The 15 Most Offensive TV Episodes Ever Pulled From Streaming

Streaming services have begun scrutinizing their libraries to remove content deemed culturally insensitive or inappropriate for modern audiences. Television networks and showrunners often participate in this process by voluntarily withdrawing episodes that feature blackface or other offensive racial imagery. Viewers revisiting their favorite sitcoms may notice gaps in season listings where these controversial installments used to reside. The following list explores the most notable television episodes that have been scrubbed from digital platforms.

‘Episode 847’ (1976)

Margaret Hamilton reprised her role as the Wicked Witch of the West for this installment of the long-running children’s program. Parents bombarded the network with letters claiming the realistic performance terrified their children. The episode was pulled from syndication shortly after airing and remains unavailable on modern streaming platforms like Max. It serves as a rare example of content removed for inducing fear rather than for cultural insensitivity.

‘Mid-Life Crustacean’ (2003)

Mr. Krabs feels old and joins SpongeBob and Patrick for a night of debauchery to recapture his youth. The trio eventually breaks into a woman’s house to steal her undergarments in a panty raid. Nickelodeon removed the episode from rotation and streaming services after a standards review deemed it inappropriate for children. Viewers can no longer find this specific installment on Paramount+ or digital retailers.

‘To Kill a Chupacabraj’ (2011)

The main characters of this workplace comedy attempt to trap a mythical creature but end up bringing feral dogs into their office. The controversy stems from a subplot involving casual jokes about child molestation. Comedy Central and streaming partners removed the episode from their libraries due to the sensitive nature of the humor. This installment remains absent from most legal viewing options available today.

‘The Story of Jimmy Rebel’ (2010)

Uncle Ruckus discovers his musical idol is a white supremacist country singer named Jimmy Rebel. The episode satirizes racism through extreme caricatures and offensive lyrics performed by the guest character. Adult Swim has permanently shelved this installment because of its heavy use of racial slurs and hate speech imagery. It does not appear on the Max streaming service alongside the rest of the series.

‘Shake Like Me’ (2003)

Master Shake gets bitten by a radioactive black man and undergoes a physical transformation. The narrative leans heavily on racial stereotypes and visual caricatures that many viewers found deeply offensive. Adult Swim silently removed the episode from rotation and streaming services to avoid promoting insensitive content. Fans have noted its absence from the complete series collections on platforms like Max.

‘My Fifteen Seconds’ (2001)

J.D. and Turk imagine a scenario where they switch racial identities during a fantasy sequence. The scene features the white protagonist wearing blackface makeup to portray his best friend. Showrunner Bill Lawrence requested the removal of this and two other episodes from streaming platforms due to the insensitive imagery. Medical comedy fans will notice the gap in the season listings on Hulu and Amazon Prime.

‘Mixed Blessings’ (1988)

Dorothy’s son plans to marry an older Black woman which causes initial friction within the families. A scene involves Rose and Blanche wearing mud masks that are mistaken for blackface by the groom’s family. Hulu removed the episode during a review of content featuring racially insensitive imagery. Critics argued the context was misunderstood but the episode remains unavailable on the platform.

‘Christmas Attack Zone’ (2010)

Liz Lemon and Jenna Maroney attend a holiday party where Jenna decides to wear blackface effectively dressed as former Steelers player Lynn Swann. The showrunners and NBC Universal decided to remove the episode along with others featuring similar makeup. Executive producer Tina Fey issued an apology for the use of race-changing makeup in the series. The episode is skipped in the play order on Peacock and Hulu.

‘Believe in the Stars’ (2008)

Jenna Maroney and Tracy Jordan attempt to see who has it harder in society by swapping social identities. Jenna wears blackface during the experiment in a misguided attempt to prove her point regarding social justice. The episode was voluntarily withdrawn from circulation by the creators and the network. It stands as one of several episodes from the acclaimed sitcom removed for depicting characters in race-changing makeup.

‘Dee Day’ (2019)

The gang is forced to celebrate a holiday created by Dee where they must indulge her various whims. The characters perform sketch comedy bits that involve frank depictions of racial stereotypes and brownface. Hulu and Netflix removed this episode because the humor violated policies regarding racially insensitive content. Fans of the show often cite this as a significant loss due to its chaotic plotlines.

‘The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6’ (2013)

The owners of Paddy’s Pub attempt to film their own sequel to the famous action franchise. Mac uses blackface to portray the character originally played by Danny Glover. The streaming platforms pulled the episode for its explicit use of blackface despite the satirical intent of the creators. This removal created a noticeable gap in the continuity of the later seasons.

‘Advanced Dungeons & Dragons’ (2011)

The study group gathers to play a role-playing game to cheer up a fellow student named Neil. Ken Jeong’s character Chang arrives wearing pitch-black makeup to cosplay as a dark elf. Netflix and Hulu removed the celebrated episode because the makeup was interpreted as offensive blackface. The show creator expressed frustration with the removal but acknowledged the corporate decision.

‘Stark Raving Dad’ (1991)

Homer is institutionalized and meets a man who believes he is Michael Jackson. The pop star provided the speaking voice for the character in an uncredited performance. Disney+ and the producers pulled the episode following the release of a documentary detailing allegations against the singer. It remains the only episode from the classic era to be officially scrubbed from the archives.

‘Super Best Friends’ (2001)

The boys join a cult and require the assistance of a team of religious figures to save everyone. The episode features a visual depiction of the Prophet Muhammad which is strictly forbidden in Islamic tradition. Comedy Central and South Park Studios removed the episode from streaming to ensure safety and compliance with network standards. It has become one of the most difficult episodes to find legally.

‘200’ (2010)

Several celebrities threaten to sue the town unless they produce the Prophet Muhammad. The storyline attempts to satirize the censorship surrounding the religious figure but resulted in genuine threats against the creators. Comedy Central heavily censored the follow-up episode and subsequently removed both from all streaming services. These episodes are considered the most controversial in the history of the long-running animated series.

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