Night Court Reveals What Happened To Judge Harry Stone In The Revival Series
Most people don't need to be told that the justice system isn't exactly the most fun topic of conversation. From the almost immediate disdain when one gets a jury summons to the stress when a police officer pulls you over for speeding, entanglements with the law usually aren't a place for great comedy. This is even more so if one is ever brought before a judge, and one doesn't need to be a fan of "Judge Judy" to know that people have to be on their best behavior when standing before a black-robed figure wielding a gavel. Unless, that is, the topic of conversation is "Night Court."
Freshly minted, the brand new "Night Court" series is a reboot of a classic sitcom that premiered in 1984. Both "Night Court" series take place in a courtroom setting in New York City, though what makes this show different from other legal-focused affairs is that "Night Court" — like the name implies — covers the graveyard shift. This means that the stories and cases are usually zany misadventures featuring colorful characters.
Of course, it takes somebody special to preside over such a courtroom, and the new "Night Court" lets Judge Abby Stone (Melissa Rauch) have a tremendous amount of fun, despite the lofty and often humorless role. Fans of the original "Night Court" will remember the judge who held sway in that courtroom, Judge Harry Stone (Harry Anderson), and Abby is his daughter. As such, the new "Night Court" has finally established what happened to Judge Harry.
Judge Abby's father is mentioned in the first episode
Harry Stone wound up presiding over the original "Night Court" because the Mayor was simply too busy and overwhelmed doling out positions within the government, and Harry happened to be one of the few people to answer his phone. Harry soon found himself working the night shift courtroom in Manhattan — though on account of his young age and unique outlook on life, his rulings were usually much more personable and understanding than what many may experience when coming face-to-face with a judge. IMDb notes that "Night Court" ran from 1984 to 1992 with 193 episodes.
The new "Night Court," with Judge Abby Stone presiding, has already established that Abby is Harry's daughter, and in one of her first interactions with series veteran Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), the two discuss Harry. Dan was the prosecutor in the 1980s version of "Night Court," meaning that he's exceptionally familiar with Harry, as the two had something of a friendly antagonism. However, Dan mentions that although Harry and himself hadn't been close in quite some time, he offers condolences on Harry's passing. Judge Harry Stone died sometime off screen, though this decision was probably made based on real life events.
The new Night Court pays its respects to the late Harry Anderson
Actor Harry Anderson was beloved on the original "Night Court" and other famous shows like "Cheers," and his death in 2018 at the age of 65 due to a stroke was a loss for the television landscape. The new "Night Court" revival decided that instead of recasting the role of Judge Harry Stone, they instead would reflect real life. This has not been lost on those who remember the original show, with quite a few expressing their thoughts on social media.
On Reddit, u/mtm4440 tried to place some of the random items in Judge Abby Stone's office, and u/rattrap007 replied, "Armadillo was always in Harry's office so that made me smile. The pool ball was later explained. In one ep Harry gets depressed and quits. He becomes a pool hustler. Dan basically calls him out for quitting and gives him a speech that brings him back. The ball is a memento Harry kept to remember this."
Furthermore, u/Kitsunisan brought up the rapid fire nature of the jokes on this new "Night Court," and felt like if the show slowed down, the laughs would be a bit more robust. They then mentioned that Harry Anderson had great comedic timing, and added, "The guy was a stand up comic and a street performer first, and that way of delivery comes through in his lines. Melissa is a sitcom actor going through the paces here, she needs to relax into it." Still, it seems as if many still fondly remember Judge Harry, and are happy to see him referenced on this new show.