Night Court (2023– ) User Reviews (195)

Casting is the problem

[natehale · 5/10 · 6 May 2023]

Outside of Rauch and Larroquette, the casting is just terrible. Most of them overact nearly every line. Then again, it could be the writers. But then again, poor writing would not account for terrible acting in every episode, and all the time. Or at least, that was my initial thought.

As the season goes on, the writing becomes worse. They try to get cheap laughs but the genuine funny is few and far between. And having the lame laugh track audible for every flat joke, makes the bad jokes stand out.

If it were not for Melissa Rauch and John Larroquette, I would wish that this show be one and done.

John L is the only reason to watch

[stsorrell · 5/10 · 19 March 2023]

In a word, this show sucks, and that's a shame...The original Night Court was hilarious. John Laroquette is the only actor with any real comedic timing and delivery. He even makes his lines that are at times terribly written bring a chuckle. The lady playing Olivia almost ruins the show. The bailiff is played by a comedienne, and I understand why I've never heard of her.

This show is so poorly written...The writing team must not understand comedy, because they sure can't write a good joke.

Melissa doesn't annoy me as much as she seems to bother many other reviewers...she's okay, it's just the material she is given lacks comedic substance.

My wife loves the show...I have to watch this show and Call Me Kat weekly. Please have pity on me.

Giving It a Chance

[castlegirl09 · 7/10 · 19 January 2023]

The original Night Court went through 2 public defenders, 3 bailiffs, and 2 court clerks before the found the perfect mesh with their cast, so hopefully that can be the case with this iteration. Abby, Dan, and Olivia are fine. Neil could use some work, but Grug just doesn't work. It makes me thing that when Bull declined to come back, they scurried to figure out how to combine two bailiffs into one. Grug ends up being a Great Value Roz with Bull's childish mindset and it makes it seem like Lacretta can't act. (Also, why is Abby dressed like it's 2013?!)

I see the heart from the original, and know that producers and writers are trying to connect the dots between the original's end to now. Hopefully with a few cast changes and after they explain what happened to Harry, Mac, Christine, Bull, and Roz, they'll find their footing.

We Need More Sitcoms! It's an Endangered Species

[Sylviastel · 7/10 · 18 January 2023]

I love sitcoms. Night Court was a staple in the eighties. Melissa Rauch played Judge Abby Stone, the daughter of the late Judge Harry Stone. She recruits a reluctant Dan Fielding as public defender. He was a prosecutor for years. There are a few kinks to work out with the other cast members. Dan is widowed and somewhat retired when she gets him to join the night court gang. I can see a great relationship between Dan and Abby. I would love to see others from the original series too. The first two episodes had done okay with a few laughs. I hope it lasts long. We need more sitcoms today. We need to laugh more. Too bad, Harry Anderson, Markie Post and Charlie Robinson aren't around.

Really wanted to like this! :(

[thejdrage · 4/10 · 18 January 2023]

I was looking forward to this and was cheering for it to work. Wow. Talk about a disappointment. (Note the 4 stars.)

The original was a staple in my home - and brilliant! The laughs were consistently rolling by, subtle, smart and witty. Yes, some were slapstick, but not ALL of them were like on the new version.

The new version is a bad copy. Really bad. It takes slapstick to a new level - and that's hard to do, and not at all attractive or appealing.

Then there's the laugh track. PLEASE. OMG! It is singularly AWFUL. The show treats its audience as if we are idiots who don't know when to laugh and need a LOUD massive reminder. We do not.

We are smart, fun loving people who were a built-in audience for this program! And they threw us all away by not providing a quality show. Everyone lost on this one.

Not ready for prime time

[david-thor · 30 January 2023]

What a dud. They should have made John Larroquette the judge; I keep thinking that the rest of The Big Bang Theory cast will go bad and end up in court. For one, Rauch - cute and potentially a lot funnier if only she had better material - looks like a friendly dwarf compared with the towering Larroquette, and the supporting cast doesn't have a bunch of standout goofballs like the original. The show's just getting started and may turn out just fine if the writing improves and the cast gels, but as of right now, it's a hollow shell of its predecessor. A few comments have mentioned how annoying the laugh track is, but I don't see how the show can function without it until it actually becomes worth laughing at. One of my favorite shows from the 60's, 'Green Acres', was pretty straight-laced until it morphed into a brilliant satire of rural life; here's hoping that this reboot has the same future.

