The Judge (TV series)

The Judge
Starring Bob Shield (as Judge Robert J. Franklin)
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 7
No. of episodes 70
Production company(s) WBNS-TV
Distributor Genesis Entertainment
Release
Original network First-run syndication
Original release September 1, 1986 – May 28, 1993

The Judge is a dramatized court show which ran in first-run syndication from 1986[1] to 1993. The series chronicled the family court cases heard by Judge Robert J. Franklin, played by Bob Shield, who died in late 1996.

This was one of many shows that dealt with dramatized court cases based on real ones. This show was one of several courtroom dramas that were popular at that time such as Divorce Court with real-life Judge William Keene and Superior Court with Raymond St. Jacques. The show was produced and licensed by WBNS (Columbus, Ohio), and was distributed by Genesis Entertainment before it became part of 20th Television.

Show format

Opening

After a preview of the day's episode (which sometimes showed a pre-hearing teaser), the show would begin at Judge Franklin's home with Franklin preparing for work (Photographs in the background, all actually of Shield himself, showed Franklin's days in the Army and as a young lawyer). After a kiss to his wife and a wave to a neighbor and kids playing nearby, Judge Franklin would drive off to work as we heard him narrate:

“ I'm Judge Robert J. Franklin. I chose the law as my way of serving my fellow citizens. As an elected judge in the family court, I pray each day that God will give me the wisdom to always temper justice with mercy. ”

The opening would end with him entering his chambers, sitting down, and signing some documents; concluding with a close-up of his signature.

Typical episodes

Most episodes opened with an announcer saying, "What you are about to see is a dramatization of an actual case in family court. Because of the emotional and sensitive nature of the issues presented here, Judge Franklin's courtroom is closed to the public. The proceedings are about to begin."

The show was set in an unspecified metropolitan area, and dealt primarily with family-related issues. Many of the stories involved children and adolescents in custody, paternity, delinquency and adoption hearings. Much like similar drama-based courtroom shows of the era—including Divorce Court and Superior Court—the stories involved shock value; to wit, what usually began as mundane or routine often ended up taking a serious or unexpected turn.

For example:

In "tempering justice with mercy", Judge Franklin's decisions were always fair-minded, and usually gave the guilty a chance to redeem themselves. In almost every episode, Franklin would end his dissertation before adjournment by gently pleading with all involved, "Please, try to be good to each other. That's all it takes."

But for all his avuncularity, Judge Franklin never hesitated to rebuke anyone who stepped out of line in his courtroom. Case in point: a teenage boy was suing for emancipation from his overbearing father, an Army colonel. When the colonel began overstepping his authority during the hearing, Judge Franklin angrily reprimanded him, saying "Colonel, in this courtroom, I give the orders!"

Other regular characters

One character who appeared frequently on the show, often as a source of comic relief, was Police Sergeant Terrance Fox (played by Brendan Burns). Fox was an honest police officer, but his abrasive personality would often irritate Judge Franklin to no end. In one episode he told the officer that he would try the patience of a saint, adding, "And I am no saint!"

Franklin's courtroom assistant was Janet Page, or Miss Page.

Broadcast history

A drama that later became The Judge, called Municipal Court (and later The Judge), ran for 12 years as a local television program in Columbus, Ohio. Shield, playing Judge Franklin, won four regional Emmy Awards for his performance. In 1986, The Judge was picked up for national syndication, where it enjoyed a seven-year run.

Repeats of The Judge aired on the USA Network in the early 1990s.

The nationally syndicated version was originally taped in Los Angeles for its first four runs of 10 episodes each (1986–89), and later moved to Toronto, Canada for its final three runs (1991–93). The show was licensed by WBNS-TV in Columbus.

Episode list in alphabetical order

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References

  1. ↑ 1980s: Judges Played Judges, Actors Played Judges

External links

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