Given its stellar ensemble, it's no surprise that Night Court continues to have an impressive line-up of guest stars. A revival of the iconic sitcom, the new series centers on Melissa Rauch's Judge Abby Stone, daughter of original character Harry, as she takes over her late father's position as judge on the night shift for the Manhattan Criminal Court. Season 1, Episode 12, "DA Club," airs Tuesday, April 4, and adds another well-known name to the series. Kurt Fuller will appear as the state's district attorney, who agrees to meet with Abby and brainstorm ideas to improve the justice system.
Fuller currently plays the role of Dr. Kurt Boggs in Evil, which was renewed for season 4 a month after season 3 premiered. Additionally, Fuller has over 200 acting credits and is notably known for projects such as Supernatural, Psych, and The Good Wife. The main cast of Night Court includes Melissa Rauch, India de Beaufort, Kapil Talwalkar, Lacretta, and John Larroquette.
In honor of his appearance on the show, Kurt Fuller chatted exclusively with Screen Rant about his love for the original Night Court series, his revival character and the similarity he shares to Supernatural's Zachariah.
Kurt Fuller Talks Night Court
Screen Rant: Were you a fan of the original Night Court series?
Kurt Fuller: I was a fan of the original Night Court series. It was before I was an actor, I think. Well, before I was a successful actor. I was a struggling actor when it was on, I believe. I watched it almost every week. I've always been a fan of John Larroquette. He does what I always wanted to do. He sort of finds a way to underplay and come in underneath, and he's sort of sneaky. I was so grateful — I'd never worked with him before — to get the opportunity to do it.
For me, it was an acting class. I was just soaking it up — what he does. With Melissa, I was also a fan of The Big Bang Theory. And her, again, just so good. I think sometimes you're just born good at something. I play golf. I play a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of golf. No matter what I do, I'm never any good. I wasn't born good. I think they were both born good and it really shows — and the rest of the cast. It's a great group. I'm happy to be talking about it.
How do you think the reboot is stacking up in comparison?
Kurt Fuller: In the original, by the fourth or fifth year, they were such a well-oiled team. This show — they started off very cohesive, really interesting characters, [and] more contemporary subjects. I like that it's a woman judge and I like that Dan is now the public defender. I would say, by next year, they're going to be cooking with oil. As good as it is now, I guarantee you it will be better next year. They'll have had more time together, they'll have had more lunches together, [and] they'll have had a couple of fights. They'll have lived like a family a little more and that really comes out. I think it's going to measure up very, very well.
Your character, Jeff, is the district attorney. I first saw you in Supernatural, but you have over 200 acting credits. Have you played a district attorney before or was this something you haven’t gotten a chance to do yet?
Kurt Fuller: They don't have them anymore, but I used to do movies of the week. It was a big deal. I played a lot of lawyers. If the guy wore a suit, they were calling me. So I did play a few district attorneys, but not comic ones. I love this guy. He's such a snake. It's fantastic. He thinks he's hilarious. So did Zachariah, by the way. I played him as the guy who thought he was hilarious, and I'm playing this guy who thinks he's hilarious.
He thinks his cutting, horrible jokes are the best thing. He loves himself, and he just thinks he's so entertaining. I like playing the positives in things. That's why [with] Zachariah, I played all of his positives, and with Jeff DeWit, I'm playing all of his positives. He's very funny. He likes to make people laugh and he's right. He's the smartest guy in the room.
Jeff has a little bit of a history with Dan. They have some fun ribbing going on. How was playing that out, especially as a fan of John Larroquette's work?
Kurt Fuller: It was great. What I love about him is how he can be small — how he can be very subtle. I really could set him up by being a little bombastic, a little over the top, a little brassy, and then he could just come in. It's sort of like a comedy team. It worked really well because our energies are opposite on the show. He would come in under me and generally cut me off at the knees, and I'd be a crumpled heap on the floor, but that's funny. So I was happy to do it.
You spoke a little bit about this earlier, but I've heard incredible things about Melissa Rauch. She's doing such a lovely job leading the series. Is there anything else you can say about collaborating with her?
Kurt Fuller: Melissa is an angel on this Earth. That is what she is. The rest of the cast told me and everybody knows it, except for her maybe. It's hard coming onto a show, even if you've been around forever like me. You come on and you sort of feel a little bit like you're in somebody else's home. She just made me feel so welcome and such a part and included me in everything and even wrote me a nice note after.
She's just an angel. She is an angel on Earth. And I met her parents! She was talking to her parents on FaceTime, and they wanted to meet me. Well, maybe they didn't, and she just said that to make me feel good. But it just was all so natural. I didn't feel a second's worth of awkwardness from the time she came on set. And she's awfully good. She is really good. I would do that show a million times.
Given your recent work on Evil, what's it like to shift from those mind warps to a sitcom?
Kurt Fuller: Well, it's been a while since I did a sitcom. I used to do them a lot. And Evil, let's face it, it's a bit of a dark show. It's a bit of a dark show, but we have a lot of fun when we're working. When we're acting...it's a whole different, more muted, more careful style. With Night Court, I got to do what I think I do best, which is sort of be expansive, a little more spontaneous, and just have more fun. And I like having fun.
While I have you, do you have any hopes for Psych 4?
Kurt Fuller: It's interesting because I was just texting with James Roday yesterday, and he is playing things close to the vest. But I honestly — and I don't know anything, I really don't — I think there's going to be another one. I really do. I know it's moving in that direction. But it's really — I hate to say it — up to NBC. I'm sure all the top NBC execs are listening to this interview because it's an NBC show. I really think the public is clamoring for one more Psych movie.
We've got our fingers crossed! We're going to put it out there in the universe.
Kurt Fuller: Believe me, nobody is getting in the way of it, including, I'm sure, NBC. It's just got to be right. Everybody's got to be available, [the list] goes on and on. But if I had to bet, I would put my money on there being another one. You heard it here first!
About Night Court Season 1, Episode 12
When Abby lands a meeting with the New York City district attorney to talk about her ideas for reform, Dan invites himself along to share his expertise in the art of "backroom dealing"; Gurgs teaches Neil a lesson in confidence.
Check out our previous Night Court interviews here:
Night Court airs Tuesdays at 8:00 pm ET on NBC.