Jury Duty, a new comedy series with documentary elements, premieres on Friday, April 7, 2023, on Amazon Freevee. Looking at a typical American jury trial from the viewpoint of one juror, the program delves into how the process works. Most people think the whole thing is a hoax and that everyone involved, including our hero, is only playing a part.
Among many others, actor James Marsden is a key component of the cast of the program. The show’s director and executive producer, Gene Stupnitsky, is Lee Eisenberg.
Where to watch Jury Duty?
If you missed the launch on April 7, 2023, you may catch up on Jury Duty on Amazon Freevee. Season 1 is still available for viewing. One American ad-supported site, Freevee, is owned by Amazon and has both original content and a curated collection of carefully chosen third-party films.
If you have Amazon Prime Video, you can watch Jury Duty on Freevee right now. The Freevee interface is identical to that of Prime Video, except for the absence of the trademark Prime “X-Ray” popup that details the cast members and the presence of commercial interruptions.
Even if you don’t have an Amazon Prime Video subscription, you are still able to watch Jury Duty. A standalone app for smart TVs, Fire TV Sticks, Apple TVs, and other platforms makes Freevee accessible to everyone.
Jury Duty Plot
The story follows Ronald Gladden, a solar contractor from San Diego, as he serves as a juror in a US trial. Little does he know that his summons to jury service is not real and that every single person in the courtroom, except for him, is an actor. Every event, both inside and outside of the courtroom, is meticulously orchestrated.
Jury Duty Cast
- Ronald Gladden as himself
In his role as the only witness to the events’ falsity, project manager Ronald Gladden has won over viewers worldwide and, in a sense, become the internet’s new golden boy. For some reason, Gladden thought they were shooting a documentary on the judicial system rather than a comedy.
- James Marsden as himself
Playing a heightened version of himself, James Marsden stars in Jury Duty. Marsden is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal in the program, which critics have hailed as his best work to date.
- Mekki Leeper as Noah Price
Charming, naive Noah starts the episode in a committed relationship, but he chooses to pursue Jeannie after hearing rumors that his partner may have cheated on him via an Instagram post.
- Edy Modica as Jeannie Abruzzo
Jeannie, played by Edy Modica of Brooklyn, is a carefree juror who has a huge love for Noah and tries little to disguise it. Made for Love, In the Flesh, and Nicole were just a few of Modica’s short film appearances before her jury duty.
- Ishmel Sahid as Lonnie Coleman
Lonnie was chosen as an alternate before being appointed as a full-fledged juror; he was one of the least contentious members of this eclectic group.
- David Brown as Todd Gregory
David Brown portrays Todd as a charmingly eccentric and socially inept character with all the charm and charisma one could hope for. Cybernetics and Todd’s inventions, such as the “chair pants” device he wears to court, are his greatest passions.
The other casts are as follows:
- Cassandra Blair as Vanessa Jenkins
- Maria Russell as Inez De Leon
- Kirk Fox as Pat McCurdy
- Susan Berger as Barbara Goldstein
- Ross Kimball as Ross Kubiak
- Pramode Kumar as Ravi Chattapodhyay
- Ron Song as Ken Hyun
- Brandon Loeser as Tim Smith
- Alan Barinholtz as Judge Alan Rosen
- Rashida Olayiwola as Officer Nikki Wilder
- Whitney Rice as Jacquiline Hilgrove
- Ben Seaward as Trevor Morris, the defendant
- Trisha LaFache as Debra LaSeur
- Evan Williams as Shaun Sanders
Jury Duty Ending
Jury Duty’s first season conclusion included the actors and crew telling Gladden the whole thing was a hoax and explaining how they pulled it off. Meanwhile, $100,000 was given to Gladden as compensation. Although his admirers anticipated an angry reaction from the good-natured Gladden, he was rather amazed by the elaborate plots that went into maintaining the act.
Jury Duty Award Nominations
In 2023, Jury Duty was nominated for four Emmys: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (James Marsden), Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Mekki Leeper), and Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series (Sussie Farris).
Jury Duty Trailer
In the hilarious teaser, Gladden plays the role of a devoted juror who fails to suspect that the whole case is staged and that everyone else, including James Marsden, is an actor. Since everything that occurs, both inside and outside of the courtroom, is staged, it builds to some funny moments.