Street Justice

I was twelve when I ran across this show back in the early 90s. I have to say, I was impressed back then. There was action, the stories were good, and each episode was interesting. Carl Weathers was coming off his 80s fame from movies such as Action Jackson and Predator. The rest of the cast were relatively unknown, at least on the 12 year old circuit.

Of course, there is always the story of the breakout star. In season two, Boudreax got a new partner named Eric Rothman, played by a then unknown actor named Eric McCormack who would end up on a little show called Will and Grace.

Bryan Genesse has gone on to infamy in the B movie circuit. Granted, he has potential. If given the right scripts and marketing, he could be a contender in the action movie business, but he makes the B versions for now.

There was just the right mix of action and dramatic scenes to keep the show from falling into a creative rut. I wish it had lasted longer and that it would be released on DVD.

Some of the best and most interesting television series have been made north of the American border and Street Justice was one of them. When you live close to the border as I do and are fortunate to get Canadian television stations you get to see a lot of things that Americans don't normally see.

Street Justice had a run of two years and it got canceled frankly because star Carl Weathers got a much better offer to step into an established TV hit with In The Heat Of The Night. It's a pity it did not get to run longer.

The premise was an interesting one, very similar to David Carradine's modern Kung Fu series. Carl Weathers was a soldier wounded in Vietnam and missionaries with a young son saved his life. After the war he tried to look for them and found they were killed and their son was missing. Years later he turned up as martial arts expert Bryan Genesee.

In addition to being a cop in an unnamed American/Canadian city (the better to market the series with)Weathers also owned a bar with both Genesee and Charlene Fernetz. Genesee had a status similar to Adrian Monk's with the San Francisco PD as a consultant, a personal one for Weathers. Though his consultation work involved more physical than cerebral skills. They made quite a team.

Halfway through the first year Weathers came up against street gang leader Marcus Chong who he decided correctly was worth rehabilitating. Chong was the best thing in the series I thought for sure would be a breakout star. He's apparently writing and not acting any longer and that's a pity because he was one sexy hunk.

Ironically enough In The Heat Of The Night ended its run within two years, I think Street Justice would have had a long run had Weathers stayed with it. These are career decisions that you can't go back on though. Still I'm glad it's out now on DVD for the young folks of today to enjoy.

I loved this show when I twelve. Believe you me I never missed a show. The guy that played Grady was my favorite. Brad Pitt later followed behind him once the show went off the air. Still, I can recall waiting up to watch Street Justice and the Untouchables while everyone slept. All while eating ramen noodles. Even though the people in the show have faded from my mind the memory and time as well as place in my life are remembered. It's truly amazing what the old shows bring back. Like, where you were, what you were doing. It does in some weird way take you back. I am twenty eight, married with two kids. Where does the time go? Anyway, thank you for keeping a little of this memory alive.

In the mid eighties to nineties, the syndicated market seemed to be doing well for itself. Though I'm not sure that it really "took off," but several dramas, comedies, action adventures, crime dramas, sci-fi and thrillers found audiences enough for more than just one season.

Street Justice was another quality show from the first-run syndication era.

Movie star Carl Weathers led the show with some memorable perfomances by Bryan Genesse, Charlene Ferentz, and Marcus Chong. The crimes and personal problems they faced made for very watchable shows and we really got into these characters. While Carl Weathers' character Adam Beaudreux, a by-the-book cop tries to do as such, it's not always the case, especially when it comes to young friend and fighter, Grady Jameson.

The lovely Charlene Fernetz played Malloy who owns a local bar and gels well with Adam and Grady.

Troubled gang leader, Miguel Mendaz, played by Marcus Chong joins the cast later and brings more interesting stories as he tries redemption with the existing characters/cast.

Very few people remember this show and will remain as such. If you happen upon it, check it out. It comes from an era when syndicated first run shows started to pick up some steam before the market as we knew it started to fade away when time for these shows were hogged by the bigger entities.

For a syndicated show, hell, for a TV series period..S.J. had many well thought out and exciting/though provoking scripts and Carl weathers proved yet again that given the right vehicle,scripts, etc he can deliver and he did for 2 seasons in spades!!

Strange enough most of my favorite TV shows and most of the best made/done TV shows from the late 80's -early-mid 1990's were made inside & outside the USA and were syndicated! he-he. Ex. "highlander the series, forever knight, silk stalkings, renegade" etc.

If given another shot on the small screen it could have run another yr or 2 and it was one of my favorite shows as well as most of my friends..we all loved Carl weathers (we are/were bodybuilders) and Carl was and still is in just awesome shape! Carl kicks ass and is an underrated acting talent.

I'm not sure if he could carry a series well into his 50's but if he's willing to crank it up again I'd watch!!

How about 'ACTION JACKSON 2'?? DVD RELEASE OF THIS SERIES IS A MUST!!

TV today is a joke.. besides will & grace (winding down finally) and a few others, its all reality crap TV, dip shits eating bugs or jumping off cliffs naked or "real world" n survivor. If only we could hark-en back to a time not to long ago when so many shows were well produced (and for a fraction of the cost of most network shows these days!!) well made, had better acting, more action etc.

if that were the case, I might watch network TV again..but, until then i will just stick with cable original programming and watching these old great shows like street justice, highlander!

actor,bodyguard, "film critic", Martin in Chicago IL USA