"Judge Mathis" (1999) TV series 1999-????

Director:

Joey Ford

Writer:

Jeffrey Hackl (writer) (1999-2000)

Seasons:

1 | 8 | unknown

Release Date:

29 September 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Reality-TV

Tagline:

Real people with real disputes before a real judge delivering real justice

Plot Keywords:

Judge | Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Dec. 28	2:00 PM	CW
Tue. Dec. 29	2:00 PM	CW

Cast

Judge Greg Mathis

...

Himself (2 episodes, 1998-2004)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Syndicated Productions

Quotes:

Judge Greg Mathis: [narration for second-season opening-montage] Troubled kids? I was one. Gangs? Jail? I was there. Second chances? I got one. I went to law school, became a lawyer, and then a judge. Now I get to *give* second chances. It's time for hard decisions and tough love. Justice that makes a difference; *that's* what I'm about!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Nip/Tuck: Kurt Dempsey (#1.5)" (2003)

I think this show is a joke.

If you watch this show thinking that you will learn what life is like in an American small claims court, you will be sadly disappointed. Calling the proceedings "real" is false advertising and a true disservice to the American Court System. After watching Judge Mathis these past few weeks I've decided that I don't like this show. He does not behave in a professional manner. He appears to be bias and flippant. He tends to get into irrelevant issues merely for the sake of viewer titillation. Many times he makes totally irrelevant inquiries into the sex-lives of the participants. He makes cruel and tasteless jokes that would never occur in a real court of law. He makes sexist remarks that I find offensive but I assume are supposed to be considered "humorous". He tries to come across as "hip" and "cool" rather than serious and professional. Unfortunately, this seems to be the rule for daytime TV judges rather than the exception. The only TV judge I've seen that appears to even attempt a fair, unbiased, professional manner is Judge Joe Brown. This show loves to trumpet the fact that Judge Mathis is a "real" judge. He is (or was) a judge for Detroit. But he is nothing but a clown on this show. He plays for the camera and couldn't care less about true justice. If Judge Mathis is being held up as a success story for inner-city youth, God help us. Sad. He is a man that has sold out to the big money media.