2014-) “Ransom” is a good word to describe what happens here. In order to let his beloved escape from a ruthless villain, Jamie Fraser offers himself up - including his body. The disturbing scenes that follow sparked a massive kerfuffle about the growing use of sexual violence in storytelling. Especially with the wrinkle that both characters here are male. The episode left some disavowing “Outlander” for its gratuitousness, and others complimenting it’s authentic portrayal of Jamie’s plight. But, that raised a whole other slew of questions. Even if this kind of content is handled with care, does it still have a place in television? No one knew the answer, but boy was everyone talking about it.

#13: “The Animals”

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“Orange Is the New Black” (2013-19) After a season of simmering tension, a peaceful cafeteria protest suddenly turns violent, and fan-favorite Poussey ends up six-feet deep because of it. It’s a harrowing scene on its own. But, the details of Poussey’s asphyxiation take on a whole new meaning in the wake of the “Black Lives Matter” movement. “Orange is the New Black’s” topical commentary didn’t land with everyone, though. Some viewers were outraged that Poussey, a black lesbian, had been unceremoniously killed off in the name of a moral lesson. There were hashtags, petitions, blogs, and many vowing to abandon the show altogether. No matter where you land on the matter, everyone can agree Poussey deserved better.

“Star Trek: The Original Series” (1966-69) In this legendary episode, Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura officially go where no man has gone before. At least, not on a mainstream television program. And, get this, all they did was kiss. It sounds tame nowadays, but their iconic locking of lips broke new ground for diverse relationships on TV. While overall responses were positive, a few detractors pointed out the unfortunate circumstances behind their embrace. Namely, that Kirk and Uhura are forced to kiss for an alien species’ pleasure. It’s a sore spot in what is, otherwise, a watershed moment in television history. Either way, the impact “Plato’s Stepchildren” has rightfully kept people talking for decades.

#11: “Return to Camelot Part 1”

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“Dallas” (1978-91) This season starts as innocently as possible. Pam wakes up, goes to the bathroom, and sees Bobby in the shower. The catch? Bobby died two seasons ago. Or, so people thought. In this one, infamous scene, “Dallas” ret-conned an entire year of episodes as Pam’s dreams. To say fans felt cheated would be a major understatement. While the show’s ratings and quality had suffered without Bobby, completely erasing the last thirty episodes felt like a spit in the face to the fans who had stuck it out. There’s no way of knowing whether “Dallas” would’ve been better off without the dream twist. But, it certainly wouldn’t have angered as many viewers.

#10: “The Day Will Come When You Won't Be”

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“The Walking Dead” (2010-22) Following-up the cliffhanger from season six, everyone tuning into “The Walking Dead” knew someone wasn’t making it out of the premiere alive. But, by the time Negan’s bat finally dropped, most of the audience had already checked out. The buzz-worthy debut weathered accusations of slow pacing, over-the-top violence, and killing off Abraham and Glenn for nothing more than shock value. What’s more, the heavy-handed marketing around who Negan killed left the impression that “The Walking Dead” had become a zombie itself: slow, mindless, and beholden to gimmicks. It sounds harsh, but the numbers don't lie. After this episode, viewership steadily decreased with each successive season. Zombies or not, this is the day “The Walking Dead” died.

“13 Reasons Why” (2017-2020) At its core, this show was made to start a conversation about mental health. Well, you can say it did that, and then some. In the finale of its first season, we finally see Hannah Baker fulfill the promise of her tapes. And, surprisingly, “13 Reasons Why” doesn’t shy away from any of the grisly details. Hannah’s graphic death sparked an industry-shaking moral debate about depictions of mental health in television. Everyone weighed in, from parents, to teens, to the show’s producers, to licensed medical experts. The argument got so heated, Netflix went back and re-edited Hannah’s death scene altogether. The original footage is no longer officially available, and that might be for the best.

#8: "Lucy Is Enceinte"

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“I Love Lucy” (1951-57) Pop the champagne! Lucy is enceinte! If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry. You aren’t supposed to. When Lucille Ball was expecting her second child, “I Love Lucy” had no choice but to do the unthinkable: write her pregnancy into the show. However, broadcaster CBS refused to let them say the word “pregnant.” Instead, “I Love Lucy” had to get clever, like using the French word for pregnant, enceinte. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Considering it’s one of television’s earliest onscreen pregnancies, it shouldn’t be a surprise to hear that Lucy’s time with child stirred up equal parts applause and scandal. Now, just imagine if they’d actually used the word “pregnant.”

