You might remember that last month, a hacker or hackers calling themselves Dark Overlord threatened Netflix with leaking Orange Is The New Black early and demanded a ransom to not do it. Netflix didn’t pay, but that didn’t stop these industrious hackers from threatening ABC with releasing one of their shows early. ABC didn’t pay either and now, Steve Harvey’s Funderdome has been unleashed early, for some reason.
Variety revealed that the episodes are on pirate sites waiting for people to watch them. If you’re unfamiliar, the basic concept is Shark Tank with an elimination factor: Start-ups are paired off to pitch investors. Then their business plan, concepts, and likely their personal hygiene are put under severe scrutiny in front of millions, and one is chosen above the other, in the hopes of securing some venture capital funding. Despite the title, start-up founders are not forced to fight to the death, mostly because network television is not yet that desperate for summer ratings.
Dark Overlord is threatening more releases, but you have to wonder what the point is. Sure, it might ruin the surprise of who wins if people actually download the episode. But aside from mocking the name, being hacked is the most press Funderdome has gotten so far. A quick scan of Variety‘s tags on the post find it’s the most attention that trade magazine has given to the show, period. Why pay the ransom when the publicity and coverage from so many outlets is far more valuable?
(via The AV Club)
