10 TV Conspiracy Theories That Turned Out To Be TRUE
#10: Ending on Bad Terms
“Sex and the City” (1998-2004)
Carrie Bradshaw and Samantha Jones were a breakthrough for female friendship on TV. Sadly, that dynamic was plagued by rumors of tensions between Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall, especially over salary. These rumors were confirmed after the series finale. Pay disputes even factored into the show's end. Fans thus suspected that Samantha was written out of the revival series "And Just Like That..." out of spite. Well, Parker later announced that Cattrall wasn't even invited to return. It was simply understood that she wouldn't be interested after begrudgingly doing two "Sex and the City" movies. Luckily for fans, Cattrall made an appearance in the second season of "And Just Like That...". Whether Samantha is here to stay may still depend on Cattrall and Parker.
#9: Izzie’s Tumor
“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)
Medical residents are known to work unhealthy hours. Apparently, so are medical show casts. Playing Dr. Izzie Stevens on “Grey’s Anatomy,” actress Katherine Heigl was termed difficult to work with and regularly spoke out against onerous working conditions. In 2008, she withdrew her name from Emmy consideration because she felt her role was underwritten. So the following season, Izzie was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Co-star James Pickens Jr. soon confirmed popular suspicions that this arc was written to keep Heigl in line. Izzie "just happened" to make a remarkable recovery after Heigl's contract negotiations. Her on-set antics still got her axed after Season 6, but she's now more critical of her own behavior than the show.
#8: Fake Cash
"Cash Cab" (2005-20)
The fast-paced quiz show "Cash Cab" played to the fantasy that anyone could win big at any moment. Riders in the cab won money from host Ben Bailey based on correct answers to a series of questions. Many viewers assumed that contestants' winnings didn't actually come in cash. Sure enough, the dollar bills that winners flashed at the camera were props. They later received their prize money by mailed check for tax purposes. That is, if they didn't void their winnings by divulging production secrets. "Cash Cab" was serious about its illusions. Some contestants have even defied the NDA to reveal that they were recruited before entering Bailey's taxi. But the prop bills perfectly reflect how "Cash Cab" is deceptive down to the title.
#7: Sometimes You Gotta Go
"Cheers" (1982-93)
Carla Tortelli’s abrasive personality is more endearing to “Cheers” fans than the show’s characters. The single mother’s lonely days seemed over when she married Eddie LeBec, until he died in a freak Zamboni accident. This dark and bizarre twist was so removed from “Cheers”’ tone that viewers suspected vindictiveness behind it. Eddie’s actor Jay Thomas had jokingly lamented kissing Rhea Perlman on a radio show he hosted. He himself theorized that this comment got him fired. In 2006, a writer on the show revealed that Perlman did in fact have Eddie written off to spite Thomas. Eddie was even posthumously outed as a polygamist conman. Though Thomas claimed he meant to insult Carla, rather than her actress, he should have watched his words.
#6: Leno Steals the Show
"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992-2009; 2010-14)
With NBC's "Late Night with David Letterman" considered a worthy lead-in from Johnny Carson,Letterman was poised to succeed Carson upon his retirement in 1992. Instead, comedian Jay Leno took over "The Tonight Show." This sparked enormous controversy among audiences and within the industry. As Leno had become Carson's resident guest host, many suspected a backroom deal to oust Letterman. It wasn't until the 2021 docuseries "The Story of Late Night" when it was revealed that Leno really did have a secret succession contract. Letterman's conflicts with NBC executives actually cinched this deal. Though Leno overcame his initial ratings slump to become as big as CBS's Letterman, the two have been feuding ever since Leno's deal was just speculation.
#5: Good Guy Gordon
"Hell's Kitchen" (2005-)
Gordon Ramsay is hailed as one of the most popular chefs in the world and one of the biggest jerks on TV. Especially in its American adaptation, Ramsay hosts the aptly named "Hell's Kitchen" with deliciously diabolical intensity. Many fans are skeptical that he's really bringing that much heat. He is notably more reserved on such other shows as "MasterChef." True, Ramsay has his share of feuds with other celebrity chefs. But his TV apprentices assert that he's a great and patient mentor. He also has a reputation of being devoted to family, philanthropy and fans. The caricature of his perfectionism is just an entertaining alter ego. As cranky as Ramsay does get when his restaurants lag in quality, he clearly takes his brand seriously.
#4: "The Puppy Episode"
"Ellen" (1994-98)
As a 1990s sitcom star, Ellen DeGeneres was a popular figure but also the subject of rampant rumors about her sexuality. There was intense speculation about whether she was gay and if her personal orientation would have any effect on her sitcom character’s. The strict secrecy surrounding production of the cryptically named "Puppy Episode" led many to suspect something big. Indeed, the episode followed Ellen Morgan's realization that she's gay. Perhaps not so coincidentally, DeGeneres herself came out on the cover of Time magazine at about the time the episode aired. Sadly, the backlash and boycotts resulted in “Ellen’s” cancellation the next year. ABC's important breakthrough was soured by their refusal to fight for it.
#3: So Bad It's Good TV
"American Idol" (2002-16; 2018-)
It's no secret that “American Idol” hopefuls have mere seconds to wow scouts and producers in a series of preliminary auditions. The real mystery is how a lot of so-called singers get past that round. The popular theory was that the producers included some of the worst auditions for comic relief. Indeed, "American Idol"'s strange or downright terrible singers are such a phenomenon that televised auditions were arranged around that trope. However, out of concern that this tradition was exploitative, producer Trish Kinane ended it with the show's 2018 revival. "American Idol" is popular and entertaining enough without having to publicly humiliate people.
#2: Playing Matchmaker
"The Bachelor" (2002-)
Romance on "The Bachelor" tends to be polarizing. It's also meticulously manufactured. Producers plan dates, arrange interactions, and basically keep the cast trapped. Cynics have long suspected that even the Bachelors' decisions are predetermined. In 2018, former executive producer Scott Jeffress confirmed that contestants really are advanced or eliminated partially based on audience response. Contestant-turned-Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky claimed that this practice extends to the spin-offs. There are assurances that producers only completely control how rose ceremonies play out, and that their influence on stars declines as the competition progresses. Of course, the unfair pressure placed on these courtships is well-documented. Directly or indirectly, "Bachelor Nation"'s controversial love stories give too much agency to off-screen Cupids.
#1: The Quiz Show Scandal
"Twenty-One" (1956-58)
Quiz shows were popular TV programs in the 1950s. NBC’s "Twenty-One" was a big hit, especially for the rivalry between Charles Van Doren and Herbert Stempel. A defeated Stempel later upended public perception of the show by claiming that it was extensively staged. On top of confirming that "Twenty-One" contestants were given answers and choreographed for drama, congressional investigations discovered that most quiz shows were rigged. The scandal was so immense that it basically killed the genre. "Jeopardy!" revived it in '64, with gameplay that made it hard to cheat. Still, after being immortalized by Robert Redford's "Quiz Show," the 1950s rigging trend is considered one of the most scandalous TV conspiracies ever. That is, among the ones we know of.
