Top 10 TV Shows That Led to HUGE Lawsuits

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most significant lawsuits ever to occur because of a TV show. Some spoilers to come!

#10: “Baby Reindeer” (2024)

This award-winning Netflix series about a bartender forced to deal with a stalker tread on some toes. Many fans had speculated there was a real-life inspiration behind the stalker, Martha, and they were not alone. One Scottish lawyer, Fiona Muir-Harvey, even sued Netflix for defamation and negligence in a $170 million lawsuit, claiming Martha was based on her. She also claims Netflix misleadingly marketed the show as a “true story” rather than simply based on one. Though the negligence charges were dismissed, the defamation ones continue, so it remains to be seen whether this autobiographical series was in the wrong.

#9: “Wife Swap” (2004-20)

This reality TV show about wives going to different families has naturally incurred a lot of controversies and even lawsuits. The case of Alicia Guastaferro, however, is a notable one. She filed a lawsuit in 2010 for her appearance in a 2008 episode. According to the suit, Guastaferro was forced by the producers to act more spoiled, even giving her scripted lines. This performance caused her peers to mock and taunt her, leading to severe emotional distress and panic attacks. The lawsuit was settled out of court that same year for an unknown amount, but if Guastaferro had her way, ABC could have been out $100 million.

#8: “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” (2018-20)

This dark supernatural show about witchcraft and Satan worship got on the wrong side of the Satanists themselves. The Satanic Temple sued the series’ team for their use of the Statue of Baphomet, claiming copyright infringement of their own real-life statue. The Temple also took umbrage at the series portraying Satanists as evil cannibals who indulge in murder and other inaccuracies. For its part, Warner Bros. alleged the statue’s real-life inspiration was already included in the credits for the episode. The lawsuit, seeking at least $50 million in damages, was settled in 2018. Do not mess with these devil’s advocates.

#7: “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip” (2021-)

A “Real Housewives” spin-off, this show is legally fraught. In this series, several “Real Housewives” women vacation together in different locales, with a lot of drama along the way. Caroline Manzo by all accounts had the worst time on the show, claiming the network had allowed co-star Brandi Glanville to sexually harass and assault her. Glanville apparently had a record of sexual misconduct before her time on the show. Manzo filed a lawsuit against the network Bravo for negligence. Glanville has denied these allegations, claiming emotional distress, financial hardship, and even thoughts of self-harm as a result of the lawsuit. Talk about a reality check.

#6: “Ray Donovan” (2013-20)

Shows can also get in trouble if their premise is too similar to another treatment. This award-winning crime drama follows a “fixer,” who uses illegal means to help his celebrity clients solve their problems. Per Brian Larsen, however, this is the exact same premise as his own 2009 concept, “The Swissman,” which also included a storyline with a pro basketball player involved in a sex scandal. While allegedly getting enthusiastic response from a Showtime exec, Larsen’s proposal was eventually rejected in 2010. Larsen sued Showtime for breach of implied contract, claiming the network passed his idea on to Mark Gordon’s production company. The show was unexpectedly cancelled in 2020, so this is one problem Ray Donovan can’t fix.

#5: “Better Call Saul” (2015-22)

Of course, a “Breaking Bad” prequel about a bad lawyer would get into some bad legal trouble. Acclaimed by both critics and audiences, the show nevertheless got hit with a lawsuit for a pretty benign reason: trademark infringement. Liberty Tax Service took offense over the similarly named Sweet Liberty Tax Services, a fictional tax firm involved in shady business practices. The show’s use of an inflatable Statute of Liberty and American flag motif was also flagged as trademark violations used to disparage the company. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2023, with a Manhattan district judge ruling in favor of the “Better Call Saul” creators. Perhaps they did call Saul after all.

#4: “Abbott Elementary” (2021-)

Plenty of series have been accused of copyright infringement and stealing a similar premise, and this one is no different. Writer and former schoolteacher Christine Davis claimed the hit ABC series “Abbott Elementary” was a knock-off of her own proposed TV series, “This School Year,” conceived in 2018. “This School Year” was also a mockumentary about an idealistic teacher, but this one worked in a New York City public school. Finally, in 2024 the case was dismissed by New York, claiming that the similarities between the two were surface-level at best, with the shows differing in plot, structure, and overall feel. It’s not just elementary.

#3: “Love Is Blind” (2020-)

Perhaps the most lawsuit-ridden reality TV show yet, this Netflix series about literal blind dating is a doozy. “Love Is Blind” has been accused of being a toxic workplace, with no less than three former cast members filing lawsuits. Season 2 contestant Jeremy Hartwell alleged being denied food and water, encouraged to drink alcohol instead, and being paid below the Los Angeles minimum wage. Another lawsuit by contestant Tran Dang claims Dang was sexually assaulted by a fellow participant, Thomas Smith, and even “falsely imprisoned.” Neither Dang nor Smith appeared in Season 5 of the show, and only one lawsuit has been settled. If love is blind, justice is a little less so.

#2: “When They See Us” (2019)

This critically-acclaimed miniseries based on the Central Park jogger case naturally got into controversial waters. Linda Fairstein, the real-life New York prosecutor on the Central Park Five case, objected to the series’ portrayal of both her and the case. She claimed the series villainized her as racist and out to get these innocent youths. Moreover, the series itself was allegedly full of outright fabrications. In 2020, Fairstein sued Netflix and the show’s creators for defamation. The lawsuit was settled in 2024, with Netflix agreeing to add a disclaimer and donating $1 million to the Innocence Project; Fairstein, however, would get nothing. What a mess.

#1: “Beast Games” (2024-)

The many controversies of famed YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, continue. Clearly inspired by “Squid Game,” Donaldson’s reality TV show, “Beast Games” follows 1,000 people competing for a $5 million prize. But it wasn’t long before allegations of mistreatment arose, leading to a class action lawsuit in 2024. This mistreatment involved unpaid wages and compensation, as well as the contestants being misclassified as volunteers to avoid paying taxes. Contestants also claimed to have received inadequate food and medical care; their personal belongings, including their phones, were confiscated. More egregiously, some participants claimed to have suffered sexual harassment. Donaldson denied the allegations, and the lawsuit is still ongoing. These are beastly games indeed.

Were all of these lawsuits justified? Let us know what you think in the comments down below!