Source: CNN
John Larroquette is very clear that he only agreed to reprise his role as attorney Dan Fielding in the “Night Court” reboot because of star and executive producer, Melissa Rauch.
Larroquette told CNN his “ego” initially made him uninterested in returning to his “Night Court” character. The original sitcom ran from 1984 to 1992.
“I thought, I can’t do the comedy that I did in the eighties, and I’m not speaking of story content so much as I love physical comedy, and I would jump over tables and tie myself in knots and fall and, you know, just stuff that I can’t do anymore without a surgeon nearby,” he said. “The idea of being compared to myself when I was 35 years old, I don’t know if anybody really likes to have that shoved in their face and on television, it’s impossible to hide from that.”
Larroquette chatted with Rauch about the gig for more than a year. It was only after she agreed to take the starring role that he said he would participate.
“Then she decided, ‘You know what? I think I have to do this with you.’ And then I thought, oh, well, I’m screwed,” Larroquette joked. “I’ve gotta do this then if she’s gonna be in it. ‘cause I like her work so much. And I got to love her as a person, and so that’s what finally convinced me to come and play.”
Rauch plays Abby Stone, the daughter of Judge Harold “Harry” T. Stone, played by Harry Anderson, who died in 2018. She told CNN she was intentional about connecting the two shows.
“I think having the connection to the original and having this bridge from the first incarnation to this incarnation was incredibly important,” she said. “Although Abby and Dan never met before, they have this shared love of her father and that really becomes the heart and soul of this workplace comedy.”
Abby Stone is also a judge on the show.
“I love doing this show so much,” Rauch said. “I truly pinch myself when I get to drive onto that lot.”
Larroquette enjoys it as well, though for him it’s bittersweet. In addition to Anderson, other original cast members have also passed away, including Markie Post and RIchard Moll.
“It felt strange and I didn’t have anybody to identify with because nobody was around except a script supervisor,” he said. “We hired the original script supervisor, so I could look at her sometimes and go, you remember when? But I couldn’t do that with anyone else.”
Rauch said she would like to think the original cast would be fans of the reboot.
The former “The Big Bang Theory” cast member is excited for the new season of “Night Court,” which will feature several guest appearances, including one from her former “Big Bang” costar Mayim Bialik.
That sitcom ran for 12 seasons, and Rauch is hopeful “Nigh Court” will be long running as well.
“As long as [the audience] possibly would have us,” she said.
Season 3 of “Nigh Court” debuts Tuesday on NBC.