6 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Night Court,’ the Original 1984 Series

There have been plenty of workplace comedies in television history, but none have been sillier, more off-the-wall, or more downright lovable than Night Court. Though it never truly ruled the ratings after premiering in 1984, the classic sitcom earned enough of a following to keep it on the air for nine seasons and 193 hilarious episodes, and even spent a few years among America’s top 10 most-watched shows. 

A vehicle for comedian Harry Anderson, Night Court told the story of Harry T. Stone, a younger-than-usual judge whose unorthodox methods, dedication to helping others, and unlikely passions for magic and Mel Torme made him the perfect oddball to sit on the bench and attend to the daily circus that was a Municipal Night Court in New York City. The wacky cast of would-be criminals who cycled in and out of the courtroom were matched only by Stone’s fellow employees, such as the sweet-yet-ogre-like “Bull” Shannon (played by Richard Moll), the willful Christine Sullivan (Markie Post), and the conniving prosecutor Dan Fielding (played with award-winning glee by John Larroquette).