Even the happiest and most upbeat television shows have a darker side to them. Even if we’re seeing bright colors and lots of smiles on screen, there can be utter chaos going on outside behind the scenes! Thankfully, social media has helped shine a light on some of the darker moments in TV history. From toxic work environments to famous dramas behind some of the world’s most beloved animated programs, almost every show has a secret or two they want to keep away from everyone’s eyes. Good thing we’re here to spill the tea! Grab the clicker and a lamp because we’re going deep into some of the dark secrets behind your favorite television shows.

The A-Team

A show about a bunch of renegades taking the law into their own hands? Buckets of testosterone and gold chains every single season? Are we talking about The A-Team? You bet your camper vans we are! While the guns and explosions were enough to entertain viewers during its run, behind the scenes things were much more explosive.

Full House

They always say to never work with animals and children in show business. Why? Probably because it makes everything a million times more complicated. While there are plenty of (working) kids and animals that listen and know how to take cues, that’s not always the case. In the early 90s, everyone’s favorite house was almost too full for one actor.

Step By Step

One step out of line in television and your career is OVER. While pushing buttons and being persistent is one way to advance, sometimes people can be far too aggressive. Any sort of physical altercation, or even evidence of one occurring, is enough to end an actor’s career. That’s precisely what happened on the family-friendly show Step By Step. Who remembers Cody?

Desperate Housewives

Inspiration can appear in many forms. Sometimes a person can see a tree and design an entire runway collection around it. A programmer may find a piece of software they like and build an entire network of systems. Even show producers can see something in the news and think that it would make quality television. The origin of Desperate Housewives is similar!

Luck

The wild world of competitive horse racing is really intense. That makes sense with the sport being so fast-paced. When you only have a couple minutes to make or lose millions of dollars you gotta go big or go home. Now take that mentality and keep it in your head. Why? Because acting on that drive is a different matter entirely. Not everyone, or everything, can go as hard (or put up with) such a grueling desire to win.

The Deuce

It’s important to bring light to someone’s negative actions, even after time has passed. Perhaps that’s what James Franco was aiming for with The Deuce. Following the adult film industry in the 70s, the show isn’t shy about revealing the more sordid details of what went on in those years. Though it seems Franco didn’t learn from their mistakes. 

Saturday Night Live

When making live television every week, you have to be prepared for anything. Someone might cancel. An act may screw up so badly that they never return (Ashley Simpson). Or you could have two of your biggest stars EVER get into a fistfight for stupid reasons. Saturday Night Live is a comedic institution and weekly circus that somehow always delivers.

Bob’s Burgers

Before it became one of the best-animated programs to ever premiere on FOX, Bob’s Burgers almost didn’t make it. While that’s the general theme of the show (somehow the restaurant always kind of survives), in reality, it was a lot scarier. A whole bunch of changes had to be made to the original script before any studio would touch the show.

Sesame Street

What’s one of the most wholesome shows in history doing in an article like this? Nothing truly scary or dark happens on Sesame Street (they have tons of street lights thanks to responsible city planning and infrastructure). Well, not anymore at least. Back in the early seasons of the show, a few residents of the neighborhood led a double life!

Flipper

Even without watching the show or film, everyone knows that dolphins are incredibly intelligent. These mammals are known to have complex relationships, language, and even engage in underwater hallucinogenic sessions! They’re also known to be employed actors. However, their long list of accomplishments doesn’t cancel out their darker qualities.

The Brady Bunch

Things weren’t always peachy keen in the Brady household. Under the veneer of a shiny home and a fake backyard, there stewed a bunch of darker issues. From the dad being closeted for his entire adult life to Marcia doing drugs, The Brady Bunch was full of juicy secrets. Have you never heard about Marcia? Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

If you live in a luxurious zip code you have to pay luxurious prices. Nobody learned that lesson as hard as Will Smith during his years as a royal in Bel-Air. Due to his success in the music business, and his newfound success in acting, young Smith had a lot of extra cash. However, he wasn’t always the most responsible spender.

