Harry's goodbye on "Her Honor"... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

McFly121 · 03-30-2006, 03:44 PM

*That* was the way the final show should've ended. Not them sitting around drinking cheap champagne. The way Harry said goodbye to the whole courtroom, and then in his chambers, had a great "final episode" feel to it. If only they could've recreated that for the final ep in '92.

Hell, the whole "Her Honor" thing could've been a great end to the whole show. Harry fired, Christine replaces him, get his job back, etc. With minor changes.

nitcrt1 · 03-30-2006, 09:05 PM

Here! Here! I actually always saw Harry getting promoted in some way and Dan taking over his position. I could also Christine getting promoted to head of legal aid or something. She could never be judge as she said she likes taking sides. Do check out the last two parts of this episode.

MaydayMalonesGirl · 03-30-2006, 09:46 PM

I had the exact same thought when I watched this episode. With a few changes I think it would have made a perfect finale, rather than Bull being abducted by aliens or whatever and the show cutting to credits.

McFly121 · 03-31-2006, 12:08 AM

Oh, yeah, I've seen all four parts of "Her Honor" for years, but didn't wanna list any spoilers. But do think when Harry's prank is revealed in part 4, whichever writer came up with the "mustache and glasses" was a genius

.

DeafAngel · 03-31-2006, 12:09 AM

i agee... if Night Court creator haven't leave, i bet.... the finale will be way better than those wacky moments such as aliens took bull and etc.

ClassicTVGal · 03-31-2006, 02:17 PM

I saw this post yesterday but wanted to wait until I responded. Yes, it would have been good as an ending probably. But I also don't see Christine as the Judge type. Just with how she is. But would have liked seeing Harry back as the Judge though.

But it was here one reason I'd say due to Markie's pregnancy.

I'd love to see what Harry wrote in the letters myself.

I'm really looking foraward to tonight's Finale part. Which I believe will be on at 1AM instead of 12AM.

nitcrt1 · 03-31-2006, 05:32 PM

I never saw Christine as a judge either. She most certainly is an advocate for the downtrodden.

I too wondered what Harry had written in those letters. That's something we'll just have to imagine ourselves.

As for the final part of "Her Honor", I just looked it up and it's not airing until Saturday at 12am Eastern time. Why would you break up the episode like that? All the parts fell nicely into place, then they delay the last part a day. Ughh!!!

I do agree with you McFly, I believe Linwood Boomer (aka of "Malcom in the Middle" fame) created that hilariously funny prank. That *was* genius!

nitcrt1 · 04-04-2006, 07:59 PM

Okay, this has been bugging me since the last part of "Her Honor." I never really examined the end of the episode until now. So, is it me or was anyone else not happy with the exchange between Harry and Christine in the last part of "Her Honor?" I thought maybe Harry was a little too angry with Christine for quitting. I think maybe his reaction should have been more on the surprised/shocked side. I thought he was a bit harsh, especially since he just got back and didn't know what transpired with her. As for Christine, I thought she was a bit..."cold" maybe. All she could muster up was a weak apology for him. She also pretty much abruptly put an end to everything instead of easing into it in the scene. She never really acknowledged that she still had an interest in him except to recap that they had some "pretty strong feelings for one another," whereas Harry's hormones were still obviously flaming in that scene. She doused those flames pretty quickly though. As a result, Harry was left wondering whether she still felt the same way via his "She loves me, she loves me not" with the bear. Poor Harry! (lol)

Anyway, was anyone else rubbed the wrong way by that scene or am I over analyzing this?

JNoc · 04-04-2006, 10:24 PM

You're right on track from my perspective, Nicrt1. Christine seemed to move on really quickly from 'interested' to 'not', whereas Harry's interest never faltered. Did Christine really seem that interested in the beginning of that arc though? She jumped immediately from expressing her feelings to wanting to get Harry's job back. Harry was panting all over her and she was determined to fight the system. Why? At that point she was a new judge and he was either an ex-judge or a judge-gonna-be so why not go for it? Heck, Christine, you should've at least had a fling before Harry's last day of work and then made the decision. OK, I'm kidding. No, I'm not. She should've gone for it.

