10 Best ‘Shark Tank’ Episodes if You Love the Drama
Each season of Shark Tank offers hopeful entrepreneurs a chance at securing an investment from business magnates Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O’Leary. While there are some emotional pitches and impressive products to ponder, some of us also like Shark Tank for the drama.
With 15 seasons of content, here are 10 of the best Shark Tank episodes to check out if you’re looking for heated negotiations and dramatic moments.
10. Daymond John gets angry (Season 2, Episode 1)
Founder of Würkin Stiffs, Jonathan Boos, succeeds by impressing the Sharks with his magnetic collar stays but fails the chemistry test with Daymond. Despite being interested in the product, Boos’ aggressive demeanor and continuous talking “pisses Daymond off,” to quote Kevin.
Boos doesn’t quite take the hint and tells Daymond he only interrupted him because Daymond “took forever” to get to the point. Barbara is quick to call Daymond a baby and later even convinces him to get in on the deal to the surprise of everyone.
9. Barbara Corcoran and Kevin O’Leary smooch (Season 3, Episode 7)
Kisstixx enters the Tank with chapsticks that combine to create a new flavor and revolutionize kissing. While there’s no fighting during this pitch, Barbara and Kevin’s smooching demonstration makes it equally dramatic. The kiss is as awkward as you can imagine, with stalling and jokes from both Sharks.
Despite Kevin claiming a kiss from Barbara will turn him to stone, it’s not the last time the two share a liplock. Season 8, Episode 19 results in Barbara kissing Kevin during the Meal Enders demonstration, which isn’t that out of character if you consider their fake marriage and kiss in Season 6, Episode 20.
8. Mr. Wonderful takes all the Sharks on (Season 8, Episode 6)
While all the Sharks think that LuLu Bang BBQ is delicious, that’s about the only thing they agree on–at least with Kevin. After Jorrae and Kelly Beard leave the Tank, Mark, Daymond, Lori, and Robert gang up on Kevin.
Kevin accuses the other Sharks of being untruthful about the business’s chances of success. Mark calls him an idiot and later walks away. The fight continues anyway, with Kevin shaming the remaining Sharks for offering “excuses” instead of real advice.
7. Ashton Kutcher loses his cool with Kevin O’Leary (Season 7, Episode 1)
Long before his support of Danny Masterson became public, Ashton Kutcher appeared as a Guest Shark. In addition to acting, Kutcher found success as an early investor in Uber, Airbnb, and Spotify. In his Shark Tank debut, Kutcher calls out Kevin’s treatment of McClary Bros Drinking Vinegars Founder Jess Sanchez McClary.
“You don’t have to belittle people. It’s not cool,” Kutcher says. When Kutcher also suggests the product could be big, Kevin responds, “You’re not going to write a check, though.” And while Kevin might be in the wrong here, he is right about the check. Kutcher bows out without an offer.
6. Chris Sacca and Mark Cuban Face Off (Season 7, Episode 26)
Brightwell, a mobile app and early education platform, instigates a fight between Mark and Guest Shark Chris Sacca. Mark takes offense when Chris not-so-subtly implies the other Sharks lack worth in this particular deal. When Mark begins calling Chris “clueless,” Daymond jumps in to chant “Shark fight! Shark fight! Shark fight!”
In a plot twist like none other, Chris and Mark end up teaming up and securing a deal, proving Shark Tank can be just as unpredictable as a fictional TV series.
5. Chris Sacca vs. Mark Cuban: Round 2 (Season 8, Episode 8)
Almost right out the gate, Chris Sacca revolts against the technology behind Toor, a smart lockbox aimed at changing real estate. Both Mark and Chris have technology backgrounds, causing them to debate the product after Barbara and Kevin secure the deal.
No strangers to arguing, Mark and Chris talk over each other and verbally attack each other’s tech literacy. However, the ultimate drama comes at the episode’s closing moments when Chris says, “Sometimes, I wonder how you made all that money, Mark.”
4. The Sharks literally chase an offer (Season 11 Episode 4)
Knife Aid captivates the Sharks so much that Lori and Guest Shark Rohan Oza pair off against Barbara and Kevin. With two offers on the table, Mikael Soderlindh and Marc Lickfett retreat to the hallway for discussion. Not long after, Lori follows them.
“I thought this was against the rules, no?” Barbara asks Kevin, to which he responds, “No, there are no rules,” in one of Shark Tank’s most iconic lines. Soon, Kevin, Rohan, and Barbara all filter into the hallway to continue negotiations.
3. Mark Cuban gets drenched (Season 9, Episode 1)
Funny enough, one of Shark Tank’s most dramatic moments happens during a pitch for the meditation app Simple Habit. Mark isn’t impressed with the offer and goes as far as calling founder Yuhna Kim a “gold digger.” Daymond shares Mark’s sentiment, but it’s Mark that Guest Shark Richard Branson chooses to douse in water after they mock his offer.
As shock and laughter erupt across the tank, Mark gets even by dumping his water glass on Richard. The arguing continues even after Yuhna Kim leaves, and Mark maintains his gold-digging assessment was right. Guess he had the glass of water coming after all.
2. Lori Greiner calls out an entrepreneur (Season 11, Episode 6)
Lori calls out the founder of EZC Pak, Sarath Malepati, after perceiving his behavior as chauvinistic. While Mark is critical of the product’s immune-boosting claims, Lori takes issue with Malepati’s lack of eye contact, talking over her, and general aura of dismissiveness.
“I am offended. I feel like you don’t respect me as a female sitting here,” Lori says. While Malepati insists that’s not the case, Lori isn’t buying it. Prefacing that it’s important for women, especially women in business, to speak up, she says, “I sense some chauvinism here, and I’m out again.”
1. The Scholly blowup remains infamous (Season 6, Episode 20)
Scholly is an app that helps students acquire scholarships for college. Considering the massive costs and debt that frequently come with pursuing higher education, Lori and Daymond immediately jump on Christopher Gray’s offer and secure the deal.
Behind the scenes, things get heated when Robert accuses Lori and Daymond of doing it out of pity. Mark and Kevin are quick to back him up, with Kevin saying that they’re not on Charity Tank. When Lori suggests the outrage is the result of “sour grapes,” Robert storms off the set. Kevin and Mark follow, making it one of the tenser moments in Shark Tank history.
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