# Okay, I'll start it: The Night Court Appreciation Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 14, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981 "2005-08-14T17:41:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/41 "2005-08-15T14:58:21Z")
John Larroquette once referred to Richard Moll as three of the five cheapest men he knew. He then told a story of how they were filming a scene that required Bull to borrow a dime from someone. It required a couple takes and after each one, the dime went straight into Moll’s pocket and he would borrow another dime in the next take. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/42 "2005-08-15T14:59:58Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Night Court is easily my all-time favorite live-action sitcom (qualifier needed to exclude Futurama). I so, so hope that Time Warner delivers more seasons on DVD soon. > > Harry Anderson and John Larroquette were comedy geniuses, and it’s been too long since either of them were regularly seen on TV. I place it in my top five sitcoms, behind Arrested Development, Scrubs, and The Office, but it was definitely the funniest show of the '80s and early '90s. I loved that whole cast, and I’ve always been a huge fan of Harry Anderson whenever he pops back up to do anything else. He’s also a hell of a magician! ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/43 "2005-08-15T15:29:33Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I also remember seeing the ever-hot, ageless Fran Drescher as a nymphomaniac who drove Dan crazy. I wonder how many now-familiar stars appeared in bit parts on Night Court. Feel free to check [here](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086770/guests). ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/44 "2005-08-15T15:44:54Z")
(An episode about hypnotism gone wrong.) Christine: ‘Bull! I want to be your love slave’ ('love slave being the trigger phrase.) Bull: ‘Say! That is good news!’ ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/45 "2005-08-15T17:47:10Z")
What’s his name, Kramer from Seinfeld, played an “invisible” man. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/46 "2005-08-15T18:20:07Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > What’s his name, Kramer from Seinfeld, played an “invisible” man. Michael Richards! They even showed him in the Nick At Nite commercial spots. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/47 "2005-08-15T19:08:16Z")
Dan greeting a group of rollerskaters from a Thanksgiving pageant: Love your eyes. Love your thighs. Love your lips. Love your hips. Love your hair. Nice butt. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/48 "2005-08-15T19:30:38Z")
What about Phil, the homeless guy that Dan “befriended”? Didn’t he turn out to be loaded when he died? ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/49 "2005-08-15T20:05:11Z")
I wasn’t allowed to watch this show when it was first out so I get to see them now, all while feeling a little naughty. I know I managed to see a few of them originally, but I didn’t get half of the jokes. I have had the theme song in my head all day. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/50 "2005-08-15T23:50:47Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > What about Phil, the homeless guy that Dan “befriended”? Didn’t he turn out to be loaded when he died? – “Have you ever heard of the New York Harmonic?” – “Don’t you mean the New York _Phil_harmonic?” – “Yeah, that’s what they call it now.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/51 "2005-08-16T00:04:43Z")
They did have an unfortunate tendency to get all maudlin in the last third of each episode, though. To me, that’s the deal-breaker keeping this from being a truly great show. Had they anticipated the Seinfeldian “a show about nothing” idea and deliberately kept the sappy subtext out of the otherwise wacky misadventures, they’d be immortal. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/52 "2005-08-16T06:05:23Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > – “Have you ever heard of the New York Harmonic?” > – “Don’t you mean the New York _Phil_harmonic?” > – “Yeah, that’s what they call it now.” Why did they kill off Phill, anyway? It happened offscreen between episodes (maybe seasons)–rather unsatisfactory to me. I remember this as the moment NC started to jump the shark. > [@Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy](#): > > Christine, while she was smoking hot, was such a prude. Billie on the other hand, (in my dirty mind at least,) was up for anything (and she looked good in leather). YMMV, of course. I don’t know. I understand she might let you steal third base, so to speak, but she’ll make you stop right there before you go any further. She’ll have to know right then, do you love her? Will you love her forever? Do you need her? Will you never leave her? Will you make her so happy for the rest of her life? Will you take her away and will you make her your wife? Do you love her!? Will you love her forever!? Do you need her!? Will you never leave her!? Will you make her so happy for the rest of my life!? Will you take her away and will you make her your wife!? She’ll have to know right then before you go any further! Do you love her!!!? Will you love her forever!!!? Sounds like a bit of a tease with some major hangups if you ask me. You might be tempted, when you’re crazed and when the feeling comes upon you like a tidal wave to start swearing to your god and on your mother’s grave that you’ll love you to the end of time, but I’m given to understand that might lead to some regret later on. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/53 "2005-08-16T10:12:21Z")
I’m not awake enough right now to say anything but that this thread has brought back fond memories of a dead good show. Oh, and **Alan Smithee** , I’m a huge Meatloaf fan. Thanks for the reference! 😃 CJ ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/54 "2005-08-16T14:05:37Z")
