6 Controversial Netflix TV Shows That Managed to Piss Off Almost Everyone

Insatiable (2018–2019)

This show caused so much controversy that the creators had to shut it down after season two, despite its relatively high ratings. The story of a high school girl on a journey to rapidly lose weight was accused of fat-shaming and discrimination against people with eating disorders. The message of this comedy does seem ambiguous.

Sure enough, Hollywood is brimming with similar shows in which the main character, usually female, sweats and toils to achieve the desired physical shape. But usually, this step is presented as her own choice and a deliberate step in personal growth.

But Insatiable insinuates that an overweight person is by default an outsider and the only way to be accepted is to lose weight at any cost.

This kind of harmful content can easily drive teen viewers into depression, anorexia, or bulimia! As a result, the petition against the series gathered over 100,000 signatures, and Netflix caved in.

The Crown ( 2016-...)

This series has enraged no less than the members of the British Royal Family! This drama series about the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II has already suffered two unprecedented scandals. Firstly, the numerous heirs to the throne were extremely unhappy with their portrayal on the screen. It comes as no surprise: it is not easy to shoot a historical series with characters who are still alive and disagree with the portrayal of events.

And secondly, fans accidentally found out that the lead actress Claire Foy was paid less for the second season than actor Matt Smith, who only appeared in a couple of episodes. That's where the conflict over sexist work payment inequality broke out. Netflix had to promise the viewers that the difference in pay would be transferred to the Time's Up movement, which fights for equal pay.

Boo, Bitch (2022)

First of all, viewers were confused by the very title of the series. It is clearly not intended for an underage audience, while the story's plot, on the contrary, is targeted precisely for teenagers. Two unpopular high school girls desperately want to fit into their school, but one of them, surprise! becomes a ghost in the process. Adult viewers and critics call the series "childish and boring," noting the complete lack of originality and the blandness of the plot. In addition, it is filled with black humor and lowbrow jokes. Despite harsh criticisms, the series (in no small part due to its scandalous title) made it into the top most-watched series on Netflix in 2022.

The Witcher ( 2019-...)

This list would not be complete without the most anticipated (and the most disappointing) TV adaptation in Netflix history.

For years, fans of Andrzej Sapkowski’s epic novels about the witcher Geralt were hoping for a decent screen adaptation. But the first season of the series literally horrified them.

Somehow, in fictional medieval Europe, African American actors appeared (including the elves and witches), but the peculiar humor and flavor of the original text evaporated, and the characters on screen started behaving not only contrary to the canon but also contrary to basic logic. The choice of actors for the leading roles offended the loyal fans in particular. Princess Ciri, who according to the plot was supposed to be an immature teenager, turned into a lush young woman, and sharp-tounged and wise witch Yennefer, on the contrary, was portrayed as an inexperienced young girl.

Nevertheless, many viewers praised the show's visuals and atmosphere, as well as Henry Cavill 's excellent acting. Despite the contradictory reviews, The Witcher was rated 8.2 on IMDb and is renewed for at least four seasons.

Big Mouth (2017-...)

Even Netflix’s animated series did not escape the controversy. Big Mouth is a show about a group of ordinary American teenagers. As they enter puberty, they begin to see "hormonal monsters" - imaginary friends who seduce them into indecent thoughts and actions. These very actions in practice turned out to be so obscene that even the fans of a similar streaming show BoJack Horseman found the cartoon too vulgar and disgusting. Nevertheless, the numerous attacks did not prevent the series from scoring a 7.9 out of 10 on international ratings and renewing for a seventh season immediately following the premiere of Season 6. The project was saved from canceling by its high age rating. The producers of the show explained that Big Mouth was originally designed for adult viewers, and certainly not for teenagers.

13 Reasons Why (2017-2020)

In the ranking of the most scandalous projects on Netflix, this series will, doubtless, take first place. And it all has to do with the topic of teenage suicide being openly raised by the creators of the show. In the story, high school student Clay Jensen discovers a box of audiotapes on his porch, in each of which his late classmate Hannah Baker details her reasons for committing suicide. Unlike all the other listed shows, the controversy surrounding the series has had more of a positive than a negative effect.

The fact is that the creators of 13 Reasons Why didn’t romanticize suicide but, on the contrary, explained to children, parents, and teachers how to avoid it.

However, this show, too, had its portion of condemnation. In particular, the shocking scene in the last episode of the first season of Hannah committing suicide was described as overly naturalistic. After several difficult disputes, Netflix decided to delete it from the final cut of the series.