The Judge

I used to watch this gaudy show when I was younger and even then I could tell how fake it was. It tried to play itself off as 'real' but the absence of the fourth wall on the set was so obvious. Bob Shield was apparently some goofy 'actor' who 'played' a heartfelt weenie of a judge who tried to help people with their problems.

Of course, this was time filler during the midday and it wasn't even good on a bad level. In fact, I think all the master tapes of this series are now gone, a testament to time-wasters of time past. Not even worth mentioning about, really.

This show was corny and cliched. You watched it and had a good laugh because you realized that real life court isn't at all like they portrayed. Actually I thought Judge Franklin was a cliche-spouted, pompous windbag! I liked Sergeant Fox better then I liked him. At least he was more down to earth (he sort of reminded me of that character that Gene Hackman played in The French Connection, a tough, cynical but honest cop). There were two episodes that I saw that really turned me off and sort of made me hate Judge Franklin. One episode was where there was this teenager who slashed two people to death and Judge Franklin gave him life in prison instead of the death penalty. The other episode was about this woman named Susan Farrell and her young son Bobby. A rich snotty doctor had let his assistant tend to her sick husband and he killed him. I thought it was terrible the way Franklin treated this poor woman. It just shows how our justice system pities the poisonous spider and ignores the innocent fly.

I used to watch this show in my early teens and really liked it. True, it was all a dramatization, but I think that the show also portrayed some good moral values (Respect, honesty, caring...etc.). Also, I kind of liked Judge Franklin. He managed to get his points across without doing anything really outrageous. He seemed like a nice, upstanding, well-respected guy. He seemed to enjoy serving his community. Also, I think he was very compassionate and gentle, especially with children. Some of the cases portrayed on the show were interesting, at least what I remember of them.

The only criticism that I would have is that there were moments when the show became so unrealistic and so...I don't know, sentimental, that it got on my nerves.:( It didn't really have anything to do with Judge Franklin or any character in particular. Just the show in general. Sometimes I would watch an episode, and as I followed the story line, I would be thinking, "Get real." (Feeling some annoyance). But other than that, it was a show that I liked even better than I like some of the court shows that are on now.

I wouldn't mind seeing a few reruns of or chatting with others about this show.:) I have fond memories of watching it, among other childhood memories.:)

I used to watch this show as a kid and I really enjoyed it. The judge, Robert J Franklin isn't your typical powertripping judge. He is a man that tries to enforce justice with mercy. This show didn't have the sleeze that other shows would have, it was just good stories handled in a very diligent manner. It showed what society should be like; descent, truthful, honest, and courageous. True, they are all fake, but it provided plenty of enjoyment while I was growing up. I truly miss this show and hope that reruns will come back.

I almost forgot about this show until I heard clips of Ralph Garman on the Kevin & Bean show on KROQ! I used to watch this show almost religiously after school on Channel 9 Los Angeles (back when it was KHJ-TV) along with the other court dramatization shows like Divorce Court and Superior Court. For a while, I thought these were actual court cases (hey, I was really young!). But soon came to realize they were only actors, and many times not very good ones. Some of the episodes I sorta recall was the one about an interracial couple. I think the Korean wife's parents shunned the couple and their kid, but in the end they accept her and her African-America husband. Another involved a defendant taking the courtroom hostage. I would love to see some of these shows released on DVD just for old time sakes!