The return of Judge Judy to TV could spell trouble for former CBS executives

It seems like Judge Judy Sheindlin is making quite the comeback to TV this fall, but it may not be the best news for her old bosses at CBS. After ending her successful syndicated courtroom series, “Judge Judy,” with CBS in 2021 after 25 seasons, Sheindlin and her former CBS exec, Scott Koondel, created a new courtroom show called “Judy Justice” on Amazon’s Freevee streaming service via Sox Entertainment.

Now, despite CBS trying to keep Judge Judy out of the marketplace, she has been cleared in 95% of the country and is set to return to linear television this fall. CBS was hoping that local markets would buy up reruns of Sheindlin’s old show, but they were left surprised when she introduced a new product for stations to purchase. As a result, CBS is now stuck trying to sell repeats of “Judge Judy,” which has less value in the marketplace compared to the original shows from “Judy Justice.”

Variety reported that CBS is scrambling to secure top timeslots and top dollar for its reruns, while Sox Entertainment aims to capture the best stations and time slots for “Judy Justice.” It seems like a competition is brewing between the two shows, with CBS trying to hold onto the legacy of “Judge Judy” while “Judy Justice” strives to make its mark in the broadcasting syndication scene.

There were talks of “Judy Justice” potentially replacing CBS’ daytime chat series, “The Talk,” but nothing came to fruition. CBS owns the rights to the original show’s library and continues to provide episodes to stations since the show ended in 2021. Despite speculation, CBS syndication insiders claim that their plate is full with existing programming offerings, and there were no discussions about replacing “The Talk” with “Judy Justice.”

While a CBS spokesperson did not comment on the matter and a representative for Sheindlin did not provide a response, Koondel, the executive producer, described Judge Judy as a force to be reckoned with, boasting a massive and loyal audience that will follow her across various platforms. He emphasized that Judge Judy’s appeal transcends traditional television and extends to streaming and cable audiences.

New Yorkers can catch “Judy Justice” at 3 p.m. on Pix 11, while CBS stations will continue to air reruns of “Judge Judy.” It seems like the battle between the old and new shows is heating up, but at least Jay-Z, a self-proclaimed fan of Judge Judy, will have plenty of content to enjoy.

It will be interesting to see how this rivalry plays out in the coming months as both shows vie for viewer attention and broadcast success. Judge Judy’s return to TV may not be the best news for her old bosses at CBS, but it certainly promises an exciting battle for audiences looking for compelling courtroom drama.