These TV Episodes Made People Physically Sick...
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VOICE OVER: Tom Aglio
At least we can change the channel! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most notorious episodes of television that made viewers feel ill. There will be some major spoilers to follow, so a spoiler warning is in effect! Our countdown includes episodes from shows “The Americans”, “Hannibal”, “The Walking Dead” and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notorious episodes of television that made viewers feel ill. There will be some major spoilers to follow, so a spoiler warning is in effect! What show gave you nausea? Let us know in the comments!
A widely beloved espionage thriller, “The Americans” follows two Soviet spies who pose as a married couple in the D.C. area. Naturally, their line of work brings them into some tense situations - like stuffing a corpse into a suitcase. In the notorious “Baggage,” Elizabeth and Philip dispose of Annelise by breaking her bones and folding her limp body into a suitcase. The scene caused an intense reaction in some viewers, including Olivia Armstrong of Decider, who claimed that she “physically recoiled” and “looked away.” Meanwhile, Observer called it the “Grossest Scene of 2015,” and Uproxx argued it was “one of the most brutal, hard-to-watch scenes in TV history.” And if that wasn’t gross enough, may we suggest Philip pulling Elizabeth’s tooth without anesthesia?
“Chernobyl” (2019)
Given the content of “Chernobyl,” we knew we would be watching some pretty gross stuff. But we didn’t know just how shocking and effective it would actually be. “Open Wide, O Earth” is a depressing hour of television, as multiple people involved with the meltdown die horrific and graphic deaths. The most eye-popping of all is that of Vasily Ignatenko, whose rotting body is briefly shown. The makeup work is extraordinary, but the sight is enough to cause a physical reaction in some viewers. Also of note is the morose ending in which the dead are buried in concrete. This scene is so evocative that it caused one Reddit user to have “a mild panic attack.”
For many, “Gladys” represents a turning point in “The Leftovers,” whether for good or bad. Serving as the show’s fifth episode, it sees the eponymous character being graphically stoned to death by a group of assailants. The camera never cuts away from the action, and the sound design makes the scene all the more sickening. This death scene caused a very intense reaction in some viewers, including Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly, who stopped watching the show altogether. She called the sequence “unnecessarily aggressive” and argued that its prolonged length was “overkill.” Many agree, stating that it’s far too violent and realistic.
It’s amazing that a show like “Hannibal” aired on NBC. Not only does it punch above its weight class in terms of quality, but it features some truly horrendous acts of violence that should never be shown on primetime TV. “Hannibal” features enough grotesque imagery to have even the most horror-hardened viewers reaching for the puke bucket. As for the most revolting hour, we’ll go with Season 2’s “Tome-wan.” One Reddit user states, “I felt physically ill while watching it,” and it’s easy to see why. In the climax of the episode, Mason Verger cuts off pieces of his own face and feeds the strips to some dogs. But it gets even worse, as he then slices off his own nose and eats it.
There’s no getting around it - “The Boys” is here to provoke. Not only does it subvert the superhero genre with sick winks to the audience, but it features some of the most outlandish visuals ever put to the TV medium. The third season opens in grand fashion with “Payback,” in which Termite does something we didn’t think we’d ever see. Not just on TV, but, like, ever. We definitely can’t go into detail, but it results in the grisly death of Termite’s partner, who is resorted to a stringy mess of goo. While darkly comedic, the visual is certainly enough to elicit a few gags and dry heaves.
Even by “Walking Dead” standards, Glenn’s death is gross. Too gross, for some. Fans who stuck with “The Walking Dead” through six seasons saw some gnarly stuff. But nothing like this. The camera never shies away from the violence, and the makeup work is both stomach-churning and excruciating. The Internet was immediately ablaze with condemnations, with many critics calling out the needlessly detailed and sensationalized violence. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the scene was edited to be less graphic in the original Fox U.K. broadcast. Furthermore, Andrew Lincoln has since criticized the scene, telling the New York Times, “It diminishes what we’re trying to make…it’s not a sort of B-movie gorefest.”
