OldBoy

How were the ratings on this? Love they used the original theme, but updated.

OldBoy

This was cute. Nothing stupendous, but had it’s fun moments and Larroquette was gold and looks good.

DJariya

JeffTheAlpaca

Both episodes I think will air again on Sat before SNL

OldBoy

I just hate laugh tracks. They always sound phony.

Paff

Despite the night it aired, I never thought the original was "must see TV". I watched it at first, mainly because I was a regular viewer of Cheers and Hill Street Blues, and it was sandwiched in between. Plus, I liked Harry Anderson from his SNL and Cheers appearances. But as it went on, sometimes I watched it, sometimes I didn't. There was never much of a story arc. I don't even remember tuning in for the series finale.

So, with that said, I don't think it's exactly sacreligious to revive it, or that it has some kind of high standard to live up to. I'll watch this, and if I find myself getting bored with it or unwatched episodes start piling up on the DVR, I'll stop. No biggie either way.

Goldberg74

On that late night Seth Meyers show, John Larroquette said his son was the musician that update the song.

Coral

I watched the first 2 episodes and thought it was just plain bad.
The dialog and jokes weren't good, and the actors are just trying too hard to be funny and are overacting. It felt like I was watching a show making fun of bad sitcoms.

I have to believe the ratings were strong out of sheer curiosity, but will sink like a stone (no pun intended) as the season goes on.

Odd that Dan didn't mention his other past co-workers. They were a big part of his life as well.

I'll give this another couple episodes and if it doesn't drastically improve, I'm definitely out.

Double_Oh_7

I watched the first ep until the bailiff for some reason started mispronouncing words, then I tapped out.

Superman07

Thought the pilot was okay. Chuckled a few times. Did think the plot progressed a lightning speed.

Yeah, I didn’t care for that. Felt too much like bad SNL skit. Her plot with the names wasn’t any better.

Coral

Yeah, both things were way too forced and dumb.

What I didn't get about the name change thing was that a delivery person was looking for someone based on the changed name (forget what the name was). The names were only changed on the board, why would she be looking for someone with the weird/different name instead of what was on the package she was trying to deliver?

Also weird that the show has 3 characters who don't want to be there and are constantly expressing this - Dan, the female lawyer and the court clerk.
Bad enough when one person doesn't want to be there and constantly makes jokes about it, but it's total overkill when 3 characters have to constantly make jokes about that.

movieguru

Just watched the first episode. I didn't find the acting to be incredibly good during this episode. The bailiff character is the weakest link. There's too much of an attempt to make her a modern carbon copy of Roz that feels forced. In passing, they did elude to other characters/ actors being deceased. Melissa Rauch's character made a reference to Dan about "those that are still with us". She also said he was the judge at the night court during the 90's. He was more of the judge during the 80's. The show was cancelled in 1992. I can't recall in the final episode if he left that position in the finale or not.

There wasn't much reference made to the timeline about how Harry could have a child that is Melissa's age and not be seen or referenced in the original show. The only way it could really work is if we assumed that all the episodes from the show took place in a condensed period of time in the 1980's even though in real time the show was on until 1992. Either that or the show takes place several years from present day to make it fit. But it's just a show, so they'll probably just ignore the inconsistancy.

Is there any interest in watching for those that haven't seen or weren't fans of the original show? Most of us are watching from a nostalgic standpoint. But will Millenials really be interested in watching this show?

Coral

I think she's the opposite of Roz. Roz was tough and not very vocal, whereas this new one I guess can be tough - but she's also wacky, very vocal and full of energy (ie. annoying).

Yeah, he said that - but no references to any actual past character other than Harry.

