These scandals make for uncomfortable rewatches. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable television series that have seen their once-pristine reputations sullied due to significant controversies surrounding their stars and/or producers.
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00:00 "Everybody makes their own decisions and everybody makes their own choices,
00:04 but they're not the only ones that suffer the consequences."
00:06 Welcome to Nizmojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most notable television
00:13 series that have seen their once pristine reputations sullied due to significant
00:19 controversies surrounding their stars and/or producers.
00:23 "One of the most famous and admired men on the planet, but now,
00:27 after his stunning downfall, that legacy forever tarnished."
00:31 Number 20. Alison Mack's involvement with NXIVM.
00:35 Smallville. Although it premiered on the relatively new network, The WB, Smallville
00:41 quickly garnered a dedicated fanbase among young adults, which thrust its main cast into the
00:47 limelight. Among them was Alison Mack, who played Chloe Sullivan.
00:52 "Let's just say Lana wasn't the one fated to be in Clark's life."
00:55 During her time on the show, Mack became involved with the self-improvement cult NXIVM,
01:00 rising to a prominent position within the organization.
01:03 Leveraging on from her fame from Smallville, Mack recruited several women into NXIVM,
01:09 who were subsequently exploited in various forms.
01:12 "It sounds like a horror movie, what you're describing."
01:14 "It was a horror movie. It was the most inhumane, horrific way to treat anybody."
01:19 For her part, Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering charges and received a three-year prison sentence.
01:26 Consequently, her association with Smallville has cast a shadow over the show,
01:31 causing hesitation among many who may want to revisit it.
01:35 "Should we do the 'I told you so' part, or is my perennial bad judgment implicit?"
01:40 Number 19. Charlie Sheen and Chuck Lorre's feud. Two and a half men.
01:45 "You can't fire me. I quit. Think you can replace me with some other guy? Go ahead.
01:51 It won't be the same."
01:51 In the glitzy realm of Hollywood, it's easy for egos to clash and drama to unfold quickly.
01:58 Such was the case with Two and a Half Men, the immensely popular sitcom co-created by Chuck Lorre
02:03 and originally starring Charlie Sheen. The show appeared to be running smoothly until 2011,
02:09 when Sheen launched into a tirade against Lorre during a radio interview,
02:14 prompting CBS to halt production.
02:16 "A high treason has occurred. The scales of justice are in a state of radical disarray.
02:24 Together we must right this infantile wrong."
02:29 This decision affected numerous employees and incurred an estimated $10 million loss
02:36 for investors. Sheen was eventually fired and replaced with Ashton Kutcher,
02:41 although Sheen and Lorre have largely patched things up since then.
02:44 Two and a Half Men will always be known for its two prominent men and the full beef between them.
02:50 "Winning."
03:02 Number 18. Jeff Garland's misconduct allegations. The Goldbergs.
03:09 If you've followed the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs, you might have noticed something
03:13 strange with the character Murray Goldberg in the second half of the ninth season.
03:18 Well, that's because actor Jeff Garland, who played Murray,
03:21 was dismissed from the show midway through the season.
03:24 "That was a long time coming and that it finally happened. It was like, 'Okay.
03:30 Okay, finally someone is listening to us.'"
03:36 Garland had been the subject of HR investigations due to several misconduct allegations
03:41 from fellow cast and crew members, who found his behavior on set discomforting.
03:46 Following Garland's departure, stand-ins and CGI were used to fill his presence,
03:52 until the character was killed off-screen between the ninth and tenth seasons.
03:57 For such a family sitcom, which typically provides comfort through humor and heartwarming moments,
04:03 the incident left a negative impression on many viewers.
04:07 Number 17. Chris Noth sexual assault allegations. Sex and the City.
04:17 While he didn't play one of the central characters in Sex and the City,
04:21 Chris Noth's presence still loomed large in what remains arguably his most well-known role.
04:28 "It was Mr. Big, Major Tycoon, Major Dreamboat, and majorly out of my league."
04:35 Noth's involvement on the show extended to a guest appearance on the spin-off series
04:40 and Just Like That, until two women came forward with allegations of sexual assault.
04:46 These claims stemmed from two separate incidents in 2004 and 2015.
