Top 20 TV Scenes That Led to HUGE Lawsuits

Top 20 TV Scenes That Led to HUGE Lawsuits

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for TV moments and episodes that ended in legal action being taken against the show.

#20: Unfair Disqualification

“America’s Next Top Model” (2003-15; 2016-18)

During the 17th cycle of the series, former contestant Angelea Preston competed for the win for a third time. She made it to the end, and then was suddenly disqualified. Fans were confused, and some believed that she had been the original champion. In 2013, she confirmed that rumor, and later revealed that her elimination was due to her short-lived past as an escort. She claimed the producers were aware, and waited until she won to punish her. As such, she lost out on $100,000. In 2014, Preston sued for breach of contract and other labor violations, and sought $3,000,000 in restitution. The suit was dropped in 2018, and while she didn’t receive financial compensation, fans finally recognized her as the winner.

#19: Invasion of Privacy & Defamation

“Law & Order” (1990-2010; 2022-)

In a 2003 episode of the crime series, a shifty lawyer named Ravi Patel was shown offering bribes to officials. A year later, real-life attorney Ravi Batra sued, claiming that the show had defamed him by basing the character on him. The similarities between the two were obvious, from the first name and physical appearance to Batra’s association with a corrupt judge. Batra took the show to court for libel-in-fiction, and sued for $15 million. The judge allowed it, saying that the likeness was so similar that casual viewers would easily identify the character as Batra. It’s one of the few cases where such a claim wasn’t immediately dismissed, and it was settled out of court.

#18: Copyright Infringement

“Roc” (1991-94)

In 1995, artist Faith Ringgold happened to be watching the sitcom when she noticed a familiar piece of art in several scenes. It was her own work, which “Roc” used without her permission and showed onscreen for just under 27 seconds. She then took BET and HBO to court to stop them from using it in future productions. The network claimed that the poster was shown so infrequently that it didn’t qualify as infringement. The Court of Appeals argued in favor of Ringgold, stating that Roc’s usage made it difficult for her to license her work in the future. Her win was massive for artists everywhere, as it made it harder for their work to be shown without consent or proper compensation.

#17: Parody Lawsuit

“South Park” (1997-)

In 2010, Brownmark Films learned that not all copyright cases were created equal the hard way. That year, they sued “South Park” over the usage of Samwell’s viral hit “What What (In the Butt)”. The episode in question, “Canada on Strike”, featured Butters singing the comedic song in his signature voice. The company claimed the show ripped off their work, and intended to sue for full damages. Their first attempt went poorly, with the judge finding the series’ version to be transformative and Brownmark being made to pay Viacom’s legal fees. Undeterred, they tried appealing the verdict. The appellate court doubled down on the original ruling, and even asserted that the usage drove more viewers and potential revenue to Samwell’s track.

#16: Carol Burnett’s Day Job

“Family Guy” (1999-2002; 2005-)

Even throwaway jokes are subject to being taken to court. In the 2006 “Family Guy” episode “Peterotica”, Peter and the gang went to an adult store, where an animated portrayal of Carol Burnett’s charwoman character was seen working as a janitor. A year later, Burnett sued due to the show not getting her permission before doing so. She alleged that the network had infringed on her likeness and trademarked work, and sought $6 million in compensation. However, her case was dismissed early on, due to the joke being considered a parody, and therefore covered by the First Amendment. The judge even went on to clarify that while he found the joke offensive to her legacy, he still had to prioritize the law and allow it.

#15: Alicia Guastaferro

“Wife Swap” (2004-10; 2013; 2019-20)

Reality television has been criticized for misconstruing those appearing in front of the camera. Alicia Guastaferro is a prime example. The former pageant queen appeared with her family in an episode of “Wife Swap”, where she was shown to be spoiled and uneducated. In 2010, she sued the network for a staggering $100 million. She claimed she’d been prompted to act poorly, and that the show edited several scenes to make her look worse. As a result, she was allegedly forced to change schools due to harassment, and reportedly received death threats. She also claimed it caused her to develop anxiety. Her case was settled later that year, and with the details never having been disclosed, it’s unclear whether she received financial compensation or not.

#14: Using Griselda’s Likeness

“Griselda” (2024)

Portraying a fictionalized version of a real person on the small screen is always a risk. In 2024, Netflix released a miniseries on drug lord Griselda Blanco starring Sofia Vergara. It was enjoyed by critics, but Blanco’s family — namely, her son— felt differently. He and his wife sued the company and the lead actress for telling her story and using their likenesses without their permission, and hoped to have the series pulled from their service. Her son also alleged that he should be compensated, as he’d planned to create a novel or show based around her for years prior to Netflix going forward with their project. The suit didn’t go in his favor, with it being permanently dismissed just a month after it was filed.

