7 Controversial TV Shows Banned In Other Countries

The US produces hundreds of shows each year, and many of them end up far away from home in Asia, Africa, Europe, and probably even on the South Pole, although it’s not a country, but you get the gist. Those seemingly harmless movies and TV shows can be viewed by some people as offensive. Sometimes it’s the core concept, other times — it’s about cultural differences, and then there’s a simple conflict of interests.

Whatever the reasons may be, here are eight controversial TV shows banned in other countries.

1. The Big Bang Theory

China has closed its doors to countless American movies and shows due to potential “propaganda” of free-thinking, democracy, and other liberal values. But it wasn’t any of those reasons when it came to shutting down The Big Bang Theory in 2014. At least not according to the official version. So why was such a popular sitcom pulled from the streaming services in China? They didn’t want their people to look at the likes of Leonard, Penny, and Mr. Bazinga and think that it’s okay to be a loser.

2. The Simpsons

Today, many fans of the Simpsons have forsaken the show, myself included. It used to be fresh and fun but has turned into this bland wax copy of its former self. Can you believe they used to have edgy themes in the Simpsons? Feels like a lifetime ago. Either way, those edgy themes ruffled the feathers of quite a few countries resulting in taking certain episodes off the air, but in 2008, the show was outright banned in Venezuela. Why? For being too adult. Here’s the kicker: it was replaced with Baywatch. Yeah, talk about family-friendly content!

3. Hey Arnold!

Hey Arnold!is a classic 90s cartoon with its goofy style and very relatable teen drama. Why would anyone want to deprive their kids of this beautiful gem? Well, Kenya’s Film Classification Board doesn’t seem to care about their younglings because, according to their statement, there’s too much talk about kissing. What the board has forgotten was that the kids would not notice any of those things because they are kids.