This one was right up there with the whole "I don't want to be your girlfriend/ I don't want to be your boyfriend" dialogue Christine and Harry had in a later season. It seems the writers never quite knew how to get the two of them together and when they did, they had 'story remorse' and threw in a disjointed escape clause. Christine at least got a new career out of it all at the end. Harry got no girl, no promotion, no nothin'!

Unrelated but related: what really was strange to me were all of the parties and gatherings the staff threw 'after work.' How do you go to the opera after the night shift? Or to see Cats? How the heck do you throw a full scale party after 11 PM? Even in NY!? I can see how the staff could be there since they all worked nights together, but what about their friends? Like all those people Christine had over when Harry was getting dumped by Margaret? Sorry for the segway…

ClassicTVGal · 04-05-2006, 02:59 PM

Yes, I agree, NitCrt1 and you too, JNoc!

nitcrt1 · 04-05-2006, 04:51 PM

In regards to your post JNoc...

You're absolutely right. Christine did jump from acknowledging that her feelings for Harry were mutual to wanting to get his job back. This is how I would explain that. Christine was always the one to stay focused when it came to work. I think the writers wanted to emphasize that. She was focused on getting Harry's job back because she felt he was too good at what he did to let him give up on it. Harry pretty much threw in the towel and shifted his focus to her and whatever else he always dreamed of pursuing. I think in that initial "confession" scene Christine was in a sense fighting with her own feelings. She almost gave in a few times to him but then realized that it was more important to get Harry back on the bench where he belonged. In a nut shell, she *was* interested in him but put her personal feelings for him aside to make saving his job a priority, because he gave up. That's the only way I can explain that exchange.

As for a "fling", I felt that she could have at least gone on one date with him after she quit being a judge and he came back. *That* would have been the window of opportunity. She wasn't working for him at that point because she had just quit being a judge. Because she wasn't working for him, a date would have been more than possible. At least then they both would have gotten the "urge" out of their systems. As for anything *else* happening...I don't think it would have been a good idea at that point in the show for two reasons. One, it would have been awkward for both characters to work with each other again after having *that* happen. Two, it would have ruined the sexual tension that these characters/actors so brilliantly created which kept some of us watching.

I have to laugh at your reference in the episode "A Guy Named Phantom." I just got finished discussing the same thing with ClassicTVGal before you brought it up. I too thought that was poor writing. This incident came about because the show got renewed. The previous season writers were building to a finish with the Harry/Christine romance. The producers said that both characters were going to "consumate" their relationship. The USA Today wrote that both characters were "going to marry." So, when the show got renewed for season nine, producers said that they were "screwed creatively."
Thus, an abrupt end was put to the Harry/Christine storyline. I say that the writers/producers missed a golden opportunity in season nine. I saw no reason why the Harry/Christine romance couldn't continue. It would have brought a fresh new atmosphere to the show. It would have changed things up a bit, and I would've bet that the storyline would have generated much interest. Ratings have shown that a Harry/Christine "romantic" type episode brought a big boost to the ratings. As for the writing, I think the writers could have had a blast writing for those characters. So many comical situations could have been expored. (This is why I wrote my fan fiction stories.) The problem was that the team of writers brought in really didn't *know* any of the characetrs or their histories all that well. That's what made season nine disappointing. I have to say that I thought in the last episode Harry should have moved up the judicial ladder in some way and he should have ended up with/chasing after Christine not Dan. I think Harry deserved it more. Again though, the script for the last episode was done at the eleventh hour, because cast and crew found out in a memo that the show was not going to be renewed on the last day of taping. From what I understand, things were still up in the air until the last episode. Warner Brothers did not want the show to have a definite end because they were trying to sell new episodes into syndication. This is why the final episode stunk. The cast got screwed by the network and Warner Brothers. It wasn't fair. Fans and the cast deserved more than what they got. Unfortunately, we'll never get it either.

