Mentions of death, murder, incest, abortion, and violence.
No matter how good and successful a TV show might be, none are safe from having at least one infamous and even controversial episode, but some of them truly shocked the world. It’s not uncommon for TV shows, regardless of their genre, to have one or more controversial moments, and these depend on different factors.
Some TV shows didn’t know how to handle certain subjects, and the results were disastrous, while others were too tone-deaf. In some cases, however, some TV shows aim to create controversy and that becomes their style, but even they have crossed some lines. Others have made honest mistakes, but with unfortunate results.
Even some ofthe best TV shows of all timehave some infamous episodes, and these aren’t always season or series finales.Some episodes were controversial due to a character’s death, the topics they addressed, or a badly handled situation, and some of them are still as shocking as when they first aired.
10“The Iron Throne” - Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones Season 8
Game of Throneshas various controversial and infamous episodes due to how graphic and violent the show was, as well as the topics it covered. However, the episode that caused the most intense reactions from the audience was the series finale, “The Iron Throne.”Game of Throneshad already been in decline, but the finale went too far.
The most controversial part of “The Iron Throne” was Bran’s fate.
Many voiced their dislike towards the changes made to Daenerys Targaryen and the way her story ended, as well as the fate of Jon Snow. However, the most controversial part of “The Iron Throne” was Bran’s fate, ashe ended up becoming the ruler of the Six Kingdoms (and the title iron throne was destroyed).
9“Return To Camelot Part 1” - Dallas
Dallas Season 10
Dallaschanged TV historywith two episodes, and one of them is also infamous: season 10’s “Return to Camelot Part 1.”At the end of season 8, Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) died after being run over, and so the following season carried on without him. However, at the end of season 9, Bobby’s ex-wife, Pam, found Bobby alive and well in the shower.
In season 10’s premiere episode,Dallascompletely retconned season 9 by revealing it had all been a dream of Pam.Dallasseason 10, then, carried on where season 8 left off. This decision was made after ratings declined following Bobby’s death, but his return and the “dream season” trick hurt the show even more.
8“The Body” - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5
Buffy the Vampire Slayerwas packed with action, but it also covered serious topics and had some truly heartbreaking moments – and the most shocking one was in season 5’s “The Body.” Buffy’s mother, Joyce, had surgery to remove a brain tumor, and though she seemed to have recovered, she was found dead by Buffy at the end of “I Was Made to Love You.”
The following episode dealt withBuffy’s shock and grief over Joyce’s sudden death, revealed to have been the result of an aneurysm. Not only is it shocking and heartbreaking to see Joyce die so suddenly, but the realism in Buffy’s reaction, emotions, and process is so heartbreaking that it made this episode both one of the best and alsothe most shockingBuffyepisodes.
7“Made in America” - The Sopranos
The Sopranos Season 6
There are many infamous series finales, andThe Sopranoshas one of those. After everything he did throughout six seasons, many expected Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) to be killed inThe Sopranos’ finale, but that wasn’t exactly what they got. Titled “Made in America”, the episode saw Tony trying to tie up loose ends with his associates and enemies.
Tony also wanted to secure his family’s future, and so inThe Soprano’s final scene, he met with his family at a diner. Tony kept an eye on who arrived and those around him, with his wife, Carmela, arriving first, and later their son A.J. Meanwhile, their daughter, Meadow, was struggling to park outside.
The doorbell rang, most likely announcing Meadow’s arrival, but the scene cut to black just as Tony looked up.
The scene kept focusing on some of the men near the Soprano family, hinting that one of them might be there to kill Tony. However, as Meadow crossed the street to enter the diner, the doorbell rang, most likely announcing her arrival, but the scene cut to black just as Tony looked up.
Many viewers believed there was a problem with the network or their TVas the cut to black was very sudden, but that’s just howThe Sopranosended. The suspense built up and the mystery of whether Tony was killed that night (or soon after) or not made this one of the best but alsomost controversial finales of all time.
6“The Puerto Rican Day” - Seinfeld
Seinfeld Season 9
Many things aboutSeinfeldhaven’t aged well, but “The Puerto Rican Day” was controversial when it first aired and it continues to be. The episode saw the core group stuck in traffic due to the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade after they left a Mets game early. While they tried to find ways to escape, Kramer needed a bathroom.
