Banned Episodes Of Beloved Sitcoms

Turban Cowboy

Family Guy

What The Episode Was

Peter Griffin decides to become a Muslim. He quickly finds out he is actually a pawn in a terrorist plot to blow up a bridge in Quahog.

FOX pulled "Turban Cowboy" from regular rotation because one flashback showed Peter winning the Boston Marathon by running over competitors with a car. The episode aired months before the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and FOX acted respectfully.

"Turban Cowboy" was pulled from rotation after its first airing due to a flashback. Peter remembers winning the Boston Marathon by running over rivals with a car. FOX pulled the episode to respect the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

The Show

Ren and Stimpy

What The Episode Was

Ren and Stimpy are adopted by George Liquor, a tough, military owner. Liquor tries to teach them real discipline, threatening to tear the duo apart.

Nickelodeon banned the episode after Ren struck Stimpy's head with an oar. The slow-motion violence and detailed marks on Stimpy's face crossed a line Nickelodeon would not allow.

Ren's anger toward Liquor boiled over. Ren struck Stimpy's head with an oar. The slow-motion violence and the gruesome marks on Stimpy's face caused Nickelodeon to ban the episode from airing.

The Show

Beavis and Butthead

What The Episode Was

Beavis and Butthead decide to pursue new careers as stand-up comedians. Their attempts fail, so the duo sets fire to the comedy club and watches it burn.MTV pulled "Comedians" because of what it inspired in real life. Specifically, a five-year-old named Austin Messner watched it. Hearing a character say fire was "fun," Austin set fire to his family home, killing his younger sister. MTV pulled the episode permanently.

MTV pulled "Comedians" because of the real-life outcome. A five-year-old named Austin Messner watched the episode. After hearing fire was "fun," he burned his family home, resulting in his sister's death. MTV pulled the episode off the air.

"Comedians" was pulled because of its real-life effect. A five-year-old named Austin Messner watched the episode. He heard a character say fire was "fun." Austin then set fire to his family home, leading to his sister's death. MTV removed the episode.5-year-old named Austin MessnerAustin Messner watched "Comedians." He heard a character say fire was "fun." Austin set fire to his family home that night, killing his younger sister. MTV pulled the episode from rotation permanently.

The Show

Tiny Toons

The first part of the "Elephant Issues" episode showed Buster Bunny, Hamton J. Pig, and Plucky Duck find an unopened beer. After each character drinks, they have a wild night that ends with them all dying by drunk driving off a cliff.

The "Elephant Issues" segment "One Beer" opened with Buster Bunny, Hamton J. Pig, and Plucky Duck finding a beer. Each character drank, leading to a wild night that ended with them all dying from drunk driving off a cliff.

Viewers and parents reacted negatively to the "One Beer" segment. They argued the topic was too dark for a kid-friendly cartoon. The network pulled it quickly.

The message of the "One Beer" segment taught that drinking is dangerous and should be avoided. However, many viewers and parents disliked the segment, claiming the topic was too dark. The network pulled it quickly.

The Show

Seinfeld

In the controversial 1998 episode, the

In the controversial 1998 episode, the SeinfeldCrew got out of a Mets game early. They got stuck in heavy traffic during a national Puerto Rican Day celebration and parade. Kramer accidentally lit a sparkler, setting the Puerto Rican flag on fire. He tried to put it out. The crew and others then faced an angry crowd of offended Puerto Rican witnesses.

The show was pulled from rotation.

Seeing why this episode ofSeinfeldMany people found this episode controversial. They called out burning the Puerto Rican flag as a disrespectful prop. Kramer responded by saying it "happens every day in Puerto Rico." The Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer specifically called him out at that time.

The Show

Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Colon Movie Film for Theaters

The episode's plot had the main characters travel to Boston. They were mistaken for bombs because of their light-up displays. This was a direct, meta reference to a real event involving the show and Boston. In 2007, several Aqua Teen Hunger Force light-up displays were in Boston. City authorities briefly thought they might be bombs and started investigating the threat.

When it became clear the displays were part of the show's marketing, Cartoon Network's head company, Tribune Media, paid the City of Boston $2 million to fix the problem.

It was pulled from rotation.

This episode is the only one in the entire show's history that never aired on TV. Tribune Media executives threatened to fire the ATHF crew if they aired it. They did this to avoid drawing more attention to the event.

The Show

The Boondocks

What The Episode Was

To boycott BET and its negative effects on the African American community, Huey starts a hunger strike. The character gets major media attention for the stunt. A reverend pays attention, but he seems more focused on promoting himself than helping Huey make a difference.

It was pulled from rotation.

"The Hunger Strike" has not aired in the United States yet. BET supposedly threatened lawsuits if it promoted any anti-BET views to the public. This was enough for them to pull it from rotation.

