After news earlier this year that the sequel show was in development, NBC has announced that Night Court, a continuation of the classic 1980s sitcom, has been ordered to series at the broadcast network. Former The Big Bang Theory star Melissa Rauch will star in the series, taking on the role of Judge Abby Stone, daughter of the late Harry Anderson’s Judge Harold “Harry” T. Stone. John Larroquette will reprise his role from the original series as lawyer Dan Fielding. Pamela Fryman executive produced and directed the pilot episode, a photo from which you can find below. Dan Rubin, Melissa Rauch, and Winston Rauch also executive produce.
“My intention was purely to be behind the camera on this project, but my plans quickly changed after falling in love with the incredible script from the brilliant mind of Dan Rubin,” Rauch previously said in a statement when production began on the pilot. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to join forces with Dan, the immense talent that is John Larroquette, and the two powerhouse institutions of comedy that are NBC and Warner Bros. to bring Night Court back to television.”
An official description of the show reads as follows: “Unapologetically optimistic judge Abby Stone (Melissa Rauch), the daughter of the late Harry Stone, follows in her father’s footsteps as she presides over the night shift of a Manhattan arraignment court and tries to bring order to its crew of oddballs and cynics, most notably former night court prosecutor Dan Fielding (John Larroquette).”
Aside from Larroquette, there is no word on which members of the original cast will return to the Manhattan court. Other actors who appeared on the 1984-1992 series included Richard Moll and Marsha Warfield. Other notable stars, both Markie Post and Charles Robinson, passed away this summer and seemingly had no involvement in the new version of the series.
Harry Anderson, who was nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys for his role on Night Court, passed away back in 2018 at the age of 65. Though his Night Court appearances are what gained him award nominations, his part in Stephen King’s IT mini-series in the 1990s as the adult Richie Tozier is perhaps what many best know him from in the modern era.
Night Court is the latest in a series of high-profile revival projects, ranging from The CW’s Kung Fu and Dynasty to recent reinventions of MacGyver, Hawaii Five-O, Murphy Brown, and upcoming revivals of Frasier and LA Law, the latter of which will be produced by Arrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow showrunner Marc Guggenheim.