#13: Insulting a Coal Tycoon

“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (2014-)

There are some cases where people use lawsuits as a way of censoring those critiquing them. These instances— known as SLAPP suits— have been unfairly utilized against some TV shows. One of the most prominent cases occurred in 2017, following a “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” segment. In it, the host comedically lambasted coal tycoon Bob Murray and the unsafe working conditions in his mines. Days later, Murray’s company sued Oliver and HBO for defamation. Though it was dismissed in 2019, it resulted in high fees against the network and the shows’ libel insurance rates skyrocketing. Even with those financial setbacks, Ollver still came out on top legally and culturally, with his subsequent musical bit about Murray being nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

#12: Fiona vs. Netflix

“Baby Reindeer” (2024)

Asserting that a story is entirely true is a one-way ticket to a lawsuit. The Netflix original “Baby Reindeer” fell victim to this in 2024, when Fiona Harvey claimed the antagonist, Martha Scott, was based on her. She alleged that her supposed actions had been heavily fictionalized, and that the portrayal led to her being harassed. Netflix claiming the miniseries was a true story at the beginning of each episode didn’t help their case. Harvey sued the company for $170 million, and while Netflix attempted to have it dismissed, it was decided that she could move forward with it. The case hasn’t been seen in front of a judge yet, but when it does, there’s a chance she could come out on top.

#11: A Secret Crush Leads to Wrongful Death

“The Jenny Jones Show” (1991-2003)

Shock television sometimes comes with a fatal price and the episode that this entry’s about never actually aired in full on tv. In 1995, several people were invited onto “The Jenny Jones Show” to meet people who had secret crushes on them. One participant, Jonathan Schmitz, was blindsided with the news that his acquaintance Scott Amedure liked him. While he appeared to be fine with the revelation, he brutally took Amedure’s life three days later. He was tried in a criminal case, and the victims’ family set their sights on the program. They sued for negligence, claiming that the show should’ve foreseen the consequences of filming such an inflammatory segment. The highly publicized trial had an immediate impact on the industry, with other shows altering their content and “The Jenny Jones” show suffering a sharp decline in its popularity.

#10: Prank Gone Wrong

“Punk’d” (2003-07; 2012; 2015; 2020-21)

Honestly, this MTV hidden-camera gag by Ashton Kutcher was downright cruel. It became famous for staging fake emergencies, celebrity scandals or accidents to catch stars off-guard- then revealing it was all a prank. But before that format, the show was originally called "Harassment" and it targeted regular people. In 2002, however, one prank crossed the line. Producers staged a dead body in a one-room suite at Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas-shocking real guests who found it. To make matters worse, hotel security allegedly wouldn’t let the terrified couple leave. Even after the stunt was revealed, the traumatized couple filed for a $10 million lawsuit. The episode never aired, and how it all ended remains a bit murky.

#9: The Final Game

“Queen’s Gambit” (2020)

This hit miniseries follows Beth Harmon, a fictional chess prodigy who rises from an orphanage to conquer the male-dominated world of chess. While the show received accolades, it also sparked a real-life controversy. In an attempt to elevate Beth’s legacy, the show took a jab at real-life female chess legend Nona Gaprindashvili. In the show’s last episode, the commentator claims that Gaprindashvili never faced men, which is simply not true. Not only did she compete with men, she’s also Georgian, not Russian. Offended by this, Gaprindashvili filed a $5 million defamation lawsuit against Netflix, claiming the show undermined her achievements. The case was later settled privately in 2022.

#8: The Dark Path

“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” (2018-20)

Netflix’s version of Sabrina’s adventures is downright dark. Instead of the bubbly teenage magic, the show dives into witchcraft, satanic lore and occult rituals. Back in 2018, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” landed in hot water with a real-life satanic organisation, the Satanic Temple. What was the issue? The show prominently features a statue of Baphomet, which the organisation claimed looked eerily similar to their own copyrighted version. They also took issue with how the show portrayed the statue in a sinister and evil context, which they claimed defamed their value. So, they filed a $50 million lawsuit against Netflix and Warner Bros. The case ended up not going to trial as the parties reached a settlement, which was not disclosed to the public.