A Different World

It’s hard to talk about A Different World without mentioning that it was a spin-off of the wildly popular Cosby Show. While some characters made a reappearance in the spin-off series, the show didn’t last past six seasons. Though that’s not bad for a spin-off. Some of the more well-known characters didn’t fare as well as the show did.

Friends

We’re back at Central Perk to talk about a member of the Friends group. Our attention is on Chandler this time. Everyone’s favorite funny guy/transponder wasn’t always cracking jokes. Sometimes his own mental well-being was cracking. Was it the pressure of his newfound success and television show? Nope.

Martin

Sometimes great shows seem to vanish for no reason whatsoever. One day we’re laughing up a storm and the next we’re hearing that there’s a mysterious hiatus (and then a cancellation not too soon after that). One of these great sitcoms that followed a similar path is Martin. This hilarious show had everything going for it. The characters were great, the styles on-point, and the punchlines were always hitting.

Jessie

What happens when you get into a disagreement with your nanny/babysitter/sibling in real life? Y’all talk it through and then someone comes in and helps settle the dispute. What happens when the disagreement keeps happening on a popular television show? You cancel the whole thing. Though bickering between the cast probably couldn’t have been the sole reason for Jessie’s cancellation.

Hannah Montana

Living a double life is tough work. Living a triple-life seems near-impossible. While Hannah Montana explored what it’s like for a superstar to try and have a “normal” life, her life behind the scenes was just as crazy. Miley Cyrus and Emily Osment were only playing nice for the cameras. When the lights weren’t on they were constantly going after each other! Cyrus’ parents (as well as Osment’s) eventually had to get involved to stop the two from fighting so much.

Frasier

Often overlooked, Frasier was one of the smartest sitcoms ever to air on TV! The beloved series was a stuffy yet endearingly funny spin-off of Cheers. Dr. Frasier Crane was a blowhard who needed to learn to relax (as did his brother). Their dad was a breath of fresh air and a constant thorn in their sides.

The Ren & Stimpy Show

What rolls downstairs, alone or in pairs, and over your neighbor’s dog? What’s great for a snack and fits on your back? It’s LOG, LOG, LOG! Ren & Stimpy is one of the most ridiculous and poignant animated shows to come out of the 90s. While it was CLEARLY not aimed at kids, that didn’t stop them from watching it.

Roseanne

Roseanne was one of those shows that struck a bunch of chords with audiences. Many weren’t thrilled with how crass and honest the show was, others thought it accurately depicted life in America for many families. Either way, it was a smash-hit. Millions tuned in weekly to see what adventure Roseanne would have with the gang. 

Happy Days

Every day is a Happy Day when you’re on the set of Happy Days. This wholesome show set in the 50s was actually shot in the 70s! Not only did it give Henry Winkler and Ron Howard a massive career boost, but it also saved Howard’s life. Right before Happy Days was scheduled to shoot the pilot, Howard received a notice that he would be drafted into the Vietnam War. 

Nickelodeon (vs. Dan Schneider)

Usually, we’ll zero in and focus on a specific show. However, sometimes a person is so big that we need to talk about their entire working history with a company. There may be dark secrets hiding behind many of our favorite Nickelodeon shows. One of the company’s biggest and worst-kept secrets was, and is, Dan Schneider. This guy helped jumpstart a lot of careers. 

iCarly

It’s not difficult supporting a family. When you’re the sole breadwinner things that normally seem fun can immediately turn stressful. That comes with the territory of being the only one holding up the household. Usually, that job is left to the parents, though that’s not always the case. iCarly star Jenette McCurdy revealed that even as a kid that was her entire life. Her family didn’t have a lot to live off of. 

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers

It’s morphin’ time! The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers were EVERYONE’S favorite hero team of the early 90s. This ridiculously popular show became a cultural television and toy phenomenon in the States. In fact, spin-offs of the show are still airing (along with reruns of the original) nearly thirty years after the first season premiered. The show is all about inclusion, working as a team, and overcoming differences to benefit everyone.

