The Judge (TV series)

The Judge
Format Drama/Court show
Starring Bob Shield (as Judge Robert J. Franklin)
Country of origin United States
Production company(s) WBNS-TV
Distributor Genesis Entertainment
Broadcast
Original channel First-run syndication
Original run September 2, 1985 – May 29, 1992

The Judge was a syndicated television drama that ran from 1986 to 1992. 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 the 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.

Contents

Show format

Opening

After a preview of the day's episode, 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 head off to work in his car as we heard him say in the voiceover:

“ 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. ”

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 unnamed 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; what began as mundane often ended up taking a serious or unexpected turn. For example:

Even on the bench, Judge Franklin's demeanor was normally avuncular, but he never hesitated to rebuke anyone who stepped out of line. For example, in one episode where a teenage boy was suing for emancipation from his overbearing father, an Army colonel, the colonel began overstepping his authority, at which point Judge Franklin angrily reprimanded him, saying "Colonel, in this courtroom, I give the orders!!"

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 by gently pleading with all involved, "Please, try to be good to each other. That's all it takes." Then he would adjourn the session.

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.

After its cancellation in 1989, repeats of The Judge aired on the USA Network in the early 1990s.

The nationally syndicated version was originally taped in Los Angeles, and later moved to Toronto. The show was licensed by WBNS-TV in Columbus.

Episode list in alphabetical order

External links