“The 100” (2014-20) Killing off a character who exemplifies an underrepresented demographic can often result in a public outcry, and the death of Lexa – one of the few gay characters on “The 100” – was another case of this. Fans were particularly upset since axing gay characters is common enough to be a rather morbid trope. The writing staff of “The 100” has apologized for their handling of the death since the episode aired though, saying that they would have done things differently in hindsight. On a happier note, over $170,000 was raised by fans to support LGBTQ teens in need after the episode aired.

“M*A*S*H” (1972-83) For most of the third season finale, you’d be forgiven for assuming it’s a fairly straightforward episode of “M*A*S*H.” Then, one heart-wrenching radio broadcast changes everything for good. It’s a sad fact that not everyone makes it home from war. But, it’s one thing to hear about it, and another entirely to say goodbye to Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake. His death is a necessary reminder that, despite the laughs, these characters are still in a war. Unfortunately, not everyone watching saw it that way, spurring some intense backlash. The show’s producers received over one thousand handwritten letters about Henry’s passing. Which, in a way, reinforces why killing him off was so important.

#5: "The Iron Throne"

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“Game of Thrones” (2011-19) There may never be a show with as dramatic a fall from grace as “Game of Thrones,” and its maligned finale is a perfect microcosm as to why. To be fair, this high-fantasy is no stranger to controversy. Particularly for its frequent use of violence against women - looking at you, “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.” But, the reviews for the finale weren’t just contentious. They were downright toxic. Disappointing to both casuals and diehards alike, the last episode went through the motions without any heart, drama, or payoff. Pair that with Bran’s deeply unsatisfying takeover of the Iron Throne, and you’re left with an ending so bad, many feel the show isn’t even worth starting anymore.

“Maude” (1972-78) Given that it was a spin-off of the always confrontational “All in the Family,” “Maude” was destined to deal with hot-button issues and this two-parter went right for the jugular, as few things inspire as much debate as abortion. Made following the practice’s legalization in New York in real life, Maude, a middle aged woman, finds herself pregnant and decides to have the procedure. Although the initial broadcasts drew little attention, that changed when it was re-run after the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court verdict. This time, it drew huge viewing figures, thanks in part to the publicity unintentionally generated by protesters.

#3: “The Puppy Episode”

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“Ellen” (1994-98) Yep, it’s that episode. Lead character Ellen Morgan realizes she’s gay and opens up about it to others in the course of this two-parter. In a case of art mirroring life, Ellen DeGeneres came out of the closet nearly simultaneously with her character. Although not out of the norm today, this was groundbreaking in 1997. The episode was the subject of backlash even before it aired, with sponsors pulling support, right wing groups expressing outrage, and the studio even receiving a bomb threat. Its legacy is much more uplifting however, as Ellen’s coming out episode was a hugely seminal moment in advancing gay representation on television.

#2: “Home”

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“The X-Files” (1993-2002; 2016-18) The truth is out there – and it still gives viewers the creeps – in part thanks to episodes like “Home.” Set up like a slasher horror movie, this episode saw Mulder and Scully investigating a murderous family so monstrous, they make the Flukeman look cuddly. The violence and subject matter, which included rape, incest, and child murder, were so graphic, that it’s the only episode during the series run to receive a TV-MA rating and the only one never rebroadcast on FOX. Despite the controversy, “Home” earned extensive critical acclaim and is typically considered one of the series' finest episodes.

#1: “The Puerto Rican Day”

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“Seinfeld” (1989-98) Although the “show about nothing” tackled some provocative subjects during its run, its most controversial episode was not intentionally provocative. When Jerry and the gang are on their way home from a baseball game, they are caught in traffic due to the Puerto Rican Day parade. In the course of the story, Kramer accidentally sets a Puerto Rican flag on fire and stomps on it to put it out. In addition, the Puerto Ricans depicted in the episode are not shown in a favorable light, and the territory itself is implied to be riot-prone. All of this prompted protests, a formal apology, and the episode being pulled from reruns for several years.