Name what you think were the most controversial moments in tv history, whether it was ground breaking, revolutionary, broke taboo barriers, pushed the envelope...etc.

It wasn't controversial to me, but it was I am sure to a lot of people, the scene on ROSEANNE where Roseanne is kissed by Mariel Hemingway's character on the lips.

The KKK episode on the Jeffersons.

All In the Family when Edith is attacked by the rapist.

Facts of Life when the Natalie character loses her virginity.

The Lucy Ricardo character is the first time an actress is pregnant on television.

Wouldn't All in the Family qualify as one big controversial television moment?

Wouldn't All in the Family qualify as one big controversial television moment?
Let's just say any Norman Lear show. :lol:

St. Elsewhere: A Moon for the Misbegotten, Dr Donald Westphall (Ed Flanders) moons Dr. John Gideon (Ronny Cox) then tells him to kiss his a$$. :lol:

The masturbation episode of Seinfeld.

The Bicycle Man episode from Diff'rent Strokes.

The abortion episodes on Maude.

It wasn't controversial to me, but it was I am sure to a lot of people, the scene on ROSEANNE where Roseanne is kissed by Mariel Hemingway's character on the lips.

The KKK episode on the Jeffersons.

All In the Family when Edith is attacked by the rapist.

Facts of Life when the Natalie character loses her virginity.

The Lucy Ricardo character is the first time an actress is pregnant on television.
no, that wasn't the first time they showed an actress pregnant on TV. I thought it was too; but someone said in another post on here that it had previously been done by Mary Kay in a 1947 sitcom called "MARY KAYE AND JOHNNY".

Let's just say any Norman Lear show. :lol:

With the exception of "Silver Spoons," which always played it safe.

A controversial moment occured in 1964 when, within its first year on the air, "Another World" featured TV's first abortion, performed on lead character Pat Randolph.

another controversial moment occured on an episode of "MAUDE" when she called Walter a son-of-a-bitch; the first time that had been done in prime time.

When "ALL IN THE FAMILY" premiered; it was controversial.

a ground breaking moment occured on the night of Feb. 14, 1963 when the special "A TOUR OF THE WHITE HOUSE WITH MRS. JACKELINNE KENNEDY" was broadcast on NBC, ABC, and CBS-the first time a show was shown on the 3 major networks.

The Brady Bunch - The parents shared a bed; sharing a bed was not standard for that era of shows, dont think it was the first show to do it, but I remember hearing it was a big deal

Ellen - When Ellens character came out that she was gay/lesbian

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All In the Family when Edith is attacked by the rapist.

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To this day, I don't think there has ever been an episode of any TV show that was so real, frightening or shocking.

Nowadays, something like that would never make it on network TV.

That moment has my vote.

Wouldn't All in the Family qualify as one big controversial television moment?
You can also say that about Three's Company the first couple of years anyways.

The Bicycle Man episode from Diff'rent Strokes.

was that the episode where one of the kids, dudley i think, was sexually molested by a padeophile?

Also on All In The Family:

*The Swastika being painted on the Bunkers' door.

*The cross on Mike and Gloria's lawn.

*Archie referring to people as "Hebes", "Pollacks", "Chinks", "Spicks", etc.

was that the episode where one of the kids, dudley i think, was sexually molested by a padeophile?
Yes it was.

Diff'rent Strokes was controversial for a long time, due to the simple fact that it had blacks and whites living as 1 family, under 1 roof.

I remember watching the E!THS, and seeing Conrad Bain and co. Saying how there were people from both races were VERY upset about the premise of the show. They used to get hate mail, complaints, and even threatening letters.

Yes it was.

I know Diff'rent Strokes was controversial for a long time, due to the simple facts that it had blacks and whites living as 1 family, under 1 roof.

I remember watching the E!THS, and seeing Conrad Bain and co. Saying how there were people from both races were VERY upset about the premise of the show. They used to get hate mail, complaints, and even threatening letters.

not to mention the fact the three child stars of the show had experienced their shares of lows as well. likewise, coleman faded into obscurity, todd bridges dabbled with drugs, and as for poor dana plato she committed suicide and died as a result

To this day, I don't think there has ever been an episode of any TV show that was so real, frightening or shocking.

