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A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 22 February 2023
‘Night Court’ reboot returns favorite but set in modern day

By MARK KENNEDY so easily. And just what do
AP Entertainment Writer you do after that amount
NEW YORK (AP) — You can of time? Who is he now?”
forgive John Larroquette says Larroquette.
for thinking he’d entered “The more I thought about
a time machine when he it, the more as an actor it
stepped onto the sound became an interesting sort
stage of the rebooted NBC of problem to figure out —
sitcom “Night Court.” how could I be funny at this
The sets for the arraignment age with him now?”
courtroom, chambers and The Fielding in the reboot
hallways where he had has matured past his
first made people laugh sowing-his-wild-oats stage.
as prosecutor Dan Fielding His character finally found
starting in the 1980s had the love of his life between
been carefully remade the end of the last show
and even the green couch and its return — but lost her.
in the judge’s office and “The Dan Fielding that
the cafeteria chairs were existed and at that time
found in storage and was very different from the
redeployed. It was he who Dan Fielding we’re seeing,”
had changed. says Rauch. “But he’s still
“Revisiting a character that the same person. He still
one played 35 years ago is This image released by NBC shows, from left, Melissa Rauch, Kapil Talwalkar, John Larroquette, thinks he’s the smartest
both an interesting problem India de Beaufort and Lacretta in a scene from the comedy series “Night Court.” guy in the room. He’s still
as an actor and also a bit Associated Press a narcissist. And but at the
disheartening. When I look the judge declares: “It’s was a huge fan of the Larroquette is the only same time, he’s evolved.”
at my face then and my hard not to like them once original, as a youngster actor to return to the series While the new series is
face now, I’m playing my you know what’s going on using VHS tapes to capture that first aired from 1984 to clearly a product of today
own grandfather in a way,” underneath.” her favorite episodes to 1992, starring the late Harry with references to Uber
the 75-year-old actor says. A verdict on the new watch and re-watch. Anderson, the late Markie and DJ Khaled there are
In the reboot, Larroquette’s “Night Court” has already “I think if you would tell the Post, Marsha Warfield, the plenty of callbacks from
former prosecutor Dan been handed down: NBC child version of me that I’m late Charles Robinson and the original show, like toy,
Fielding is convinced to ordered a second season getting to do this, my head Richard Moll. springy snakes in cans that
return as a public defender early after the revival would have exploded, and The original show’s explode and the stuffed
after years out of the earned the highest ratings I probably would have breakout character was armadillo displayed by the
courtroom. for a comedy series on the wanted to fast forward my Fielding, both clever and previous Judge Stone.
He has become a lovable network since 2017. whole life to get here,” she lascivious. Larroquette won Set designer Glenda
curmudgeon, who says Larroquette suspects says. four consecutive Emmy Rovello recreated the sets
things like: “This is a court. some of the interest is due “First and foremost, it’s a Awards playing the part, a from the original blueprints.
Not a therapist’s office, no to nostalgia and reruns comedy and we’re there record at the time. But he “We gave it a coat of
matter how many mental but also pointed to the to make people laugh. But initially resisted a return. paint to update it, but we
patients march through popularity of Rauch, a I always feel that you laugh “I was not interested in thought a government
here.” former star of “The Big Bang harder if you’re also able revisiting him for many building wouldn’t have
Melissa Rauch plays prior Theory.” “I’m sure there to feel something. And reasons, partially because changed that much over
Judge Harry Stone’s were millions of people I think ‘Night Court’ did of the love I have of physical the years,” Rauch says.
daughter, Abby Stone, who were very interested in that so brilliantly,” she says. comedy and the fact that “Walking onto that set just
the new night court seeing what she would do “Our writers, led by our I’m almost 40 years older feels so, so special. And
judge and the sunshine to next,” he says. wonderful showrunner, Dan than I was then, that I can’t I honestly, I pinch myself
Larroquette’s gloom. Of Rauch also produced the Rubin, have really struck jump over tables. I can’t when I’m walking through
the weirdos who show up show and came up with that balance in a beautiful quite do the things with those halls. It feels so
in her after-hours court, the revival concept. She way.” my body that I could then surreal.”q

Jen Psaki, ex-Biden spokesperson, to

debut Sunday MSNBC show

NEW YORK (AP) — Former debt ceiling talks, MSNBC the next day on Peacock.
White House Press Secre- said. Psaki, who appears regu-
tary Jen Psaki will debut The show is scheduled to larly on other MSNBC pro-
a weekly MSNBC political premiere March 19. grams like “Morning Joe,”
program on Sundays at The show will feature a re- is developing another
noon next month, the net- curring segment, “Week- streaming show that’s set
work said on Tuesday. end Routine,” where Psaki to debut this spring.
“Inside with Jen Psaki” will will feature a lawmaker Psaki was press secretary
contain one-on-one inter- or newsmaker and follow during the first 16 months of
White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily views with newsmakers, them as they go about President Joe Biden’s ad-
briefing at the White House in Washington, in this Tuesday, June and discuss policy issues some everyday activities. ministration, before landing
22, 2021. like the war in Ukraine and The MSNBC show will stream at MSNBC last May.q
Associated Press