Top 20 TV Shows Whose Legacies Were Tarnished by Scandals

Although it premiered on the relatively new network The WB, “Smallville” quickly garnered a dedicated fan base among young adults, which thrust its main cast into the limelight. Among them was Allison Mack, who played Chloe Sullivan. During her time on the show, Mack became involved with the self-improvement cult NXIVM, rising to a prominent position within the organization. Leveraging on her fame from “Smallville,” Mack recruited several women into NXIVM, who were subsequently exploited in various forms. For her part, Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering charges and received a three-year prison sentence. Consequently, her association with “Smallville” has cast a shadow over the show, causing hesitation among many who may want to revisit it.

In the glitzy realm of Hollywood, it’s easy for egos to clash and drama to unfold quickly. Such was the case with “Two and a Half Men,” the immensely popular sitcom co-created by Chuck Lorre and originally starring Charlie Sheen. The show appeared to be running smoothly until 2011, when Sheen launched into a tirade against Lorre during a radio interview, prompting CBS to halt production. This decision affected numerous employees and incurred an estimated $10 million loss for investors. Sheen was eventually fired and replaced with Ashton Kutcher. Although Sheen and Lorre have largely patched things up since then, “Two and a Half Men” will always be known for its two prominent men and the full beef between them.

If you followed the ABC sitcom “The Goldbergs,” you might have noticed something strange with the character Murray Golberg in the second half of the ninth season. Well, that’s because actor Jeff Garlin who played Murray was dismissed from the show midway through the season. Garlin had been the subject of HR investigations, due to several misconduct allegations from fellow cast and crew members, who found his behavior on set discomforting. Following Garlin’s departure, stand-ins and CGI were used to fill his presence until the character was killed off-screen between the ninth and tenth seasons. For such a family sitcom, which typically provides comfort through humor and heartwarming moments, the incident left a negative impression on many viewers.

While he didn’t play one of the central characters in “Sex and the City,” Chris Noth’s presence still loomed large, in what remains arguably his most well-known role. Noth’s involvement on the show extended to a guest appearance on the spin-off series “And Just Like That…” until two women came forward with allegations of sexual assault. These claims stemmed from two separate incidents in 2004 and 2015. Noth, who denied the allegations, faced several consequences, including the cancellation of his planned return to “And Just Like That…” The incident prompted a reevaluation of his conduct on “Sex and the City,” with one former stand-in also alleging that the actor exhibited toxic behavior on the set of the series.

Few falls from grace have been quite as swift and consequential as that of Roseanne Barr. Decades after her eponymous ABC sitcom initially ended, it was revived for a highly anticipated 10th season, which premiered to groundbreaking ratings. However, all of that success evaporated in the blink of an eye, after Barr posted a racially insensitive tweet about former White House advisor Valerie Jarrett. On that same day, Barr was fired, and the network swiftly reversed its decision to renew the series and canceled it. Whatever potential the reboot showed was flushed down the drain in a matter of hours. Fortunately, the series was later retooled as “The Conners,” retaining the entire cast except Barr.

English actor Ed Westwick rose to fame with his role as Chuck Bass on the teen drama series “Gossip Girl.” While he went on to star in other projects, Westwick has always been associated with the show. Consequently, many of the fans who admired his work on “Gossip Girl” felt disillusioned when sexual assault allegations emerged in November 2017. Three women accused the actor of forcing himself on them in three separate incidents in 2014. Westwick denied the allegations, stating that they were “unverified and provably untrue.” Following an investigation, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office declined to file criminal charges against Westwick due to insufficient evidence.

The A&E reality series “Duck Dynasty” followed the lives of the Robertson family, a clan of duck hunters and entrepreneurs led by patriarch Phil Robertson. In 2013, Robertson faced backlash for comments he made during an interview that were deemed homophobic and racist. The widespread criticism led A&E to suspend Robertson from the production. However, this move only fanned the flames of the controversy. Public opinion was divided, with some seeing it as an infringement on Robertson’s freedom of speech, while others considered it a fitting response to his prejudiced remarks. The network eventually succumbed to pressure and reinstated Robertson, but the fallout had already driven away fans, causing a decline in the show’s ratings.