Kramer snuck into an apartment for sale to use the bathroom, and back outside,he accidentally set the Puerto Rican flag on fire and stomped on it to put it out. This caught the attention of the people celebrating, and they went after Kramer. This scene caused controversy, along with Kramer’s line of “it’s like this every day in Puerto Rico.”
The show’s cast and crew found the objections to the episode “unreasonable.”
Viewers sent angry letters and protested outside NBC’s Rockefeller Center, with the network apologizing for the episode and pulling it from summer repeats, while the show’s cast and crew found the objections to the episode “unreasonable.” Despite its high ratings,it’s generally considered one ofSeinfeld’s worst episodes.
5“200” - South Park
South Park Season 14
South Parklives to create controversy, but “200” crossed many boundaries. The episodes brought together public figures that had previously been mocked in the show, led by Tom Cruise. Cruise and the rest planned to file a class-action lawsuit against the town, butCruise promised to end it if the town got Islamic prophet Muhammad to meet him.
The addition of the prophet earnedSouth Park’s creators a lot of backlash and even death threats from the radical Muslim organization Revolution Muslim. In the end, Comedy Central heavily edited this and the following episode, but ultimately, the episodes were banned, and they aren’t available to stream.
4“The Animals” - Orange Is The New Black
Orange Is The New Black Season 4
Orange Is The New Black’s “The Animals” has one of the most shocking andheartbreaking TV deaths of all time. During a peaceful protest to force Piscatella out, Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” (Uzo Aduba) broke down, and Poussey (Samira Wiley) rushed to help her. However, this led CO Bayley to react and improperly restrain Poussey.
While Suzanne tried to get Bayley off Poussey, he ended up suffocating the latter, and she died on the cafeteria floor. Taystee later rushed to Poussey, crying and lying on the floor next to her. Poussey’s death is a reflection of real-life issues such as police brutality and racial justice, making this episode one ofOrange is the New Black’s most shocking ones.
3“Home” - The X-Files
The X-Files Season 4
“Home” is one ofthe best episodes ofThe X-Files, but it’s also one of the most disturbing and shocking ones. It saw Mulder and Scully investigating the discovery of the deformed body of a baby, but they couldn’t have been ready for the details behind it.Not only was the baby buried alive, but it was the result of inbreeding.
“Home” is deeply disturbing due to its themes and violence.
The ones responsible were the Peacock brothers, who had kept their quadruple amputee mother hidden for years, continuing to inbreed. “Home” is deeply disturbing due to its themes and violence, so much so thatFox didn’t air it again except for a Halloween broadcast three years later.
2“Time Stands Still” - Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation Season 4
Degrassi: The Next Generationwasn’t afraid to address serious and relevant topics, and in its 2004 two-part episode “Time Stands Still”, it addressed school shootings. In it, Rick continued to be constantly bullied, mostly for abusing Terri and leaving her in a coma the year before. Although Rick started to get along with some students, including Jimmy, others wanted revenge.
Rick went home and returned with his father’s gun, ready to get his revenge.
After winning the televised “Whack Your Grain” show, Jay, Spinner, and Alex pranked Rick by pouring a bucket of yellow paint and feathers on him in front of the audience. Humiliated and later rejected by Emma, Rick went home and returned with his father’s gun, ready to get his revenge.
Back at Degrassi,Rick shot Jimmy, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down, and tried to kill Emma. Sean attacked him and tried to point the gun away, but during the struggle, the gun fired into Rick’s stomach, killing him. This episode is considered amongDegrassi’s best and a “must watch”, and continues to be shocking and, sadly, relevant.
1“Maude’s Dilemma” - Maude
Maude Season 1
One of the most controversial and infamous episodes in TV history is “Maude’s Dilemma.” In it,Maude (Bea Arthur) learned she was pregnant at the age of 47. Knowing the problems this could bring (on many aspects), Maude struggled to decide whether to have an abortion or carry on with the pregnancy. In the end,Maude ended the pregnancy as encouraged by her daughter.
Abortion is still a delicate and even controversial topic in some communities and groups, and it was even more so back in the 1970s. Of course, the episode drew backlash, and there were campaigns against the show and the network.
