Danny Masterson joins a maligned tradition of ruining otherwise beloved shows

In the recent culture of celebrities’ secrets spilling out, nothing can be sacred anymore. More and more actors who were once beloved have been revealed to be heinous criminals, effectively destroying the legacy of television shows that fans have held close to their hearts. After a hung jury of his first trial, That ‘70s Show’s Danny Masterson was convicted of two instances of sexual assault. Much of the first trial hinged on Masteron’s affiliation with the Church of Scientology, which the Jane Does were also a part of. Per the Los Angeles Times, church members are compelled to sign a document stating they should solve all issues internally and not reach out to official authorities. The second trial focused on allegations that Masterson had drugged the Jane Does which resulted in a prison sentence of 30 years for the actor.

Sadly, this outcome is few and far between for alleged violent offenders. Masterson’s conviction doesn’t fix the rewatch value of That ‘70s Show, and he’s not the only one. Other actors have been the subject of criminal investigations but did not have the same sense of justice. The most high profile of these performers is everyone’s television dad, Bill Cosby. Portraying Cliff Huxtable from 1984–1992, the comedian was sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison in 2018 for assaulting Andrea Constand. However, after 3 years, CNN reported his sentence was commuted, and he was released from prison. This event is another instance of viewers being soured on a show that should bring delight. 

Similarly, another television dad, Stephen Collins, also had a brush with the law, which was equally as disconcerting. Playing Reverend Camden in 7th Heaven for over a decade, the actor came under fire when recordings came to light of him confessing to child molestation. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the alleged abuses occurred from 1973 to 1994, which put it outside the statute of limitations for prosecution. The state of actors tarnishing their legacy doesn’t just pertain to television.

The film industry seems to have an even wider spread of nauseating examples. Kevin Spacey won acclaim for films such as American Beauty and The Usual Suspects, but in later years, has been the subject of some of the most publicized trials in recent memory. Anthony Rapp was one of the more famous performers to accuse Spacey of assault. The Rent actor alleges that Spacey took advantage of him when he was only 14 years old. The House of Cards actor recently was also the subject of a trial in the U.K. for criminal misconduct. Even stranger are the events following Ezra Miller and DC’s reluctance to make a statement. Impressing audiences with their performance in We Need To Talk About Kevin early in their career, Miller would later be found in a whirl of controversy for instances of physical assault in Hawaii, among many others. According to The Wrap, DC ultimately did put out a press release stating that Miller was seeking professional help for their behavior. However, it does throw into question if these events had not come out so close to The Flash movie if the production company would be dragging its heels. With so many instances of criminal activity, it makes many wonder if all we can do is just separate the art from the artist.