While it left behind an unquestionable legacy, “Jackass” has faced its fair share of controversies. It features everything from the dangerous to the disgusting, and the cow scene definitely belongs in the latter category. Featured in the second episode of Season 2, this bit sees Johnny Knoxville getting up close and personal with a cow and putting his hand where the sun don’t shine. The entire sequence is quite disturbing - especially when Knoxville withdraws his brown glove and slaps Jeff Tremaine in the face. While this is an everyday job for those in the field, it still makes for nasty TV.
While an enormous success for Netflix, “Dahmer” drew criticism from many viewers, both for its on-screen violence and its insensitive depiction of real murders. The show opens in media res, with Dahmer already living in his infamous Milwaukee apartment. Dahmer is arrested after failing to kill Tracy Edwards, and the cops make a number of startling discoveries inside his home. This includes a human head in the fridge, bags of various organs, and a vat filled with dissolving body parts. The visuals are unthinkably horrendous, and they’re made even worse by the fact that this actually happened. Before “Monster,” we’d never seen Dahmer’s crimes depicted in such vivid and realistic detail.
Just when you thought “Squid Game” couldn’t get any gorier, they introduce this wild side plot that certainly isn’t for viewing by the faint of heart! When players in the game are… eliminated, their bodies are wrapped up in boxes and taken away by the guards. In episode five of the series, it’s revealed that a rebellious group of these guards have been utilizing Yoo Sung-joo, one of the contestants that happens to be a doctor, to harvest the organs of the fallen players. These scenes do not shy away from showing the procedure – we’re getting lightheaded just thinking about it!
The anticipated prequel to “Game of Thrones,” “House of the Dragon” followed in its predecessor’s footsteps in regards to difficult visuals. During the filming of “A Golden Crown,” Emilia Clarke nearly vomited while eating the prop heart. Well, it was the fans’ turn to puke when it came to “Heirs of the Dragon.” The pilot features an extraordinarily graphic birth scene in which Baelon is cut from Queen Aemma. Social media was ablaze with discussion and debate regarding the scene’s merits, and countless articles were published by mainstream outlets. Some praised the scene’s realism and themes while others called it gratuitous and sickening. One thing is for sure - it definitely doesn’t sugarcoat the birth process.
#10: “Baggage”
“The Americans” (2013-18)A widely beloved espionage thriller, “The Americans” follows two Soviet spies who pose as a married couple in the D.C. area. Naturally, their line of work brings them into some tense situations - like stuffing a corpse into a suitcase. In the notorious “Baggage,” Elizabeth and Philip dispose of Annelise by breaking her bones and folding her limp body into a suitcase. The scene caused an intense reaction in some viewers, including Olivia Armstrong of Decider, who claimed that she “physically recoiled” and “looked away.” Meanwhile, Observer called it the “Grossest Scene of 2015,” and Uproxx argued it was “one of the most brutal, hard-to-watch scenes in TV history.” And if that wasn’t gross enough, may we suggest Philip pulling Elizabeth’s tooth without anesthesia?
#9: “Open Wide, O Earth”
“Chernobyl” (2019)
Given the content of “Chernobyl,” we knew we would be watching some pretty gross stuff. But we didn’t know just how shocking and effective it would actually be. “Open Wide, O Earth” is a depressing hour of television, as multiple people involved with the meltdown die horrific and graphic deaths. The most eye-popping of all is that of Vasily Ignatenko, whose rotting body is briefly shown. The makeup work is extraordinary, but the sight is enough to cause a physical reaction in some viewers. Also of note is the morose ending in which the dead are buried in concrete. This scene is so evocative that it caused one Reddit user to have “a mild panic attack.”
#8: “Gladys”
“The Leftovers” (2014-17)For many, “Gladys” represents a turning point in “The Leftovers,” whether for good or bad. Serving as the show’s fifth episode, it sees the eponymous character being graphically stoned to death by a group of assailants. The camera never cuts away from the action, and the sound design makes the scene all the more sickening. This death scene caused a very intense reaction in some viewers, including Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly, who stopped watching the show altogether. She called the sequence “unnecessarily aggressive” and argued that its prolonged length was “overkill.” Many agree, stating that it’s far too violent and realistic.
