Fans Think Night Court's Reboot Offers More Than Just Rehashed Nostalgia

Everything old is new again in this modern age where nostalgia rules the game. The popular NBC sitcom "Night Court" ran for nine seasons from 1984 through 1992. It showcased the comedic stylings of Harry Anderson, Richard Moll, and John Larroquette, among others. Now, in 2023, the series has been rebooted on its original home network with Larroquette returning to his iconic role as Dan Fielding, the original series' district attorney who returns to serve as a public defender in the new court. The new reboot is headlined by "The Big Bang Theory" star Melissa Rauch, who also acts as the series' executive producer.

The first two episodes of the weekly sitcom recently aired, and some fans weren't sure if the show was just going to offer up nostalgic fan service with little other substance. Rauch stars in the series as night court judge Abby Stone, daughter of the original show's Judge Harry Stone. Stone presides over a Manhattan arraignment court while trying to deal with all the wacky characters that come through her court as well as the colorful characters on her staff. While some fans were unimpressed with the pilot, some fans who tuned into the first two episodes said the show offers more than initially meets the eye.

In a review for the "Night Court" reboot, The A.V. Club offered some hope to fans who were worried the show was just going to be a rehash of the original. The outlet observed that there was seemingly some nostalgic intent behind the reboot, but stressed that it wasn't just a throwback to a classic sitcom despite the theme song and credits sequence. "If you're curious about it, don't let the pilot throw you off, at least; check back in a few episodes later, once the show has actually hit its (often pretty funny) comedic stride," the review added. It seems to be that the show is one that gets better with time, and viewers just have to be patient.

In a Reddit thread about that A.V. Club review, some fans chimed in with their opinions of the series as well. They seem to think the same thing, which is they want other viewers to stick with it after the pilot. Reddit user u/yowfin wrote, "The nostalgia was there and not overbearing, the jokes didn't seem overly forced." A second Redditor, u/DifficultMinute said, "I liked it, and [I] will watch the rest of the season." U/kazh echoed the thoughts of a lot of viewers, commenting, "By the second half of episode two I could feel the full cast look comfortable together."

Even commenters on original and reboot star John Larroquette's Twitter chimed in with some positivity. @OriginalPSP said, "Enjoyed it. Looking forward to more." Plus, @jenvargas wrote, "SO many feels, as the kids say. I welcome more of them. Thank you." It seems the show hit all the right notes for some viewers. As the season develops, the show is sure to gain even more new fans.

Reboots are tricky. On one hand, most viewers expect them to honor their original predecessors, but they also have to bring some new ideas to the table in order to justify their existence. Fortunately, the cast and crew of "Night Court" aren't interested in repeating what came before.

In an interview with TV Guide, Melissa Rauch explained that they don't intend to copy the original series, but fans can expect some callbacks. "It's a bit of a newboot, a bit of a revival," Rauch said. "There are all these Easter Eggs that original fans will love, but at the same time, you don't need any prior knowledge of the original to watch the show,"

Meanwhile, John Larroquette told Parade that he only returned to the "Night Court" universe as he wanted to explore a new side of Dan Fielding. The character used to be a notorious womanizer, but the last 35 years have turned him into a cynical soul. That said, the actor was hesitant about joining the reboot during the early stages, but he changed his tune when he learned that Rauch would star in the show, and they ended up working closely together. The rest is, as they say, history.