For years, Ellen DeGeneres projected an image of kindness that resonated across her various endeavors, particularly her eponymous daytime talk show. That image was irreparably shattered in 2020 when a group of former employees came forward, revealing a toxic work environment on set. DeGeneres, whose long-standing mantra had been to always “be kind,” took responsibility for the toxic culture on the show and apologized on air during the 18th season’s premiere. But this gesture did little or nothing to repair the damage. Her once-pristine reputation, and that of the series, had already suffered a major blow. Consequently, the following year, it was announced that the long-running daytime talk show would be coming to an end.

The first domino to fall in the Joss Whedon controversy came in July 2020 when actor Ray Fisher accused Whedon of highly inappropriate behavior during filming of “Justice League.” Fisher’s claims were corroborated by other actors who worked on the film, but it seems Whedon’s alleged misconduct stretched back several years. Actress Charisma Carpenter, who appeared in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and its spin-off, “Angel,” alleged that Whedon had repeatedly harassed her and “abused his power.” She was supported by some of her other co-stars, including Sarah Michelle Gellar herself. Since then, fans of the “Buffyverse” have admitted to seeing the shows in an entirely different light; once symbols of female empowerment, now tainted by Hollywood’s pervasive toxicity.

Jussie Smollett’s hate crime hoax was intertwined with the show that brought him global recognition: “Empire.” On January 22nd 2019, Smollett reported to police that he had received a threatening letter at Fox Studios, where the series was filmed. One week later, he publicly claimed to have been targeted in a racist and homophobic attack. However, as police investigated his allegations, they discovered that it was all an elaborate stunt orchestrated by Smollett himself. Surprisingly, the supposed attackers had worked as extras on “Empire.” Following these revelations, Smollett was ultimately written off the show entirely. It’s pretty clear that the stain of the hate crime hoax is one that “Empire” will have a hard time scrubbing off.

The Fox musical series “Glee” had already completed its award-winning six-season run when one of its stars became embroiled in a controversy. Mark Salling, known for his role as football player Noah Puckerman, was arrested in 2015 for possessing inappropriate material involving youth. Authorities would later discover over 50,000 of such explicit images on his computer and USB flash drives. This was particularly disturbing considering that “Glee” attracted a large audience of young fans, given its high school setting. Salling ultimately pleaded guilty to criminal charges and was set to spend four to seven years in jail. However, on January 30th 2018, before he could face justice for his crimes, Salling decided to end his own life.

One cannot overemphasize how groundbreaking “Transparent” was upon its premiere. The show delved into the complexities of gender identity and sexuality while also providing job opportunities for dozens of trans people. However, shortly after the fourth season premiered, lead actor Jeffrey Tambor was accused of sexual misconduct by his former assistant, Van Barnes, a trans woman. About a week later, fellow cast member Trace Lysette, also a trans woman, alleged that Tambor had sexually harassed her during filming. Although Tambor denied the accusations, he was ultimately fired from the series. Consequently, the planned fifth season of “Transparent” was retooled into a musical finale which was met with far less favorable reviews than the preceding seasons.

When stand-up comedians develop series based on their lives, they often infuse them with real-life events. That was especially true for Louis C.K., who created, wrote, directed and produced the FX series “Louie” in which he portrayed a fictionalized version of himself. In 2017, C.K. and the show were plunged into a scandal when several women accused him of sexually inappropriate behavior. This revelation prompted a reassessment of his previous stand-up material, some of which seemed to overlap with the allegations. “Louie” was ultimately canceled after C.K. admitted that the accusations were indeed true. Due to the striking parallels between the show and the comedian, many have found it challenging to separate the art from the artist.

