Drake and Josh's Gary Grill Scandal (BANNED AGAIN?)

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Did you know that the beloved show Drake and Josh got BANNED more than once during its run? Teennick was known for its wild and unexpected decisions when it came to airing certain episodes. The iconic stars of the show, Josh Peck and Drake Bell, along with the talented Miranda Cosgrove, come together in a particularly interesting and somewhat controversial episode: The Gary Coleman Grill! This episode is often referred to as a "forgotten episode" by fans, and it features hilarious antics and memorable moments that fans of the series adore. Join us as we dive into the reasons behind the bans, the impact on the show, and the legacy of these characters that continue to resonate with audiences today!

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The Banned Episode of Drake & Josh – “The Gary Grill”

• In the early 2000s, Drake & Josh was one of the biggest hits on Nickelodeon — a show about two stepbrothers learning to live under one roof, balancing high school, family life, and each other’s chaos. But buried in its second season is an episode that’s almost impossible to find today. It's not on streaming. It’s not in reruns. And for many fans, it simply vanished.
• This is the story of The Gary Grill — the missing episode of Drake & Josh.

What Happens in the Episode?

• The Gary Grill originally aired on October 17, 2004, as Season 2, Episode 12. It begins with Drake and Josh being offered a business opportunity by two suspicious characters — Buddy and Guy — while working at The Premiere movie theater. The deal? Help them sell a new product: the Gary Coleman Grill, a parody of the real-life George Foreman Grill.
• Drake and Josh, seeing dollar signs, agree. They start selling the grills to customers and quickly rake in a small fortune. But what they don’t know is that the grills are stolen merchandise — taken directly from actor Gary Coleman, who is playing himself in the episode.
• Things take a turn when the FBI shows up and arrests the boys, mistaking them for the masterminds behind the theft. They’re thrown into jail, only to be saved in classic Drake & Josh fashion by their younger sister, Megan. Using a hidden camera and some trickery, Megan gets Buddy and Guy to confess to the crime. The real thieves are arrested, and Drake and Josh are cleared.
• But there’s still one loose end: Gary Coleman himself arrives at the end of the episode demanding repayment for the lost grills. With their profits gone, the boys are forced to hand over everything they bought with the money — including their chairs. Gary walks out triumphantly. Drake and Josh are left sitting on the floor.

So Why Was It Banned?

• Unlike some episodes that were pulled for inappropriate content, The Gary Grill disappeared for a much more technical reason: licensing rights.
• The episode features Gary Coleman — playing himself. And like many celebrity guest appearances from the 2000s, the contract that allowed his likeness to be used didn’t account for future streaming rights, which didn’t really exist at the time.
• After Gary Coleman’s death in 2010, the legal process for using his image or voice became even more complicated. To redistribute the episode on platforms like Paramount+ or Netflix, Nickelodeon would likely need permission from his estate. That kind of red tape — combined with the cost of renegotiating rights — often leads studios to quietly pull episodes entirely.
• There may also be music licensing issues in the background, another common reason why several Drake & Josh episodes have vanished. Episodes like “Guitar,” “Driver’s License,” and “Blues Brothers” also remain missing from most streaming libraries for similar reasons.

Can You Still Watch It?

• Yes — but you’ll have to work for it.
• The Gary Grill is available on some international DVD box sets, and in certain digital storefronts where the rights were previously secured. Occasionally, clips circulate online, but the full episode is rarely seen outside of these formats.

The Legacy

• The Gary Grill isn’t necessarily one of the most iconic Drake & Josh episodes. But its disappearance has given it cult status — one of those “did I imagine this?” moments for longtime fans. It’s a reminder of how fragile media preservation can be, especially in an era when streaming platforms quietly edit, alter, or omit shows entirely.
• For most fans, Drake & Josh was just a funny show about two brothers trying to survive each other. But for a select few who remember The Gary Grill, it’s also a case study in how rights issues can quietly erase part of television history — even when the episode was completely innocent.
• In the end, The Gary Grill wasn’t banned for what it said — but for who was in it.
• And that makes it one more entry… in the Archive of Everything.