The Night Court cast on NBC
Warning! The following contains spoilers for night court‘s “Pilot” and “The Nighthawks”. Read at your own risk!
NBC’s night court The revival is finally here, and while the sitcom’s return was full of laughs and fun, there was a bittersweet element. actress Melissa Rauch portrays Abby Stonethe daughter of Judge Harry Stoneplayed by the late actor Harry Anderson in the original series. She is joined by an actor from the original series John Larroquette, who is back as Dan Fielding. His character returned in part due to Harry in a memorable moment that longtime fans will appreciate.
The Night Court revival had the challenge of confirming the fate of the hilarious Harry Stone, with audiences already knowing that actor Harry Anderson died of a stroke in 2018 at the age of 65 (via TMZ). So Night Court turned to Harry Stone and figured out a way for him to impress from the start.
Night Court has announced that Harry Stone is dead
Night Court could have figured out a way to keep Harry Stone alive off-camera, or maybe even hired another actor to play the iconic role. The NBC revival decided to go in a different direction. Harry is mentioned during the first meeting between Abby Stone and former prosecutor Dan Fielding. Shortly after Abby revealed that she was Harry’s daughter, Dan was quick to say that although they hadn’t been close in recent years, he was very upset when he heard of Harry’s death. (You can revisit the moment streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.)
The brief conversation didn’t provide much context, but it served as the final revelation that the former Night Court judge is canonically dead in this revival. Though Harry is gone, his presence was definitely felt in the premiere as his past actions eventually brought Dan Fielding back to the courtroom. It was a touching moment that could open the door for the series to pay tribute to the characters played by other late Night Court actors, such as: Karl Robinson‘s Mac and maybe Mark Post‘s Christine Sullivan.
The story goes on
How Harry Stone influenced Dan Fielding’s return
The Night Court revival revealed that Abby Stone arrived at Dan Fielding’s apartment with a job offer as she was familiar with his past as a prosecutor thanks to her father. Abby told Dan that Harry respected him very much, and Dan revealed that he felt the same. He eventually agreed to come to night court as an observer, despite his constant work as a trial clerk, after Abby shared a story about the night Harry saved Dan from retiring as a prosecutor.
Viewers eventually saw Dan Fielding return to the Night Court as a public defender. Dan noted that the role would be a struggle for him because he “dislikes people,” but ultimately agreed to stay until Abby could find a more suitable replacement. His attitude hadn’t changed by the end of the second episode on premiere night, so it seems like Harry Stone’s influence helped Abby keep the circus going for at least another night or so.
Night Court airs Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC. This new revival is just one of the many exciting shows premiering in the first half of the year. So be sure to check out what’s coming up in the 2023 TV guide to get through these winter months.