Across six critically acclaimed seasons, the Emmy Award-winning “Judging Amy” brought viewers not only a dramatic view of a diverse set of family courtroom cases, but also a glimpse into the home life of lead character, Judge Amy Gray. Played by Amy Brenneman, Judge Gray struck a chord with viewers for tackling social topics such as single parenthood, child welfare and family values in general, giving it a shelf-life much longer than its original CBS run. In fact, gmc has recently picked up the hit show in keeping with its mission to share uplifting entertainment with the masses. Be sure to tune in Tuesday nights at 8, 9 & 10 ET and weekdays at 2 & 3. Here's our breakdown of the characters – we bet you’re already familiar with the actors who
play them.  

Amy Brenneman as Judge Amy Gray
The lead character of the show may be a single mother trying to raise her daughter with morals intact, but she has plenty of help from family, friends, and lessons learned in the courtroom. In fact, she eventually ascends from serving as a judge to running for Senate. In Hollywood terms,the actor has since racked up roles in the “Grey’s Anatomy” offshoot “Private Practice” as Dr. Violet Turner, along with movies like “Nine Lives,” “The Jane Austen Book Club” and “88 Minutes.”
 
Tyne Daly as Maxine McCarty Gray
On the show, Maxine is Judge Amy’s mother, a social worker who often butts heads with her daughter (despite loving one another unconditionally). Since the show’s original run, Daly made a plethora of guest appearances on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Burn Notice,” along with returning to Broadway for a time in “Rabbit Hole” and
“Master Class.”

Dan Futterman as Vincent Gray
As Amy’s younger brother, it was only a matter of time before Vincent would eventually enter the field of social services, but not before trying to make it as a writer and taking on a slew of odd jobs in between. Luckily in the real world, Futterman hasn’t had any trouble finding creative work since the series finale, becoming one of the writers and executive producers for HBO’s drama series “In Treatment.”

Marcus Giamatti as Peter Gray
The older brother of Amy brings the angle of interracial adoption to the show, followed by a future pregnancy for Peter’s wife. Raising kids takes a toll on the couple and they wind up separating, but there’s always a chance for reconciliation and this show doesn’t disappoint (after a few unexpected twists of course). Though Giamatti is best known for “Judging Amy,” he’s also appeared on “FRINGE,” popped up on the TV docudrama “Pirates of Silicon Valley” and is also a well-known bassist, performing with a multitude of in Los Angeles bands.

Jessica Tuck as Gillian Gray
Peter’s wife may have some problems, from being categorized as obsessive and controlling to having a complicated pregnancy, but she also reveals a softer side. As for Tuck, she’s one of Hollywood’s busiest guest stars and recurring characters, literally logging hundreds of appearances since the show, including “High School Musical 2,” “High School Musical 3,” plus eight episodes of “True Blood” and 23 recent tapings of “Days of
Our Lives.”

Karle Warren as Lauren Cassidy
She starts out at as a six-year-old, but Amy’s daughter quickly grows into a tween and teen before the audience’s eyes, complete with all the standard growing pains. Nowadays, Warren is 19 and has popped up on everything from “Hollywood Squares” to “Lilo & Stitch” and “Crazy on the Outside.”

Richard T. Jones as Bruce Calvin van Exel
This particular co-worker of Amy’s frequently offers advice, shining elements of his Catholic faith through the series (despite some imperfections, such as getting suspended after punching someone). Jones’ career since the show has continued to balance inspiration and action, landing time in everything from Tyler Perry’s blockbuster “Why Did I Get Married?” to TV’s “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.”

Jillian Armenante as Donna Kozlowski
Amy’s clerk Donna may be a genius by degree standards (graduating law school after a mere year and a half), but she doesn’t hold up well in social settings, which makes for occasional comic relief amidst the unfolding dramas. Fans have likely caught up with Armenante on the big screen via “North Country,” “A Mighty Heart,” “Bad Teacher” and “Contagion.”

Kevin Rahm as Kyle McCarty
Amy’s cousin Kyle used to be a medical student, but was expelled after struggling with drug addiction. The show’s redemptive premise can also be traced throughout this character, who even scores a new medical residency after a vow to turn over a new leaf. Viewers have since seen Rahm in “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Desperate Housewives” and “The Mentalist.”

Timothy Omundson as Sean Potter
He might not be seen as frequently as other characters, but Maxine’s boss Sean is an endearingly quirky edition that helps set up productive programs for youth and just so happens to love karaoke on the side. Omundson’s since served as a recurring regular on TV shows like “Jericho” and “Human Target,” plus the web series “The Booth at the End.”

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About the Writer

Andy Argyrakis is a Chicago-based entertainment writer/photographer who appears in the Chicago Tribune, IllinoisEntertainer, Daily Journal, Concert Livewire, Hear/Say Magazine and Image Chicago (to name few). His record label writing credits include Warner Brothers, Atlantic, Curb, EMI and Universal, with additional photo credits for Fuse TV, Live Nation, Nikon, Pollstar, Celebrity Access, Paste Magazine, MTV.com and Vibe.com. He’s also the author/narrator of "Access Matthews" (an audio CD tracing the career of Dave Matthews Band) and spends considerable time on tour, including outings with Arlo Guthrie, The Guess Who, Madina Lake (on Linkin Park’s Projekt Revolution) and Gospel Music Channel’s very own "Gospel Dream" (where he served as season one judge).