Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Judge Steve Harvey’ On ABC, Where The Comedian Presides Over Some Pretty Funny Disputes

Judge Steve Harvey is exactly what you think it is. The comedian, who “is not a lawyer or a judge,” as the closing credits are legally required to mention, presides over small-claims legal cases where the parties have allowed him to be the arbiter. As he mentions in the intro, he may not have a law degree, but he knows common sense. And boy, do the people bringing these cases in front of him need a big ole dose of common sense.

JUDGE STEVE HARVEY: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: “All rise for the honorable Judge Steve Haaaarrvey!!!!” yells an announcer, as the doors behind the comedian’s “bench” open up, and he stands in the shadow of a spotlight, hands folded at his midsection.

The Gist: Harvey presides over three cases. In the first case, neighbors and former friends Mui and Melanie have a dispute over a damaged fence. Mui sues Melanie not only for a fence which she claims Melanie’s tree damaged way back in 2017, but also for half of the liquor costs of a St. Patrick’s Day party Melanie proposed they throw as a way to “mend fences.” Harvey spends most of the segment trying to figure out why he’s adjudicating a fence that was damaged over four years ago.

In the second case, Daphni sues her sister Tiffani for $6,000, the money she paid Tiffani towards funeral expenses for their brother. Daphni claims that Tiffani cheaped out on the funeral and used the money to get a BBL (Brazilian Butt Lift). In the third case, Erin sues her little brother Drake because she paid him $5,000 to build custom cabinets in November 2020 and nothing’s been built. Drake claims he’s trying to find the right wood for the project and is subject to the COVID supply line shortages. Harvey is amazed at the bargain Erin is getting. “Jesus was a carpenter, and he’da charge more than that,” he tells Erin.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? If Judge Judy was trying to be funny on purpose, you’d have Judge Steve Harvey.

Our Take: After about five minutes of Judge Steve Harvey, the ludicrous idea that Harvey is judging small-claims disputes between people falls away, when you realize what the show really is. Sure, it’s a court show — sorta. But, in reality, it’s a comedy show; it’s yet another way that ABC can utilize the Family Feud host’s penchant for funny stares, incredulous reactions, and exasperated one-liners. With that frame of mind, the show has the potential to be an entertaining diversion, but not one that you’d care to see more than once or twice.

Let’s face it: The cases are pretty silly. While scouting for cases, the producers likely saw the term “BBL” on the docket and thought that was comedy gold. Two of the cases have one sibling suing the other, one where the siblings don’t like each other much and the other where they used to be as close as can be. All of these cases are pretty much common sense, but the elements of them play into what Harvey does best: Read the situation and react.

And there are places where Harvey is pretty funny, like when he exasperatingly tells both sides that what they’re saying makes no sense, or when he comes off the bench to tell Tiffani that she charged her BBL to her credit card, so she could have very well used her sister’s money to pay the bill. Even the plaintiffs and defendants know that this is a comedy show, as they all laugh along with the gallery when Harvey shuts them down with a funny line like they’re hecklers at a comedy club.

So far, Harvey has managed to make fun of the cases without belittling the people arguing them. That’s definitely going to be a fine line to toe, but Harvey has been around for a long time and should be able to manage that balance with ease.

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: After Erin tears up expressing how the dispute has put a rift in her relationship with Drake, the two hug after Harvey’s judgement. Harvey comes down from the bench and makes it a group hug.

Sleeper Star: None, because Harvey is not only the judge, but he’s the star and the show’s center.

Most Pilot-y Line: Debra Wilson of MADtv announces the cases. The show missed an opportunity to have her be a funny court reporter getting the reactions from both people in the case after Harvey’s verdict.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Sure, Judge Steve Harvey is silly. But Harvey knows how to work an audience, and he also knows how silly the show should be. If everyone, including the people bringing the cases in front of him, can roll with it, so can we.

Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com, VanityFair.com, Fast Company and elsewhere.

Stream Judge Steve Harvey On ABC.com