Game show contestants sue network over 'trick' question about computer password. It cost them $580,000

"Million Dollar Money Drop" was in many ways a unique game show. While it gave contestants a chance to win a million dollars, the show was riddled with controversies. One of them dragged the producers of the show to court after they alleged that they were 'tricked' out of winning $580,000.  Andrew and Patricia Murray argued that they lost the money despite answering the final question correctly. 

Here's how the contestants were allegedly tricked

Fox’s "Million Dollar Money Drop" ran for just 12 episodes from December 2010 to February 2011. Andrew and Patricia Murray appeared on the game show. At the time, Andrew Murray was considered a veteran of the game show circuit, and he claims that the producers sought them out to appear on the show to boost their ratings.

In the suit obtained by TMZ, the Murrays claimed that they wagered $580,000 on a question that asked,  "According to the data security firm IMPERVA, what is the most common computer password?"

They were given three options to choose from:

A. “Password”

B “123456”

C “I Love You”

The Murrays guessed B based on personal knowledge of surveys and articles they read on the internet. However, the host revealed that they answered wrong and the correct answer was option A. Thus, the couple lost their shot at the money.

However, the couple later alleged that they were defrauded by the producers as it was a trick question. They claimed that  IMPERVA did not conduct its own objective survey and it based its assertion on 12345 being the most common password in a single hacking incident that occurred in 2009. 

The couple argued that if they had known it was based on a single incident, they would have guessed differently. Their argument was based on the fact they were promised there would be no "trick questions" in the show. 

Fox earlier faced public outrage when another team of contestants, Gabe Okoye and Brittany Mayti, lost $800,000 despite answering correctly. While Okoye and Mayti were given an offer to appear again in a future episode, the Murrays had to fight for their right. 

So they sued Fox Broadcasting, Endemol USA, Brigadier Productions, and Apploff Entertainment for the money they lost, and punitive damages, and other fees.

Complications of the suit

While the Murrays believed they were right, they also faced obstacles. The biggest one was a 13-page take-it-or-leave-it "Contestant Release Agreement" and another was a 16-page document of "Million Dollar Money Drop Official Rules." These documents release the producers and the network from liability and damages, including over claims of fraud, as per The Hollywood Reporter. 

However, the Murrays claimed that the agreements are “unconscionable” as they were promised there would be “no deceptive, subjective or trick questions" in the show. The couple believed that the  “admonishment” counted as either being part of the written contract or a separate oral contract.

John Roberts, who was representing the Murrays, told The Hollywood Reporter that the answer to the question was intentional and negligent misrepresentation and a breach of written and oral contract. 

While there has been no reported update on the case, the show was canceled after its very first season in 2011.