The Dating Game

The Dating Game is supposed to be a cute little game show where complete strangers answer questions about themselves to try and impress another stranger. Why would they do this? Aside from the national (or international) embarrassment, the grand prize was a paid date with the lucky mystery person! It’s cute, it’s fun, and it’s also a somewhat life-threatening situation for some. 

Breaking Bad

It’s hard to write about great television shows with dark secrets and NOT talk about Breaking Bad. There’s just something about this show that makes it applicable for almost every single article we write. It’s not just because we’re superfans. It’s also one of those phenomenons that’s so multi-layered that it works on every level. Even hospital staff can appreciate some of the finer behind-the-scenes details going on. 

 One Tree Hill

When making a show with sensitive topics, you have to be aware of how all members of the crew are acting and interacting with each other. One Tree Hill, a must-watch for many, likes to tackle these issues without shying away from tropes that made it so addicting to watch. Unfortunately, despite being well-received by viewers, things on set weren’t always going smoothly. 

The X-Files

Power, fame, and even success can corrupt people and change them in weird ways. The X-Files was a culture-defining show and a good example of the fame phenomenon. Despite millions of people falling in love with Agents Scully and Mulder, the stars of the hit show were anything but friendly partners in real life. On-set, these two delivered some knockout performances.

Stranger Things

Making “must-see” TV is a pretty stressful job. Not only do you have to keep viewers on their toes, but you also have to make sure everyone on set is as devoted to the project as you are. That can turn even the most routine productions into a nightmare to work on. Despite Stranger Things’ MASSIVE success, not everyone was thrilled to be connected to the show. 

Ellen

The Ellen DeGeneres Show was one of the most popular talk shows of its kind. The comedian turned actor turned talk show host had a wild ride leading up to her eventually getting her own show. While the topics and stunts were generally well-received (aside from the random scares), in the later seasons mumblings about a toxic environment started to come to light.

The Andy Griffith Show

They just don’t make wholesome comedies like they used to. While newer sitcoms have their appeal, the classics are just too heartwarming to ever let go. The Andy Griffith Show is one of those series that will forever live in our hearts. The relationship between Griffith, his son, and Aunt Bee was idealized by every family. As loving and close as they appeared on TV, it was all just an act. Francis Bavier, Aunt Bee, was not very happy with her character. 

Wipeout

Typically game shows are filled with light-hearted fun and thrilling feats. We’re on the edge of our seats watching a contestant complete an obstacle course, or we’re laughing when they stumble and splash into the water. Sure we’d probably never compete in one of these shows ourselves, but they can’t be dangerous, right? Unfortunately, one contestant wasn’t so lucky when failing the course.

Family Matters

Being a child star isn’t easy. While the fame fortune seems appealing, growing up in front of an audience can be stressful and awkward for a teen. Jaleel White, the talent behind Urkel, had this issue while performing on Family Matters. But rather than age up the character, production opted to hide White’s growth. They even went so far as to discourage him from working out! 

Dance Moms

This Lifetime series follows the progress and careers of child dancers as they’re being mentored by choreographer Abby Lee Miller. One of the most entertaining aspects of this show is watching the drama that ensues between Miller and the moms, but people still watch to see contestants flourish in their craft. Chloe Lukasiak, a contemporary ballet dancer, dropped off the show early on, and she had a pretty good reason.

Maude

Everyone who ever starred in The Golden Girls is a superstar. Each of the girls went on to have amazing careers (and had them before the show). For instance, Bea Arthur was no stranger to TV by the time she moved in with Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose. Before all that she was Maude. A dry-witted, sarcastically funny, go-getter. She was a mold-breaker. She was Maude. The show was so well-received that it swept multiple Emmys across multiple seasons. 

Deal or No Deal

A game of Deal or No Deal can be pretty strenuous. There’s a lot of money potentially on the line. Nobody knows if you have $1 waiting for you or a cool million. All the excitement is enough to make you pass out! Okay, maybe not you. Some of the models holding the cases though? They weren’t in the best working conditions.

