The series starred Tony Randall as Walter Franklin, a widowed and very talented judge, and took place in Philadelphia.

The show followed the reserved Franklin dealing with being a single parent, raising his daughter, Roberta (Devon Scott), and son, Oliver (Brad Savage).

At times he also had to play surrogate parent to his daffy English housekeeper (Rachel Roberts), whose inedible cooking was a frequent source of humor.

Actor Zane Lasky played the recurring role of Mario Lanza, an annoying, nerdy, overbearing assistant who irritated Judge Franklin, but who kept getting rehired by Miss Reubner.

Towards the very end of the series run, Walter began teaching a night class in law; Michael Keaton was seen as Zeke Zacharias, one of Water's students, in two late-running episodes.