NBC took a big swing in 2023 in not only reviving Night Court (originally anchored by the late, great Harry Anderson) but in bringing it back with the aim of returning to the classic sitcom style.
Seriously, how long has it been since we’ve heard a proper laugh track? An entire generation of TV viewers has never experienced the joy of a well-timed pratfall shared with a hundred faceless “live studio audience” members. It’s a darned shame, it is.
That big swing connected with audiences and ratings, and NBC renewed the fledgling series a scant few weeks after its premiere in January. But with that jaw-dropping, game-changer finale, where will they go with Season 2?
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Night Court Season 1 Episode 16.
With the universal agreement that John Laroquette is the comedic foundation upon which the revival is built, it came as a shock on the finale when he follows through on his intention to leave Manhattan for a judgeship in Louisiana.
What is Night Court About?
As the older, more seasoned Dan Fielding, Laroquette acts as a perfect bridge between the OG series and the new.
Recognizing that several original core cast members have passed on — Anderson, Markie Post, Charles Robinson — Laroquette carries a gravitas as a legacy to their roles.
The wildly ambitious and perennially inappropriate District Attorney returns as a world-weary and widowed Public Defender, and nothing could feel more right.
But it wouldn’t be the Manhattan Criminal Court night shift without the presence of Harry Stone. Checking that box is his Upstate-raised, determinedly optimistic, and cute-as-a-button daughter, Abby Stone.
Thirty years have passed since Harry last adjourned court on-screen, and the senior Stone — like his real-life portrayer — died in the show’s unseen intervening time.
But before that, he married a woman he met and sentenced in his court, moved to Skaneateles, and had a daughter who followed him into law and onto the bench.
Those thirty years also saw Dan Fielding fall in love, reform his philandering ways, marry, and suffer the loss of his wife. (What I’d give to see that narrative play out! Larroquette would chew the hell out of that scenery.)
And, of course, thirty years is bound to see changes in the general staff of a municipal courthouse.
So the new series launched in January with a cast of new characters to form the ensemble around the legacy elements, and while they took some time finding their footing, ADA Olivia, Bailiff Gurgs, and clerk Neil have become established members of the team both inside and outside the courtroom.
What Is the Plot of Night Court Season 2?
As Larroquette is still attached to the series, we expect Dan will return to Manhattan eventually. It may not happen immediately as the character’s wanted to be a judge for a long time.
After Marsha Warfield’s surprise appearance in his Lousiana courtroom on the season finale, Warfield has confirmed Roz will be sticking around for Season 2
However, her commitments to Fox’s 9-1-1 as the recurring Toni Wilson and her new role on The Upshaws Season 4 may put her schedule in conflict.
If history proves a guide, back in Manhattan, we will see Gurgs continue her random shenanigans, Olivia progress in finding her humanity, and Neil work on fleshing out a positive sense of identity.
After breaking up with her Upstate-based fiancé, Rand, Abby could be looking at venturing into the big city dating scene. One can only hope that she’s as quick with her mace as she is with her gavel.
Night Court Season 2 Cast: Who’s In?
Besides the core cast and Marsha Warfield, Good Trouble‘s Ariella Amar, Orange is the New Black’s Tiffany Bank, and Grand Crew’s Marcus Bailey are confirmed to appear in Season 2.
Most likely, they’ll be part of the parade of entertaining defendants seeking justice in Abby’s courtroom.
In addition, Truth Be Told’s Indira G. Wilson and Bosch’s Doug Simpson will join the show as named characters Loretta and Hugh, respectfully.
On the fan wishlist for cameo appearances or as returning characters — honestly, we’ll take ANYTHING — are Richard Moll and Brent Spiner.
With Roz in the house, it would be beyond thrilling to have Nostradamus “Bull” Shannon at her side again.
Bull’s gentle giant presence and Roz’s acerbic, no-nonsense approach were a beautiful balance in the bailiff zone. As much as Gurgs’s antics have amused, she’s had to operate as a lone wolf. She deserves a straight man to play off of.
Before he was Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation (or Star Trek: Picard), Brent Spiner was a familiar face to prime-time viewers thanks to his role as the impoverished but can-do Bob Wheeler, who appeared with great frequency in Judge Harry’s courtroom, often out of no fault of his own.
It was Star Trek: The Next Generation that lured Spiner away from the glitz of multi-camera comedy, but the fans remember. Since Annie O’Donnell (who portrayed wife June Wheeler) is still working as an actor, do we dare hope we might see a Wheeler reunion?
When Will Night Court Season 2 Premiere?
Although production on Season 2 began before the job action by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, it shut down in June, and the initial plan to premiere in the Fall 2023 season was scuttled.
Currently, NBC has Night Court Season 2 penciled into early 2024, but nothing is certain until the networks come to the table with a fair and reasonable offer.
Like it or lump it, nostalgic revivals clearly hit the ratings in the feels, and NBC has reaped the rewards for believing in revivals like Night Court and Quantum Leap and reimagined reboots like The Equalizer and Magnum PI.
Are you missing the laughs, Fanatics? How do you think Dan Fielding finds his way back to NYC?
Which guest stars from Night Court Season 1 do you hope to see recur Wheelers-style? Is it the wilf-wolf? The gator-obsessed custodian? Sandy, the Death Certificate Office clerk?
Hit our comments with your wishlist characters and plot twists!
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Diana Keng is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond ’til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. Follow her on Twitter.