NBC's 'Night Court' Is Back in Session! Is the OG Series a 'Cheers' Spinoff?

Was 'Night Court' a 'Cheers' spinoff? The 2023 revival of 'Night Court' has viewers once once more wondering if the two sitcoms have been ever connected.

It's been more than three a long time, however Night Court is finally back in session (excuse our pun). The unique Emmy-winning comedy series — which ran from 1984 to 1992 — showcases the night time shift of the Manhattan municipal court. More particularly, it follows the kooky adventures of the court's personnel individuals as they take on ridiculous instances with the assist of "the endlessly hilarious legal practices of Judge Harry T. Stone (Harry Laverne Anderson)," as put via NBC.

In January 2023, NBC launched a reboot of the series (the definition of "reboot" will get fuzzier by way of the day), which acts as a continuation of its predecessor.

"Judge Abby Stone, the daughter of the late Harry Stone, follows in her dad's footsteps as she presides over a Manhattan arraignment court and tries to bring order to its crew of oddballs," the official synopsis reads. The Night Court revival comes from creators Reinhold Weege and Dan Rubin.

Now that 2023's Night Court — which boasts a first rate Rotten Tomatoes rating of 71 p.c — has viewers in the OG series, many are questioning if it has ties to another hit NBC sitcom. So, is Night Court a spinoff of Cheers? Here's what the network needed to say.

Is 'Night Court' a 'Cheers' spinoff?

"Because of their critical acclaim and popularity at the same time of release, many confuse Night Court as a spinoff to the hit NBC comedy Cheers. However, Night Court is not a spinoff but an original series that also aired on NBC during its original run," NBC wrote, clearing up any confusion. (Long-running sitcom Frasier is in truth a Cheers spinoff.)

But how did this rumor even start? Something should have attached the two series in folks's minds, right?

Well, sure. It all has to do with the overdue Harry Anderson, as the actor portrayed characters in both significantly acclaimed sitcoms. In Night Court, Harry played series regular Judge Harry T. Stone. In Cheers — which ran from 1982 to 1993 — he played habitual persona Harry Gitties.

"Anderson appeared in three Season 1 episodes of NBC’s Cheers as local flim-flam man/magician Harry 'The Hat' Gitties, including a memorable sting episode in which he starred," Deadline wrote in a piece of writing after the actor's 2018 passing. The newsletter further detailed that Harry Anderson's impactful Cheers role eventually resulted in him landing his everlasting Night Court gig.

So, while you consider the incontrovertible fact that an actor named Harry Anderson performed two other characters also named Harry on sitcoms that aired on the similar network at nearly the similar time (excuse us, we need a breath), it is valid that audience mentally related Night Court and Cheers. Nevertheless, they exist in completely separate universes.

New episodes of Night Court premiere on Tuesdays at eight p.m. EST on NBC and move the subsequent day on Peacock.

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