TV Guilty Pleasure: Judge Judy

As good as quality dramas are, sometimes you want to watch something that doesn’t need much commitment – something that you can have on in the background when you’re working and not feel like you’re really missing out. For me, that show is American courtroom reality-series, Judge Judy.

   In case you’re unfamiliar with the show (really?), it sees retired family court judge Judith Sheindlin adjudicating real-life small claim disputes in a simulated courtroom set. Having heard the case, Judy then arbitrates, casting a judgement both sides agree to abide by. It is now in its twentieth year, and it continues to be as fantastic as ever.

Judge Judy Sheindlin has been on the show for 20 years. Image: Wikimedia Commons/ David Shankbone

   There are two aspects that make the show enjoyable. One is the cases – we have a mix of sensible small claims, and things so selfish and unfeeling you’d be amazed that anyone could behave like that. Examples include children suing their parents for money, an incredible amount of people after money for things they’d bought for their exes, people seeking money for damages they’d suffered while assaulting someone – that kind of thing – or a sensible case offset against a bizarre counterclaim. Often, either the plaintiff or defendant is really stupid, a drunk or a druggie, or the kind of shyster who think they can talk their way out of any situation (speaking of which, your ability to detect bullshit improves massively if you watch enough of this show).

   Fortunately, in Judge Judy, we have a heroine who is capable and refuses to deal with any crap.

Sheindlin had a reputation for being no-nonsense in her fact-finding, and incisive in her decision-making, and she brings that to the show in spades. She is strict, but fair – she pushes for obedience and respect in her courtroom and is more than happy to scold people who fail to abide by this.

Judy does not tolerate stupidity or lying, and is happy to throw a case out if a complainant annoys her enough.

   This combination, then, is the crux of the show – we see the guilty and the corrupt punished by someone who believes in fairness, honesty and decency. Judy is there to preside over cases, but she is more than happy to espouse moral judgement too, and I applaud someone who speaks their mind as she does. She tells people not to be lazy, to get a job, if they’re too young to have a family, if they’re wasting their lives on drink or drugs, if they’re rubbish parents or spouses. I like a show that encourages people to not be wastrels, especially one that is as entertaining as this one – Sheindlin has said that the main purpose of the show is to encourage people to take responsibility for their actions and to do the right thing.

   Whether or not you enjoy that kind of moralising (and even if you don’t, who can’t take away from lessons like ‘beauty fades, dumb is forever?’), I think that Judge Judy is brilliant – it’s got drama and humour, and the thrill of seeing bad people lose in a real-life setting. Sure, it’s not the most top-quality show on the air, but when I’m in the mood for it, there’s nothing better.