Top 10 Disturbing Gameshow Moments Because of What We Know Now

“Wipeout” (2021-24)
Obstacle courses are fun, but they can come with a host of safety concerns. “Wipeout” does its best to vet contestants and provide them with sufficient protective gear, but accidents can still happen. Contestant Michael Paredes[a] found this out the hard way, suffering a heart attack after completing the show’s obstacle course. He was promptly rushed to a local hospital, but it was too late to save him. TMZ reported on his death shortly after. In spite of the tragedy, the series went on as planned, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that contestants are risking their lives for viewers’ entertainment.

“Squid Game: The Challenge” (2023-)
In 2021, “Squid Game” became Netflix’s newest hit show, garnering both mass appeal and critical approval for its dark yet captivating premise. But when the streaming giant announced that they would be producing their own game show based on the series’ success, many were skeptical. “Squid Game” was critiquing the dystopian competition at its center, not endorsing it. Unfortunately, it turned out that the naysayers were right to be uneasy. Although Netflix naturally denied any foul play, contestants complained of unbearably cold sets and long hours. Some even compared the filming to a “war zone.” These anonymous criticisms of the show’s conditions completely recontextualize the show, which has more similarities to its inspiration than many fans are comfortable with.

Have you ever watched a game show and wondered if it may be rigged? In the 1950’s, many viewers were stunned to learn that this was the reality for three major quiz shows - “Twenty-One,” “The Big Surprise,” and “Dotto[b].” The scandal began with “Twenty-One,”which was revealed to have scripted the loss of a contestant named Herb Stempel. He lost out on an unknown amount of potential winnings and, to add insult to injury, the final nail in his competitive coffin was an incorrect answer about one of his favorite films. On “The Big Surprise,” a warm-up question that contestant Dale Logue did not know the answer to was deliberately repeated for the show, while “Dotto” was found to be providing answers to its participants.

“Megan Wants a Millionaire” (2009), “I Love Money” (2008-10)
Following “Rock of Love,” contestant Megan Hauserman[c] was offered another chance at love by VH1 in “Megan Wants a Millionaire.” Among the contestants was so-called “Smooth Operator” Ryan Jenkins, who also filmed for the third season of another dating show, “I Love Money.” During “Megan Wants a Millionaire”s initial broadcast, Jenkins’ wife was found dead, causing the series to come to an abrupt halt. “I Love Money 3” never made it to air. In the days after his wife’s murder, Jenkins evaded police, crossing the border into Canada and eventually taking his own life before a trial could be held. Had “Megan Wants a Millionaire” continued, viewers would have seen him place third - proving that people are not always what they seem.

“Susunu! Denpa Shōnen” (1998-2002)
Translating to “Do not proceed! Crazy youth,” “Susunu! Denpa Shōnen” was a challenge-based game show in Japan which became notorious for the cruelty of its competitions. In its first year on-air, the series began its most controversial challenge to date, “Denpa Shōnen teki Kenshō Seikatsu[d],” in which the contestant, Nasubi, was forced to live solely on sweepstakes prizes. His condition was filmed and reported on for fifteen agonizing months, all without his explicit consent, as he struggled to win basic necessities - particularly food. What was, at the time, perceived to be light entertainment, was actually the broadcast torture of a human being.

[e]“The Late, Late Breakfast Show” (1982-86)
While “The Late, Late, Breakfast Show” wasn’t technically a game show, its “Give It a Whirl” segment featured many hallmarks of the reality subgenre. Viewers of the variety show would call in as a “Whirly Wheel” was spun to decide what stunt they would perform on the following week’s program. This included everything from car stunts to being fired out of a cannon. It was an incredibly dangerous segment, which had already resulted in a few injuries prior to the involvement of its final contestant, Michael Lush. Lush was set to perform a bungee jumping stunt that also involved a straitjacket and an explosion. No professional stuntmen had attempted the feat prior to Lush’s first day of training, and a fatal mishap cost him his life.

“Family Feud” (1976-85; 1988-95; 99-)
When you tune into an episode of “Family Feud,” you know you can expect some well-intentioned barbs, a few double-entendres, and plenty of wide-eyed reactions from Steve Harvey. So while this response from Tim of the Bliefnick Family may not seem so out of the ordinary, the truth behind the scenes makes this moment extremely sinister. Bliefnick was later convicted of the murder of his wife, Becky, who did not appear in the episode. Allegedly, his wife had requested a restraining order from him a year prior to her death, which was rejected by the legal system for unknown reasons. Tim Bliefnick was sentenced to life in prison, though he insists that he did not commit the crime.

“To Tell the Truth” (1956-68; 1969-78; 1980-81; 1990-91; 2000-02; 2016-22)
Edward Edwards had already been dubbed one of the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitives when he appeared on “To Tell the Truth.” In fact, this history is the entire reason he was cast on the show. His unique life experience made him the perfect candidate for the series, which saw contestants attempting to guess which of three people was that episode’s “central character.” Although Edwards claimed to have been reformed, and even wrote a book on his life as a criminal, his reformation was all a charade. Between 1977 and 1996, Edwards lived as a serial killer, murdering at least five people. Looking back, it’s hard to believe people let him achieve the level of fame that he did.

“Bullseye” (1981-95; 2006; 2024)
John Cooper’s crime spree began when he was just seventeen. Back then, he was seen publicly intoxicated and was charged with stealing cars and assaulting police officers. He would graduate to murder in 1985, when he killed a man and woman while robbing their farmhouse in Scoveston Park. Four years later, he would participate in the game show “Bullseye,” a British series involving darts and trivia. As his violent crime spree continued, investigators realized that a police sketch looked eerily similar to Cooper’s appearance on the show and used the likeness as evidence to build a case. Following Cooper’s conviction in 2011, ITV would officially vault the episode he appeared on, ensuring that viewers of the lighthearted game show weren’t reminded of his grisly crimes.

“The Dating Game” (1965-21)
Now known as “The Dating Game Killer,” Rodney Alcala[g] is notable for actually winning the episode of “The Dating Game” he appeared on. Luckily, the female contestant who chose him ultimately decided not to go on a date with him because she found him “creepy.” We’re sure she’s now thankful for following her gut instinct, as Alcala would later be directly linked to eight murders, with many more considered open cases in which he was a prime suspect. Watching the show back today is unsettling, particularly when you consider no background check was performed on any of the show’s potential bachelors.


Have you ever seen a game show with competitions you thought were too dangerous? Let us know in the comments!