Night Court Reboot

[scrubby1704 · 7/10 · 18 January 2023]

I was a big fan of the original and was so happy when I heard they were making a reboot BUT.... I knew it would not be as funny as the original and I was right. Mac is gone, goody goody Christine is gone and Bull, oh Bull, is gone too. Harry's daughter Abby is now the judge and my favorite character, Dan Fielding, is back but he's not the horn-dog he used to be. It's kind of like when you make a xerox copy of the original, it's okay but it's missing something. I think it has a lot of potential but it really needs some work if it's going to last. I'm not giving up on it, I'll still keep watching.

Canned laughter very annoying!

[fabscott-18338 · 3/10 · 18 January 2023]

This show has the potential, and the cast, that could work into successful series. BUT the very fake canned laughter absolutely ruins the show and makes it hard to watch. The producers should have faith in the cast to make it a show to watch. Too bad. Also, I'm not sure having the judge be the daughter of the previous judge is helpful in any way.

John Larroquette alone would make it worth watching and I'm wishing that it could become a more wry and sophisticated comedy although it's pretty hard to recover from such a faulty start.

Welcome back to TV John Larroquette, but hopefully someone will find something for you worthy of your talent!

The Potential is There...Give it Time.

[shawnpat-70049 · 9/10 · 18 January 2023]

I liked it. It feels like I'm actually watching a sitcom instead of an experiment of "how to rewrite the sitcom". Glad they kept the theme song, even if it's shorter and involves a synthesizer. I was afraid they'd just play the last couple of notes. Theme songs are something I've missed from the 90s. And I'll never understand the hatred of laugh tracks. With a few exceptions, I've always liked having laughter in the background. It's good to see John Laroquette working again (in proper "only the good die young" fashion, it's no shock that Dan Fielding would be the only one still alive). The guy is a comedic genius. And Gruggs aptly fills both Bull's and Roz's shoes (I hope both show up for guest spots in the future).

My complaints: I cannot stand the prosecutor Olivia. She comes off as extremely unlikable. Sure, Dan Fielding was unlikable too, but in a hilarious way. And there was a reminder that this is a revival about every 10 seconds. I really hope that gets cut down a lot as the series goes on.

My final thoughts? Give it time to find it's comedic footing. It's not perfect, but neither was the original Night Court in it's first season. I liked it better than some of the other revival shows I've seen as of late. I'm genuinely interested to see where this is going to go.

I like it!

[sarahelizabethstallings · 7/10 · 20 January 2023]

I hope this doesn't get cancelled. First episode had me laughing. I never saw the original so I'm watching with fresh eyes. I think the characters already have chemistry. And what is up with everyone hating on laugh tracks? I think sometimes they have their place. I must be an anomaly because I actually like to hear other peoples laughter. It's comforting to me. No, it does not insult my intelligence. Don't get me wrong, I like comedies with out the laugh tracks too, but this form of comedy is a classic and sometimes it's ok to zone out and enjoy something. Please keep making this show! We need more sitcoms!

One star for each episode so far

[VetteRanger · 4/10 · 1 February 2023]

Most people reviewing here seem to be honest fans of the original show, and it was indeed funny .... every episode. Harry was a treat, and the surrounding cast played off of his humor very well, and he off of theirs.

The reboot uses the device of his supposed daughter showing up as the new Night Court judge. Harry was funny. She has yet to be.

Olivia, the DA, is simply annoying. Her part is badly written and she responds by going over the top. WAY over the top.

The only saving grace is John Laroquette, but he can't carry the show on his own. He's trying his best, I'll give him that. And the idea of bringing him back as the Public Defender was an interesting touch. I hope the show improves, but already my wife refuses to watch it anymore :-(

The laugh track does NOT help. When the laugh track plays for something you found no humor whatsoever in, that's a bad, bad sign.