They may get Millennials who are fans of TBBT to watch because of Rauch, but I doubt that'll be a huge amount of them.
I think it's basically older original fans of the show watching, and younger generation just checking out a new show in general. But based on the first two episodes, I'd be VERY surprised if this got a second season (unless the ratings drop will make them tinker with the show to make a last ditch attempt with S2).

movieguru

I was thinking similar along the lines of they are both somewhat tough, masculine, black females who play the bailiff. In the original Florence was nearly a carbon copy of Selma Diamond's character. She even died unexpectantly during the run of the show, just like Diamond.

movieguru

I wonder how many of the recurring or side characters will appear if any on the new show. There was a woman on the first episode that Dan commented on and said that she could put her entire hand into your mouth or something to that effect. It's been years since I've seen the show, so don't know if this harkens back to a scene from the original show or not.

I wonder if they'll get the guy that played the hobo to return. He was probably the most frequent side character to appear on the show. so far there is no word that Brent Spinner will reprise his role. I saw him talk in a convention panel on Youtube about his part on Night Court. He said he and his tv wife were offered the parts to be regular cast members on the show around 1987. He and his wife would have basically bought the cafeteria they all ate at in some of the scenes. Brent said he declined the role because he was offered the part of Data on Star Trek TNG at the same time and had to choose between them. So if not for TNG, Brent would have ended up a regular cast member of Night Court.

GuessWho

Phil died when a piano fell on him, leaving Dan to run The Phil Foundation, but perhaps his evil brother Will could return...

DJariya

Sitcoms seem to always get the most negative comments here. Humor is extremely subjective.

Orbi-Wan Techno

Oh, it was amusing enough for me, especially after a hard day at work.

Count Dooku

Historically, mediocre comedies benefitted from being amusing enough to be watchable when the choices of what to watch were extremely limited. Now, of course, people on a forum like this will be more actively critical of what does not measure up. New Night Court could develop into a better show, but will NBC or audiences give it the chance to do so?

Humor is subjective on a person to person level, but in dealing with massive audiences, an agreement upon what's funny suggests there is an objective societal or cultural standard.

Gizmo

TBBT got ripped apart here when it first aired and somehow lasted a decade.

GoldenJCJ

I’ve only watched the first episode so far but I actually liked it. It’s certainly not reinventing the wheel, in fact it feels like they’re purposefully giving it an 80s sitcom vibe.

The comedy was hokey and didn’t always make sense. Abby seemed to recall Dan’s conversation with her dad in the pool hall pretty accurately considering she wasn’t there, or possibly even alive at the time.

If this show succeeds it’ll be 100% on the likability/chemistry of the cast. I really liked Dan’s more subdued attitude and I can see how his character really evolved from the original Dan with the death of his wife. I’m sure they’ll dive more into how she changed him and how her death affected him.

I agree with others who thought the bailiff lady was the weak link. The “loud, sassy, black lady” character seems to be pretty lazy character choice. The bitchy prosecutor lady was also rough. The delivery of her lines was like amateur hour at the local dinner playhouse.

Josh-da-man

It usually takes a while for sitcoms to find their footing. The first seasons Seinfeld were terrible; the second season improved quite but. But it didn't really find its voice and rhythm until the third season.

whotony

I liked it. It might take time to mesh all the characters and the wacky people hat come into the court every show.
Definitely felt like they purposely went for an 80’s sitcom vibe and I’m very okay with that.


The history of those who where the bailiff is deadly.

Goldberg74

Marsha Warfield (63) and Richard Moll (80) are still alive… but Selma Diamond and Florence Halop were ancient to begin with.

• Richard Moll was 42 when Night Court began and was in all 193 episodes.
• Selma Diamond was 63 when the series started in 1984 and died a year later. She was in 36 episodes.
• Florence Halop was 62 when she replaced Selma in 1985 and died within a year. She was only in 22 episodes.
• Marsha Warfield was 32 when she started in 1986 and was in 135 episodes.

I didn’t mind Lacretta (~40) as Gurgs. I thought she was pretty good. Nice and smooth in the cold open convo with the judge.

Here’s a TikTok video from Marsha Warfield congratulating the new cast:

https://www.tiktok.com/@marshawarfie...52524269145390

Goldberg74

Oh… and I wonder if Yakov Smirnoff will show up one day. That’d be great. He’s only 71.