The 15 Most Offensive TV Episodes Ever Pulled From Streaming

Streaming services are now carefully reviewing their content and removing shows or episodes that are considered culturally insensitive or offensive by today’s standards. TV networks and creators are often proactively pulling episodes containing blackface or other harmful racial depictions. As a result, viewers rewatching classic sitcoms might find some episodes are missing from season lineups. Here’s a look at some of the most prominent TV episodes that have been removed from streaming platforms.

‘Episode 847’ (1976)

As a classic film buff, I’ve always been fascinated by odd bits of television history. Apparently, Margaret Hamilton, forever known as the Wicked Witch of the West, did an appearance on a children’s show where she really became the character. The response was… intense. Parents flooded the network with letters saying their kids were genuinely terrified! It was pulled from circulation almost immediately, and to this day, you can’t find it on streaming services like Max. What’s really interesting is it wasn’t pulled for being offensive – it was because it actually scared children! It’s a pretty rare case of content being removed purely for being too frightening.

‘Mid-Life Crustacean’ (2003)

Mr. Krabs feels like he’s getting old and tries to relive his younger days by going on a wild night out with SpongeBob and Patrick. Their antics escalate to the point where they break into someone’s home to steal laundry. Because of its inappropriate content, Nickelodeon pulled the episode from TV and streaming platforms like Paramount+. It’s no longer available to watch.

‘To Kill a Chupacabraj’ (2011)

This workplace comedy features characters who accidentally unleash a pack of wild dogs into their office while trying to catch a legendary beast. However, the episode was pulled from Comedy Central and streaming services because of jokes considered highly inappropriate – specifically, casual references to child abuse. As a result, it’s still difficult to find legally today.

‘The Story of Jimmy Rebel’ (2010)

In a Boondocks episode, Uncle Ruckus learned his favorite singer, Jimmy Rebel, was a white supremacist. The episode used exaggerated characters and offensive song lyrics to critique racism. However, due to its strong use of racial slurs and hateful imagery, Adult Swim has removed the episode from circulation and it’s not available on Max with the rest of the series.

‘Shake Like Me’ (2003)

In a recent episode of a show, the character Master Shake is bitten and gains powers, leading to a significant change in his appearance. However, the episode relied on harmful racial stereotypes and exaggerated caricatures, which many viewers found deeply offensive. Adult Swim quietly removed the episode from broadcast and streaming platforms to avoid spreading these insensitive depictions. Fans have observed that it’s now missing from complete series sets available on services like Max.

‘My Fifteen Seconds’ (2001)

In a fantasy sequence on the show, J.D. and Turk playfully imagine switching races, which involved the actor playing J.D. using makeup to appear as his Black friend. The show’s creator, Bill Lawrence, asked for this episode, along with two others, to be removed from streaming services like Hulu and Amazon Prime because the imagery is now considered insensitive. Viewers may notice these episodes are missing from the season’s available content.

‘Mixed Blessings’ (1988)

Dorothy’s son’s engagement to an older Black woman initially causes tension between their families. An incident in one episode, where Rose and Blanche are wearing mud masks that are misinterpreted as blackface by the groom’s family, led Hulu to remove it. While some argued the scene was taken out of context, the episode is still not available on the streaming platform.

‘Christmas Attack Zone’ (2010)

At a holiday party, Jenna Maroney wore makeup intended to resemble football player Lynn Swann, which was widely considered to be blackface. The episode featuring this, along with others containing similar makeup choices, was removed from streaming platforms and broadcast. Tina Fey, the show’s executive producer, apologized for the use of this type of makeup. Viewers on Peacock and Hulu will skip over the episode when watching the series.

‘Believe in the Stars’ (2008)

In an attempt to demonstrate which of them faces more societal hardship, Jenna Maroney and Tracy Jordan switch identities. During this, Jenna makes the poor decision to wear blackface. The episode was later pulled from streaming and broadcast by its creators and the network. It’s one of a number of episodes from the popular comedy series that have been removed due to their use of makeup to change characters’ races.

‘Dee Day’ (2019)

Okay, so there’s this episode of my favorite show where the group gets stuck celebrating a made-up holiday dreamed up by Dee. It’s total chaos, as usual, and they have to cater to all her crazy demands. The episode included some really wild sketch comedy, but unfortunately, it relied heavily on racial stereotypes and even used brownface. Because of that, both Hulu and Netflix pulled it from their platforms – it just didn’t meet their standards for sensitive content. Honestly, a lot of fans, myself included, were really bummed out. It was a uniquely crazy episode, and we miss the sheer unpredictability of it all.

‘The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6’ (2013)

The creators of ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ tried to make their own version of a popular action movie sequel. Mac decided to play a character inspired by Danny Glover using makeup that darkened his skin. Although the show’s creators meant it as satire, streaming services removed the episode because of the use of this makeup. This caused a plot hole that became apparent in later episodes of the show.

‘Advanced Dungeons & Dragons’ (2011)

A study group tried to lift the spirits of their friend Neil by playing a role-playing game. Ken Jeong’s character, Chang, showed up in dark makeup, dressing as a dark elf. However, both Netflix and Hulu took down the episode because the makeup was seen as resembling blackface and was considered offensive. The show’s creator was upset about the removal but understood the streaming services’ decision.

‘Stark Raving Dad’ (1991)

Homer ends up in a mental institution where he meets a patient convinced he’s Michael Jackson. Interestingly, Michael Jackson actually provided the voice for that character, though he wasn’t credited. After a documentary came out with accusations against the singer, Disney+ and the show’s creators decided to remove the episode. It’s the only episode from the show’s original run that has ever been officially taken out of circulation.

‘Super Best Friends’ (2001)

Okay, so this South Park episode is wild. Basically, the boys get mixed up with a cult, and it gets seriously complicated. The biggest thing, though, was that it actually showed the Prophet Muhammad, which is a huge no-no in Islam. Because of the potential backlash, Comedy Central and the South Park Studios pulled it from streaming services – they didn’t want to risk anything. Now, it’s become this super rare episode that’s really hard to find legally, which is kind of crazy when you consider how much South Park usually puts out there.

‘200’ (2010)

Okay, so there was this storyline on a show I really enjoy where a bunch of celebrities demanded the town create a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad. The idea was to poke fun at how heavily censored that figure is, but it totally backfired. The creators actually received real threats! Comedy Central panicked and heavily edited the next episode, then pulled both episodes off all streaming platforms. Honestly, they’re now considered the most controversial episodes in the show’s entire run – it’s a really messy situation.

Please share your thoughts on whether these episodes should remain banned in the comments.

2025-11-27 02:16