Ended on a cliffhanger. I wonder if someone will save it.

https://deadline.com/2025/05/night-court-canceled-nbc-1236391772/

It was a stupid cliffhanger. If Abby really had a husband, that would have come out during her long engagement to another fiance in season 1.

Although I've never cared about this remake, I do have a question that bothers me a little.

If Abby Stone "claims" that she is supposed to be the "daughter" of Harry T. Stone, then how come she never pulled pranks on her co-workers, does magic tricks or have a huge strange obsession with the late singer Mel Torme?

Despite both of them wearing sneakers under their judge robe, it seems to me that Abby was never like her dad at all.

or have a huge strange obsession with the late singer Mel Torme?


Cyndi Lauper would have been a good obsession for Abby.

I watched the first season, lost interest during the second. Too much emphasis on narrative, not enough emphasis on laughs. During the time I was watching, there was a curious lack of time spent at the judge's bench, with the whole cast trading one-liners.

Cyndi Lauper would have been a good obsession for Abby.

I'm assuming Melissa Rauch has never heard of Mel Torme, nor listened or cared about his music that much.

I liked this show but it was never super funny to me. I mostly watched it because I love the original, and it was nice to see Dan Fielding at this stage in his life and his relationship to Abby.

However, I figured this might be the last season. Especially with the cancellations of two other short-lived revivals, That '90s Show and Frasier, both of which I watched, liked, but didn't find either all that funny. They're just nice bonus episodes to add to the end of their original series whenever I do a binge.

However again, just like That '90s Show, Night Court ended on a cliffhanger, which is really bugging me. Why would the people making the show end it on a cliffhanger? They had to know they were an on the bubble show. Really unless you're Friends or a massive hit like that, you shouldn't do cliffhanger season finales. There's a 50/50 chance that's your final episode, and THAT'S how you're going to treat your audience? Shameful!

It was a stupid cliffhanger. If Abby really had a husband, that would have come out during her long engagement to another fiance in season 1.

I had binged the last five episodes today before finding out the show was now cancelled. When it had that cliffhanger, in the moment, I totally forgot she was engaged in the first season. She had made a big deal about her dad not being at her wedding. Now, we find out she already had a husband? I wonder what the writers' plan was for that storyline. Because as it stands, it makes no sense.

Why Melissa Rauch's Night Court Was Canceled By NBC (https://www.slashfilm.com/1855929/why-melissa-rauch-night-court-canceled-nbc/)

BY JEREMY SMITH
MAY 9, 2025 5:02 PM EST

https://www.slashfilm.com/img/gallery/why-melissa-rauchs-night-court-was-canceled-by-nbc/intro-1746824382.webp

Nostalgia is not, inherently, a bad thing. Classic films like Federico Fellini's "L'Avventura," George Lucas' "American Graffiti," (https://www.slashfilm.com/782460/american-graffiti-ending-explained-the-calm-before-the-storm/) and Richard Linklater's "Dazed and Confused" pine away for carefree youth, but they're also careful to acknowledge that the end of the party is on the horizon. Those tales are told from a place of melancholy remove. To quote Thomas Wolfe, "Going back home is a real boneheaded idea."

But in our glutted age of entertainment, where the competition for eyeballs is fierce, the old-school networks believe that one of their programming strengths is viewers' wistfulness for a simpler time, when there were three or four major broadcast entities providing the lion's share of original content. ABC, NBC, CBS and the 1980s party crasher Fox have their work cut out for them in 2025. They're held to conservative content standards and archaic scheduling strictures. Decades ago, they still had an edge because people in rural communities or folks who simply couldn't afford a basic cable television package could at least tune in to the networks and their local PBS affiliate. That advantage is gone now, which has led not to innovation but comfort food.

Sitcom revivals have been the rage since the 2018 return of "Roseanne" earned good reviews and finished third in the ratings for that season. It proved to be an outlier, though, because new runs of "Will & Grace," "Mad About You" and "Frasier" have been greeted with muted enthusiasm at best.