04:52 Noth, who denied the allegations, faced several consequences, including the cancellation of his
04:58 planned return to And Just Like That. The incident prompted a re-evaluation of his conduct on Sex
05:05 and the City, with one former stand-in also alleging that the actor exhibited toxic behavior
05:11 on the set of the series. "I mean, I figure I made my bed, I should lie in it." "You do that!"
05:18 Number 16. Roseanne Barr's controversial tweet.
05:22 Roseanne. Few falls from grace have been quite as swift and consequential as that of Roseanne Barr.
05:29 "I mean, not only did she vote for the worst person on earth, but she was a real jerk about
05:33 it too. And now she's just ridiculous." Decades after her eponymous ABC sitcom initially ended,
05:40 it was revived for a highly anticipated 10th season, which premiered to groundbreaking ratings.
05:47 However, all of that success evaporated in the blink of an eye after Barr posted a
05:53 racially insensitive tweet about former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett.
05:58 On the same day, Barr was fired, and the network swiftly reversed its decision to
06:03 renew the series and cancelled it. "Within hours, ABC pulled the plug on the show."
06:09 Whatever potential the reboot showed was flushed down the drain in a matter of hours.
06:14 Fortunately, the series was later retooled as The Conners, retaining the entire cast except Barr.
06:21 "Are we horrible for laughing?" "Well, I'm tired of crying."
06:25 Number 15. Ed Westwick's sexual assault allegations, Gossip Girl.
06:30 English actor Ed Westwick rose to fame with his role as Chuck Bass on the teen drama series Gossip
06:36 Girl. While he went on to star in other projects, Westwick has always been associated with the show.
06:42 "I'd like to experience the world of Chuck Bass."
06:44 "You're lucky I'm bored." "Is that a yes?"
06:51 "Get in before I change my mind."
06:54 Consequently, many of the fans who admired his work on Gossip Girl
06:58 felt disillusioned when sexual assault allegations emerged in November 2017.
07:04 Three women accused the actor of forcing himself on them in three separate incidents in 2014.
07:10 Westwick denied the allegations, stating that they were "unverified" and "provably untrue."
07:17 Following an investigation, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office
07:21 declined to file criminal charges against Westwick due to insufficient evidence.
07:26 "Chuck Bass, your lawyer called. You've been released."
07:30 Number 14. Phil Robertson's bigoted remarks, Duck Dynasty.
07:35 The A&E reality series Duck Dynasty followed the lives of the Robertson family,
07:40 a clan of duck hunters and entrepreneurs led by patriarch Phil Robertson.
07:46 In 2013, Robertson faced backlash for comments he made
07:50 during an interview that were deemed homophobic and racist.
07:54 The widespread criticism led A&E to suspend Robertson from the production.
08:00 However, this move only fanned the flames of the controversy.
08:03 "Alright, the feathers are ruffled on thousands of fans of Duck Dynasty.
08:08 They're rallying behind the star of the hit cable TV show.
08:11 Phil Robertson is known for speaking his mind on the Backwoods A&E program."
08:15 Public opinion was divided, with some seeing it as an infringement on Robertson's freedom of speech,
08:22 while others considered it a fitting response to his prejudiced remarks.
08:27 The network eventually succumbed to pressure and reinstated Robertson,
08:31 but the fallout had already driven fans away, causing a decline in the show's ratings.
08:37 "Are you serious?"
08:38 "I am dead serious."
08:40 "The door has been shut."
08:42 Number 13. Toxic workplace allegations.
08:46 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
08:48 For years, Ellen DeGeneres projected an image of kindness
08:52 that resonated across her various endeavors, particularly her eponymous daytime talk show.
08:58 That image was irreparably shattered in 2020, when a group of former employees came forward,
09:05 revealing a toxic work environment on set.
09:08 "As a host, she's amazing. As a host. But as a boss, and someone who's behind the scenes
09:14 running the show, she's a different person. She's not the person people see."
09:18 DeGeneres, whose long-standing mantra had been to always be kind,
09:22 took responsibility for the toxic culture on the show
09:26 and apologised on-air during the 18th season's premiere.
09:30 But this gesture did little or nothing to repair the damage.
09:34 "I know that I'm in a position of privilege and power,
09:36 and I realise that with that comes responsibility,
09:39 and I take responsibility for what happens at my show."
09:42 Her once-pristine reputation and that of the series had already suffered a major blow.
