Judging Amy(CBS)
sPremiere: September 19, 1999
Finale: May 3, 2005
This show followed the personal and professional life of Amy Gray(Amy Brenneman), a judge in the juvenile and family court in her hometown of Hartford. Ten years ago, she married Michael Cassidy and became a corporate lawyer. Now, following her divorce, she moves back home to Hartford with her daughter Lauren(Karle Warren)to become a judge, and moves in with her opinionated mother Maxine(Tyne Daly, in her first major series role since Cagney and Lacey), a social worker for the Department of Children and Families(commonly referred to on the show as "DCF'). The show deals with the cases over which she presides, as well as her mother's cases as a social worker. Other family members include Amy's younger brother Vincent(Dan Futterman), a struggling young writer trying to get his work published while making a living as a dog groomer; and her older brother Peter(Marcus Giamatti), the Type-A personality who runs the family business(the insurance firm his deceased father started) and is happily married, but struggles with his wife Gillian(Jessica Tuck) to conceive. They adopt a son, Ned, in season 2, and in season 4 Gillian gives birth to a son of their own, Walt. The family was joined in season 3 by Maxine's nephew Kyle(Kevin Rahm), a medical student whose drug habit got him kicked out of school; he eventually took a job at a struggling community hospital and become caught between his boss Lilly(Kristen Lehman) and classmate Heather(Sarah Danielle Madison). At work, Amy interacts with her eccentric court clerk Donna(Jillian Armenante), as well as CSO Bruce Van Exel(Richard T. Jones), whose relationship with Amy would be examined several times throughout the series: are they co-workers, or something more? Another huge component of the show was the various love interests of both Amy and Maxine, such as Amy's relationships with attorneys Stuart Collins(Reed Diamond) and David MacLaren(Adrian Pasdar), and Maxine's relationships with entrepreneur Jared Duff(Richard Crenna) and florist Ignacio Messina(Cheech Marin). This show was based off of the real-life experiences of Amy's Brenneman's mother, a Superior Court judge.
Finale: May 3, 2005
This show followed the personal and professional life of Amy Gray(Amy Brenneman), a judge in the juvenile and family court in her hometown of Hartford. Ten years ago, she married Michael Cassidy and became a corporate lawyer. Now, following her divorce, she moves back home to Hartford with her daughter Lauren(Karle Warren)to become a judge, and moves in with her opinionated mother Maxine(Tyne Daly, in her first major series role since Cagney and Lacey), a social worker for the Department of Children and Families(commonly referred to on the show as "DCF'). The show deals with the cases over which she presides, as well as her mother's cases as a social worker. Other family members include Amy's younger brother Vincent(Dan Futterman), a struggling young writer trying to get his work published while making a living as a dog groomer; and her older brother Peter(Marcus Giamatti), the Type-A personality who runs the family business(the insurance firm his deceased father started) and is happily married, but struggles with his wife Gillian(Jessica Tuck) to conceive. They adopt a son, Ned, in season 2, and in season 4 Gillian gives birth to a son of their own, Walt. The family was joined in season 3 by Maxine's nephew Kyle(Kevin Rahm), a medical student whose drug habit got him kicked out of school; he eventually took a job at a struggling community hospital and become caught between his boss Lilly(Kristen Lehman) and classmate Heather(Sarah Danielle Madison). At work, Amy interacts with her eccentric court clerk Donna(Jillian Armenante), as well as CSO Bruce Van Exel(Richard T. Jones), whose relationship with Amy would be examined several times throughout the series: are they co-workers, or something more? Another huge component of the show was the various love interests of both Amy and Maxine, such as Amy's relationships with attorneys Stuart Collins(Reed Diamond) and David MacLaren(Adrian Pasdar), and Maxine's relationships with entrepreneur Jared Duff(Richard Crenna) and florist Ignacio Messina(Cheech Marin). This show was based off of the real-life experiences of Amy's Brenneman's mother, a Superior Court judge.
First season cast. Bottom: Karle Warren. Middle, from left to right: Jessica Tuck, Tyne Daly, Amy Brenneman, and Dan Futterman. Top: Marcus Giamatti and Richard T. Jones.
Best Episodes:
Season 1, Episode 1 "Pilot" September 19, 1999
Amy Gray moves back home with her young daughter Lauren after separating from her husband. She moves back in with her mother Maxine, an retired social worker. Amy is assigned to Juvenile and Family Court, and quickly becomes overwhelmed with the politics of the judicial system while placing an order to locate the biological father of an abandoned child, rather than have the child stuck in foster care.
