It’s amazing how we develop an emotional attachment to a fictional TV series. During a show’s run, we become emotionally invested in its storylines and characters. We feel like we’re a part of their world, like we really do know these people on our screens. They’re not actors playing a role. Those people reallyarethose characters, dear friends that we catch up with whenever we tune into an episode. But sometimes, that emotional attachment can go the other way, too. What actors do in the real world can negatively impact our perception of them on screen.
Scandal, controversy, criminal charges – these real-life issues can distort our views, giving us a visceral negative reaction to the show we once loved so much. Some fans may be able to separate the art from the artist and continue to enjoy watching the show. Others may have a more difficult time doing so.
Here are 10 TV shows that may be hard to stomach because of their controversial stars.
10’Freaks and Geeks' (1999 - 2000)
Freaks and Geeks
Set in the early 1980s,Freaks and Geeksfollows a teenage girl and her younger brother as they attend high school and join friend groups that are known respectively as the freaks and the geeks. It’s a teen comedy produced by Judd Apatow, one of his earliest projects. Although itonly lasted for one season,Freaks and Geekshas since become a cult classic. It also starred numerous members of the Apatow crew, including James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and Martin Starr. All of them would go on to star in numerous Apatow productions, which dominated Hollywood comedy during the early 2000s.
James Franco was arguably the most popular actor in the crew – until he was canceled. In 2018, five women accused Franco of sexual harassment, including a minor who posted her text messages with Franco on social media. Franco’s rocketing career has since come to a screeching halt. He’s attempting to make a comeback, though, with his indie dramaThe Long Home,which will be directed by and starring Franco. But this begs the question –should James Franco get a second chance?
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9’Roseanne' (1988 - 1997)
Roseanneis another beloved sitcom. It revolves around Roseanne Conner and her middle-class working family, capturing their day-to-day lives in Illinois.Roseannescored high ratings while it was on the air and helped its main cast members, Roseanne Barr and John Goodman, rise to prominence. Because of its enduring popularity,Roseannewas revived for a tenth season in 2018, where numerous actors reprised their original roles. Its success led to an 11th season being greenlit – but the victory was short-lived.
In 2018, Roseanne Barr poked fun at former President Barack Obama’s senior advisor, Valerie Jarrett, on Twitter, likening her appearance toPlanet of the Apes.The post was widely condemned as racist and generated immense backlash against Barr. In response, production was canceled onRoseanne,and ABC pivoted to a spin-off series calledThe Conners.Want to seeRoseannewithout seeing Roseanne Barr? ThenThe Connersis the show for you; Barr doesn’t appear in a single episode. The spin-off did just fine without Roseann’s involvement, running for seven seasons before concluding in 2025.
8’Seinfeld' (1989 - 1998)
Seinfeldis widely regarded as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. A self-proclaimed “show about nothing”, it follows a group of self-absorbed friends and their mundane, ordinary lives in 1990s New York City.Seinfelddominated television ratings throughout the 1990s, thanks largely to its relatable situational humor and iconic cast. One of the show’s most famous characters is Jerry’s eccentric neighbor, Cosmo Kramer, played by Michael Richards.
Nearly 10 years afterSeinfeldconcluded, Richards was filmed going on a racist tirade against a heckler during one of his live performances. The footage gained widespread media attention and generated significant backlash against Richards. Although he apologized profusely, Richards' career never quite recovered. Many people still callSeinfeldone ofthe greatest TV showsever made, but for some fans, Kramer just isn’t as funny as he used to be.
7’Louie' (2010 - 2015)
Louie C. K. was one of the most popular comedians of the 2010s. A major reason for that was his semi-autobiographical TV series,Louie,which he created, wrote, directed, edited,andproduced. The show stars Louie as a fictionalized version of himself, a struggling comedian and a newly divorced father.Louiegarnered critical acclaim and launched the comedian’s career to the next level. But with this widespread attention also came scandalous allegations.
In 2017, Louie was accused of sexual misconduct, which he eventually admitted to. The allegations put a hold onLouie,and after an extended hiatus, FX pulled the plug on the series. Louie has been trying to stage a comeback, producing comedy specials and performing stand-up. Some fans have embraced his return to comedy and have forgiven him. Others, however, have found it hard to look beyond his past mistakes.
6'7th Heaven' (1996 - 2007)
7th Heaven
7th Heavencenters on a Protestant minister and his wife, as they deal with the drama of raising seven children.7th Heavenwas a huge commercial success, lauded for its family focus and Christian themes. So it came as a revolting shock when Stephen Collins, the actor who played the show’s Protestant minister and lovable father, turned out to be a child molester. In 2014, Collins was accused of molesting three minors and ultimately confessed to doing so. His career has been in the toilet ever since.
