A Juíza

Classy, smart, refreshing and delightful; these are only four of many adjectives that describe "Judging Amy;" one of the best shows on television.

"Judging Amy" is a beautifully crafted, well-written and well-acted television series starring a very talented cast that includes Amy Brenneman, Tyne Daly, Kevin Rahm, Marcus Giamatti, Jessica Tuck and Karle Warren. It is easy to get excited about watching each episode because it will leave everyone with smiles on their faces.

Based upon the life of her mother, Brenneman serves as series creator and executive producer. "Judging Amy" is quality television that focuses upon family, the legal system and how one judge attempts to juggle and maintain an equal balance between both.

Excitement, anticipation and success are the outcomes which comes from a series that contains outstanding writing and strong performances. Quality writing and riveting performances set "Judging Amy" apart as one of the greatest crime dramas or legal series on television at the present time. Each episode is written with intelligence, and contains characters with great depth. It was a pleasant and refreshing surprise to watch "Judging Amy" come up with original ideas for each episode.

Daly's character, Maxine Gray, is the emotional core and matriarch of the series as she portrays the character as the stabilizing, inspiring force which holds the Gray family together. Her screen presence, honesty and class add credibility to"Judging Amy."

My heart skips a beat with anticipation and my face lights up with a smile with every scene Amy Brenneman is in. It is especially fun to watch Brenneman's performance as Judge Amy Gray at work as she uses great charm along with her great dramatic intellect to make the role of Judge Amy Gray someone television viewers can care about.

Among Brenneman's greatest qualities she brings to "Judging Amy" is charm, intelligence, honesty, character and class. Daly may be the emotional core of "Judging Amy," but Brenneman is the heart and soul of the series.

Watching Brenneman and Daly perform together is pure magic. I relish every opportunity there is to watch these two very talented actresses act together because their on-screen mother/daughter relationship can may be mistaken for an off-screen mother/daughter relationship.

I could not have asked for a better supporting cast than Rahm, Giamatti, Tuck and Warren because they bring their own brand of style, humor, charm and talent. They are a great counter-balance to Brenneman in their respective roles.

"Judging Amy" is one of a few television series' that I will set time aside to watch every week. Powerful writing and strong performances make me a devoted fan to the series and care about the characters and story lines. "Judging Amy" is one of the finest legal dramas on television.

I missed the show the first time around, but now I'm hooked on the reruns. I watch it every day without fail.

The show evokes joy, pain, love, anger, resentment, forgiveness, sadness, hope. We laugh, we cry, we get the warm fuzzies. In addition to the range and depth of emotion, Judging Amy also has a high level of intelligence. The viewer is required to think.

I enjoy how the complex issues of faith and spirituality are addressed with subtlety, tactful wit, and respectful objectivity.

All the characters have engaging, ever-evolving personalities and the way they interact with each other is incredibly fascinating and real.

Best of all, there's Amy. As a character, as an actor, and as a person she is everything a great woman should be. When I think of Amy Brenneman, all the superlative traits beginning with "s" flood my mind: Smart, Strong, Sensitive, Sharp, Sweet, Smiling, Sexy.

A wonderful woman and a wonderful show.

It was a sad day when I learned this amazing show was canceled. This show had everything needed to last for years to come. The show had great actors, wonderful supporting cast, and gripping story lines. I felt that Amy Brenneman's character, Amy Gray, was one that could be related to on all levels. All of the characters had such solid structure, whether they were re-occurring players, or regulars. In my opinion, CBS made a dreadful mistake with this decision. I do look forward to more work from Amy Brenneman, her talents are so very under-rated. I for one will certainly miss it. Now all I can do is wait for the DVDs to be released.

I don't know what show some of the "critics" have been watching, because many of the complaints can't possibly apply to the "Judging Amy" I've been watching. For one thing, this show is about as nonpolitical as a show about a judge can be. Issues which come up during the cases heard by Amy or handled by Maxine are decided in the interest of the child--that's the whole point of the juvenile justice system. The only reason I can see for lodging the charge that "Judging Amy" is "left-leaning" is that characters who fall outside the "married-white-protestant-middleclass-traditional-family" group (in other words, most everyone) aren't stoned to death on the show. Other than that, there is no left to lean.

As to whether this is a "woman's show:" first of all, I'm a man, and have loved the show from Week One. The two most important characters are women, but "Amy" has never been one of those shows concerned primarily with emotions and issues unique to women (like "Sisters" or "One Day At A Time")--the third most important character has always been a man (first Vincent, then Kyle). And to say that male characters are treated unfairly is patently ridiculous.

I do think that over the years the show has suffered from too much turnover in Amy's love life--she never seems to date anyone for more than 3 or 4 consecutive shows. My favorite of all the "boyfriends" was Stu (Reed Diamond); I found his history with Amy and the way the relationship was developing well worth exploring. I wish they'd bring him back. Also missed is Dan Futterman. Kevin Rahm as Kyle is doing a fine job, and the character is growing on me, but I really liked the affectionate/prickly/challenging relationships between the main triangle of Amy, Maxine, and Vincent. The other characters are often used in lighter subplots, but are compelling and well-rounded people in their own right. I guess it's possible that "Amy" detractors are NYPD Blue fans upset that "Amy" always beats it in the ratings, but that's hardly an excuse for trashing a good show.

As a TV drama addict, I have to admit that the premise for this show did not inspire me.

How wrong I was.

The storylines are challenging and the actors all give fine balanced performances.

My greatest praise, however, is reserved for Tyne Daly. Her performance as Maxine Grey is one of the best I have ever seen on TV.

She deserves an Emmy.