Lost

This show was absolutely Earth-shattering when it came out. We don’t think it’d be a stretch to say that Lost was a defining moment in television history, running for over 100 episodes and receiving countless awards and nominations. People simply HAD to tune in every week to find out what would happen to the cast of castaways. You’d think the person who greenlit the show would be praised for his decision, right?

Community

Hollywood has a handful of actors who are known to be somewhat difficult to work with. They might be talented and attract audiences, but behind the scenes, they’re extremely messy. This was definitely the case when it came to Chevy Chase and the sitcom Community. Behind the cult following and Emmy nominations, there was trouble brewing.

Saturday Night Live

Who here loves Mango? No, not the fruit, the dancer. If you were an SNL fan in the 90s then Mango was always in season. This over-the-top character came from the mind of the hilarious Chris Kattan. A lot of memorable performers on the SNL crew are known for their characters. Mango was one of Kattans’ many shining moments. 

How I Met Your Mother

It’s important to remember that characters and actors are separate beings. Sure, an actor brings their persona to life on the screen. However, they also have their own stuff going on off-screen. Robin’s on-screen life is already fraught with drama. Behind the camera, Colbie Smulders was dealing with her own peaks and valleys. She was, and still is, a warrior. 

America’s Next Top Model

When you’re offered the chance to compete on television for a wildly over-blown dream prize, reading the fine details of the contract isn’t always your top priority. The glamor of being on TV can blind some people to a slew of serious facts. One of them is that you’re still working. 

The Simpsons

Hi everybody! Did you know some of Springfield’s most famous physicians have non-local clients? Why, sometimes they’re even named in honor of their role models and past successes. Others are named after tragically sad events and people. Dr. Nick, everyone’s favorite smiling doc, is named after the latter. If you’re a fan of Graceland and Elvis, you already know where this is headed. 

Better Call Saul

The Breaking Bad universe is full of near-misses, explosions, and the occasional sudden death. However, since that’s all television, those things normally stay happening in front of a camera. When filming the final season of Better Call Saul (the spin-off), an actual death almost took place! Bob Odenkirk suffered a serious and sudden heart attack!

Room Raiders

Room Raiders was an interesting MTV reality series. Romantic prospects would take a tour of a girl or guy’s room and decide whether or not they wanted to date them. Often embarrassing items would be pulled out and shown to the camera. But every episode started off with the “abduction” of the teens who would have their rooms surveyed. 

The Golden Girls

What made The Golden Girls so special was the bond we got to see between the characters. Despite their differences, the ladies seemed to really care about one another. No matter what happened, they always seemed to come together over cheesecake and a few laughs. We all wanted a bond like that, right? As it turns out, they weren’t always the friendliest with one another. 

That 70’s Show

The characters on That ’70s Show were out-there. Some of them were just plain far out. Do you see where we’re going with this? Awesome, so we can drop the cliches and corny jokes. Some of the more interesting people on the block didn’t make it until the end. Midge, Donna’s mom, was one of our favorites. 

Ellen 

This popular series followed the life of bookstore owner Ellen Morgan (played by Ellen DeGeneres herself) as she tries to get by in life all while dealing with the drama of her friend group and family. Turns fictional and real-life Ellen had a lot in common. Shortly after coming out in real life, the character came out as gay in ‘The Puppy Episode.’

Ally McBeal

Nothing had us laughing more than watching Ally McBeal on the big screen. We saw her trying to piece her life together after her career fell to pieces. Her life turns into a trainwreck we just can’t stop watching. Ending up at a Boston Law Firm with her ex-lover and his wife creates the perfect awkward situation to keep us laughing. 

You

It’s time to talk about You. Yeah, You! No, not you, just You. Semantics aside, it isn’t that complicated to wrap YOUr head around the show. A guy’s a creepy stalker and the main character is in love but creeped out by the creeper. Got it? Good. While stalkers aren’t good, some of the characters in this show are pretty interesting and are worth YOUr attention.