09:48 Consequently, the following year,
09:50 it was announced that the long-running daytime talk show would be coming to an end.
09:55 Number 12. Joss Whedon Workplace Harassment Allegations.
09:59 Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
10:02 The first domino to fall in the Joss Whedon controversy came in July 2020,
10:07 when actor Ray Fisher accused Whedon of highly inappropriate behaviour
10:12 during filming of Justice League.
10:15 Fisher's claims were corroborated by other actors who worked on the film,
10:19 but it seems Whedon's alleged misconduct stretched back several years.
10:24 "I think it's easier to advocate for other people than for yourself,
10:30 and I knew certainly 20 years ago that wasn't an option, so."
10:33 "Well, I appreciate it."
10:35 "And then I saw 20 years later that the same person was doing the same thing."
10:38 Actress Charisma Carpenter, who appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel,
10:44 alleged that Whedon had repeatedly harassed her and abused his power.
10:49 She was supported by some of her other co-stars, including Sarah Michelle Gellar herself.
10:54 Since then, fans of the Buffyverse have admitted to seeing the shows in an entirely different light,
11:01 once symbols of female empowerment now tainted by Hollywood's pervasive toxicity.
11:07 "I had no idea that I could be such a dick, and it was powerful and beautiful."
11:14 Number 11. Jussie Smollett Hate Crime Hoax - Empire.
11:18 Jussie Smollett's hate crime hoax was intertwined with the show that brought him
11:23 global recognition, Empire. On January 22nd, 2019, Smollett reported to police that he
11:30 had received a threatening letter at Fox Studios, where the series was filmed.
11:35 One week later, he publicly claimed to have been targeted in a racial and homophobic attack.
11:41 However, as police investigated his allegations,
11:45 they discovered that this was all an elaborate stunt orchestrated by Smollett himself.
11:50 "Cops apparently became suspicious when Smollett didn't want to provide them cell phone records
11:54 and things of that nature to help with their investigation. They quickly came to believe
11:58 that he paid the Osindaros, I believe it was $3,500, to rough him up and frame Trump supporters."
12:04 Surprisingly, the supposed attackers had worked as extras on Empire. Following these revelations,
12:10 Smollett was ultimately written off the show entirely. It's pretty clear that the stain of
12:16 the hate crime hoax is one that Empire will have a hard time scrubbing off.
12:21 "This is not a family. This is a disgrace."
12:27 Number 10. Mark Salling Possession of Inappropriate Material - Glee
12:32 The Fox musical series Glee had already completed its award-winning six-season run when one of its
12:39 stars became embroiled in a controversy. Mark Salling, known for his role as football player
12:45 Noah Puckerman, was arrested in 2015 for possessing inappropriate material involving youth.
12:52 "We have confirmed through LAPD that investigators were able to find hundreds of images."
12:59 Authorities would later discover over 50,000 of such explicit images on his computer and USB
13:07 flash drives. This was particularly disturbing considering that Glee attracted a large audience
13:13 of young fans given its high school setting. Salling ultimately pleaded guilty to criminal
13:19 charges and was set to spend four to seven years in jail. However, on January 30th, 2018,
13:26 before he could face justice for his crimes, Salling decided to end his own life.
13:32 "You think of Glee, you think of these like really happy people,
13:34 and you're like, who could do no harm really, just singing and dancing. Then when you think of that,
13:39 you're kind of like, wow, the earth is kind of twisted in some ways."
13:44 Number 9. Jeffrey Tambor Sexual Misconduct Allegations - Transparent
13:50 One cannot overemphasize how groundbreaking Transparent was upon its premiere.
13:56 The show delved into the complexities of gender identity and sexuality,
14:01 while also providing job opportunities for dozens of trans people. However,
14:07 shortly after the fourth season premiered, lead actor Jeffrey Tambor was accused of
14:12 sexual misconduct by his former assistant, Van Barnes, a trans woman.
14:18 "It ran the gamut of sexual harassment, physical harassment, and verbal abuse constantly. And this
14:25 all really falls under the problem Hollywood has right now with this abuse of power and misogyny."
