The Simpsons made its debut way back in 1989 and though its viewed as a wholesome, family-oriented show by many, 27 seasons and almost 600 episodes in the show has had more than its fair share of controversy. George Bush Sr. took offence back in the early 90s, and several American conservative groups have called out the shows radical handling of everything from religion to same-sex marriage. It doesnt end on The Simpsons' home turf either: over its history its also managed to offend Brazil, Australia, South Korea and, strangely enough, even its own creator Matt Groening. But then, despite its pre-watershed spot, its never been a show to shy away from satire and thats one of the reasons The Simpsons is simultaneously such a well-respected, long-running show and a source of chagrin. These are the Simpsons episodes that generated the most outrage, from a regrettable panda rape blip and unfortunate crossovers, to biting the hand that feeds you and pi**ing off Catholics.
14. Homer Vs. Dignity
Considered by many fans as one of the worst Simpsons episodes to date, Homer vs. Dignity has been criticised for its recycling of previous plotlines, but lack of fresh material wasnt the main controversy surrounding the episode: that honour went to its infamous panda rape scene. Homer, working as Mr Burns prank monkey for extra cash, dresses up as a panda and sneaks into Springfield Zoo where an uncharacteristically amorous real male panda takes a shining to him and drags him off to his lair to do what doesnt come too naturally to pandas. Why? Nobody knows but the writers, and while it wasnt exactly a scene from an early Linda Lovelace film, it nevertheless offended quite a few fans.