Amy Gray moves back home with her young daughter Lauren after separating from her husband. She moves back in with her mother Maxine, an retired social worker. Amy is assigned to Juvenile and Family Court, and quickly becomes overwhelmed with the politics of the judicial system while placing an order to locate the biological father of an abandoned child, rather than have the child stuck in foster care.
Season 4, Episode 17 "Judging Eric" February 25, 2003
Eric Black(Blake Bashoff) goes on trial for the murder of Amy's stalker, which is presided over by eccentric judge Nancy Paul(Rosie O'Donnell), whose approach to the law is very similar to Amy's. Eric lies about the knife not being his on the witness stand, a fact that only Maxine knows, and he is acquitted as a result. Maxine is disappointed that he lied, and Eric leaves town with his boyfriend Mark. Meanwhile, Kyle is convinced to lie on a case when one of his patients dies.
Eric Black(Blake Bashoff) goes on trial for the murder of Amy's stalker, which is presided over by eccentric judge Nancy Paul(Rosie O'Donnell), whose approach to the law is very similar to Amy's. Eric lies about the knife not being his on the witness stand, a fact that only Maxine knows, and he is acquitted as a result. Maxine is disappointed that he lied, and Eric leaves town with his boyfriend Mark. Meanwhile, Kyle is convinced to lie on a case when one of his patients dies.
Season 4, Episode 20 "Requiem" April 15, 2003
Maxine and Jared plan to secretly marry on the weekend, but the plans are destroyed when Jared has a sudden heart attack overseas(offscreen) and dies. Maxine is devastated, and lashes out at her family, who tries to help, as well as a teen who does nothing but complain about her perfect foster family. Amy and Stuart go away on a camping trip, but the trip is cut short after hearing about Jared's death. Maxine gathers everyone at the diner that Jared had bought for her and holds a memorial service, with everyone sharing memories. At the end, Maxine decides to cut her hair like Jared wanted her to, and as a jealous Stuart looks on, Amy cries in Bruce's arms when he arrives to offer his condolences.
Maxine and Jared plan to secretly marry on the weekend, but the plans are destroyed when Jared has a sudden heart attack overseas(offscreen) and dies. Maxine is devastated, and lashes out at her family, who tries to help, as well as a teen who does nothing but complain about her perfect foster family. Amy and Stuart go away on a camping trip, but the trip is cut short after hearing about Jared's death. Maxine gathers everyone at the diner that Jared had bought for her and holds a memorial service, with everyone sharing memories. At the end, Maxine decides to cut her hair like Jared wanted her to, and as a jealous Stuart looks on, Amy cries in Bruce's arms when he arrives to offer his condolences.
Season 6, Episode 14 "Happy Borthday" February 22, 2005
As Amy's 40th birthday approaches, she finds it difficult to accept it as a milestone. The day before her birthday, Amy receives devastating news-she's suffered a miscarriage. She goes off on her own to grieve on her birthday, and winds up on the beach. A stranger gives her the perspective she needs, and she heads home to enjoy the birthday party that her friends and family have put together.
As Amy's 40th birthday approaches, she finds it difficult to accept it as a milestone. The day before her birthday, Amy receives devastating news-she's suffered a miscarriage. She goes off on her own to grieve on her birthday, and winds up on the beach. A stranger gives her the perspective she needs, and she heads home to enjoy the birthday party that her friends and family have put together.
Season 6, Episode 22 "My Name is Amy Gray" May 3, 2005
Amy resigns after becoming disillusioned with the juvenile justice system. She is asked to testify to Congress about a bill that could change the juvenile justice system for good, and she head to DC. Bruce also resigns to pursue his dream career as a family counselor. He realizes his feelings for Amy, and shows up to DC just in time to hear her speak. Meanwhile, Ignacio shrugs off Maxine's advances, than poses a question to Maxine: a proposal, if you will, as he says if Maxine really loves him, she will accept his proposal of marriage. In the final scene, Amy sees Bruce at the hearing, leaving interpretation of a potential relationship, and begins her speech to Congress, while the whole family proudly watches back in Hartford on C-SPAN.
Amy resigns after becoming disillusioned with the juvenile justice system. She is asked to testify to Congress about a bill that could change the juvenile justice system for good, and she head to DC. Bruce also resigns to pursue his dream career as a family counselor. He realizes his feelings for Amy, and shows up to DC just in time to hear her speak. Meanwhile, Ignacio shrugs off Maxine's advances, than poses a question to Maxine: a proposal, if you will, as he says if Maxine really loves him, she will accept his proposal of marriage. In the final scene, Amy sees Bruce at the hearing, leaving interpretation of a potential relationship, and begins her speech to Congress, while the whole family proudly watches back in Hartford on C-SPAN.