It has good legs, I'm optimistic

[nopainogain · 9/10 · 18 January 2023]

The canned laughter should go. I feel that the spirit of the original is written in. I've only seen the first two episodes and they seem to be keeping to the tone of the depth of cast storylines out of court and how their quirks interact. Making Dan switch teams will highlight what we enjoyed about his personality 35 years ago as he tries to become the opposite. (Final season of old series he (edit) 'managed' a charity in the name of Phil: his lackey, so he was softening back then). The writing into the clerk, baliff sharply played by Lacretta and the stenographer right away give a watcher some build up for what is coming next. And they've matched the old gallery humor well. I hope by mid season they aren't as reliant on "Harry also did that" jokes following pratfalls though. I look forward to episode 3.

Not the same

[RickSC137 · 6/10 · 19 January 2023]

One of the best things about the original show was the cast. Between Harry, John, and Markie, they all played off each other. This cast seems weak and focuses on Melissa too much. With Melissa and her husband being producers, I can't see them giving anyone except for John any real punch lines or jokes.

The other problem is that on the original show, John was the prosecuting attorney and not the defendant. He played that role excellent with his humor, sarcasm, and insults that he won't be able to do as a defendant.

With the original show lasting.9 seasons, I don't think this updated version has the jokes or the cast to keep it going without getting stale fast.

No.... no no no no no and more no

[Paradox-Warrior · 1/10 · 12 February 2023]

So let's put aside the fact that the characters in this show can't even hope to hold a candle to the original ones. Let's put aside the fact that John Larroquette is absolutely wasted in his reprisal of his role of Dan only now as a beaten down, crotchety old man who is now a public defender instead of a snarky, wise-cracking, womanizing ADA that made him such a popular character in the first place. Let's put aside the fact that other than Lorroquette none of these characters/actors are anywhere close to being witty or clever with their dialogue.

Actually, no, let's not put it aside because all of that and more is what makes this just a bad, bad show. I actually watched all 5 episodes aired thus far and I don't think I even cracked a smile once. The show just isn't funny and what's worse it doesn't possess ANY of the heart that the original series had. With the original series you had these moments, and they were plentiful, where the comedy flat out stopped and you as the audience were given serious, poignant, and thought-provoking moments of emotion that made absolute sense even in the context of a comedy show. None of that is in this show, because these are millennial writers who only know how to do millennial humor and have no idea how to write GOOD humor and mix it with needed moments of seriousness. Instead, we get a bunch of inane nonsense that you'd probably hear on a thousand different, junky sitcoms no one cares about or remembers and a show called Night Court that spends very little time actually in the court room during session. That very thing was the hook that kept bringing people back to the original time and again, the antics and kooky characters that took place during the court session and how everyone dealt with it, both comedically and seriously.

That's not present with this show, and it's painfully clear that, like every "reboot/re-imagining" Hollywood is doing because it's creatively bankrupt, there was zero heart put into this show. It was a cash grab riding off the coat-tails of a FAR better written and acted comedy from nearly 40 years ago that will wither and die after maybe one season.... if it even makes it that far.

Needs More Wackiness

[Yuzzibi · 18 January 2023]

Needs more wackiness. All of the characters are too....nice. Dan Fielding has been completely diluted. Characters need more personality and lines to deliver with bite. Remember how Mack delivered zingers ? Roz was surly and quick tempered, this bailiff is....nice. Bad tempered African Americans can no longer exist. And of course Dan was lecherous, and we all know sexual harassment in the workplace is no longer funny. While it IS pc, it ISN'T funny. While I like Melissa Rauch, her character is...nice, and merely reacts to what happens around her with facial expressions. I want to like this version, but it definitely needs serious tweeking.

Exceeded Expectations

[ChRiS-803 · 6/10 · 20 January 2023]

*** an absolute surprise, clever, funny sitcom. Never seen the original but it appears to Put effort into playing homage to that show. The script is quite sharp, sparkles and is actually laugh out funny.

People like to be snobs about these sitcoms, why deprive yourself to laugh and just let yourself enjoy a harmless comedy like this.

The cast are all very good - John Larroquette is a legend. He is so in his element as always. Melissa Rauch is cute and endearing. LaCretta is having a ball - love her.

Great production design, loving the intro, is faithful to sitcoms. We need more of them would love to see this one last a few years.

The Writers Are Clueless On What This Series Truly Was.

[jrass-27238 · 1/10 · 26 January 2023]

They were trying way too damn hard to be funny and turn every other line in some sort of "sly" joke. It's kind of hilarious that Melissa Rauch's character is Harry's daughter and she wants to "be like him" as a judge and even messes that up and turns it into a "joke".

