I gather that NIGHT COURT is returning to NBC in a few days. It was one of those shows that had a surprisingly long run on the Peacock. Sort of like GIMME A BREAK.
I was in network research back when NIGHT COURT joined the primetime schedule in January 1984 (probably responsible for the Saturday Morning daypart). As I remember it the NC pilot was screened in May 1983 to an underwhelming response and was not picked up. It did have one champion...Brandon Tartikoff and legend has it that he ordered it sometime that summer.
NBC's Fall 1983 Thursday schedule was
GIMME A BREAK (duh)
MAMA'S FAMILY
WE GOT IT MAID
CHEERS
Not exactly a formidable lineup
In January, CHEERS went to 9PM and at some point NIGHT COURT was put in the 9:30 slot.
In the Fall of 1984 the world changed for NBC. Our Thursday lineup was
THE COSBY SHOW
FAMILY TIES
CHEERS
NIGHT COURT
and pretty much stayed that way for four seasons. At some point Carsey/Werner flexed it muscles and A DIFFERENT WORLD replaced FAMILY TIES in the 8:30 time period.
It was during those four season that I came up with a term that has lived on in the TV lexicon although, with the growth of streaming, might not apply as much today.
Although NBC Thursday night "Must See TV" did not start until the 1990's, Thursday in the 80's was the first Golden Era for the Peacock. The Masked Wife and I would sit and watch the entire night including the great HILL STREET BLUES at 10PM. One problem we had a dog...Bella.... who needed to be walked at some point and I decided that, of all the shows on the night, NIGHT COURT was the most expendable so that's when Bella and I would go for a walk.
Back then I had developed a relationship with Bill Carter who was the TV writer at the New York Times. We were talking one day about the dominance of our Thursday schedule. and I told him that NC was the "walk the dog" show on the night. Remember this was back in the beginnings of the VCR so most TV was viewed live. I told him that a dominant night needed a walk the dog show and that was the function of NIGHT COURT. Bill used it in a story and it sort of caught on.
For the 88-89 season NIGHT COURT was moved over to Wednesday at 9PM so that NBC should try out a new show (DEAR JOHN) behind CHEERS. This was the inevitable trajectory of a utility comedy. After two seasons on Wednesday NC spent a year on Friday ironically leading out of QUANTUM LEAP, another show that NBC has revived.
IN THE FALL OF 1991, when I came out to Burbank to take over scheduling, NIGHT COURT was back on Wednesday night leading into SEINFELD which was starting its first full season on the NBC schedule after some fits and starts. Ironically as much as Brandon believed in NIGHT COURT, the same was not the case regarding SEINFELD.
Early in 1991 we were having a current meeting where we go over the shows on the schedule. We were all talking about how fantastic SEINFELD was and I suggested that we flip NIGHT COURT TO 9:30 and have SEINFELD lead off the hour. After all this. was going to be NIGHT COURT's final season. It worked and the rest is history.
So that's NIGHT COURT. I wish NBC luck in bringing it back.
Oh one more thing. The night Markie Post delivered her baby on the show was the same night the Masked Son was born! It was on the TV while the Masked Wife was in labor. Cosmic.
