For Those Who Sit at Home All Day...

Once the trial of Orestes came to an end, Athena herself descended from Mount Olympus and bestowed justice upon the people of ancient Greece—and so we have TV court shows.

Like the brutal car crash that we take no pleasure in and yet cannot turn away from, court shows play on our love of the spectacle. It’s no secret that these shows tend to be populated with defendants and plaintiffs that are part of, shall we say, the fringes of society (the freaks you see on Judge Jeanine Pirro and Judge Karen’s Court are second only to those from the world of Jerry Springer). If they’re not wannabe gangstas they’re unemployed and living with their mother at age 50, or at least hideously disfigured.  

But this can’t be the only appeal of these shows, since you can find weirdos anywhere (then again, I am Canadian). No, there’s also a certain comfort in putting yourself in the hands of one who knows what’s right, a Joe Brown, a Judy Sheindlin, a Greg Mathis. These judges weigh up the facts, consider testimony, and use their wisdom to come up with a verdict right and true. When appropriate, they lambaste clear offenders, which is perhaps the most satisfying aspect of just about any court show. Let’s face it: it’s satisfying to see someone who pulled a hit and run, or killed a dog, or was just generally an asshole, get their comeuppance, especially on television for all to see. As long as it ain’t me being yelled at, bring on the heavy-handedness.

Like those great tragic plays of ancient Greece, it’s the pathos, the humour, the feeling of taking a side that makes court shows compelling; unlike those past glories, court shows deal with people you might have went to high school with in real life, as opposed to people you might aspire to be in real life. This, of course, is symbolic of an evolved idea of entertainment. The audiences of ancient Greece craved heroes performing heroic actions, so that they could be inspired to heroism in their everyday lives; today we crave the wretched, and lots of them, so that we can feel better about ourselves. Whatver, though. Everyone likes seeing a good car crash once in a while.