14:31 About a week later, fellow cast member Trace Lissette, also a trans woman,
14:36 alleged that Tambor had sexually harassed her during filming. Although Tambor denied
14:41 the accusations, he was ultimately fired from the series. Consequently, the planned fifth season of
14:47 Transparent was retooled into a musical finale, which was met with far less favorable reviews
14:53 than the preceding seasons. "Our songs, they always sound the same."
15:00 "Oh my God."
15:01 Number 8 - Louis C.K. Sexual Misconduct Allegations - Louis
15:06 When stand-up comedians develop series based on their lives,
15:10 they often infuse them with real-life events. That was especially true for Louis C.K.,
15:15 who created, wrote, directed, and produced the FX series Louis, in which he portrayed a
15:22 fictionalized version of himself. In 2017, C.K. and the show were plunged into a scandal
15:29 when several women accused him of sexually inappropriate behavior.
15:33 "Horace says that incidents of sexual misconduct with Louis C.K. were common knowledge, that people
15:37 joked about it and made light of it, but then it happened to her and she says it made her angry."
15:42 This revelation prompted a reassessment of his previous stand-up material,
15:47 some of which seemed to overlap with the allegations. Louis was ultimately
15:52 cancelled after C.K. admitted that the accusations were indeed true.
15:57 Due to the striking parallels between the show and the comedian,
16:01 many have found it challenging to separate the art from the artist.
16:05 "The fact that there is no greater threat to women than men. We're the number one threat
16:11 to women. Globally and historically, we're the number one cause of injury and mayhem to women.
16:18 We're the worst thing that ever happens to them."
16:21 Number 7 - Mark Schwan's Sexual Harassment Allegations - One Tree Hill
16:26 This teen drama series was created and executive produced by Mark Schwan,
16:31 who also wrote and directed several episodes. While the show ended on a high note in 2012,
16:38 it wasn't until five years later that disturbing behind-the-scenes tales came to light.
16:44 A former staff writer, Audrey Walkup, alleged on social media that she experienced sexual
16:50 harassment from Schwan while working on the show. Her claims were later backed up by 18 female
16:57 former cast and crew members who signed an open letter detailing additional allegations.
17:03 According to these women, Schwan's behavior was an open secret and caused lasting emotional harm.
17:11 Although he never officially addressed the allegations,
17:14 Schwan was fired from his other show, The Royals.
17:17 Number 6 - Kevin Spacey's Sexual Assault Allegations - House of Cards
17:27 Regardless of his alleged atrocities, there simply wouldn't be House of Cards without
17:33 Kevin Spacey. The actor's ruthless performance contributed significantly to the show's
17:38 popularity and critical acclaim. Shortly after it was renewed for a sixth season,
17:44 Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct by actor Anthony Rapp.
17:56 This triggered a wave of additional allegations, including from several House of Cards staffers.
18:03 As a result, Netflix fired Spacey from the show and completely severed ties with him.
18:09 Despite this, Spacey wasn't done with Frank Underwood. He resurrected the character in
18:15 a series of bizarre Christmas videos that seemingly addressed the accusations.
18:21 Needless to say, just the mention of House of Cards inevitably invokes the thought of Spacey
18:27 and the controversy surrounding him.
18:29 Number 5 - Stephen Collins Admits to Sexual Misconduct - Seventh Heaven
18:46 For over a decade, Stephen Collins portrayed Reverend Eric Camden,
18:50 a Protestant minister on the TV series Seventh Heaven. Through the show,
18:54 Collins built a reputation as a wholesome and morally upright individual. But in real life,
19:00 it seems he was the stark opposite.
19:13 In 2014, an audio tape leaked to the press in which Collins discussed having
19:17 inappropriate contact with minors in the past. He later fully admitted to the claims in an
19:24 interview with People magazine, noting that the incidents occurred in 1973, 1982, and 1994.
19:33 "God help me took advantage, that's not the right word, but I acted impulsively."
19:39 "I think taking advantage may be an appropriate term."
19:41 "Maybe it is exactly the right word."
19:43 These revelations directly contradicted the values espoused by the show,
19:48 leaving many fans deeply troubled by the dissonance between Collins' on-screen persona
19:53 and his real-life actions.
19:55 Number 4 - Danny Masterson Sexual Assault Conviction - That '70s Show
20:01 He once was a sitcom star, rising to prominence as Stephen Hyde on That '70s Show,
20:07 before solidifying his presence with roles in Men at Work and The Ranch.