And now (https://radiodiscussions.com/threads/tv-show-cancellation-thread-including-ending-ones.697083/page-81) another sitcom revival has bitten the dust (https://www.reddit.com/r/sitcoms/comments/1kiwuui/night_court_and_lopez_vs_lopez_has_been_cancelled/). NBC's newfangled "Night Court" (https://www.slashfilm.com/1536926/night-court-revival-john-larroquette-markie-post-charlie-robinson/) has been dismissed after three seasons (https://www.reddit.com/r/NightCourt/comments/1kioncm/night_court_canceled_at_nbc_after_3_seasons/).

Melissa Rauch couldn't conjure that Harry Anderson magic

https://www.slashfilm.com/img/gallery/why-melissa-rauchs-night-court-was-canceled-by-nbc/melissa-rauch-couldnt-conjure-that-harry-anderson-magic-1746824382.webp

"Night Court" (https://forums.primetimer.com/topic/89297-night-court-general-discussion/) became a network sitcom institution in the 1980s by holding down the 9:30 slot on NBC's unbeatable Thursday night lineup. Created by Reinhold Weege, the series was the ribald link between the fine-tuned screwball fun of "Cheers" (https://www.slashfilm.com/1067350/every-cheers-season-ranked-worst-to-best/) and the sexy, sudsy legal drama "L.A. Law." It was unabashedly silly, and got away with its low-aiming antics thanks to a sensational ensemble cast that included Harry Anderson, John Larroquette, Markie Post, Richard Moll and Marsha Warfield.

For this reason, it seemed like "Night Court" (https://www.tellytalk.net/threads/night-court.13101/) could work as a revival (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/nbc-cancels-night-court-revival-after-3-seasons.5897853/). It wasn't tethered to any cultural moment; it was just a goofy show about a judge presiding over evening proceedings in a Manhattan courtroom.

The sequel series (https://forums.primetimer.com/topic/132469-night-court-media-feeling-much-better-now%E2%80%A6/page/3/) cast "The Big Bang Theory" star Melissa Rauch as the daughter of Anderson's Harry Stone, and brought back Larroquette (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/night-court-sequel-starring-john-larroquette-in-the-works-at-nbc.1037841/), but the mixture was off. Rauch is a talented comedic performer, but she couldn't get out from under the shadow of Anderson. After a strong start on NBC (https://www.reddit.com/r/nbc/comments/1kirosq/nbc_has_officially_canceled_night_court_found_the/) in 2023, the ratings for nü-"Night Court" (https://forums.mst3k.com/t/so-the-new-night-court/27181/39) plummeted, and that is why (https://tvline.com/news/night-court-cancelled-nbc-revival-john-larroquette-1235436372/), according to Deadline (https://deadline.com/2025/05/night-court-canceled-nbc-1236391772/), NBC is pulling the plug (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/1kioizz/night_court_canceled_at_nbc_after_3_seasons/) on the show after the conclusion of its third season (https://www.resetera.com/threads/%E2%80%98night-court%E2%80%99-canceled-by-nbc-after-3-seasons.1185585/).

All told, three seasons is nothing to sneeze at, especially for a show that was a pale comparison to the original (https://www.datalounge.com/thread/33053811-the-night-court-reboot-stinks!). But consider this another nail in the coffin of the revival sitcom craze. I'm afraid that "Silver Spoons" return ain't happening.

Although he has mellowed out and changed his ways, giving Dan Fielding his own version of Night Court is like giving Glenn Quagmire or Herbert the Pervert from Family Guy a spinoff of their own show. These characters are dirty minded weirdos and nobody wants to see them on television especially f*******t women.

Terrible show! Not even 1 % as good as the original. A way overdue mercy killing by the network! Long live the original!

It was imitated bipinbarr, but it can never be duplicated.

Also, I hope and pray that neither NBC nor its streaming service Peacock doesn't even think about or go near having a slimy reboot of My Two Dads with Michael Taylor and Joey Harris being a "couple" trying to raise a "queer" Nicole Bradford.

