I always wondered how Harry never suffered from any kind of severe emotional distress with all the personal issues he dealt with in his life. I think he had the most emotional baggage. I always thought they should have had some episode with him in some kind of therapy. His mother abandoned him. Then he found out later she was dead and why she abandoned him. Selema and Florence died. His real father was Buddy...a "unique" person. He went through a few emotional break-ups. His, I guess I would say, "adoptive" father died when he was a teenager. The list goes on. How he never had a breakdown I'll never know. I also felt that he never truly had full closure when it came to the death of his mother.

I guess the closest he came was when he quit over that kid calling him pig and getting shot. You could see the toll it took as he tried to preside the next day, then ultimately quitting. Makes you wonder (in tv world anyway) if Dan hadn't stayed in the poolhall to convince him that that's life.

When Leon first disappeared, and Margaret left, we got to see the rare Harry in the dumps. But I hated how the writers threw in that heartless gag where Harry thinks he sees her in a porno a year later. Real sensitive.

I agree that the writers putting into Mac's "story" Margaret being in a porno was in poor taste considering what happened to Harry. I always felt bad for him, because of all the junk he went through in his life. I guess that's why I was pulling for him to finally settle down (really with Christine) and get a better job.

Harry DID have a very difficult life...I love how positive he was though. You would think by his personality that he has two loving parents raising him in a happy home. I think Harry was really an inspiration to everyone.

He might have had a breakdown or closure off-screen. In the episode where he finds out about his mother, it just sort of ends, but then later we found out that Dan had spent the night comforting him. So things like that might have gone on more often than we know. I really love Dan and Harry's relationship, at least before the show got too strange. This might sound odd, but there was a chemistry between those two that was amazing.

I always admired Harry for his strength. I think you're right. I think off screen he suffered, but in a way I wish we could have seen some of it. Harry Anderson was a fine actor, and I think exploring some of his character's emotions more would have been interesting to see. Like you said, we found out later that Dan came over to Harry's apartment to comfort him after Harry found out his mom was dead. (Harry made Dan eat the mix with the anchovies in it.) Harry and Dan had a brotherly relationship that was very important to the show. That's why I feel, off screen in the last episode, if Harry told Dan about his relationship with Christine, Dan would have never gone through with pursuing her out of respect for Harry.

This is sort of off-topic...although it does deal with Harry's personal issues!! But I know he and Christine kissed a lot...did they ever go further? I can't remember!

Nope. That was one area the writers didn't touch much to the dismay of many fans. Granted I could see why the writers chose not to explore this. Harry and Christine had generated so much chemistry that it became the fuel for their romance. It also kept viewers interested in the will they or won't they? Ratings showed a huge jump when Harry and Christine's romance was a major part of an episode. If they'd gone any further than kissing, it would have ruined viewership. However, something happening the last year of the show would have been nice. Not like they were coming back or anything. I still think a TV movie should have been done to tie up loose ends.

I I think off screen he suffered, but in a way I wish we could have seen some of it...I think exploring some of his character's emotions more would have been interesting to see.

I agree, we never saw Harry's suffering, which is a shame because I think the closest we came was when he quit and the episode after Margaret left and he was fed up with his life.

Harry and Dan had a brotherly relationship that was very important to the show. That's why I feel, off screen in the last episode, if Harry told Dan about his relationship with Christine, Dan would have never gone through with pursuing her out of respect for Harry.

They did have a great relationship and I do agree that if Harry did, in fact, tell Dan about Christine and how he felt about her then Dan probably would not have pursued her out of respect for Harry. However I don't think that's what happened. Harry being Harry, he probably realized that his chance with Christine had passed and decided to give Dan the chance. After all, this is the kind of man Harry was. Think about it, in the last scene of the finale, Harry mentions nothing about Dan staying and asked Roz if she was going anywhere, to me, this indicated that Harry was staying in NY. Now, why would he say that if he was going to go after Christine? Just something to think about.

Nope. That was one area the writers didn't touch much to the dismay of many fans. Granted I could see why the writers chose not to explore this. Harry and Christine had generated so much chemistry that it became the fuel for their romance. It also kept viewers interested in the will they or won't they? Ratings showed a huge jump when Harry and Christine's romance was a major part of an episode. If they'd gone any further than kissing, it would have ruined viewership. However, something happening the last year of the show would have been nice. Not like they were coming back or anything. I still think a TV movie should have been done to tie up loose ends.


Awww. Well, I know they eventually got together, and I'm sure it was fantastic and lovely!!!!:smooch:

Probably the only ep. other than the ones that Harry was distrought over the death of his mother would have to also be the one where he tries so many outrageous stunts to get back into being the judge again.

I know that he doesn't show in the courtrooms, but outside, he probably does suicidal things or something like that. That ep. was just a little too crazy for me to watch.