The gatherings...it depended on the day of the week and the docket. I would say that the staff probably ended things early on Fridays. Thus, shows would be possible to attend if they were finished close to 8:00pm. The theatre district I don't think is far from the real Manhattan Criminal Courts Building so things would be possible. Full scale parties could start at any time. Remember New York *is* the city that never sleeps. From what I understand some New Yorkers can party till the wee hours of the morning. As for friends and parties, again if the docket is light they'll probably finish early. Maybe Christine's party was on a Friday and the court staffers got out early on Fridays for the weekend. I guess it depends, but you make a good point. This is the only way I can explian you question. Of course, you have me wondering too now. (lol)

JNoc · 04-08-2006, 01:39 PM

I really have GOT to read your fanfic, Nitcrt1! You're so in sync with these characters it's like you too have worked at the court all these years with them. I'm sure that comes through in your stories. My next free Saturday morning, I'm diving into those. And I'm sure I'll be much more satisfied that I was with the above mentioned stuff on the show.

OK, Harry= spontaneous, live for the hear and now, go with the moment. Christine= cautious, thinker, plan stuff to death. I'll buy that since those were recurring character personalities in 'most' of the episodes. At least in those written by people who knew the show. They should've just thrown you in as lead writer when this was renewed that last season, even if you were 10 or something. Then we would'n't have gotten characters that all acted like their own evil twins in Santa on the Lamb.

City that never sleeps, sometimes off at 8 PM on Fridays, OK. My internal struggle can partially reconcile with that. I'm not generally a sitcom watcher -- Night Court is the only one I saw with any regularity. I tend to view things from a production logistics standpoint and am not a great suspender of my own disbeliefs when it comes to TV. Logic leaps are required to be a good TV viewer! Some day I will get there.

McFly121 · 04-08-2006, 02:43 PM

Interesting point about the late night gatherings, but that's sitcom land for you.

A BIG one, however, was Dan's sperm donation thing. He has the line "It's 3 o' clock in the morning...and I don't have a date!!" Why the hell was the staff there so late, and what kind of sperm bank worker shows up at 3am to tell a donor about a mix-up??? Although, that old lady was a kinky wackjob anyway

.

nitcrt1 · 04-09-2006, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNoc

I really have GOT to read your fanfic, Nitcrt1! You're so in sync with these characters it's like you too have worked at the court all these years with them. I'm sure that comes through in your stories. My next free Saturday morning, I'm diving into those. And I'm sure I'll be much more satisfied that I was with the above mentioned stuff on the show.

OK, Harry= spontaneous, live for the hear and now, go with the moment. Christine= cautious, thinker, plan stuff to death. I'll buy that since those were recurring character personalities in 'most' of the episodes. At least in those written by people who knew the show. They should've just thrown you in as lead writer when this was renewed that last season, even if you were 10 or something. Then we would'n't have gotten characters that all acted like their own evil twins in Santa on the Lamb.

City that never sleeps, sometimes off at 8 PM on Fridays, OK. My internal struggle can partially reconcile with that. I'm not generally a sitcom watcher -- Night Court is the only one I saw with any regularity. I tend to view things from a production logistics standpoint and am not a great suspender of my own disbeliefs when it comes to TV. Logic leaps are required to be a good TV viewer! Some day I will get there.

Trust me. It took some careful watching for many years to really get to know the personality traits of these characters. My first fiction story went a bit slowly but the others I feel picked up. I have two new stories not up on Jay's site yet because he's still working on updating it. I don't know when they'll get up. I have sent them to a few people for their opinions. I do thank you for your kind words concerning the characters and the writing. As for being 10 in the last season...(lol) you're close. I was 13.