Yeah Harry Stone was a prankster and he definitely was unique in his way of hearing cases and rulings BUT and I truly can't stress this enough because it is what made me love the original series to begin with and that's while yes he listened/allowed them to speak their mind, he also tried to help them and just made the whole situation into some sort of learning experience.

While the show was obviously a sitcom, nearly ever episode though had some sort of life lesson you can take with you and/or just make you feel warm inside. And I am talking from pilot and onward, for some sure you made needed to warm up to it, but comparing the original's pilot and the wholesomeness it brought and to the reboot's.......it is in every form a mockery of the original should be ashamed of itself

Side annoyances: The bailiff, while cute and quirky in her own way, they are trying to write her as a Bull/Roz hybrid and that simply doesn't work. The best way I can put how it appears is imagine some hardcore gangster from the darkest parts of the hood switching between that personality to one of a suburban housewife in every few takes......off putting lol.

The clerk just leaves so much to be desired because pretty much the dude has no personality. Tries too hard to be some sort of overworked secretary that has a "hidden" crazy streak like pranking the courthouse by switching the letters around on the directory board to "keep his sanity". But his overall personality is that of a wet noodle lol.

The ADA is pretty much just your run of the mill "tough" female lawyer who knows it all. Not a bash of any kind on women lawyers or her being an ADA but it just seems, again, all generic and frankly considering the heap of mess the show already is......I actually can tolerate the most is her lol.

Now Dan........oh Dan Dan Dan Dan......I get people get older, lives change and so does personalities and the pain of losing loved ones can attribute to it. So while I get they show a more run down Dan Fielding and someone who is closed off, which he wasn't exactly an open book to begin with I get. But the way they wrote his character is, again again, trying to hard to just be funny and not be himself. The only part I actually liked was when near the end when he went back into Harry's chambers and you get that nostalgic feeling plus the prank in the box. But seeing Dan as a Defense Attorney is, was and completely a dumb choice. What made him such a lovable ass was how he tend to mock the defendants and his overall deadpan attitude toward their crimes. Back to the current ADA, I understand they are probably trying to make her like that, but if you are bringing someone like Dan Fielding back then you have to have him as the original ADA Dan.

Showing that it has some potential for staying power

[Ed-Shullivan · 7/10 · 27 January 2023]

Okay so maybe it won't be considered one of the best new comedy series of the decade but I will say that this updated version of the original 1984 Night Court TV series has a good feel for comedy, even though I wish they would remove that irritating canned laughter which I personally find insulting.

This new version pays homage to the original 1984 TV series as the new night court judge Abby Stone (Melissa Rauch) plays the daughter of the original night court judge Harry Stone. This series has a similar look and feel to the original version and not surprising one of the lawyers who has returned is Dan Fielding (John Larroquette).

Melissa Rauch who plays the new version of the night court judge Abby Stone was previously known as the co star "Bernadette" on The Big Bang Theory (2007). Thank goodness she dropped that squeaky voice of Bernadette.

This is an eclectic cast and after watching the first three (3) episodes I can see the series surviving a few more years than becoming more successful on TV reruns just as the original 1984 TV series has become.

I give this new refreshing series a strong 7 out of 10 IMDb rating.

night court should have been case dismissed

[afijamesy2k · 4/10 · 20 January 2023]

Now i love the original 1984-92 night court, it was funny, hilarious and had a lot of style, this one however despite the comeback of john larroquette is truly banal and all over the map, melissa raunch who was hilarious in the big bang theory is wasted here is abby stone, the daughter of judge harry t stone and the rest of the cast is lost too, there's no brent spiner, no marsha warfield, no richard moll, none of that, the teleplay is real boring, the dialogue is ridiculous and what is a laugh track doing in this predicable mess, i know there a few good moments here and there, but this is just a bore, this is a very poor and boring intimidation of the original, rent the original night court instead.

I'm giving it a c-

thumbs down for me on the new version of night court.

A great start, but

[forrestjf · 10/10 · 18 January 2023]

My wife and both enjoyed the original very much and find the reboot to be very good so far. It's a nice balance of heart and humor. Could do without so much laugh track, you're trying too hard and it's annoying. It's a very good start and we hope it continues.

