Tuesday, May 04, 2021

NBC Orders Night Court Revival to Pilot; House of Payne and Assisted Living Return May 25 and Ordered for Additional Season

Melissa Rauch and John Larroquette

NBC has ordered the Night Court revival script to a pilot order. So, if it gets picked up to series, we will have Night Court back on NBC once again sometime in 2021-22, nearly 30 years after the series ended in 1992. Based on the original series created by Reinhold Weege, unapologetic optimist judge Abby Stone (series star Melissa Rauch), the daughter of the late Harry Stone, follows in her father's footsteps as she presides over the night shift of a Manhattan arraignment court and tries to bring order to its crew of oddballs and cynics, most notably former night court prosecutor Dan Fielding (series star John Larroquette). No word on if any of the other original cast members will make appearances, which include Markie Post, Richard Moll, Charles Robinson and Marsha Warfield. A few members of the cast of Night Court (the late Harry Anderson, Markie Post, and Charles Robinson) reunited on an episode of 30 Rock back in 2008.

A true multi-hyphenate, Ms. Rauch is coming off the hit CBS/Warner Bros. TV comedy series The Big Bang Theory, which celebrated its final season in 2019. After The Big Bang Theory, Melissa appeared in Steven Soderbergh's The Laundromat, alongside Meryl Streep, as well as Ode to Joy, opposite Martin Freeman. John Larroquette most recently joined the cast of The Good Fight on CBS All Access, and starred on the CBS comedy series Me, Myself & I. He has recurred on ABC on both The Practice and Boston Legal. His work on The Practice garnered Larroquette two of his seven total Emmy nominations and one of his five wins. The others were for his previous work on NBC's Night Court, which enjoyed a nine-season run for a whopping 193 episodes from 1984-1992. Larroquette won four consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of Dan Fielding from 1985 to 1988, before withdrawing his name from the ballot in 1989. Night Court itself was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series three times (1985, 1987, and 1988). Night Court scribe Dan Rubin's credits include his tenure for the full-run of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (where he was nominated for four Emmys and three WGA awards). He continued his work with Tina Fey and the Kimmy Schmidt producers, working on their latest project Mulligan over at Netflix. He also recently served as a Co-Executive Producer on Fox's series Outmatched. Other credits include Happy Endings, Scrubs, Worst Week and The Michael J. Fox Show.


Tyler Perry's House of Payne - Keshia Knight Pulliam, Allen Payne and Cassi Davis Patton

This May, come home to BET for a night of Black joy, entertainment, and MORE of the Tyler Perry content we all can't get enough of; you bring the family, we'll bring the funny. New episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne season eight and Tyler Perry's Assisted Living season two return Tuesday, May 25, starting at 9 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her. Executive Produced by Tyler Perry, House of Payne and Assisted Living occupied the #1 and #2 spots for comedy series on cable for African Americans 18-49, 25-54 in the calendar year 2020, respectively. In anticipation of their premieres, BET has green-lit Tyler Perry's House of Payne for a ninth season and Tyler Perry's Assisted Living for a third season.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - David Mann and Tamela Mann

The eighth season of the hilarious comedy House of Payne features retired fire chief Curtis Payne and his lovely wife Ella. Together the loving couple navigates the problems of life with their quirky modern-day family. In season two of Tyler Perry's comedy series Assisted Living, Mr. Brown, Cora, and the gang open their Assisted Living facility and a hilarious variety of personalities come to live in the home, bringing with them a ton of laughs and experiences.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, November 21

Happy's Place - "Straw Man" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Gabby asks Bobbie to help vet men to be her potential donor, Bobbie is happy to participate until she discovers Gabby is considering Emmett for the donation; Isabella is asked to be the guest speaker for Takoda's daughter's class.

Stumble - "In Sync" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
It's back to school for Heådltston State JC, which means in addition to her coaching, Courteney must get her kids settled into the dorms and begin classes; when the girls' periods sync up, Courteney's doesn't and she worries she may be pregnant.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 17)

Friday, November 21

  • Ms. Pat (The Ms. Pat Show) - Watch Ms. Pat on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Ben Stiller (Arrested Development) - Ben appears on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Sydney Sweeney (Everything Sucks!) - Sydney is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Matthew Broderick (Better Things) - Matthew appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Dave Franco (The Afterparty/Scrubs/Do Not Disturb) - Dave appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Jason talks about Zootopia 2 on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie) - Sebastian talks about his comedy special It Ain't Right on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

11/20 - The CW Midseason 2026 Schedule; Sarah Sherman HBO Max Special
11/19 - Tubi's Comedy Mo' Waffles Premieres December 19; 78th Emmy Awards Set for September 14, 2026
11/18 - CBS Midseason 2026 Schedule; SNL Closes Out 2025 with 3 Episodes in December
11/17 - NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center Lineup; Prime Video Gets Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson for Sports Talk Show
11/16 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 17, 2025)
11/15 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Orders Pilot From Brooklyn Nine-Nine Team; FX Cancels English Teacher
11/14 - Disney's Hulu's Family Guy's Hallmark Channel's Lifetime's Familiar Holiday Movie; Mad Men Coming to HBO Max in 4K
11/13 - Antenna TV Re-Acquires One Day at a Time and Sanford and Son; Season 2 of the Wild Series It's Florida, Man
11/12 - Fox Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu's Tell Me Lies Season 3 Premiere Date
11/11 - Cast Announced for Netflix's A Different World Sequel; Hulu's Sebastian Maniscalco Special Trailer
11/10 - ABC's New Game Show The Greatest Average American; Prime Video Christmas Movie
11/09 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 10, 2025)
11/08 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox and Sony Developing Reimagined Bewitched; Samsung TV Plus Launching AFV Channel
11/07 - TBS and TNT Holiday Schedule; Hulu's Back 'Four' More Reasonable Doubt; Remembering Diane Ladd of Alice
11/06 - Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas 2025 Schedule; Single Drunk Female Star Gets Hulu Film
11/05 - ABC 2025 Holiday Specials; Netflix Renews Nobody Wants This for Season 3
11/04 - Fox's Best Medicine Premieres January 2026; Final Season of Bel-Air Trailer
11/03 - Apple TV Holiday Schedule; Another Week and Dancing with the Stars Rises Again
11/02 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 3, 2025)
11/01 - SitcomsOnline Digest: King of the Hill Renewed for Two More Seasons on Hulu; MTV Cancels Ridiculousness
10/31 - Hulu Renews King of the Hill for Seasons 16 and 17; FX Renews Adults for Season 2; Remembering June Lockhart
10/30 - ABC's The Golden Girls 40th Anniversary Special on November 11; NBC 2025 Holiday Specials
10/29 - ABC Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu Renews Only Murders in the Building for Season 6, Now in London
10/28 - Hulu Debuts Trailer for Original Holiday Film; Sidelined Returns for Sequel on Tubi
10/27 - Netflix Grabs Victorious Spinoff Hollywood Arts; Dancing with the Stars Up for 5th Straight Week
10/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 27, 2025)
10/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Frankie Muniz Shares Photo Outside Studio for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; Warner Bros. Discovery Still Looking for New Owner
10/24 - USA Network Renews The Rainmaker; Reba Hosting Christmas in Rockefeller Center
10/23 - The CW Holiday Specials Schedule; Apple TV Fraggle Rock Special
10/22 - Apple TV's Shrinking Returns in January 2026; Season 2 of Idris Elba Series Also Returns in January 2026
10/21 - FETV Acquires Here Come the Brides; Netflix's Mo Amer Special Trailer
10/20 - SNL November Guests Lineup; It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2025 Schedule