12 TV Episodes That Got Banned After Airing Once
These episodes were pulled after just one airing, and not always for the reasons you'd expect.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
Some TV episodes barely made it past the finish line before getting yanked from the airwaves. Each one tells a story about the line between bold storytelling and public backlash. These moments left a mark, even if networks tried to erase them.
1. Pokémon’s “Electric Soldier Porygon” Sent Kids to the Hospital
Nintendo on Wikimedia Commons
This 1997 episode caused seizures in hundreds of children in Japan, leading to its immediate ban. The flashing lights were intense enough to prompt a national emergency. To this day, it has never officially aired again anywhere.
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s “Earshot” Hit Too Close to Home
Snaevar on Wikimedia Commons
Set to air just after the Columbine tragedy, this episode about a school attack felt too real. Though it was eventually released later, its initial pull was all about timing. The showrunners chose compassion over controversy.
3. BoJack Horseman’s “Out to Sea” Got Scrubbed in China
Logo: Netflix, SVG: ajax404 on Pexels
BoJack’s dark humor and subtle political jabs didn’t sit well with Chinese regulators. The episode vanished from platforms almost immediately. Fans outside China barely noticed, but locally, it was a quiet vanishing act.
4. Power Rangers Lost Galaxy’s “The Rescue Mission” Was Too Real
Rarene Noa on Wikimedia Commons
When a scene eerily mirrored a real-life fire tragedy, the episode was shelved after just one airing. Viewers were shocked at how closely fiction had mirrored fact. The producers never re-released it out of respect.
5. Hannibal’s “Oeuf” Was Pulled for Being Too Disturbing
Chiswick Productions on Wikimedia Commons
Even a show known for gore found its limit. “Oeuf,” which involved children as killers, was deemed too disturbing even for cable. NBC decided not to air it and released it online in parts instead.
6. Family Guy’s “When You Wish Upon a Weinstein” Offended Too Many
20th Century Fox on Wikimedia Commons
Fox initially shelved this episode due to its controversial take on religion. Though it eventually aired on Adult Swim, it was banned from the main network. The content walked a line that many said crossed into bad taste.
7. Mr. Robot Delayed an Episode After Real-Life Tragedy
USA Network on Wikimedia Commons
A season finale, which mirrored a real-life on-air shooting, was pulled just hours before it was set to air. USA Network didn’t air it until a week later. Viewers applauded the network’s decision to pause out of sensitivity.
8. The Simpsons Pulled Their Michael Jackson Episode
20th Century Studios on Wikimedia Commons
After HBO’s “Leaving Neverland,” producers removed the episode featuring Jackson’s voice. Although it aired for years, it was quietly removed from syndication and streaming. It became one of the most quietly erased episodes in TV history.
9. The X-Files’ “Home” Was Too Grotesque for TV
Fox Broadcasting Company on Wikimedia Commons
“Home” featured a disturbing family dynamic that was too much even for die-hard fans. Fox only aired it once before pulling it from all reruns. The episode later became a cult favorite, but it remains officially buried.
10. Peppa Pig’s Spider Episode Was Banned in Australia
Leif Jørgensen on Wikimedia Commons
In an odd twist, this kid-friendly show got in trouble for saying spiders were harmless. That advice clashed hard with Australia’s very real and dangerous spiders. The episode was pulled to avoid giving kids bad ideas.
11. Married… with Children’s “I’ll See You in Court” Was Too Racy
Sony Pictures Television on Wikimedia Commons
Even for a boundary-pushing show, this one went too far. The network shelved it for being too risqué, and it didn’t air in the U.S. until years later. Fans called it the “lost episode” for a reason.
12. The Proud Family’s “Don’t Leave Home Without It” Disappeared Fast
Disney Enterprises, Inc. on Wikimedia Commons
This episode addressed consumerism and money management, but one storyline involving credit cards drew unexpected backlash. Some parents felt it sent the wrong message to kids. Disney pulled it quietly and never added it to reruns.