Order in the ‘Night Court!’ — Marsha Warfield Is Back!

Last year on the rebooted sitcom Night Court — which got better reviews than the original show in 1984-92 — John Larroquette, 76, revived his sarcastic lawyer character Dan Fielding, now a judge. In the second season (premiering Jan. 2 on NBC, streaming on Peacock starting Jan. 3; watch the first episode here), his equally sharp comic foil, no-nonsense former bailiff Roz Russell (Marsha Warfield, 69), reunites with Dan — she’s been jailed for rowdiness at a Louisiana bachelorette party and is astounded to find that he’s her judge.

Warfield testifies to AARP about what it’s like to revisit a character she played in 136 episodes of the original show.

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Welcome back to ‘Night Court’ after 32 years! John told AARP that his character is over three decades older — and so are we original 'Night Court' viewers.

​We’re the lucky ones!

How is the 2024 Night Court different from 1992?

​It's like Night Court had a baby, Night Court Jr. But it has its own flavor. It has its own gas, its own chemistry. 

John Larroquette and Marsha Warfield in the original "Night Court" series.

Gary Null/NBC via Getty Images

What was Roz’s role on the old show, and who is she now?

​Roz was the observer/commentator. She was part of the group, but always the one who had a critique of whatever they would do. When they were planning something bizarre, Roz walked in and said, "That’s not gonna work." Everybody would ignore her, and then she'd come back at the end and say, "I told you it wasn’t gonna work!"

​Roz always reminded me of Eve Arden in the 1950s sitcom ‘Our Miss Brooks’ — very sardonic.

Eve Arden was — I won’t say crush, but one of my first comedy influences. I just loved her deadpan delivery, slow burns and long takes.

​I like to tease people that I’m everybody's mother's favorite comedian. People tell me all the time about their memory of watching Night Court with loved ones who are no longer with them. So it gives them the warm fuzzies to see the new show with people from the old show in it.

Melissa Rauch stars as Abby Stone in "Night Court."

Elizabeth Morris/NBC/Warner Bros. Television

​​How does the new Judge Stone (Melissa Rauch of 'The Big Bang Theory') compare to her dad, the original Judge Stone character (played by the late Harry Anderson)?

​There’s a kind of family resemblance between those characters — I think Harry would be happy with it. Harry’s Judge Stone was pretty close to Harry the man. Harry was a scamp and a rogue, but a really sweet guy. And Melissa is a really sweet person. She brings that same kind of softhearted love to the show. It’s the glue that held the mayhem together. 

John’s Dan can play his curmudgeonly self against this really sweet person. That was a big part of what made Night Court work. It wasn't just the exploding desks and giant cue balls.

John told AARP that Dan used to jump over railings in court, but doesn’t so much anymore.

​He’s still pretty spry! He still manages to do a few little cute choreographed cool things. I don't think he’s slowed down that much. He just can't help it, he’s a natural.