Others have said and noted that a likely tell-tale sign that this show was in trouble was when they resorted to stunt casting (https://tvline.com/news/night-court-cancelled-nbc-revival-john-larroquette-1235436372/) to draw up buzz and attention. In this case, bringing in (https://www.facebook.com/LooperMoviesTV/posts/while-actors-from-the-big-bang-theory-have-shown-up-in-night-court-before-this-u/1215353566611677/) Melissa Rauch's old co-stars from The Big Bang Theory (https://www.reddit.com/r/bigbangtheory/comments/1ki6kvm/night_court/) like Mayim Bialik (https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/mayim-bialik-acting-career-melissa-rauch-reunion-night-court), Kunal Nayyar (https://ew.com/big-bang-theory-reunion-night-court-kunal-nayyar-melissa-rauch-8559328?srsltid=AfmBOopfxJthmsE2mU1G_y26QYEN2uqkihiUMSO3fsS1D_6IDcgGygzA), Simon Helberg (https://www.looper.com/1854335/simon-helberg-night-court-season-3-role-explained/), and even Big Bang Theory adjacent cast members like Raegan Revord (https://www.looper.com/1854343/raegan-revord-night-court-story-missy-georgie-and-mandy-role/) from Young Sheldon. It just reeked of desperation. If you're show is already doing well, then you don't need to resort to those types of tactics (https://tvline.com/casting-news/night-court-mayim-bialik-big-bang-theory-reunion-airdate-1235355269/) to draw in extra viewers.

I'm not sure if this would've help them in the ratings game but its kind of a sad missed opportunity that they didn't get Richard Moll (R.I.P.) making a cameo apperance as his character Bull Shannon, but then again I'm assuming he had no desire to shave his head bald again LOL!!!

Original Night Court Actor Shares Emotional Reaction to Reboot Series Cancellation (https://www.cbr.com/original-night-court-actor-reflects-reboot-series-cancellation/)

Night Court was canceled with a major cliffhanger.

Even the appearances of Harry Anderson, Markie Post and Charlie Robinson in the 30 Rock episode "The One with the Cast of Night Court" from 2008 was way better and memorable than the 2023 Night Court reboot itself.

I'm not sure if this would've help them in the ratings game but its kind of a sad missed opportunity that they didn't get Richard Moll (R.I.P.) making a cameo apperance as his character Bull Shannon, but then again I'm assuming he had no desire to shave his head bald again LOL!!!

For unstated reasons, Moll had no desire to reprise the role. When the germ of a notion of a revisit of the series was first bandied about years ago, he was asked if he'd like to be a part of it. Moll's response was along the lines of, "I would run the other direction."

Would have loved his presence in any capacity on the reboot, especially with Marsha Warfield at his side. I envisioned an understated cameo for both as an end-of-show tag where they just happen to be in The Gallery commenting on a court proceeding and Abbie's ability as a judge, with a bit of snark aimed at Dan:

[Roz] She's a little too plucky for a judge, but maybe she'll settle in.
[Bull shakes his head with a slight, doubtful "No."]
[Roz] Dan's still a horse's ass.
[Bull nods an exaggerated "Yes!"]

But I can't blame him for not wanting to revisit the past. I've had previous employment that I wouldn't return to for any amount of money.

Maybe at the time Mr. Moll had some falling outs with the cast and crew of the original series cloggedmind.

This is the most activity the show has gotten here since it premiered. Since you all seem to hate it it was nice of you to come by to dance on its grave.

I'm assuming your more of a fan of the reboot than the original right opus?

I'm assuming your more of a fan of the reboot than the original right opus?

Definitely not. But I’d say this version is comparable to the last seasons of the original (basically after Weege left). Those episodes got pretty weak. But the show had built up enough goodwill by then to trudge along for a while.

The original will always be better than the reboot I say.

Night Court's Chances Of Being Saved Get A Disappointing Update 1 Month After NBC's Cancelation (https://screenrant.com/night-court-season-4-disappointing-update/)

After getting cancelled by NBC last month, the chances of Night Court season 4 getting rescued by another platform don’t look too positive.

I really don't think it was a surprise to anyone that the remake wasn't getting the season 4 go ahead at all.

#longlive80snightcourt4ever

I really don't think it was a surprise to anyone that the remake wasn't getting the season 4 go ahead at all.

