Legal dramas aren’t only the stuff of riveting Netflix series. This time, Netflix itself and Goldin Auctions, along with its founder, Ken Goldin, and the producers of the smash hit reality series “King of Collectibles,” were thrust into the eye of their very own courtroom storm. A copyright infringement lawsuit was brought against them by Gervase Peterson, a name undoubtedly familiar to fans of “‘Survivor.”
Peterson alleged he had pitched a concept eerily similar to “King of Collectibles” to Ken Goldin back in 2019. His brainchild was named “The Goldin Boys,” and upon observing Netflix’s reality show, Peterson was struck by the striking resemblance between “King of Collectibles” and his original pitch. Adding insult to injury, Peterson claimed his idea was developed into a show by Wheelhouse Entertainment and subsequently scooped up by Netflix, all without involving him in the process.
But, as any discerning viewer or legal expert might expect, it all came down to the fine print. The drama ignited around the parallels Peterson spotted between his show ideation and “King of Collectibles,” which recently binged its second season on Netflix’s global platform. Conversation between Peterson and Goldin had reportedly winded down by summer 2020. Shortly afterward, a production suspiciously akin to Peterson’s idea saw the light of development day.
Yet, launching a defense as sturdy as their vaults of collectibles, the defense team swatted away these allegations. They posed that the reality show, highlighting the daily grind of working at Goldin Auctions and Goldin’s own enigmatic life, merely tapped into a pool of generic ideas that aren’t a play ball in the Copyright Act’s field.
Judge Christine O’Hearn of the New Jersey federal district court stood on the defense’s side of the court. She elucidated that the elements Peterson branded as copyrightable fall under the legal principle termed scènes à faire. This term alludes to scenes or themes in a genre that are too common to warrant copyright protection. She noted that this copyright loophole encompasses many features of reality television, such as the hustle and bustle of running a business spotlighted in “King of Collectibles.”
Judge O’Hearn also emphasized that real-life events and standard formulaic elements in reality shows are frequently deemed unworthy of protection. She cited previous legal precedents thus affirming the tough game involved in copyrighting broad, often utilized schemes in reality television.
This court ruling makes it clear that even amidst lawsuits and complex legalese, the show must go on. “King of Collectibles” isn’t just out manoeuvring its legal battles; it’s making strides in entertainment industry accolades, recently getting its name onto the Emmy nomination shortlist.
