Why did Harry suddenly start wearing glasses

[TMC]

I just noticed this while watching the episode about Harry's 40th birthday. It's like at the very end of the episode, when Harry finally comes to terms about his age he's all of a sudden (w/o any explanation or line of dialogue) sporting glasses (which I think he wore for the rest of the series).

[jessm78]

I always wondered this too. The only thing I can think of is that they thought it would make him look more mature. Harry wears (or used to wear) glasses in real life. I remember seeing him wear them when he was on SNL and Cheers, pre Night Court. I guess he just wore contacts on the show up until that episode.

This actually makes me think of that Halloween episode in season 8 where he was wearing the preppy clothes and glasses, and didn't really bat an eyelash about Halloween. I remember how jarring that seemed in contrast to the way he used to go all out for it. It was like they were trying to show how mature he is now, having a girlfriend and all that.

[TMC]

I read the argument that Dan/John Larroquette practically had to carry the show during its last few years as Harry became more, and more "boring" as he "matured".

[jessm78]

That's interesting. I can kinda see Harry getting a bit ...maybe not so much boring, but not as off-the-wall as before in seasons 8 and 9. Maybe "subdued" is the right word. They really tried to show him maturing by having him and Margaret hook up, and of course that Halloween episode where he didn't even seem into the holiday at all (which just seemed so untrue to the character - even in the previous season he'd gone all out decorating his office and with all the tricks). This was not long before Phil died and we saw Dan's "transformation" begin. I guess you could see they were highlighting Dan a bit more in that time. But if they were expecting him to carry the show, I would have thought they'd continue with the humor and his lecherous behavior. They did try to return to that a bit more in the final season.... though I don't remember any one character in particular being highlighted that year (granted that season isn't one I rewatch very often).

[TMC]

I don't know if it's my imagination, but looking through the later (Season 7 and onward) episodes of Night Court, it seems like Harry Anderson was phoning it in. It was like he was getting tired or bored with doing the show (it was perhaps somewhat evident by his appearance, like wearing glasses and letting his hair grow out) and therefore, didn't seem as energetic or in-tuned as before.

[jessm78]

Yeah, I think I've noticed that a little. Though to me in the early part of season 7 he didn't seem too different yet. I think around the second half of season 7 I started to notice it more. I can't really pinpoint which episode specifically, but I think it was around the time Christine married Tony & got pregnant. Maybe an episode or two before that. I did definitely notice it quite a bit when he started wearing the glasses, and it seems that just continued into the next two seasons. You mentioned the hair growing out, too. When I first watched the show, I was a little surprised to see it, actually. He always struck me as someone who preferred the classic, close-cut look (I remember the popularity of the mullet in the early 90s, but he never seemed the type to go along with the fashion trends of the day).

It would be interesting to hear this thoughts on the show in those later seasons, if he did get bored with it for some reason. I haven't been able to learn much from his interviews or the Night Court episode of TV Tales.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by jessm78

Yeah, I think I've noticed that a little. Though to me in the early part of season 7 he didn't seem too different yet. I think around the second half of season 7 I started to notice it more. I can't really pinpoint which episode specifically, but I think it was around the time Christine married Tony & got pregnant. Maybe an episode or two before that. I did definitely notice it quite a bit when he started wearing the glasses, and it seems that just continued into the next two seasons. You mentioned the hair growing out, too. When I first watched the show, I was a little surprised to see it, actually. He always struck me as someone who preferred the classic, close-cut look (I remember the popularity of the mullet in the early 90s, but he never seemed the type to go along with the fashion trends of the day).

It would be interesting to hear this thoughts on the show in those later seasons, if he did get bored with it for some reason. I haven't been able to learn much from his interviews or the Night Court episode of TV Tales.

When I brought this discussion over on the IMDb message board for Night Court, somebody responded in saying that Harry Anderson has gone on record in saying that he never really cared much for acting per se. He just kept going as long as he was able to make enough money to make sure that his family was secure enough. And I guess, he kept his promise because after Dave's World went off the air in 1997, he pretty much kept a low TV profile (save for stuff like his guest appearance on 30 Rock or his appearances on VH1's I Love the '80s).