BUT!!!!!!! Where is the theme song??? This unicorns and tissue paper synthesizer thingy you're using is pathetic! KICK IN THE BASS!

This will never match the original without it!

Look up original theme song. It's all over YT. In 10 seconds you'll hear the difference. And the soprano sax adds so much that musician should have won an award for that performance.

Average so far

[mattkratz · 7/10 · 26 January 2023]

Of course this remake is not the same without the late Harry Anderson in the lead role, but it does have John Larroquette back in a toned down Dan Fielding role (which works just as well) and Melissa Rauch in a decent role as Harry's daughter as a judge. I also like that they brought Clarence the armadillo back! I like that they have Dan as a defense attorney instead of a prosecutor and show him adjusting to it. The main focus seems to be on that and "We Miss Harry!" The episodes aren't quite as good as good or as light hearted as the original, but it has just started so give it time. It might start to turn out to remind you of the original after a while. It's ok so far.

** 1/2 out of ****

A pale imitation of the original - Season 2 should be cancelled

[jp7570 · 1/10 · 18 January 2023]

END OF SEASON UPDATE: As Season 1 has come to a close, I wanted to update my earlier review, And not only is it not good, I've dropped the review from 3 stars to 1 star.

Lots of problems with this reboot - writing, casting, and overuse of the laugh track top the list. Need to drop the actors playing Olivia and 'Gurgs" as they are thoroughly annoying and detract from the show. But since the original DID recast roles (several sadly due to the death of the actors), this would not be unheard of. Melissa Rauch is also totally unconvincing in the lead role. The only reason she has it is because she is the executive producer and this was her "passion project".

The one positive is John Larroquette. The Season 1 finale left the door open for him to leave after one season (maybe that's all he signed up for), or they could contrive something that brings him back in Season 2.

Bottom-line - A very poor reboot that was completely unnecessary to begin with.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ORIGINAL REVIEW: As a long-time fan of the original Night Court, like many others I was skeptical that a re-boot could capture the magic and heart of the original. Sadly, I was right, so what is wrong with the new version?

Let's start with the laugh track, which seems to have its volume pumped way up for some reason. Why didn't the producers opt for filming in front of a live audience? (Answer: money.) The laugh track is an annoying throw-back that needs to be replaced by a live studio audience. Think how much better Big Bang Theory was with a live audience.

Second problem - dialog. Melissa Rauch, while not in her high-pitched Bernadette register, talks WAY too fast for this role. What's she trying to do - win a "words per minute" contest? Also, you can barely understand what the actors in the Assistant DA and Bailiff roles are saying. They, too, need to deliver their lines convincingly, not in a rapid fire "sit-com-y" fashion.

Lastly, the new version of the original theme just sounds wrong. Why not re-use the old version, which is still good.

On the plus side, John Larroquette still has the "Dan Fielding" X-factor, even though he's now 75 years old, bearded, not as lascivious, and playing for the "other side" as the new public defender. Still, Larroquette's chops are as sharp as ever. He's the star of the show.

Also, it's amazing that either portions of the old set were in storage somewhere, or the plans were unearthed to accurately re-create such memorable set pieces as the judge's office, the courtroom, the cafeteria, and the hallway. Well done by the production crew.

According to articles written about this new version, it was Mellisa Rauch's passion project, who also serves as executive producer. But I'm sorry, she's woefully miscast in the lead, trying to fill the shoes of the late great Harry Anderson. She fails to command the screen, or any scene she's in. And it's not because she's 4' 11", although that doesn't help. She just doesn't have that combination of comic timing and gravitas that made Anderson and the original Night Court so memorable.

It appears there are only 5 episodes in the can for the new Night Court, so the question is "Will NBC give it a full season order?" Burning two episodes right off the bat on the first night doesn't sound promising. So the show has just another 3 weeks to find its legs or it's likely history.

I think the new Night Court can be saved. Fix the pacing and dialog issues, replace the laugh track with a live audience, and work on Melissa's character because she's lost as the supposed "leader" of this work-place comedy.

OVERALL SCORE - 3 out of 10, with a low percentage of survival unless significant changes are made.

Great Sequel! :)

[TruthPhoenix · 8/10 · 18 January 2023]

I was a huge fan of the original show back in the day. And I have always loved John Larroquette. So, of course when I saw that there was a new Night Court coming, I made a note to give it a chance. Now after watching the first episode, I am hooked again. Melissa Rauch is great as the Judge. She is always fun to watch. I really loved her comedic style in The Bronze film.

