Television programming subgenre of reality television
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Reality legal programming (also known as reality legal program, reality legal show, legal reality show) is a television programming subgenre of reality television, focusing on reality-based subjects having to do with law, such as police, crime, litigation, etc. Subgenres of reality legal programming consist of a strict focus and come in all shapes and sizes from legal news programming and reality court shows to law enforcement documentaries and true crime shows. Prime examples of reality legal programs include Cops, Dateline NBC, Cold Case Files, etc. Many reality legal programs use elements from other television genres, such as documentaries, talk shows, news shows, caught-on-tape shows, etc.
A vast majority of reality legal shows are legal news programs, providing clips and details of highly publicized crimes with commentary from news anchors, political figures, law experts, and other guests to help viewers understand the nature of the crime and any legal proceedings involved. Some of the clips take viewers into the courtrooms as well.
Genre categories and TV show examples
Below is a list of the different categories of reality legal programs, along with a listing of TV programming examples that have been developed in each category.
Another subgenre of reality legal shows are "reality court shows", which is a category of court shows that were next to nonexistent in the genre's first four decades. Originally, court shows were all dramatized, staged programs with actors playing the litigants, witnesses, lawyers, and sometimes the judges. Cases were either reenactments of actual real-life cases or altogether made up cases. Among examples of dramatized court shows include Famous Jury Trials, Your Witness, the first 2 runs of Divorce Court, etc. These types of court shows fall under legal dramas. The People's Court, however, revolutionized the court show genre by introducing a reality show format, known as arbitration-based "reality", in 1981. This was later adopted by the vast majority of court shows. Not all court shows have used the arbitration-based reality format however. Some are unaffected realities that draw on footage from real-life trials in real-life courtrooms. Below is a list of the reality court shows that have been produced:
TruTV (1991–present) was originally known as Court TV until 2008. Traditionally, the network was dedicated solely to court and legal based shows, capturing live footage from actual homicidal trials, criminal justice programming, and reruns of such shows as NYPD Blue and Cops. However, since its "TruTV" revamping, the network has branched out into more "caught on video" reality programs.
Related Research Articles
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unknown people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s with shows such as The Real World, then achieved prominence in the early 2000s with the success of the series Survivor, Idols, and Big Brother, all of which became global franchises. Reality television shows tend to be interspersed with "confessionals", short interview segments in which cast members reflect on or provide context for the events being depicted on-screen; this is most commonly seen in American reality television. Competition-based reality shows typically feature gradual elimination of participants, either by a panel of judges, by the viewership of the show, or by the contestants themselves.
TruTV is an American basic cable channel owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Judge Judy is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin. The show featured Sheindlin adjudicating real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated courtroom set. Prior to the proceedings, all involved parties signed arbitration contracts agreeing to Sheindlin's ruling. The show aired in first-run syndication. It is distributed by CBS Media Ventures.
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Forensic Files, originally known as Medical Detectives, is an American documentary television program that reveals how forensic science is used to solve violent crimes, mysterious accidents, and outbreaks of illness. The show was originally broadcast on TLC, narrated by Peter Thomas, and produced by Medstar Television, distributed by FilmRise, in association with truTV Original Productions. It broadcast 406 episodes from its debut on TLC in 1996 until its final episode in 2011. Reruns shown on HLN were initially retitled Mystery Detectives before settling on the main title of the show in 2014.
John Russell Langley was an American television and film director, writer, and producer who was best known as the creator and executive producer of the television show Cops, which premiered on Fox in March 1989.
The CSI effect, also known as the CSI syndrome and the CSI infection, is any of several ways in which the exaggerated portrayal of forensic science on crime television shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation influences public perception. The term was first reported in a 2004 USA Today article describing the effect being made on trial jurors by television programs featuring forensic science. It most often refers to the belief that jurors have come to demand more forensic evidence in criminal trials, thereby raising the effective standard of proof for prosecutors. While this belief is widely held among American legal professionals, some studies have suggested that crime shows are unlikely to cause such an effect, although frequent CSI viewers may place a lower value on circumstantial evidence. As technology improves and becomes more prevalent throughout society, people may also develop higher expectations for the capabilities of forensic technology.
Divorce Court is an American court show that revolves around settling the disputes of couples going through divorces. The current edition of Divorce Court premiered on September 13, 1999. As of August 24, 2020, the presiding judge is Faith Jenkins.
Cops is an American television documentary reality legal programming television series that is currently in its 33rd season. It is produced by Langley Productions. It premiered on the Fox network on March 11, 1989. The series, known for chronicaling the lives of police officers, follows city police officers and sheriff's deputies, sometimes backed up by state police or other state agencies, during patrol, calls for service, and other police activities including prostitution and narcotic stings, and occasionally the serving of search/arrest warrants at criminal residences. Some episodes have also featured federal agencies. The show assigns television camera crews to accompany police as they perform their duties. The show's formula follows the cinéma vérité convention, which does not consist of any narration, scripted dialogue or incidental music/added sound effects, depending entirely on the commentary of the officers and on the actions of the people with whom they come into contact, giving the audience a fly on the wall point of view. Each episode typically consists of three self-contained segments which often ended with one or more arrests.
Judge Joe Brown is an American arbitration-based reality court show starring former Shelby County, Tennessee criminal court judge Joseph B. Brown. It premiered on September 14, 1998 and ran through the 2012–13 television season for a total of fifteen seasons. Joe Brown was the second highest paid daytime television personality behind Judge Judy during the time the show was running.
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Most Shocking is an American reality television show produced by Nash Entertainment and truTV Original Productions. A spin-off series entitled Top 20 Countdown: Most Shocking aired from 2006 to 2012.
Jail is an American reality television series that follows suspected criminals from booking through incarceration. The series was created and produced by John Langley and his son, Morgan Langley, through their Langley television and film Productions company who also produce Cops.
Starlet Marie Jones, better known as Star Jones, is an American lawyer, journalist, television personality, fashion designer, author, and women's and diversity advocate. She is best known as one of the first co-hosts on the ABC morning talk show The View, which she appeared on for nine seasons from 1997-98 through 2005-06. She was also one of sixteen contestants of the fourth installment of The Celebrity Apprentice in 2011, coming in fifth place.
These are first-run syndicated television shows that air on commercial broadcast stations in a significant number of markets. If it has only aired in a few markets, it is not significantly important enough to be placed on this list. Note that shows listed here do not necessarily air in every market.
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Judge Karen is an American arbitration-based reality court show that aired in first-run syndication and ran for one season, during the 2008-09 television period. The series debuted on September 8, 2008, in 48 of the top 50 U.S. markets.
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Judge Jeanine Pirro is an American arbitration-based reality court show, presided over by retired Westchester County, New York, District Attorney Jeanine Pirro. The series debuted on The CW on September 22, 2008 and ended in May 2011.
A court show is a broadcast programming subgenre of either legal dramas or reality legal programming. Court shows present content mainly in the form of legal hearings between plaintiffs and defendants presided over by a judge.
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