[TMC]

Originally Posted by jessm78

That's interesting. I can kinda see Harry getting a bit ...maybe not so much boring, but not as off-the-wall as before in seasons 8 and 9. Maybe "subdued" is the right word. They really tried to show him maturing by having him and Margaret hook up, and of course that Halloween episode where he didn't even seem into the holiday at all (which just seemed so untrue to the character - even in the previous season he'd gone all out decorating his office and with all the tricks). This was not long before Phil died and we saw Dan's "transformation" begin. I guess you could see they were highlighting Dan a bit more in that time. But if they were expecting him to carry the show, I would have thought they'd continue with the humor and his lecherous behavior. They did try to return to that a bit more in the final season.... though I don't remember any one character in particular being highlighted that year (granted that season isn't one I rewatch very often).

Harry's "change in character" so to speak, really took a lot of the "flavor" out of the show. It during the last two seasons or so, seemed like everybody among the main cast outside of Dan and Bull were "straight-men" (even though that was normally Mac's job). You could've just about cast anybody as Harry Stone because anything that made him a fascinating or interesting character was thrown out of the window. It didn't help that the writing just wasn't there anymore. It seemed like the producers weren't entirely sure it they wanted to go for a farcical route with for example, Dan's storylines or a more "grounded", interpersonal route. There was hardly any "energy" in the last two seasons. And what they consider goofy humor, mostly centers on annoyingly pointless, one-dimensional characters like Lisette.

[jessm78]

Honestly, ditto to everything you said. I did notice that practically all of them seemed to be the straight man in those final seasons. It was as if the essence of Harry was lost. He was always this big goofball who liked to play pranks, acting like a kid and all that. They seemed to put such an emphasis on him "growing up"... it was just too different. There really wasn't that much energy in those last 2 seasons and it stinks that they had to include more for annoying characters like Lisette.

Oh and in reply to your previous post, that's interesting about Harry but I guess it makes sense. I read that he'd planned to get out of acting after NC and he was making a home for himself and his family in the Pacific northwest. But then he was asked to do a guest appearance on Cheers in its final season, and was approached about Dave's World then. If I remember the interview right, he said he really liked the show's premise, and it was something he could even watch with his kids. But I agree, he did basically fade into the background after that (except for that 30 Rock appearance) and he seems pretty happy about it.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by jessm78

I always wondered this too. The only thing I can think of is that they thought it would make him look more mature. Harry wears (or used to wear) glasses in real life. I remember seeing him wear them when he was on SNL and Cheers, pre Night Court. I guess he just wore contacts on the show up until that episode.

This actually makes me think of that Halloween episode in season 8 where he was wearing the preppy clothes and glasses, and didn't really bat an eyelash about Halloween. I remember how jarring that seemed in contrast to the way he used to go all out for it. It was like they were trying to show how mature he is now, having a girlfriend and all that.

I wonder if Harry Anderson ditched the glasses on Night Court because it would make him more "presentable" as a leading man instead of a simple guest star.

[jessm78]

Honestly I think that could have been possible. Maybe it would have made his childlike persona on the show more believable too.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by jessm78

Yeah, I think I've noticed that a little. Though to me in the early part of season 7 he didn't seem too different yet. I think around the second half of season 7 I started to notice it more. I can't really pinpoint which episode specifically, but I think it was around the time Christine married Tony & got pregnant. Maybe an episode or two before that. I did definitely notice it quite a bit when he started wearing the glasses, and it seems that just continued into the next two seasons. You mentioned the hair growing out, too. When I first watched the show, I was a little surprised to see it, actually. He always struck me as someone who preferred the classic, close-cut look (I remember the popularity of the mullet in the early 90s, but he never seemed the type to go along with the fashion trends of the day).

It would be interesting to hear this thoughts on the show in those later seasons, if he did get bored with it for some reason. I haven't been able to learn much from his interviews or the Night Court episode of TV Tales.

I thought that I was the only one who noticed a drastic "change" in Harry Stone's character (and why he became so bland, serious, and unfunny) until I came across these reviews and comments pertaining to the final two seasons.

[Chocolate Moose]

Now that I look back, that's true. He changed.

[rusty spike]

Didn't the creator and producer after season 7 which caused the writing and episode quality to decrease?

I couldn't even finish the episode Looking for Mr. Shannon (Season 9). It was that bad and I usually like Gilbert Gottfried, but the storyline and acting was too painful to watch.

[Cliq]

Originally Posted by TMC

I wonder if Harry Anderson ditched the glasses on Night Court because it would make him more "presentable" as a leading man instead of a simple guest star.

In his early "Cheers" years, his glasses had no lenses - they were simply part of the "look" of Harry the Hat. He didn't need them during the first few seasons of Night Court, but later he said he did need glasses, so we see him wearing them. He wore them (and the mullet) during Dave's World as well. It's as simple as that. He needed glasses, so he wore them.