This WatchMojo video presents a countdown of ten television scenes that resulted in significant legal disputes. The video highlights various instances where TV shows faced lawsuits due to pranks, defamation, copyright infringement, and the portrayal of sensitive content.
"Punk'd" Prank: A prank on "Punk'd" involving a staged dead body in a Las Vegas hotel led to a $10 million lawsuit from traumatized guests. The episode was never aired.
"The Queen's Gambit": The Netflix series "The Queen's Gambit" faced a $5 million defamation lawsuit from chess legend Nona Gaprindashvili for inaccurately portraying her career. The case was settled privately.
"Chilling Adventures of Sabrina": The show's use of a Baphomet statue similar to the Satanic Temple's copyrighted version resulted in a $50 million lawsuit, which was settled out of court.
"The Big Bang Theory": The use of the "Soft Kitty" song without proper permission led to a copyright infringement lawsuit by Edith Nulan's daughters, which was dismissed due to insufficient evidence of copyright ownership.
"NYPD Blue": A scene showing a woman's bare backside resulted in a $1.4 million fine from the FCC, later overturned due to vague indecency policies.
"Inventing Anna": Rachel Williams sued Netflix for defamation due to a negative portrayal in the series. The suit's outcome isn't specified in the transcript.
"13 Reasons Why": The show's graphic depiction of suicide led to a class-action lawsuit against Netflix following a young girl's suicide after watching the show. The judge ruled in favor of Netflix.
"Making a Murderer": Andrew Coburn, a sheriff's officer, sued Netflix for defamation, claiming the documentary portrayed him as involved in framing Steven Avery. The lawsuit was dismissed.
"When They See Us": Linda Fairstein, portrayed negatively in the series, sued Netflix for defamation. The case was settled before trial.
"The Jerry Springer Show": A lawsuit was filed against the show after a guest, Nancy Campbell Panitz, was found dead hours after an episode aired, with the plaintiffs claiming the show created a volatile environment. The case was dropped.
The "Soft Kitty" song, popularized in The Big Bang Theory, is based on a poem, "Warm Kitty," by Edith Nulan. In 2015, Nulan's daughters sued the show's creators and CBS for using the song without permission. However, the lawsuit was dismissed because they couldn't prove they held valid copyright to their mother's work. The poem had been published decades earlier in a school songbook.