20:12 In 2017, Masterson faced accusations of sexual assault from multiple women,
20:18 dating back to the early 2000s during his tenure on That '70s Show.
20:22 "This first went to trial last year. We first heard from the women who we aren't naming,
20:28 they're all Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3, and their stories were pretty horrific."
20:34 Masterson denied the allegations, but he was tried on three criminal charges and found guilty of two.
20:41 Adding to the controversy, his former co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis
20:46 initially expressed support for him in letters seeking leniency,
20:50 but later apologized after facing public backlash.
20:54 "They were intended for the judge to read, and not to undermine the testimony of the victims
20:59 or re-traumatize them in any way. We would never want to do that.
21:03 And we're sorry if that has taken place."
21:06 For many fans, the once fond memories associated with the series have now become clouded by the
21:12 stain of Masterson's crimes and their fallout.
21:16 Number 3 - Josh Duggar's Multiple Controversies - 19 Kids and Counting
21:22 As the subjects of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting, the Duggars were depicted as a deeply religious
21:29 family committed to values of purity and morality. But not every member seemed to adhere to those
21:36 values. "We went into the Arkansas State Police and at the police headquarters, walked in,
21:42 this man was there. We went in and talked to him and said, 'Hey, my son has something that
21:49 he needs to share with you.'"
21:50 In 2015, the eldest child Josh Duggar confessed to engaging in inappropriate contact with minors,
21:58 including some of his own sisters. However, he never faced legal consequences due to the
22:05 expiration of the statute of limitations. But his family and their reality series never quite
22:12 recovered from the scandal. Despite attempts to distance the show from Duggar's actions,
22:17 it was cancelled shortly after. History repeated itself in 2021 when Duggar was arrested for
22:24 possession of inappropriate material, resulting in the cancellation of the spin-off show Counting On.
22:31 "The other situation, we had already brought closure to that. That was something of the past.
22:35 But, yeah, for sure, it was really difficult to come to grips with that."
22:44 Number 2 - Bill Cosby's Sexual Assault Cases - The Cosby Show
22:49 Millions around the world came to know and love Bill Cosby through his sitcom, The Cosby Show.
22:55 The series, which was celebrated as groundbreaking for its positive portrayal of an affluent
23:01 African-American family, became deeply intertwined with Cosby's public persona.
23:07 However, beginning in late 2014, shocking revelations emerged that Cosby had sexually
23:13 assaulted dozens of women over several decades. "In my head, I was saying, 'Dr. Huxtable,' but I
23:20 know, you know, The Cosby Show is going on, like, this is happening."
23:24 As a result, the image he had built as a beloved father figure and role model
23:29 shattered, and The Cosby Show became tainted by association. In light of the allegations,
23:35 the series was removed from syndication in many countries. Cosby may have evaded justice due to
23:42 a legal technicality, but his crimes have forever altered the way his show is perceived and remembered.
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24:15 It isn't quite news that Dan Schneider fostered a hostile work environment on the sets of his
24:29 popular Nickelodeon shows. Back in 2018, the network parted ways with him following accusations
24:36 of inappropriate behavior. However, many in the public didn't realize the full extent of the
24:42 situation until the release of the 2024 series, 'Quiet on Set.' "Dan would come down and yell and
24:50 scream. There was many times where I had to go, 'Okay, you're creating an atmosphere on this set
24:57 that is not healthy.'" The documentary featured several cast and crew members, as well as writers
25:04 from some of Schneider's shows, including 'Zoey 101,' 'The Amanda Show,' and 'Drake & Josh.'
25:10 These individuals detailed their negative experiences, alleging mistreatment,
25:15 discrimination, and in some cases, sexual harassment. The revelations have left many
25:22 fans grappling with the realization that the joyful and wholesome shows they grew up with
25:27 were produced under troubling circumstances. "People were like, 'Yo, my childhood is now
25:33 traumatized by this, and I feel grieved that you guys went through this, but I also feel trauma too.'"
25:40 What other shows do you struggle to revisit due to their associated controversies?
25:46 Let us know in the comments below. "We would have these scenes written for us, you know,
25:51 being with our intimate partners on the show, scenes written where we'd be in our underwear
25:55 and whatever, and we found out from a writer that he kept a board of the fitting photos."
26:02 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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