This teen drama series was created and executive produced by Mark Schwahn, who also wrote and directed several episodes. While the show ended on a high note in 2012, it wasn’t until five years later that disturbing behind-the-scenes tales came to light. A former staff writer, Audrey Wauchope, alleged on social media that she experienced sexual harassment from Schwahn while working on the show. Her claims were later backed up by 18 female former cast and crew members who signed an open letter detailing additional allegations. According to these women, Schwahn’s behavior was “an open secret,” and caused lasting emotional harm. Although he never officially addressed the allegations, Schwahn was fired from his other show “The Royals.”

Regardless of his alleged atrocities, there simply wouldn’t be “House of Cards” without Kevin Spacey. The actor’s ruthless performance contributed significantly to the show’s popularity and critical acclaim. Shortly after it was renewed for a sixth season, Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct by actor Anthony Rapp. This triggered a wave of additional allegations, including from several “House of Cards” staffers. As a result, Netflix fired Spacey from the show and completely severed ties with him. Despite this, Spacey wasn’t done with Frank Underwood. He resurrected the character in a series of bizarre Christmas videos that seemingly addressed the accusations. Needless to say, just the mention of “House of Cards” inevitably invokes the thought of Spacey and the controversy surrounding him.

For over a decade, Stephen Collins portrayed Reverend Eric Camden, a Protestant minister on the TV series “7th Heaven.” Through the show, Collins built a reputation as a wholesome and morally upright individual, but in real life, it seems he was the stark opposite. In 2014, an audio tape leaked to the press in which Collins discussed having inappropriate contact with minors in the past. He later fully admitted to the claims in an interview with People magazine, noting that the incidents occurred in 1973, 1982 and 1994. These revelations directly contradicted the values espoused by the show, leaving many fans deeply troubled by the dissonance between Collins’ on-screen persona and his real-life actions.

He once was a sitcom star, rising to prominence as Steven Hyde on “That '70s Show,” before solidifying his presence with roles in “Men at Work” and “The Ranch.” In 2017, Masterson faced accusations of sexual assault from multiple women, dating back to the early 2000s during his tenure on “That ‘70s Show.” Masterson denied the allegations, but he was tried on three criminal charges and found guilty of two. Adding to the controversy, his former co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis initially expressed support for him in letters seeking leniency, but later apologized after facing public backlash. For many fans, the once-fond memories associated with the series have now become clouded by the stain of Masterson’s crimes and their fallout.

As the subjects of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” the Duggars were depicted as a deeply religious family committed to values of purity and morality. But not every member seemed to adhere to those values. In 2015, the eldest child, Josh Duggar, confessed to engaging in inappropriate contact with minors, including some of his own sisters. However, he never faced legal consequences due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. But his family and their reality series never quite recovered from the scandal. Despite attempts to distance the show from Duggar’s actions, it was canceled shortly after. History repeated itself in 2021, when Duggar was arrested for possession of inappropriate material, resulting in the cancellation of the spin-off show “Counting On.”

Millions around the world came to know and love Bill Cosby through his sitcom “The Cosby Show.” The series, which was celebrated as groundbreaking for its positive portrayal of an affluent African-American family, became deeply intertwined with Cosby’s public persona. However, beginning in late 2014, shocking revelations emerged that Cosby had sexually assaulted dozens of women over several decades. As a result, the image he had built as a beloved father figure and role model shattered, and “The Cosby Show” became tainted by association. In light of the allegations, the series was removed from syndication in many countries. Cosby may have evaded justice due to a legal technicality, but his crimes have forever altered the way his show is perceived and remembered.

It isn’t quite news that Dan Schneider fostered a hostile work environment on the sets of his popular Nickelodeon shows. Back in 2018, the network parted ways with him following accusations of inappropriate behavior. However, many in the public didn’t realize the full extent of the situation until the release of the 2024 series “Quiet on Set.” The documentary featured several cast and crew members, as well as writers, from some of Schneider’s shows, including “Zoey 101,” “The Amanda Show” and “Drake & Josh.” These individuals detailed their negative experiences, alleging mistreatment, discrimination and in some cases, sexual harassment. The revelations have left many fans grappling with the realization that the joyful and wholesome shows they grew up with were produced under troubling circumstances.

What other shows do you struggle to revisit due to their associated controversies? Let us know in the comments below.