Court on camera: the appeal of courtroom TV

Courtroom shows might be the ultimate in popcorn TV. They’re full of “Oh no you didn’t”, “Did he just say that?”, and “How dumb do you think we are?” moments. The likes of Judge Judy and her followers, including Judge Joe Brown (read p11 for both), allow us to not only shake our heads over the wicked and shiftless cheats and cons of the world, they give us the character of the judge, a higher being. Not only do mostly the judges agree with us, they immediately hand out punishment to people who’ve crossed the line. It’s satisfying as it plays out on-screen and they’re led away in shame. TVs most popular judges are quotable and relatable to the point that the saying “only Judy can judge me” is a popular tattoo. It’s about the victory of truth and right over deception and stupidity.

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