2019's Biggest TV Controversies

TVLine looks back at the year's most controversial small-screen moments, from Constance Wu's Twitter tirade to a scandalous Rookie exit. These are the TV stars and shows that made headlines in 2019 — for all the wrong reasons.

ORLANDO JONES' GODS FORSAKEN EXIT

In a social media video in December, the American Gods series regular announced that he'd been let go from Starz's fantasy drama, which is produced by Fremantle Media. Jones' allegations — that characters of color, such as his Mr. Nancy, were being sidelined and that showrunner Charles "Chic" Eglee specifically did not like Nancy's "anger gets s–t done" ethos — were denied in statements from the series and Eglee. Gabrielle Union, who was fired from Fremantle's America's Got Talent in November, publicly supported Jones via social media, leading the actors' union SAG-AFTRA to open an investigation into the production company.

CONSTANCE WU'S TWEETSTORM

The Fresh Off the Boat actress took to social media after her ABC comedy was renewed for a sixth (and ultimately final) season in May. But rather than expressing excitement or gratitude, Wu tweeted that she was "so upset now that I'm literally crying," and also left a "dislike" comment under a renewal announcement on the show's official Instagram page. Wu later apologized and explained that she was unhappy "not because I hate the show but because its renewal meant I had to give up another project that I was really passionate about."

SURVIVING SURVIVOR

Island of the Idols turned ugly when contestant Kellee Kim spoke up about her distress over fellow castaway Dan Spilo's inappropriate touching. On-site producers intervened, giving Spilo a formal warning, but viewers raised questions as to whether the show properly handled Kim's safety. Following her vote-out, Spilo was finally ejected from the game after a report of another (off-camera) incident that did not involve a player. The controversy led to fierce online debate regarding sexual harassment, the #MeToo movement and the ethics of reality television, in addition to a public apology to Kim from host Jeff Probst.

DESPERATE FOR A FULLER EDUCATION 

It was the type of scandal that Lifetime movies are made of. (In fact, it was!) In March, TV stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were among several people involved in a nationwide scheme where parents paid hefty bribes to get their kids into elite colleges. After pleading guilty, Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in jail, while Loughlin — who initially pled not guilty — is still awaiting trial. Huffman's involvement led to a former Desperate Housewives co-star speaking out against her "white privilege," while Loughlin was fired from her series-regular role on Hallmark Channel's When Calls the Heart.

AMERICA'S GOT TOXICITY  

America's Got Talent fans were shocked in November when it was reported that new judges Julianne Hough and Gabrielle Union would not be returning for Season 15. But their collective departure became a full-blown controversy when a follow-up report revealed that the judges were subjected to a "toxic" behind-the-scenes environment. Union met with NBC and AGT producers in December to discuss her concerns, announcing on Twitter that their five-hour meeting was "productive." An investigation into AGT producer Fremantle remains underway.

SHAME! OF THRONES

When Season 8 of HBO's fantasy epic didn't live up to fan expectations, some of the show's passionate following took it upon themselves to create an online petition to remake the entire final season "with competent writers." More than 1.8 million disgruntled viewers signed the appeal... to no avail: HBO president Casey Bloys later said that a Season 8 redux was "not something we seriously considered."

FALL OF AN EMPIRE STAR

Eleven months ago, Jussie Smollett's fans were heartbroken over the initial report that he had been the target of a "possible racially charged" assault and battery. Within weeks, though, the Chicago P.D.'s investigation turned up inconsistencies and chatty cohorts, eventually suggesting that the Empire star had staged the attack. Once the dust finally cleared, Smollett was facing a felony criminal charge of disorderly conduct/filing a false police report — and he was fresh out of a job at Empire, though there is now talk Jamal might resurface in the series finale. The charges, meanwhile, were suddenly dropped less than three weeks after Smollett was indicted.

LAUER FALLS LOWER

Nearly two years after Matt Lauer was fired by NBC (following allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior), former NBC News employee Brooke Nevils alleged that Lauer anally raped her in 2014 in Sochi, where she was assisting with the network's Olympics coverage. Nevils also claimed her work life became "torture" after she filed a complaint with human resources about Lauer's behavior, prompting her to take medical leave and eventually receive a seven-figure payment from NBC. In a 1,400-word letter (which Nevils described as "a case study in victim blaming"), Lauer called Nevils' allegations "categorically false," insisting their Sochi encounter was "mutual and completely consensual."

LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT'S... NOT THIS GUY

On Sept. 16, just four days after he was first hired as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, Shane Gillis was ousted by NBC over a series of racist and homophobic remarks. A show spokesperson was then forced to release a statement on behalf of Lorne Michaels, which in part read, "We were not aware of [Gillis'] prior remarks... We are sorry that we did not see these clips earlier, and that our vetting process was not up to our standard."

AN AFFAIR MYSTERY SOLVED?

The catalyst for Ruth Wilson's abrupt exit from the Showtime drama finally came to light in December, when an exhaustive, 3,000-word account alleged that the actress took issue with "the frequency and nature of certain nude scenes." She eventually raised a complaint about a "hostile work environment" after the misconduct of frequent director and EP Jeffrey Reiner came to light, then negotiated her departure ahead of Season 4 — as well as her character's originally conceived death-by-sexual assault. Days later, series co-creator Sarah Treem shared her side of the story and insisted that she "tried to protect [Wilson] and shoot sex scenes safely and respectfully."

COP, OUT

Afton Williamson's exit from The Rookie after just one season started off quietly enough — until she finally shared her take on the alleged events (bullying, sexual misconduct, uncaring producers) that gave her no other option but to walk away. A third-party investigation into the actress' claims determined that "no unlawful or inappropriate behavior" had taken place, but still, you had to sympathize over whatever Williamson believed took place, prompting her to vacate a perfectly good, co-starring role. 

LOVE IS (NOT) LOVE ON HALLMARK

Responding to protests from conservative groups including One Million Moms and Lifesite, Hallmark Channel pulled a Zola commercial featuring a same-sex wedding for being "controversial," per a Crown Media Family Networks employee. The decision spurred an immediate backlash from viewers, celebrities and GLAAD, as well as a #BoycottHallmark campaign, which led Hallmark Cards president and CEO Mike Perry to reverse the move and declare it "the wrong decision."