The Judge

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.

You had family court cases that were unbelieveable. There was one case in which an elderly man is caught in a undercover vice sting with an explaination he was there for a legitimate massage while another defendant a district attorney has an lame excuse. The attorney was played by the actor who played Elizabeth Shue's father in the Karate Kid. Well the parlor was bugged and you hear the elderly man complaing about his condition while the attorney brags why he's there. Another case had a pizza delivery person accuse an African Amercan youth of robbing him. It turns out he was playing pool and was hustled. He remarks to the Judge: "Well I won the first game I thought I had a chance to win my money back."

Of course the cherry on the top was a child custody case where the father filed suit for custody of his daughter because his ex-spouse and her husband is taking her to Elvis conventions claiming she has the ability to "channel" the "King". If you looked up the definiton of "Trailor Park People" you'd see their picture. As for the "channeler" it was sooo fake. My father really enjoyed it though.

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!

I watched this show as a young kid and I want to know where I can get epsiodes. I would love it to be released on DVD. Every day at 4 PM, I was watching Superior Court and then The Judge at 5. I remember one episode of superior court that upset me as a kid and it was a 16 year old girl convicted of murder getting sent to the gas chamber and her mother pleaded with them not to kill her daughter but they did anyway. I remember one episiode of the judge where a young boy who I think had been beaten severely by his father or stepfather testified from his hospital bed via satellite. Those shows were part of my childhood and if anyone knows where I can get my hands on them, let me know.

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.:)