#longlive80snightcourt4everIt must have been a surprise to the cliffhanger producers. :lol: :crazy:

I still think they should've recalled it Night Court of Law since it was more about drama and less about comedy.

Melissa Rauch Mourns "Night Court" after it Fails to Find another Home
by Kristen Baldwin
June 19, 2025


Melissa Rauch is finally ready to say goodbye to "Night Court".

One month after NBC announced that the comedy would not return for a fourth season, Rauch posted a lengthy farewell message to the show on her Instagram.



“I have held off on posting anything about Night Court not continuing until I knew we did everything in our power to find another home for it. Perhaps it was being raised on The Goonies “Never Say Die” motto or straight up denial that I didn’t want this incredibly special experience to come to an end.

That said, after turning over all the stones there were to be turned over, we’ve learned that it is officially the hour to say “farewell.” Or at least “Until next time.” Words won’t be able to properly convey my gratitude to each and every incredible individual who worked on this show and poured their hearts into it. I love them all dearly and am so thankful that I have their friendships to take with me. Thank you so very much to everyone who watched and supported us.



As a kid whose best friend was TV, getting to play make believe with comedy legends on the recreation of a set I watched as a little girl felt like stepping through the looking glass in the best possible way. Walking through those iconic halls. Sitting at the cafeteria tables with the chairs from the original. Feeling the electricity from the live studio audience on a tape night while doing a courtroom scene surrounded by a brilliant, powerhouse group of actors, phenomenally gifted writers and the best crew in the biz. It all felt exceptionally dream-like.

I was told that the original creator of Night Court, the great Reinhold Weege, said that the courtroom doors were key to the show’s engine as they ushered in endless stories. And I like to think that’s how Night Court carries on. Just as it did in the 30 years between the first incarnation ending and us beginning. The evergreen revolving door of oddballs and cynics populating that Manhattan arraignment court in the wee hours of the night and at the center of it all a workplace family that will forever be...until next time.”

https://ew.com/melissa-rauch-mourns-night-court-cancellation-11757933

It seems to me Ms. Rauch was an 80s baby growing up. But sadly, she never had any tricks up her sleeve for the reboot.

What were the biggest creative problems with the “Night Court” reboot that aired on NBC from 2023 to 2025? (https://www.quora.com/What-were-the-biggest-creative-problems-with-the-Night-Court-reboot-that-aired-on-NBC-from-2023-to-2025)

I look at the reboot of Night Court having the same issue that the reboot of WKRP in Cincinnati did when they tried to bring it back.

Both of the originals were fantastic comedic programming. They featured characters that people could identify with (especially WKRP), and were very well-written programs. The problem comes in trying to recreate this magic in a bottle for a second time.

While she’s a very funny actress, Melissa Rauch had a tough task of trying to step into the shoes of the late Harry Anderson. The premise they gave for Rauch’s character - that she was the daughter of Anderson’s former judge character - was not supported by the original show, but OK. Bringing John Larroquette back as Dan Fielding was a masterstroke, but it didn’t have the same effect that Larroquette had in the original program. The remainder of the cast weren’t outstanding, whereas the original ensemble each were able to stake out their own personalities on the show.

This same situation occurred with WKRP. They thought they could bring back the same format - wacky shenanigans of a radio station! - but this time around it didn’t have the same impact, although they did have some of the actors from the original (Gordon Jump (Arthur Carlson), Richard Sanders (Les Nessman), and Frank Bonner (Herb Tarlek) came back for the second run). They put some funny people around them, including a young Tawny Kitaen (intended to take the Loni Anderson (Jennifer Marlowe) position in the new program), but the writing just didn’t keep up.

When you have a high standard to meet with an original, a remake is going to have tremendously difficult times trying to reach that level. That’s what happened to both the new Night Court and the reborn WKRP.

I wonder if the Bull Shannon puppet could be inductued into the Smithsonian Intitution or just be sold to eBay.

NBC Marks The End Of An Era For Network TV Sitcoms After 1 Disappointing Cancellation (https://screenrant.com/network-tv-sitcoms-end-of-an-era-night-court-cancellation/)

In one of last cancellations of the past network TV cycle, NBC also ends the end of an era for the kind of sitcoms on traditional broadcasting.