Alex Ferrer hosts "Whistleblower"

It can be a difficult thing to be the one to speak out in a situation that requires it -- calling someone out on ignoble practices or behavior can put one's own reputation or career at risk, and many prefer to just keep mum.

On a daily basis, however, regular men and women pluck up the courage to lay it all on the line when they risk all to expose what they believe isn't right. Blow the whistle and fight the good fight with a new episode of "Whistleblower," on Friday, Aug. 17, on CBS.

The new true crime series is hosted by attorney Alex Ferrer, better known as Judge Alex. Before becoming a big-time lawyer, judge, professor and television personality, Ferrer started off as a police officer. As a judge, the "Whistleblower" host presided over cases of armed robberies, kidnappings and high-profile murder trials, such as those of Sun Gym gang members Daniel Lugo and Adrian Doorbal, made famous in the 2013 film "Pain & Gain."

To the general population, of course, Ferrer is best known as a television personality. He currently serves as a legal commentator for Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and other major networks, and he hosted the eponymous syndicated hit "Judge Alex" for nine seasons, producing more than 1,000 episodes. During his time on the televised bench, Ferrer dealt with much lighter, tamer and often bizarre cases, seldom handling anything much heavier than allegations of unpaid loans.

In the new true crime series, Ferrer returns to more serious fare as he and whistleblowers take on a wide range of corporations and industries. In one episode, for instance, a cancer center is put in the spotlight as the oncologist running the treatment facility is exposed for giving chemotherapy to more than 500 patients who don't need it.

Blowing the whistle is a risky move. While some see it as a noble duty and a moral obligation, others see the act as a violation of company policy and rules and the wrong way to address a questionable situation. In extreme cases, a whistleblower might be branded as a dissident or a traitor. Exposing the illegal or unethical actions of a company is no easy feat, and it takes a certain type of person to do it -- someone with a strong will and a firm moral compass. Whistleblowers put their careers, their lives and their family's well-being at risk, knowing there might be blowback from the general population as well as legal repercussions.

Nevertheless, these brave men and women still choose to come forward with information of which the public needs to be made aware. "Whistleblower" features real-life stories of everyday people exposing what they believe isn't right, be it illegal or dangerous. These courageous men and women shed light on wrongdoing at the hands of major corporations.

"Whistleblower" host Alex Ferrer

The eye network has decided to join the rest of the entertainment world by getting in on the true crime craze with the new unscripted series. There has been a real true crime renaissance in the past few years due in large part to the first season of the "Serial" podcast in 2014, and Netflix's Emmy-winning docu-series "Making a Murderer" the following year. Since then, the genre has exploded and is easily at the top of the heap of pop culture.

In the first half of 2018, we've seen many true crime series debut on the big and small screen, from "Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist" to the '90s nostalgia trio of "Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac & The Notorious B.I.G.," "Waco" and "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story," with countless more slated to premiere later this year. In literature, Michelle McNamara's posthumous novel, "I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer," has gone on to become a bestseller and cultural phenomenon.       

In Michael Mann's critically acclaimed film "The Insider" (1999), Academy Award winner Russell Crowe gives an impassioned speech in the voice of the famed tobacco industry whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand about exposing the truth: "There are times when I wish I hadn't done it. There are times when I feel compelled to do it. If you asked me, would I do it again, do I think it's worth it? Yeah, I think it's worth it."

Everyone loves an underdog story. Whether it's rooting for a small-market sports team going up against a team with deep pockets or cheering on Rocky as he faces off with bigger and better opponents, it's human nature to side with David over Goliath. On Friday, Aug. 17, witness more real-life Davids risk it all as they expose illegal or unethical doings at the hands of major corporations in a new episode of "Whistleblower," on CBS.