Dan Fielding's personality in the Night Court characters are an amusing bunch, the show also features John Larroquette's Dan Fielding, who also appeared in the original series from 1984 to 1992.

NBC's Night Court may have some similarities to its predecessor, but it also has certain differences. As the new magistrate, Abby is probably most dissimilar to her father, who was the magistrate of the court in the late 1980s. However, she is not the only character to be different. Despite the fact that he plays the same character, John Larroquette's Dan has had some significant changes between the original Night Court and his appearance in the revival.

John Larroquette's Return As Dan Fielding In Night Court Explained

Dan Is The Only Original Night Court Character To Return For The Revival

In the original Night Court, John Larroquette's Dan Fielding was an assistant district attorney who worked closely with the original magistrate of the Manhattan Criminal Court, Harry Stone. What made Dan and Harry's relationship so interesting was that they were also best friends. In the Night Court revival, Larroquette returned to play the same character, but some slight changes were made. In the 2023 version of the beloved sitcom, Dan is now a public defender.

Larroquette adds a touch of nostalgia to the revival without distracting from the other characters.

Dan is still extremely friendly and gets along with Harry's daughter, Abby. He has even acted as a sort of guide for her at times and has helped her deal with the changes that come with the job and the strange things that sometimes happen during the night shift. Dan may be the only character from the original Night Court to return for the revival, but his appearances fit perfectly with the new cast. Larroquette adds a touch of nostalgia to the revival without distracting from the other characters.

It may be surprising to see that Larroquette is the only one to reprise his role for the revival, but it is almost expected with an older show that not many actors are even able to return for various reasons. The original Night Court aired more than thirty years before the revival, so to see any character return is fantastic on its own. The fact that it is Dan makes it even better because his character was always such a fun addition to the series, it is also great to see the changes in him for the reboot.

Dan Fielding Is Noticeably No Longer A Womanizer In The Night Court Revival

Dan Was Well Known For His Sexist Tendencies In The Original Night Court

Dan was an interesting character in the original Night Court, but he had many faults. The biggest issue with him was that he was a notorious womanizer and often disrespected the women in his life, both personally and professionally. As a lawyer, he always got the job done. However, his character was often described as being sleazy, and he did not come across as a well-liked character among his female colleagues. Interestingly, Dan is almost the complete opposite in the Night Court revival.

In Melissa Rauch's Night Court reboot, Dan is kind, comionate, and respectful. His change in character is most noticeable in his interactions with Abby. Since Abby is the daughter of Dan's late best friend, she may invoke some feelings of sentimentality in Dan which could explain his changed behavior. However, Dan is respectful to his other female colleagues as well, showing that he is a changed man regardless of his status to the other person. This is not only a refreshing change for the character but also fits with Dan's evolved storyline.

Dan's Change In The Night Court Revival Is Due To His Grief

Dan Has Gained A New Perspective On Life

From the beginning of Night Court's revival, Dan has been established as a mourning widower. In the pilot episode, Dan casually referenced his late wife, Sarah. However, it was not until season 1, episode 3, that Dan revealed more information about her to Abby, who happily listened and shared her own struggles while sharing a mutual understanding with Dan. Dan's love for Sarah highlights his change in character as his relationship with her symbolizes companionship rather than a casual fling.

Even throughout Night Court, Dan continues to miss his wife. While he may have been a womanizer in the past, Sarah brought out a change in him, which is something he still wants to uphold. However, Night Court has not closed Dan off from attention. He has opened himself up to dating again, much to the delight of several of his female colleagues, but Dan's commitment remains clear. He is looking for fulfillment, not casual relationships.

Now that he has experienced life with love, his grief and respect for Sarah will not allow him to trade it in for something else.

In Night Court season 1, episode 4, Dan even joked that the female attention he was receiving was something his younger self would have done anything for. Dan's reference is to his character in the original Night Court, who truly would have done anything to get a date or more. However, in the Night Court revival, Dan is now a changed man for the better. Casual flings are not enough for him anymore. Now that he has experienced life with love, his grief and respect for Sarah will not allow him to trade it in for something else.

Why The Night Court Revival Had To Change Dan's Most Divisive Trait

Dan's Old Personality Didn't Fit The Show's Needs

In the original Night Court, Dan may have been a slimy yet lovable character, but he would not have fit the revival's current needs with the same personality. As a result, the writers needed to modernize Laroquette's character and add depth that went beyond his flirty behavior. Making Dan a widower was also one of the best ways to explain his sudden change. Being a womanizer no longer made sense if Dan met someone who was charming enough to make him want to be a better person.

A character like Dan's in the original Night Court may also have been humorous in the 1980s, but in the modern age of the twenty-first century, characters like his are met with intense backlash. As a result, it was the smartest move to adapt Dan's character to become a softer person. Using grief as a characteristic also made him more relatable and helped tie the show back to the original show, since Night Court's original lead, Harry Anderson, (Harry Stone) had also ed away.

Night Court airs on NBC.

In addition, revivals that feature different characters are already on unstable ground as they are constantly being compared to the original show. As a result, Night Court did not need another reason to face backlash when it was still trying to find its footing as a new series that also wanted to honor its predecessor correctly. Fortunately, Night Court's lovable cast has proved that revivals can be just as good as the original, even if some changes have to be made.

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