For the record, I *hated* "Santa on the Lam." I thought the whole episode was a complete character departure. I couldn't buy the characters acting the way they did. The whole episode didn't have that warm, fun, great message that the rest of the Christmas episodes had. It stunk!!! Of course, so did the whole ninth season.

As for the gang and the night life, I guess one really does have to suspend his/her disbelief. The best anyone can do is come up with a hypothetical explanation to your questions. I really have *no* idea how these guys pulled things off.

For McFly, you bring up a great point concerning the sperm donor episode. What the hell was that kooky woman doing there at 3am??? The gang's presence can easily be explained. If they had a long session or got delayed at any point, then they'd be there until the early morning hours. Don't forget. Harry mentions in the day shift episode that they'd seen a few sun rises. With all the crazy stuff that seemed to happen to them all, I can see them having some very early mornings. I imagine that would make the next day suck rocks.

03-30-2006, 03:44 PM	#1
McFly121 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 18, 2004 Location: calif Posts: 812	Harry's goodbye on "Her Honor"... That was the way the final show should've ended. Not them sitting around drinking cheap champagne. The way Harry said goodbye to the whole courtroom, and then in his chambers, had a great "final episode" feel to it. If only they could've recreated that for the final ep in '92. Hell, the whole "Her Honor" thing could've been a great end to the whole show. Harry fired, Christine replaces him, get his job back, etc. With minor changes.
	__________________ "That was Bob's donut!"

03-30-2006, 09:05 PM	#2
nitcrt1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2003 Posts: 482	Here! Here! I actually always saw Harry getting promoted in some way and Dan taking over his position. I could also Christine getting promoted to head of legal aid or something. She could never be judge as she said she likes taking sides. Do check out the last two parts of this episode.
	__________________ House to Cuddy: "Jail. You'd like that. No more naughty schoolgirl. (turning to Vogler) Conjugal visit-that's her new fantasy." -Mob Rules-

03-30-2006, 09:46 PM	#3
MaydayMalonesGirl ACID! POLICEHHHH! Forum Star Join Date: Apr 24, 2003 Location: in a van down by the river. Posts: 18,393	I had the exact same thought when I watched this episode. With a few changes I think it would have made a perfect finale, rather than Bull being abducted by aliens or whatever and the show cutting to credits.

03-31-2006, 12:08 AM	#4
McFly121 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 18, 2004 Location: calif Posts: 812	Oh, yeah, I've seen all four parts of "Her Honor" for years, but didn't wanna list any spoilers. But do think when Harry's prank is revealed in part 4, whichever writer came up with the "mustache and glasses" was a genius .

03-31-2006, 12:09 AM	#5
DeafAngel Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 23, 2005 Location: California Posts: 31	i agee... if Night Court creator haven't leave, i bet.... the finale will be way better than those wacky moments such as aliens took bull and etc.

03-31-2006, 02:17 PM	#6
ClassicTVGal Traveler Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 26, 2004 Posts: 3,457	I saw this post yesterday but wanted to wait until I responded. Yes, it would have been good as an ending probably. But I also don't see Christine as the Judge type. Just with how she is. But would have liked seeing Harry back as the Judge though. But it was here one reason I'd say due to Markie's pregnancy. I'd love to see what Harry wrote in the letters myself. I'm really looking foraward to tonight's Finale part. Which I believe will be on at 1AM instead of 12AM.

03-31-2006, 05:32 PM	#7
nitcrt1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2003 Posts: 482	I never saw Christine as a judge either. She most certainly is an advocate for the downtrodden. I too wondered what Harry had written in those letters. That's something we'll just have to imagine ourselves. As for the final part of "Her Honor", I just looked it up and it's not airing until Saturday at 12am Eastern time. Why would you break up the episode like that? All the parts fell nicely into place, then they delay the last part a day. Ughh!!! I do agree with you McFly, I believe Linwood Boomer (aka of "Malcom in the Middle" fame) created that hilariously funny prank. That was genius!