Hey, no prob! I was looking forward to meeting you at Gettysdope until I ran into some issues that kept me from going, so I’m glad I could throw out a few song lyrics for you here. PS– **Blue Kangaroo** was there in my stead and said some nice things about meeting you. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/55 "2005-08-16T14:29:19Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > The marathon is on TV Land right now. I’d forgotten how funny this show is. It’s so over the top ridiculous, but they _knew_ it was over the top ridiculous, so they could have fun with it. The exchange that immediately comes to mind: **Crazy Guy:** I can’t stand this oxygen atmosphere! I need methane and ammonia! **Harry:** Where’s he from? **Bull:** New Jersey, your honor. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/56 "2005-08-16T14:45:19Z")
> [@Alan Smithee](#): > > Why did they kill off Phill, anyway? It happened offscreen between episodes (maybe seasons)–rather unsatisfactory to me. I remember this as the moment NC started to jump the shark. Wrong. It happened off-screen, yes, but in the middle of an episode. an discovered that Phil was a retired stockbroker who had 100K in a failed S&L. He wanted the money, so he had Phil meet him for lunch at the Russian Tea Room. Phil didn’t want to go, because it was near Carnegie Hall, and Phil was afraid of musical instruments. Dan returns from lunch downcast, and when asked reveals that Phil was crushed by a falling piano on the sidewalk in front of Carenegie Hall. Hardly the kind of thing you could show on-screen in a sit-com! ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/57 "2005-08-16T14:55:45Z")
Christine: “Where were you born?” Crazy Guy: “One of the outermost moons of Pluto. A cold, lifeless place, where all emotion and even love was impossible. A cold, barren rock. Where you from?” C: “Buffalo.” CG: “Oh my God!” ---
**Author:** ![Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meaty_Beaty_Big_and_Bouncy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/58 "2005-08-16T19:05:21Z")
> [@Alan Smithee](#): > > I don’t know. I understand she might let you steal third base, so to speak, but she’ll make you stop right there before you go any further. She’ll have to know right then, do you love her? Will you love her forever? Do you need her? Will you never leave her? Will you make her so happy for the rest of her life? Will you take her away and will you make her your wife? Do you love her!? Will you love her forever!? Do you need her!? Will you never leave her!? Will you make her so happy for the rest of my life!? Will you take her away and will you make her your wife!? She’ll have to know right then before you go any further! Do you love her!!!? Will you love her forever!!!? > > Sounds like a bit of a tease with some major hangups if you ask me. You might be tempted, when you’re crazed and when the feeling comes upon you like a tidal wave to start swearing to your god and on your mother’s grave that you’ll love you to the end of time, but I’m given to understand that might lead to some regret later on. See post #21. ---
**Author:** ![Runestar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/74df32/32.png) [@Runestar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runestar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/59 "2005-08-16T21:55:46Z")
> [@](#): > > One of my favorite episodes was when some Japanese bigwig got arrested for solicitation, with Harry and Dan (and maybe Bull as well? Don’t recall) paying homage to the man’s sexual prowess. Then he died, and until things were sorted out with the Japanese embassy, Bull pushed the corpse around in a wheelchair. While Bull wasn’t looking, some kid pushed a button that made the wheelchair propel itself, it went into an open elevator, and the rest of the episode was a seach for the missing body. …which was one of my favorite episodes too. At one point Bull attempts to recapture the wayward corpse by rigging a large fishing net in the hallway. When he drops it on Roz, the following exchange always killed me: Roz: “Bull” Bull: (hesitantly) “Yes Roz?” Roz: “Do I look like a short dead Japanese guy in a wheelchair?” followed by (IIRC) some physical admonishment being adminstered to Bull. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981/60 "2005-08-16T22:45:18Z")
> [@Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy](#): > > See post #21. D’oh! Ok, I’ll give it to you, you got there first, and I completely missed it. Oh well, it was fun posting those lyrics. (For anyone still wondering what’s going on, the actress who played Billie was also the female vocalist on _Paradise By the Dashboard Lights_, something I didn’t know untill I looked up information about the show while watching the recent marathon.) > [@silenus](#): > > Wrong. It happened off-screen, yes, but in the middle of an episode. an discovered that Phil was a retired stockbroker who had 100K in a failed S&L. He wanted the money, so he had Phil meet him for lunch at the Russian Tea Room. Phil didn’t want to go, because it was near Carnegie Hall, and Phil was afraid of musical instruments. > > Dan returns from lunch downcast, and when asked reveals that Phil was crushed by a falling piano on the sidewalk in front of Carenegie Hall. Hardly the kind of thing you could show on-screen in a sit-com! Really? I don’t remeber Phil appearing in the episode at all. Maybe I tuned in in the middle of the episode. Funny, because I did the same thing when it came on during the marathon and tuned in right as they were looking at Phil’s obituary. I changed the channel because I thought it was the beginning of an episode I didn’t like. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-ill-start-it-the-night-court-appreciation-thread/316981.md?page=4)