In the classic “Homer Goes To College” episode of the The Simpsons, Krusty The Clown airs an “Itchy & Scratchy” cartoon even he knows is beyond the pale, then excitedly declares, “Wow! They’ll never let us show that again! Not in a million years!” A new Screen Rant video called “10 Banned Kids Show Episodes You Won’t Believe” is devoted to collecting real life examples of just such episodes, all of which come from well-known, much-beloved series intended for young audiences. And all of the infamous installments in this list aired at least once, coast to coast, before being quietly (or noisily) deleted from the rotation, thereby giving them them ample opportunity to warp impressionable minds and potentially ruin childhoods. The kids who grew up with these programs may never know the horrors of the battlefield, but they’ll be having TaleSpin nightmares until they’re 90.
The transgressions on display here range from rampant substance abuse on Tiny Toon Adventures to unlawful discharge of a firearm on Gargoyles and even full-on terrorism on the aforementioned TaleSpin. Kindly Fred Rogers, meanwhile, thought it was a good idea to devote a week of shows to the Cold War, thereby introducing his television neighbors to the wonderful world of mutually assured destruction. And even Dexter’s Laboratory engaged in some atypical homophobia and even borderline copyright infringement with its Silver Surfer parody. Some of these episodes, however, only became distasteful with the benefit of hindsight, as when Arthur welcomed not-yet-disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong as a very special guest. Funny how time has a way of tarnishing things.
[via Laughing Squid]