Dan Fielding (John Larroquette) leaving New York City to become a judge in New Orleans? We object!
That’s where the Season 1 finale of Night Court—the hit sequel to the classic 1984-92 legal sitcom—left off. The move put Judge Abby Stone (The Big Bang Theory’s Melissa Rauch), who also recently broke off her engagement to longtime beau Rand (Pete Holmes), in a big funk.
“Where we left off was a bittersweet moment,” executive producer Dan Rubin says. “These two people found each other and built this little family between them and then everyone else [on the show] as well. Dan wants her to ask him to stay.” But Abby “doesn’t want to get in the way of his happiness,” or his new job.
Will order in this court be restored? We’ll get the answer to that when Season 2 is back in session tonight with a special story that also features a guest appearance by original series cast member Marsha Warfield, aka beloved former bailiff Roz. “It was surreal and pretty magical,” Rubin says of seeing comic powerhouses Larroquette and Warfield (above) working together again. “They fell right back into the chemistry that they had [before].”
Roz has shown up in Dan’s court—this time as a defendant!—but it won’t take long for her to put him on the defensive, given that he’s regretting the decisions that brought him to the Big Easy (a nod to the fact that Larroquette was born there). “Dan is feeling like his dream is not quite doing it for him anymore, because he has changed,” Rubin explains. “Who better to help him realize that than a friend from his past who he hasn’t seen in a long time and who can recognize that he’s not the same person?” Even so, Rubin promises, “He’s still, by his nature, kind of self-centered and selfish.”
The upcoming season promises more laughs and courtroom zaniness, like sexy sailor defendants from the military fete Fleet Week. Plus, we’ll see Abby get back out dating as she also continues to recover from the loss of her father (O.G. Night Court judge Harry Stone, played by the late Harry Anderson).
“Abby is continuing to establish herself in New York and also navigating this relationship with Dan,” Rubin says. “She lost her father, and this guy is a connection to him. And that’s a really special thing. Just figuring out how they fit into each other’s lives is always going to be fun.”
Night Court, Season 2 Premiere, Tuesday, January 2, 8/7c, NBC
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