Diksha Sundriyal
A mystery unfolds following the death of a judge in MGM+’s ‘Emperor of Ocean Park,’ as his family members discover some startling truths about him. Divided into two timelines (one after his death and the other several years before it), the show follows the trials and tribulations of the Garland family and its patriarch, Judge Oliver Garland. Played by Forest Whitaker, the judge is a force to be reckoned with, but despite his accomplishments, he remains a controversial figure due to his sudden shift to right-wing politics at the height of his career.
On top of that, his affiliation with some shady figures causes even more trouble for his political career, but the real truth doesn’t come to light until after his death. The challenges the judge and his family face are so realistic that they make one wonder if these characters are plucked from reality. SPOILERS AHEAD
The Character of Fictional Judge Garland is Embedded with Realism
‘Emperor of Ocean Park’ is a fictional series based on the 2002 novel of the same name by Stephen L. Carter. Before writing his first foray into fiction, Carter had written several non-fiction books about American politics and culture. The characters that eventually took shape as the Garland family had been floating around his brain while he was working on the non-fiction stuff, and it took him several years to bring them together for the novel.
The author revealed that the name of the Garland family and the judge’s character were the first things that made a home in his mind. From there, he started to develop the judge’s character, and considering that he was to be a family man, Carter expanded the story to his children. Before moving forward with the plot, Carter knew that his profession would play a significant role in how the story turned out for the Garland family. At first, he thought about making him a White House aide. He also explored the idea of Oliver Garland being a professor, but nothing clicked until the author settled on his profession as a judge.
One major factor in Carter’s decision to make Oliver Garland a judge was his background in researching the topic for his nonfiction books. He had previously worked on a book charting the process for the selection and confirmation of Supreme Court justices, which took him down the rabbit hole of information that the author later tapped into while crafting the story of Judge Garland. His insights into Black communities and middle-class families in America are another factor that factored into the workings of the Garland family.
While writing the book, Carter revealed that some things from his personal life or personality seeped into ‘Emperor of Ocean Park.’ Still, it wasn’t as substantial as to make the story seem autobiographical. The author has repeatedly stated that the story and its characters are entirely fictional. He has embedded them with realistic details, especially regarding their profession, to make them feel as real and realistic to the audience as possible. His intensive research and attention to detail helped him blur the lines between reality and fiction, which has translated incredibly to the TV adaptation.
Created by Sherman Payne, the show stays true to the course charted by the book and allows the audience to connect with the characters as Carter intended. Just as in the book, Judge Garland remains a mystery to the audience because of the secrets he took to his grave. However, the more things about him come to light, the more the audience can understand and relate to him, which is what Carter intended for the character.
Read More: Emperor of Ocean Park: Exploring All Filming Locations
