‘Night Court’ Revival: Melissa Rauch Answers 3 Burning Questions
NBC is bringing back Night Court. Melissa Rauch stars in and executive produces the revival, which she hopes to call a newboot instead of a reboot. Rauch plays Abby Stone, daughter of the late Harry Stone and the new night court judge. John Larroquette returns as Dan Fielding but the rest of the courtroom is new.
Rauch spoke with Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Jan. 15 about the Night Court revival. She answered three burning questions any Night Court fan would have. Night Court airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Will the ‘Night Court’ revival address Bull’s alien abduction?
The original Night Court gave some of its characters a wacky ending in its series finale. The childlike Bull (Richard Moll) met aliens and went to their planet with them. To be fair, they never thought there would be a Night Court revival so they were just having some fun with the finale, like Bob Newhart waking up in his old show. Still, Bull getting abducted by aliens is canon now.
“It is not discussed but it is very much, as you know, a part of the mythology of the show,” Rauch said. “Your encyclopedic knowledge of TV makes me so happy.”
Will Abby Stone practice magic or listen to Mel Torme in the ‘Night Court’ revival?
Judge Harry Stone (Harry Anderson) was a Mel Torme fan. Torme even guest starred on the show. So does Abby have the same taste in music in the Night Court revival?
“We haven’t delved into Mel,” Rauch said. “I would like to think, though, that that was very much always playing in the walls of Abby’s house growing up.”
And because Anderson was a magician, Stone incorporated magic in his courtroom. Abby will try her hand at magic tricks in the Night Court revival.
“Abby talks from time to time about the magic that she loved watching her father do,” Rauch said. “There is an episode where we get to see Abby try her hand at it. I think that was such an important part of her life growing up. I think she grew up with magic all around her and I definitely think it’s a part of her.”
Is Dan Fielding still a womanizer?
Dan Fielding was Larroquette’s trademark character, winning him four Emmys. He might’ve won more but he withdrew from Emmy competition after four in a row. Dan was always chasing the ladies in and out of the court. Night Court revival viewers will meet a new Dan Fielding.
“I think as with anyone in this life, you’re going to evolve and change over time,” Rauch said. “Definitely it was important that we made sure that this character, as any good human would have that evolution. So we discussed a lot about what that would be and we think that showing this progression of Dan and how he finally found love.”
Larroquette did get to play some drama in the original Night Court. In one classic two-parter, he reflected on his womanizing ways. That inspired the Night Court revival to update his character.
“That was something he really wanted,” Rauch recalled. “As much as we all remember him as this womanizer, one of the most just beautifully done episodes, it was a two part episode of Dan’s operation, he talks to Harry about the fact that with all these women he’s been with, no one has ever said I love you. We learn that that’s something that he really wants. So in this version we find out that he finally got that and he found love and he lost his love. That really informs who Dan is now when we meet him.
As the night court veteran, both in the courtroom and on the show, Dan becomes a bit of a father figure to Abby.
One of my favorite parts about this series and this revival is this beautiful father/daughter surrogate relationship that we’ve set up. The workplace family was such an important part of Harry’s life in the original. Not that there’s so much focus on the grief, but Harry went through his own form of grief with the absence of his mother. So the family that he created in that workplace was so important to him. I really think that in addition to Abby wanting to make a difference in the justice system, she also really wants to find this workplace family for herself and this connection with these new friends of hers now that she’s new in the city and also dealing with the loss of her father.
Melissa Rauch, interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet, 1/15/23
Melissa Rauch’s charity update
Rauch also spoke with Showbiz Cheat Sheet last year when she launched her charity Oscar’s Kids. As Night Court launches, Rauch is still involved with Oscar’s Kid.
“Thank you so much for asking about Oscar’s kids,” Rauch said. “We’re really excited about the funds that we’ve been raising for pediatric cancer research and bringing joy to kids on their cancer journeys. If everyone wants more information about what we’re up to, it’s Oscarskids.org. [We’re in the] fundraising stage right now and doing as much as we can to raise money for the specifically DIPG research.”
