Showrunner explains why ‘Judge Steve Harvey’ works as a prime-time hit for ABC
With streaming ascendant and TV production budgets tighter than ever, broadcast networks have had to get creative to keep their prime-time lineups viable.
ABC’s “Judge Steve Harvey” is the perfect budget-conscious option. Harvey is a known quantity, having been on TV for decades as a sitcom star, talk show host and game show emcee. He is a bestselling author with relationship advice books that sold millions and inspired two films. He brings all his prior knowledge, goodwill and humor to play on this show, which began part two of Season 2 last month. It airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. and prior episodes are available on Hulu.
The show is shot at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, Ga., with a studio audience. It’s also the first time a judge show has ever been on primetime TV.
Harvey, a 67-year-old metro Atlanta resident, was not available for an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. So we spoke with showrunner Myeshia Mizuno, who previously produced “Couples Court with the Cutlers” in Atlanta and also oversees the Harvey-hosted “Family Feud,” which is currently shooting at Tyler Perry Studios.
Here are excerpts from the discussion:
AJC: With his radio morning show and “Family Feud,” people seem to want to spend a lot of time with Steve Harvey. He now is the arbiter of legal authority.
Mizuno: The arbiter of common sense at least. It started with the radio and his talk show. He’s done a lot of relationship counseling.
AJC: He found that lane without any particular training to counsel people.
Mizuno: It’s his wheelhouse of telling people what they should do.
AJC: There are millions of people like that but they don’t have TV shows. Or are that funny.
Mizuno: Exactly, with that humor. We are excited about the second half.
AJC: I get a sense he enjoys this. I don’t think this is the hardest job he’s ever done.
Mizuno: The idea was his. ABC initially came to him to do a sitcom again. He told them, “I want to be a judge.” I came aboard to develop the whole thing. Who doesn’t want to sit up there in a custom-made black suit and tell people what they think about their stories and, on top of that, give them some money? It’s fantastic.
AJC: There isn’t a lot of downside for anybody involved, is there?
Mizuno: I was appreciative that we were nominated for an Emmy in the daytime court category. But we’re not really a court show. We’re more like an unscripted comedy that is set in a courtroom. We handle cases that would not be on “Judy.” Some are silly, trivial disputes. Some are real and get emotional. They want Steve’s insight on their situation and hopefully walk away with a verdict. Sometimes, he gives the defendant money.
AJC: What’s the hardest part of doing this? Is it finding the right cases?
Mizuno: Yes. It’s different from court shows with teams looking for cases in the court system. We hired a casting company that had to find cases with interesting stories. It has to be a legitimate disagreement. They put it out everywhere on social media and people contact us. We get situations like I’m mad at my sister because she acted like an idiot on my wedding day. We have this one where these friends for 40 years bet on everything. They had two bets they felt weren’t honored. They wanted Steve to settle it. So we set up a Pop-a-Shot basketball game and had these two middle-aged white guys shooting baskets to settle it all.
AJC: That has to be a first, even in a fake courtroom.
Mizuno: This is a comedy show set in a courtroom. But we also have had emotional cases where people are really upset. Hence he takes that relationship angle. He hopes people can see the other person’s side. People can end in a handshake or hug. On the most part, we can bring people back together.
AJC: How do you think Steve has been able to become a relationship expert?
Mizuno: He’s always been honest in himself. He only had a high school education. He lived in his car.
AJC: He’s had multiple marriages and kids.
Mizuno: It’s been in the press. He’s lived life. He’s 65. There is something to be said about gaining wisdom. He now says he’s a rich boy but he’s still an everyman. He can still relate to people.