#7: “Tome-wan”
“Hannibal” (2013-15)It’s amazing that a show like “Hannibal” aired on NBC. Not only does it punch above its weight class in terms of quality, but it features some truly horrendous acts of violence that should never be shown on primetime TV. “Hannibal” features enough grotesque imagery to have even the most horror-hardened viewers reaching for the puke bucket. As for the most revolting hour, we’ll go with Season 2’s “Tome-wan.” One Reddit user states, “I felt physically ill while watching it,” and it’s easy to see why. In the climax of the episode, Mason Verger cuts off pieces of his own face and feeds the strips to some dogs. But it gets even worse, as he then slices off his own nose and eats it.
#6: “Payback”
“The Boys” (2019-)There’s no getting around it - “The Boys” is here to provoke. Not only does it subvert the superhero genre with sick winks to the audience, but it features some of the most outlandish visuals ever put to the TV medium. The third season opens in grand fashion with “Payback,” in which Termite does something we didn’t think we’d ever see. Not just on TV, but, like, ever. We definitely can’t go into detail, but it results in the grisly death of Termite’s partner, who is resorted to a stringy mess of goo. While darkly comedic, the visual is certainly enough to elicit a few gags and dry heaves.
#5: “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”
“The Walking Dead” (2010-22)Even by “Walking Dead” standards, Glenn’s death is gross. Too gross, for some. Fans who stuck with “The Walking Dead” through six seasons saw some gnarly stuff. But nothing like this. The camera never shies away from the violence, and the makeup work is both stomach-churning and excruciating. The Internet was immediately ablaze with condemnations, with many critics calling out the needlessly detailed and sensationalized violence. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the scene was edited to be less graphic in the original Fox U.K. broadcast. Furthermore, Andrew Lincoln has since criticized the scene, telling the New York Times, “It diminishes what we’re trying to make…it’s not a sort of B-movie gorefest.”
#4: “Jai Alai”
“Jackass” (2000-01)While it left behind an unquestionable legacy, “Jackass” has faced its fair share of controversies. It features everything from the dangerous to the disgusting, and the cow scene definitely belongs in the latter category. Featured in the second episode of Season 2, this bit sees Johnny Knoxville getting up close and personal with a cow and putting his hand where the sun don’t shine. The entire sequence is quite disturbing - especially when Knoxville withdraws his brown glove and slaps Jeff Tremaine in the face. While this is an everyday job for those in the field, it still makes for nasty TV.
#3: “Bad Meat”
“Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” (2022)While an enormous success for Netflix, “Dahmer” drew criticism from many viewers, both for its on-screen violence and its insensitive depiction of real murders. The show opens in media res, with Dahmer already living in his infamous Milwaukee apartment. Dahmer is arrested after failing to kill Tracy Edwards, and the cops make a number of startling discoveries inside his home. This includes a human head in the fridge, bags of various organs, and a vat filled with dissolving body parts. The visuals are unthinkably horrendous, and they’re made even worse by the fact that this actually happened. Before “Monster,” we’d never seen Dahmer’s crimes depicted in such vivid and realistic detail.
#2: “A Fair World”
“Squid Game” (2021-)Just when you thought “Squid Game” couldn’t get any gorier, they introduce this wild side plot that certainly isn’t for viewing by the faint of heart! When players in the game are… eliminated, their bodies are wrapped up in boxes and taken away by the guards. In episode five of the series, it’s revealed that a rebellious group of these guards have been utilizing Yoo Sung-joo, one of the contestants that happens to be a doctor, to harvest the organs of the fallen players. These scenes do not shy away from showing the procedure – we’re getting lightheaded just thinking about it!
#1: “The Heirs of the Dragon”
“House of the Dragon” (2022-)The anticipated prequel to “Game of Thrones,” “House of the Dragon” followed in its predecessor’s footsteps in regards to difficult visuals. During the filming of “A Golden Crown,” Emilia Clarke nearly vomited while eating the prop heart. Well, it was the fans’ turn to puke when it came to “Heirs of the Dragon.” The pilot features an extraordinarily graphic birth scene in which Baelon is cut from Queen Aemma. Social media was ablaze with discussion and debate regarding the scene’s merits, and countless articles were published by mainstream outlets. Some praised the scene’s realism and themes while others called it gratuitous and sickening. One thing is for sure - it definitely doesn’t sugarcoat the birth process.
