Courthouse (TV series)

Courthouse
GenreDrama
Created byDeborah Joy LeVine
Written byIan Biederman
Dennis Cooper
Dan Levine
Deborah Joy LeVine
Roger Lowenstein
Gina Prince-Bythewood
Directed byRon Lagomarsino
Michael Fields
James Frawley
Dan Lerner
Alan J. Levi
Martha Mitchell
James Quinn
Jesús Salvador Treviño
StarringPatricia Wettig
ComposerJay Gruska
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes11 (2 unaired)
Production
Executive producerDeborah Joy LeVine
ProducersDan Levine
Vahan Moosekian
CinematographyMichael Gershman
EditorsSusan B. Browdy
David Post
Ron Rosen
Running time60 minutes (with commercials)
Production companiesKedzie Productions
Columbia Pictures Television
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 13 (1995-09-13) –
November 15, 1995 (1995-11-15)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Courthouse is an American drama television series that ran on CBS from September 13 to November 15, 1995. The series was created and executive-produced by Deborah Joy LeVine.[1] The Courthouse plot centered on a tough female judge,[2] and was partially inspired by NYPD Blue and the television coverage of the O. J. Simpson murder case.[3] Patricia Wettig led the cast which also included Bob Gunton and Robin Givens.[4] Wettig intended to leave the show due to "creative differences", with sources saying that she wanted the show to be more of a star vehicle for her, rather than an ensemble cast, but the show was cancelled before her character could be written out.[1][5]

The show included Jenifer Lewis and Cree Summer as the first recurring African American lesbian characters on TV,[6] but the role was ordered to be toned down for broadcast.[3] Lewis played Juvenile Court judge Rosetta Reide, who was having a relationship with her housekeeper Danny Gates (played by Summer).

The show failed to catch on with audiences, the pilot ranked 47 out of 108 shows, according to the Nielsen ratings for that week, with 9.2 million viewers (16% share), and it was cancelled two months after it premiered.[2][7][8] One critic described the show as "a hopeless amalgam that strains the senses".[9]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference directory was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference tvguide was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference sentinel was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference jet was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference wire was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference freelib was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference latimes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference sentinel2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference philly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).