NBC Cancels Popular Reality Show After 3 Seasons

NBC has officially dismissed the case of Judge Jerry. On Wednesday, it was announced that NBCUniversal Syndication Studios will not be moving forward with a fourth season of the daytime television court series. The third season, which is currently airing, will be running through September. The show was initially a follow-up to The Jerry Springer Show, which continues to be in syndication after 27 seasons and over 5,000 episodes. As the title would suggest, Judge Jerry sees Springer proceeding over real pending small claims court cases.

Judge Jerry initially premiered in September of 2019, and was reportedly the highest-rated syndicated court show premiere in five years. The show, which is executive produced by Kerry Shannon, has already aired over 200 episodes. It was most recently renewed for a third season back in March of 2021, with the goal of proceeding over more outlandish court cases.

"I was getting ready to stop because we'd been doing it for 27 years... it was time to wind it down," Springer told Deadline in a 2019 interview. "Then [NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution's EVP & General Sales Manager] Sean O'Boyle came in to the office about a month before we stopped taping and said, 'I've got this idea; you're a lawyer, why don't we do Judge Jerry'. Just like that. It does roll off the tongue. I can see from a television point of view why that makes sense. It's a daytime audience, it's conflict, it's my background, so I could see it."

"If this fails, it's all on me," Springer previously said of the show's success. "We're in every market in America. We never in our heyday were in 209 markets. I think it's because it makes sense, it's not a stretch. On most stations, they're running both shows. Now what ticks me off is there's going to be a few hours where I'm not going to be on. I think we need all Jerry, all the time."

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h/t: Deadline