Two weeks after NBC ordered Bad Judge to series, it was announced that two of the main character will be recast. Naturally, that meant that a few changes would be made to the original pilot. However, when I saw the revised pilot last month, I was surprised by the number of changes NBC made to the original pilot.
Here are six changes that NBC made to the original pilot.
The character of Rebecca's best friend, Jenny (who is played by Arden Myrin in the original pilot) has been scrapped. In the original pilot, Rebecca and Jenny are inseperable and have been best friends since childhood. She and Rebecca have two person band called Ladycock, and the pilot revolves on Rebecca juggling her work and personal life. The band has their first gig but Judge Hernandez MAKES her do the law school speech at the same time for not filing the motion. In the end she does them both simultaneously. The role was originally meant to be recast (along with Mather Zickel), but I guess they decided to scrap the role completely
Theodore Barnes who plays Robbie Shoemaker is not a regular anymore. In the original pilot, he gets kicked out of the group home for punching the bully and Rebecca allows him to stay with her for two days.
Gary Boyd's character is totally different. In the original pilot, Gary, played by Mather Zickel, gets mad at Rebecca for sleeping with other men when he sees the pregnancy test box. Rebecca than makes up with him by inviting him to her band's gig.
Miguel Sandoval, who plays Judge Hernandez, didn't have so much screentime in the original pilot, but seeing how they made him a regular, his screentime in the revised pilot is explainable.
Some changes have been made to Rebecca's character. In the orignal pilot, Rebecca's doesn't particularly like to help others and and doesn't want to do the speech at the law school. As you saw in the revised pilot, she helps Robbie time and time again, helps at-risk youth and voluntarily does the law school speech.
The law school speech is completely different. Here is the speech Rebecca makes in the original pilot, which I felt was a lot better than the one in the revised pilot:
Today, you graduate, with your hopes and dreams, and likely, a lot of debt. But after tonight, it's not about your GPA, or which law firm hires you or even if you end up wearing a judge's robe. What it's really about, is the kind of person you become and how you'll treat each other. Real life is complicated and your teachers will come from the most unlikely places. I recently learned from a bigamist, two wives and a 10 year old, who draws penises remarkably well, that we are all in this together. But you can let self interest motivate you alone because it will all for apart at the seams. As you go out into the world, remember; your lives are held together by the people in them.
So, Dunham graduates, you can either hang out here with your parents, finishing your cheese cake, talking about your five year plans that don't really exist and how you are going to pay all those student loans OR you can join me at Hot Box Harry's where my band will be crushing it... Fine open bar!
When the speech ends Rebecca takes everyone to her band's gig.
Frankly, I liked the original pilot better than this revised one and didn't think all these changes were necessary. I am kinda sad that the dropped Theodore Barnes from the show. He was a fun character who knew how to put Rebecca's in her place. And with Rebecca agreeing to letting him stay with her at the end of the original, there was potential for a really great storyline there. Also, after dropping Jenny's role, the only friend Rebecca has is Tedward.
Did you like the pilot of Bad Judge, or do you think it would have better if these changes were not made? Sound off in the comments.
