Queens Supreme (2003)

Queens Supreme is an American courtroom dramedy television series which aired on CBS in January 2003. The series starred Oliver Platt in his first major television role as New York judge Jack Moran who, with his equally eccentric and colorful as colleagues, preside over court cases as the real-life Queens Supreme Court in Long Island City, Queens. The series had a strong cast and considerable financial backing, especially from Julia Roberts’s Shoelace Productions, Spelling Television and Revolution Studios, however poor ratings forced its cancellation after three episodes.

The idea for the series came about when two New York attorneys, twin brothers Dan and Peter Thomas, were discussing courtroom stories based on their shared experiences in Queens while on a plane flight to California in 2001. One of the passengers, a Hollywood producer, was sitting next to them and mentioned that they could be the basis for a television series. Indeed, the producer brought the idea to screenwriter Kevin Fox who later successfully pitched it to CBS. Fox was initially hesitant in becoming involved, feeling there were too many courtroom dramas already, but agreed after spending time at the New York Supreme Court himself.