The Show

Daria

What The Episode Was

After Sandi gained weight recovering from a broken leg, she was kicked out of the fashion club for breaking weight gain rules. Her forced exit made another member leave too, leaving the club's responsibilities on the few members remaining. Meanwhile, Daria bets on whether the fashion club will survive this trouble.

It was pulled from rotation.

The big issue with "Fat Like Me" involved its apparent link between gaining weight and losing popularity. Teen Nick never aired the episode as a result.

The Show

I Love Lucy

The Ricardo and Mertz visit Cuba to meet Ricky's family. Lucy must impress Ricky's Uncle Alberto, who pressured Ricky to marry a Cuban woman. Lucy constantly messes up and embarrasses everyone in front of Ricky's family.

The Ricardo and Mertz visit Cuba to meet Ricky's family. Lucy must impress Ricky's Uncle Alberto, who pressured Ricky to marry a Cuban woman. Lucy constantly messes up and embarrasses everyone in front of Ricky's family.

Why It Was Pulled From Rotation

This episode seemed like a simple case of cultural insensitivity regarding Cuban culture and citizens. That was not the actual reason this episode was pulled.I Love LucyThe episode was pulled. Growing US-Cuba tensions in 1960, just four years after "The Ricardos Visit Cuba" aired, caused the pull.

The Show

Boy Meets World

What The Episode Was

Cory and Topanga made a pact to only tell the truth about themselves and their feelings before a dinner party with Rachel and Jack. A party game threatened to reveal truths Cory and Topanga wanted to hide, trapping the couple in a bad choice.

Why It Was Pulled From Rotation

"Honesty" dealt too much with sexual themes for the Disney Channel. The network removed it from reruns.

The Show

Married... With Children

What The Episode Was

Al and Peggy Bundy found a tape of Steve and Marcy Rhoades at a motel. They decided to get intimate there anyway, despite the risk of being recorded. When the Bundys and Rhoades sued for unauthorized taping, the court awarded the Rhoades money but said the Bundys' tape was too short to prove copulation.

Al and Peggy were angered by the verdict. They got intimate in the courtroom alone, unaware they were being recorded again.

Why It Was Pulled From Rotation

WhileMarried... With Children "I'll See You In Court" had vulgar and racy moments. Fox censors felt the episode went too far. Fox did not air it until over a decade after its first showing.

The Show

Boy Meets World

What The Episode Was

Cory stole alcohol from his father to ease a headache and shared it with Shawn. Things turned dark when Shawn found he liked the taste and effects of alcohol too much for his own good.

Why It Was Pulled From Rotation

Throughout its tenure,Boy Meets World.The show handled dark social topics teens faced in the 1990s well, though it rarely went too dark for the network. The episode's themes of heavy and underage drinking were too dark for The Disney Channel. The network forced it to join only two other episodes to ban it from reruns.

The Show.

The Simpsons.

What The Episode Was.

Homer and his family travel to New York to get Homer's stolen car back. They find the car illegally parked in the World Trade Center plaza.

The episode was pulled because Homer went to the World Trade Center. After 9/11, airing anything that openly showed the Twin Towers felt too insensitive. FOX pulled "The City of New York vs Homer" from all rotation.

Like a special episode ofFamily Guy.This installment of The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson is also on this list.The Simpsons.The show did not get pulled for being controversial or vulgar. It featured Homer going to the World Trade Center. After 9/11, airing the Twin Towers openly was seen as extremely insensitive. FOX pulled "The City of New York vs Homer" from all rotation.

The Show.

Maude.

What The Episode Was.

Maude discovers she is pregnant at 47. Over two episodes, the character debates keeping the baby or having an abortion.

The episode was controversial because Maude aired an episode in 1972 where Bea Arthur's character openly discussed abortion. This was unheard of in entertainment. Some networks and affiliates refused to broadcast the episodes due to the themes.

Airing in 1972, Maude aired an episode where Bea Arthur's character openly discussed abortion. This was unheard of in the entertainment field. Some networks and affiliates refused to broadcast the episodes because of the themes.

The Show.

Boy Meets World.

What The Episode Was.

Cory and Topanga agree to lose their virginities in a hotel room on their senior prom night. However, Cory's parents staying nearby threw their plans into chaos.

The episode was pulled because Cory and Topanga had adult sexual themes and intimate moments. The network pulled it from all planned rerun rotations.

"Prom-ises" was the raciest episode thatBoy Meets World.Boy Meets World had aired "Prom-ises," which was the raciest episode ever aired by Disney-owned ABC. The episode's adult sexual themes and intimate moments between Cory and Topanga caused the network to pull it from all rerun rotations.