The Worst TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked

“The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer” was a controversial sitcom that aired on UPN in October 1998. The show starred Chi McBride as Desmond Pfeiffer, a Black British nobleman who becomes President Abraham Lincoln’s valet after fleeing England due to gambling debts.

The series faced significant backlash from African American activist groups, including the NAACP, for its perceived light-hearted portrayal of slavery. Despite efforts to mitigate the controversy by altering the pilot episode, the show suffered from low ratings and was canceled after airing only four episodes.