Meanwhile the list of supporting characters is capable and impressive. I look forward to them cheering me up after a long day at work. If you only check out one new comedy this season, this is the one. Sorry to sound like a cliche, but I rest my case. ;)

I think it will be more successful as a miniseries but I am still willing to give future episodes a chance

[spencer-w-hensley · 6/10 · 20 January 2023]

Night Court which began and ran on NBC from 1984-1992 was never one of the all time greatest sitcoms but it was a fun and very entertaining show nonetheless that was always fun to watch reruns of years after it ended.

What made it a good sitcom was the chemistry of its cast. Harry Anderson, Markie Post, Richard Moll, Charles Robinson Marsha Warfield and standout John Larroquette all made the show entertaining with their chemistry and comic timing together.

After Markie Post's passing two years ago I rewatched some old episodes of the original series and while a few things are dated it surprisingly holds up well for a sitcom over 30 years old.

It was also then that this sequel series had been announced with Melissa Rauch from Big Bang Theory playing Judge Stone's daughter and Larroquette returning as Dan Fielding along with some new characters.

With Rauch and Larroquette in the mix I figured it had to be watchable at least with the two of them.

The good news is their performances make the show watchable and they are good, but the rest is very average.

The problem I feel is this sequel series is ten years too late.

This might have been funny ten years ago with a majority of the cast still alive but it seems like the creators have forgotten that Anderson, Post, and Robinson have since passed away and Warfield and Moll aren't in the mix so with only Larroquette as the surviving cast member from the original participating in the sequel he just isn't enough to carry the series along with Rauch.

Larroquette to me was the best part of the original series in my opinion but his supporting cast truly made him shine.

He and Rauch don't have the same chemistry of the original program and neither do the underdeveloped other characters.

If they had done this as a miniseries 10 or so years ago with the main cast of the original back for a reunion this probably would have been very funny, but the whole point of a good revival is mixing characters we loved from the original along with new fresh characters.

I think this could work ok as a miniseries and small sequel to a good show, but I don't think unless things dramatically improve it will be successful as a long-running series like it's predecessor was.

Get back more surviving original cast members. Bring back Moll, Warfield and even Ellen Foley who was only on in season 2 and you may have something.

Rauch does a nice job and captures Harry Anderson's spirit very well and she is charming but her charm is just not enough to sustain a long running series.

Larroquette is a welcome presence and seeing him back as the self-centered Fielding is enjoyable but he doesn't seem to have the spark or energy that he did on the original show. I think this is attributed to the fact he is now acting alongside actors who are young enough to be his grandchildren, and lest we not forget the guy has hardly done anything noteworthy since the original Night Court ended in 1992.

He did Richie Rich a forgotten Macaulay Culkin flop, he had a sitcom of his own that lasted three years with low ratings, a few Hallmark movies and some appearances on Boston Legal. But in 30 years that is not much activity and his lack of anything noteworthy since the original Night Court ended has definitely caught up with him. He has always been a good actor and I find it hard to believe he hasn't been in anything truly noteworthy in the last three decades. He can do more than Dan Fielding and should have in between the years from the original to sequel series.

I would like to see this show succeed but I think it will be forgotten after a few episodes and cancelled unless more original cast members come back and if they focus more on the eccentricities of the courtroom itself rather than just depending on Rauch and Larroquette's presence to solely carry the show.

It has potential but it definitely needs some stronger writing and a few more standout characters if it will truly work in my opinion.

Who thought this was a good idea?

[wrogersmoody · 2/10 · 18 January 2023]

It's every bit as bad as anyone familiar with the original would suspect and fear. The original played off the late Harry Anderson with the tension and the interplay between John Larroquette and the late Markie Post. Richard Moll, the late Charles Robinson, and Marsha Warfield rounded out a solid ensemble cast that provided lighthearted usually "silly" humor umpretentiously.

The writing is simply weak. I suspect a live audience would had sat in somewhat stunned silence so the laugh tack is obvious and ponderous. It serves more to emphasize that the "jokes" aren't funny.

This iteration is unfunny and as desperate in its feel as the premise suggests.