Night Court

Night Court was a TV sitcom which ran on NBC for nine seasons, from 1984 until 1992, and revived on the same network in 2023. Set in a New York City night court, it focused on eccentric jokester Judge Harry T. Stone and his equally colorful staff (and the often bizarre events in and around the courtroom), while the revival saw Harry's daughter, Abby, serve as the judge.
==References==
* In the Dinosaurs episode "Charlene's Flat World," Charlene's trial is overseen by Judge H. T. Stone, a reference to Judge Harry T. Stone.
==Muppet Mentions==
* In the first season episode "Quadrangle of Love," Bull states that he prefers other singers over Harry's favorite, Mel Tormé, listing Pavarotti and "that yellow bird from Sesame Street."
* In the second season episode "The Birthday Visitor," everyone wears Sesame Street party hats to Harry's birthday dinner.
* In the third season episode "Dan's Boss," Dan refers derisively to the diminutive new district attorney with "You ever discuss jurisprudence with a Muppet?"
* In the fourth season episode "Paternity," Ethel La Rue tells Bull she's dropping out of the race for shop steward after breaking his ventriloquist's dummy, which she refers to as "Kermit the Log."
* In the sixth season episode "Educating Rhoda," Dan finds out his date is a woman who tends to mimic violent movie characters. Checking the motel TV, Dan finds Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Dressed to Kill, and gripes, "Where are the Muppets when you need them, huh?"
* In the seventh season episode "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Stephen King, Stephen King," Harry scares a group of children visiting the court on Halloween night. Unimpressed, Christine remarks, "Oh really, mister, why don't you just decapitate Big Bird for them?"
* In the eighth season episode "Branded, Part 2," after Roz tries to encourage Dan with a childhood anecdote ending with a bully eating through a straw, he says sarcastically "Why you're not writing for Sesame Street, I'll never know."
* In the ninth season premiere "A Guy Named Phantom, Part 1," Roz refers to abrasive substitute prosecutor Oscar as "Oscar the Grouch."
* In the ninth season episode "The 1992 Boat Show," Roz says the falcon on Dan's family crest looks like "Big Bird with an arrow through his butt." Later in the episode, Dermot Drake makes a similar comment.
* In the revival's first season episode "Past Apps," Olivia finds out an aspiring tech mogul she's interested in is a nerd. Wanting to learn references that will charm him, she asks Neil, "tell me all about the Star Battles... Fraggle Rocks."
* In the revival's second season episode "Taught and Bothered," Abby brags about how she got Olivia to stay with Gurgs while she sublets her apartment, noting "They're like Bert and Ernie, but without the palpable sexual tension."
* In the revival's third season episode "Age Against the Machine," when Gurgs accuses Abby of having a crush on Wyatt because she laughs at all of his jokes, Abby says, "That doesn't mean anything. I laugh at Beaker from the Muppets. I don't have a crush on him... anymore." She then confesses that she once had a sexually-charged dream about him.
==Connections==
*Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played himself in "A Night Court Before Christmas" (2023)
*John Astin played Kenny in "Inside Harold Stone" (1984) and recurred as Buddy Ryan (1986-1990)
*Jason Bernard played Judge Willard in "Harry on Trial" and "Once in Love with Harry" (both 1984)
*Jack Elliott composed the theme song
*Michael J. Fox played Eddie Simms in "Santa Goes Downtown" (1984)
*Gilbert Gottfried played Oscar Brown (three episodes, 1991)
*Richard Kind played Sy Feldman in "Broadway Danny Gurgs" (2024)
*Bruce Kirby played Herb Gilpin in "Gypsy" (1984) and Sgt. Braverman in "Murder" (1987)
*Arlene Lorre played Tina in "Branded, Part 1" (1991)
*Joe Lo Truglio played Detective Kratz in "Feliz Navidead" (2024)
*Richard Moll played Bull Shannon
*Kunal Nayyar played Martini Toddwallis in "A Crime of Fashion" (2024)
*Stuart Pankin played Dr. Charles Melnick in "Up on the Roof" (1985), Dr. Adelman in "Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson" (1987) and Mr. Shoope in "Presumed Insolvent" (1991)
*Markie Post played Christine Sullivan (1984 as guest, regular 1985-1992)
*Melissa Rauch plays Abigail "Abby" Stone in the revival series
*Paul Scheer played Carnes in "Hold the Pickles, Keep the Change" (2024)
*Glenn Shadix played Dermot Drake in "The 1992 Boat Show" (1992)
*Brent Spiner played Bob Wheeler (six episodes, 1985-1987)
*Florence Stanley played Mrs. Rothman in "Murder" (1987) and Judge Wilbur in "The Game Show" (1989)
*Victor Yerrid played a puppet version of Neil in "The Honorable Dan Fielding" (2023)
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Category:TV References
Category:TV Mentions