7th Heavenwas pulled from syndication following Collins' allegations. It’s been brought back a couple of times, only to once again get axed. Network CEO Charley Humbard said it best: “We brought the show back because many viewers expressed they could separate allegations against one actor from the fictional series itself. As it turns out, they cannot.”
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5’Transparent' (2014 - 2019)
Transparent
At one point,Transparentwas one of the biggest shows on television. It follows the Pfeffermans, a middle-class family in Los Angeles, who have their lives upturned when their father unexpectedly transitions into a woman.Transparentgarnered critical acclaim, particularly for the performance of its lead, Jeffrey Tambor. The show had attracted initial criticism for hiring Tambor, a straight man, to play a trans woman. And as it turns out, they were right to feel that way.
In 2017, Tambor was accused of sexually and verbally harassing people on set, some of whom were trans women themselves. He was fired from the show a few months later, and his character was killed off-screen. Watching Tambor play a trans woman, knowing he abused trans women on set, definitely makesTransparentone of the more awkward watches on our list.
4’The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' (1990 - 1996)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
InThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,Will Smith stars as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from the slums of Philadelphia who goes to live with his upper-class relatives in Los Angeles.The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airwas a huge hit in the ’90s. It launched the acting career of Will Smith, paving the way for his tremendous Hollywood success. At one point, Smith was the most bankable movie star in Hollywood. But his antics at the 94th Academy Awards dramatically changed that.
While hosting the ceremony, racy comedian Chris Rock poked fun at Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head with a reference to the filmG.I. Jane.Enraged, Smith approached the stage and smacked Rock across the face on national TV. He then sat back down, where he proceeded to shout and berate Rock from the audience. As a result of his outburst, Smith has been banned from attending all Oscar-related events for 10 years, and various movie and TV projects have severed ties with him. The wholesome, squeaky-clean image that Smith worked so hard to cultivate has been shredded into a million pieces – and that includes fans' perceptions of his character inThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
3’That ’70s Show' (1998 - 2006)
That ’70s Show
That ’70s Showwas a popular sitcomduring the late ’90s and early 2000s. Set between 1976 and 1979, it follows a gang of teenage friends and their small-time lives in Wisconsin.That ’70s Showis a throwback to 1970s America, capturing the pop culture trends, fashion, and social issues of the time. It made stars out of its main cast, including Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Topher Grace, and Danny Masterson – though the latter has had a fall from grace.
A well-known Scientologist, Masterson portrayed the character Steven Hyde and was accused of raping three women in 2017. Co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis came to Masterson’s aid and defended him publicly. But in 2023, he was convicted of rape and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. Hyde’s jokes might not hit the same when you rewatchThat ’70s Shownow, knowing how much of an a**hole Danny Masterson turned out to be.
2’House of Cards' (2013 - 2018)
House of Cards
House of Cardsis a political thriller that captures the rise in power of the corrupt and immoral US politician, Frank Underwood. At one point,House of Cardswas one of the most popular, well-reviewed shows on Netflix. Its success and critical acclaim were led largely by Kevin Spacey’s remarkable performance as Underwood. But in 2017, sexual harassment allegations against Spacey began to surface and gain traction. Since then, Spacey’s prolific career has taken a nosedive, and he’s essentially been blacklisted from Hollywood. Netflix terminated their relationship with Spacey in 2018 and produced the final season without his involvement.
House of Cardspivoted to focus on Underwood’s equally immoral wife, Claire (Robin Wright). Although Wright’s performance garnered critical acclaim, the show suffered without Spacey’s character. Fans can always rewatch the earlier seasons if they wish to see Frank Underwood again, but they may have trouble enjoying it after all those sexual assault allegations against Spacey.
1’The Cosby Show' (1984 -1992)
The Cosby Show
This one takes the cake. There is no show in television history that’s experienced more disgrace thanThe Cosby Show.This popular sitcom was created by and starred comedian Bill Cosby. Based on Cosby’s stand-up routines about his family life,The Cosby Showfollows the Huxtables, an upper-middle-class African-American family, in their day-to-day life.The Cosby Showis one of the most successful and influential TV shows ever made. It dominated ratings during the 1980s and is credited with reviving the sitcom and influencing other predominantly black TV shows. Bill Cosby was even nicknamed “America’s Dad” for his loving portrayal of family patriarch, Cliff Huxtable.The Cosby Showwas considered one of the greatest TV shows ever made. But all that changed in 2014.
Since 2014, there has been a slew of sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby. Over 60 women have accused Cosby of various offenses, including rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, and child sexual abuse. Cosby was found guilty of several charges in 2018 and served time in prison before his conviction was overturned just a few years later. Although he’s now a free man, the legacy of Cosby and his beloved sitcom has been ruined. Most people now view Cosby as a creepy rapist rather than as “America’s Dad.” Meanwhile, reruns ofThe Cosby Showhave been pulled from syndication as a result of Cosby’s criminal allegations.