04-04-2006, 07:59 PM	#8
nitcrt1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2003 Posts: 482	Okay, this has been bugging me since the last part of "Her Honor." I never really examined the end of the episode until now. So, is it me or was anyone else not happy with the exchange between Harry and Christine in the last part of "Her Honor?" I thought maybe Harry was a little too angry with Christine for quitting. I think maybe his reaction should have been more on the surprised/shocked side. I thought he was a bit harsh, especially since he just got back and didn't know what transpired with her. As for Christine, I thought she was a bit..."cold" maybe. All she could muster up was a weak apology for him. She also pretty much abruptly put an end to everything instead of easing into it in the scene. She never really acknowledged that she still had an interest in him except to recap that they had some "pretty strong feelings for one another," whereas Harry's hormones were still obviously flaming in that scene. She doused those flames pretty quickly though. As a result, Harry was left wondering whether she still felt the same way via his "She loves me, she loves me not" with the bear. Poor Harry! (lol) Anyway, was anyone else rubbed the wrong way by that scene or am I over analyzing this?

04-04-2006, 10:24 PM	#9
JNoc Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 07, 2006 Location: Pasadena, CA Posts: 43	You're right on track from my perspective, Nicrt1. Christine seemed to move on really quickly from 'interested' to 'not', whereas Harry's interest never faltered. Did Christine really seem that interested in the beginning of that arc though? She jumped immediately from expressing her feelings to wanting to get Harry's job back. Harry was panting all over her and she was determined to fight the system. Why? At that point she was a new judge and he was either an ex-judge or a judge-gonna-be so why not go for it? Heck, Christine, you should've at least had a fling before Harry's last day of work and then made the decision. OK, I'm kidding. No, I'm not. She should've gone for it. This one was right up there with the whole "I don't want to be your girlfriend/ I don't want to be your boyfriend" dialogue Christine and Harry had in a later season. It seems the writers never quite knew how to get the two of them together and when they did, they had 'story remorse' and threw in a disjointed escape clause. Christine at least got a new career out of it all at the end. Harry got no girl, no promotion, no nothin'! Unrelated but related: what really was strange to me were all of the parties and gatherings the staff threw 'after work.' How do you go to the opera after the night shift? Or to see Cats? How the heck do you throw a full scale party after 11 PM? Even in NY!? I can see how the staff could be there since they all worked nights together, but what about their friends? Like all those people Christine had over when Harry was getting dumped by Margaret? Sorry for the segway…

04-05-2006, 02:59 PM	#10
ClassicTVGal Traveler Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 26, 2004 Posts: 3,457	Yes, I agree, NitCrt1 and you too, JNoc!