Nowadays, something like that would never make it on network TV.

That moment has my vote.
I agree. Those two episodes, specifically the one featuring the actual rape, will always be my favorite episodes of the show. Even if it was done today, it wouldn't be the same. For me, a large chunk of the greatness of the scene was because of the way AITF was taped, almost soap opera-esque. It just felt more real than anything you could see on one of the current crime dramas.

A couple of episodes of Cagney and Lacey, "The Clinic" and "The City is Burning".

The made-for-tv movie starring Elizabeth Montgomery called A CASE OF RAPE. It was CONTROVERSIAL. It was powerful and to this day, I have never seen it aired again on television. Does anyone have any information on this movie and if the controversy of this movie kept it from ever being shown again?


Let me also add the play shown on PBS STEAMBATH with Valerie Perrine and Bill Bixby. Valerie was the first woman to purposely show her breasts (*ipples including). Here is a link abt the show:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167415/trivia

To this day, I don't think there has ever been an episode of any TV show that was so real, frightening or shocking.

Even though I knew how it ended, the first time I saw it, I cheered for Edith when she got away. It's one of those episodes that you can really get into.

the assassination of president kennedy and the terrorist attacks of september 11, 2001. especially the latter, since it was viewed in real time, absolutely riveting.

Watching the Challenger Shuttle explode live.

Any great moment in the Olympics, such as Nadia Comaneci scoring the first perfect tens in women's gymnastics. Mary Lou Retton winning the individual gold medal. The U.S. women's gymnastics team winning the gold medal. Mark Spitz gold medal winner for swimming. Bruce Jenner winning the decathalon.

Watching Joe Theismann break his leg during a football game.

The O.J. Simpson verdict (screw you Simpson)

The Los Angeles Riots

The OJ Simpson no-speed chase (:rolleyes:)

Speaking of Norman Lear - I took out Sanford & Son from the library. I was so shocked to hear words like the N-word and the F-word (aka the slur that has gotten Isaiah Washington and Jerry Lewis in trouble). NO WAY would that stuff make it on the airwaves today! :eek:

another controversial moment occured on an episode of "MAUDE" when she called Walter a son-of-a-bitch; the first time that had been done in prime time.

When "ALL IN THE FAMILY" premiered; it was controversial. to this day bea denies that she ever said son of a b'' on maude she insists that what she said was son of a wench but but my mother and i both saw the ep and despite bea;s denile she did indeed call walter a son of a b'''

also; there was the episode of STAR TREK that showed, for the first time, a black woman and a white man kissing on TV; at least that's what was believed for a long time-exept IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!!! To make a long story short, they filmed the scene 2 ways; one version had them kiss and one version just had them (Captian Kirk and Lt. Uhura) look like they were. Unfortunetaly; NBC wimmped out and aired the 2nd version.
Nichele Nichols tells the entire story in William Shatners book "STAR TREK MEMORIES".

The abortion episodes on Maude.
Speaking of controversy and Maude...

There was also that story arc when Walter couldn't stop drinking, and he hit Maude....Which also led to his *first* nervous breakdown.

These were some very controversial, and well, gutsy issues to showcase on television in the early/mid 1970's.

Watching the Challenger Shuttle explode live.

Any great moment in the Olympics, such as Nadia Comaneci scoring the first perfect tens in women's gymnastics. Mary Lou Retton winning the individual gold medal. The U.S. women's gymnastics team winning the gold medal. Mark Spitz gold medal winner for swimming. Bruce Jenner winning the decathalon.

Watching Joe Theismann break his leg during a football game.

The O.J. Simpson verdict (screw you Simpson)

The Los Angeles Riots

The challenger exploding is forever in my memory. I was almost five and my grandmother let my sister and I watch it, I remember screaming when it happened.

Oh yeah, the L.A riots, that was something else. Seemed like everything was shut down the whole ordeal.

There was a first season episode of Law & Order that dealt with the bombing of an abortion clinic (the explosion was shown on camera). I read somewhere that the episode was not aired in certain syndication packages. It certainly was/is a powerful episode, no matter your feelings on the subject.

on the very first episode of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in Oct. 1975, George Carlin hosted and at one point he did a monolouge where he joked about going to church. I heard that later, he got some flack from the pope or something.