#7: Soft Kitty

“The Big Bang Theory” (2007-19)

For a character as eccentric as Sheldon Cooper, it comes as no surprise that he needs a specific song to soothe him when he’s sick or stressed. Avid fans of Sheldon probably know we’re talking about the “Soft Kitty” song. While it was popularized by Amy, Penny, Sheldon and Mary, the lyrics are actually based off of the poem “Warm Kitty” by Edith Newlin. These lyrics had been published decades earlier in a school songbook. However, in 2015, Newlin’s daughters sued the creators of the show and CBS for using it without permission. Unfortunately, the case was dismissed since Newlin’s children couldn’t prove they held valid copyright of their mother’s content.

#6: Nude Backside

“NYPD Blue” (1993-2005)

Back in the ‘90s, network TV had stricter standards around adult content. But shows like “NYPD Blue” broke the rules by airing scenes with strong language and even nudity on a major network. Naturally, it stirred a lot of controversy. One scene, in particular, pushed the boundaries even further. It’s probably an unforgettable one for those who have seen it. It shows a woman’s bare backside as she prepares to shower. After viewers complained, the Federal Communications Commission got involved and fined ABC $1.4 million. After years of legal battles, a court finally threw out the fine in 2011, ruling that the FCC’s indecency policy was too vague.

#5: Shaving the Truth

“Inventing Anna” (2022)

Inspired by a true story, “Inventing Anna” chronicles the rise and fall of Anna Sorokin, a con artist who scammed friends, hotels and banks. But how accurate is the series really? Well, it appears some details were totally made up- and the portrayal of Rachel Williams may be one of them. She’s depicted as shallow, greedy and opportunistic and the real Williams wasn’t having it. In 2022, She filed a defamation suit against Netflix for casting her in such a negative light. Williams’ decision to sell her story rights to HBO instead of Netflix may have played a role in this, or so she believes. Imagine using someone's real name and details without doing the work to portray them truthfully. That isn’t fair!

#4: The Hanna Baker Impersonation

“13 Reasons Why” (2017-20)

Sometimes, what we put out into the world, through powerful platforms like films and television can have serious consequences. The depiction of Hanna Baker taking her own life on this show is one prominent example. While the show opened up discussions about mental health, it soon became a magnet for controversy. In 2017, a young girl took her own life after watching the show-and she wasn’t the only one. The bereaved father filed a class-action lawsuit against Netflix the following year. However, the judge later ruled in favor of Netflix. Still, this is a powerful reminder that content doesn’t only entertain- sometimes, it influences actions and thoughts.

#3: Framing a Killer

“Making a Murderer” (2015-18)

We all know documentaries don’t always present the full truth, even if they claim to be a “true story”. That’s precisely the issue Andrew Colborn raised in his lawsuit against Netflix over the hit docuseries “Making a Murderer”. Who is Colborn? He was a Manitowoc County Sheriff's department officer featured in the Stephen Avery case. According to him, the docuseries made it look like he was involved in framing Avery. So, Colborn filed a lawsuit against Netflix for omitting key facts, and portraying him in a dishonest manner. However, the court dismissed the case saying that although the show took a clear narrative stance, it didn’t amount to defamation. The truth is, the entire case is a tricky one.

#2: Negative Portrayal

“When They See Us” (2019)

This powerful Netflix series tells the true story of the Central Park Five-a group of boys who were wrongfully convicted. Felicity Huffman plays Linda Fairstein, then head of Manhattan sex crime unit. She’s depicted as a driving force behind the prosecution, often aggressively pushing for conviction even with no evidence. After the show shook the world, Fairstein’s image took a serious hit. She was dropped by her publishers and even removed from several boards. In response, she filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix for how she was portrayed in the series. While parts of the lawsuits were allowed to proceed, Fairstein ultimately reached an agreement with Netflix a week before the case could go to trial. But the damage had already been done.

#1: The Mistress

“The Jerry Springer Show” (1991-2018)

Messy doesn’t even begin to describe this ‘90s trash TV show. It thrived on shock values, surprise reveals and all-out brawls. Sometimes, the drama spilled into real-life-with tragic consequences. In 2000, Nancy Campbell-Panitz appeared on an episode titled “Secret Mistresses Confronted” alongside her ex-husband Ralf Panitz and his girlfriend, Eleanor. Nancy had been allegedly misled by the producers into thinking she was there for reconciliation, only for her to be humiliated. But the worst came after. Hours after the episode aired, Nancy was found dead and Ralf would be convicted of her murder. Nancy’s sons filed a civil lawsuit against the show, claiming it created a volatile environment that led to her death. The case was eventually dropped without a financial settlement.

Which of these lawsuits do you find the most shocking? Let us know in the comments!