04-05-2006, 04:51 PM	#11
nitcrt1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2003 Posts: 482	In regards to your post JNoc... You're absolutely right. Christine did jump from acknowledging that her feelings for Harry were mutual to wanting to get his job back. This is how I would explain that. Christine was always the one to stay focused when it came to work. I think the writers wanted to emphasize that. She was focused on getting Harry's job back because she felt he was too good at what he did to let him give up on it. Harry pretty much threw in the towel and shifted his focus to her and whatever else he always dreamed of pursuing. I think in that initial "confession" scene Christine was in a sense fighting with her own feelings. She almost gave in a few times to him but then realized that it was more important to get Harry back on the bench where he belonged. In a nut shell, she was interested in him but put her personal feelings for him aside to make saving his job a priority, because he gave up. That's the only way I can explain that exchange. As for a "fling", I felt that she could have at least gone on one date with him after she quit being a judge and he came back. That would have been the window of opportunity. She wasn't working for him at that point because she had just quit being a judge. Because she wasn't working for him, a date would have been more than possible. At least then they both would have gotten the "urge" out of their systems. As for anything else happening...I don't think it would have been a good idea at that point in the show for two reasons. One, it would have been awkward for both characters to work with each other again after having that happen. Two, it would have ruined the sexual tension that these characters/actors so brilliantly created which kept some of us watching. I have to laugh at your reference in the episode "A Guy Named Phantom." I just got finished discussing the same thing with ClassicTVGal before you brought it up. I too thought that was poor writing. This incident came about because the show got renewed. The previous season writers were building to a finish with the Harry/Christine romance. The producers said that both characters were going to "consumate" their relationship. The USA Today wrote that both characters were "going to marry." So, when the show got renewed for season nine, producers said that they were "screwed creatively." Thus, an abrupt end was put to the Harry/Christine storyline. I say that the writers/producers missed a golden opportunity in season nine. I saw no reason why the Harry/Christine romance couldn't continue. It would have brought a fresh new atmosphere to the show. It would have changed things up a bit, and I would've bet that the storyline would have generated much interest. Ratings have shown that a Harry/Christine "romantic" type episode brought a big boost to the ratings. As for the writing, I think the writers could have had a blast writing for those characters. So many comical situations could have been expored. (This is why I wrote my fan fiction stories.) The problem was that the team of writers brought in really didn't know any of the characetrs or their histories all that well. That's what made season nine disappointing. I have to say that I thought in the last episode Harry should have moved up the judicial ladder in some way and he should have ended up with/chasing after Christine not Dan. I think Harry deserved it more. Again though, the script for the last episode was done at the eleventh hour, because cast and crew found out in a memo that the show was not going to be renewed on the last day of taping. From what I understand, things were still up in the air until the last episode. Warner Brothers did not want the show to have a definite end because they were trying to sell new episodes into syndication. This is why the final episode stunk. The cast got screwed by the network and Warner Brothers. It wasn't fair. Fans and the cast deserved more than what they got. Unfortunately, we'll never get it either. The gatherings...it depended on the day of the week and the docket. I would say that the staff probably ended things early on Fridays. Thus, shows would be possible to attend if they were finished close to 8:00pm. The theatre district I don't think is far from the real Manhattan Criminal Courts Building so things would be possible. Full scale parties could start at any time. Remember New York is the city that never sleeps. From what I understand some New Yorkers can party till the wee hours of the morning. As for friends and parties, again if the docket is light they'll probably finish early. Maybe Christine's party was on a Friday and the court staffers got out early on Fridays for the weekend. I guess it depends, but you make a good point. This is the only way I can explian you question. Of course, you have me wondering too now. (lol)

04-08-2006, 01:39 PM	#12
JNoc Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 07, 2006 Location: Pasadena, CA Posts: 43	I really have GOT to read your fanfic, Nitcrt1! You're so in sync with these characters it's like you too have worked at the court all these years with them. I'm sure that comes through in your stories. My next free Saturday morning, I'm diving into those. And I'm sure I'll be much more satisfied that I was with the above mentioned stuff on the show. OK, Harry= spontaneous, live for the hear and now, go with the moment. Christine= cautious, thinker, plan stuff to death. I'll buy that since those were recurring character personalities in 'most' of the episodes. At least in those written by people who knew the show. They should've just thrown you in as lead writer when this was renewed that last season, even if you were 10 or something. Then we would'n't have gotten characters that all acted like their own evil twins in Santa on the Lamb. City that never sleeps, sometimes off at 8 PM on Fridays, OK. My internal struggle can partially reconcile with that. I'm not generally a sitcom watcher -- Night Court is the only one I saw with any regularity. I tend to view things from a production logistics standpoint and am not a great suspender of my own disbeliefs when it comes to TV. Logic leaps are required to be a good TV viewer! Some day I will get there.

04-08-2006, 02:43 PM	#13
McFly121 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 18, 2004 Location: calif Posts: 812	Interesting point about the late night gatherings, but that's sitcom land for you. A BIG one, however, was Dan's sperm donation thing. He has the line "It's 3 o' clock in the morning...and I don't have a date!!" Why the hell was the staff there so late, and what kind of sperm bank worker shows up at 3am to tell a donor about a mix-up??? Although, that old lady was a kinky wackjob anyway .