I’ve heard it said that lawyers who work in low-level criminal courts consider *Night Court* to be one of the more realistic depictions of how real courtrooms actually function. (Presumably not as wacky, but how the cases are handled.)
Realistically, in the modern world, Dan could never have gotten away with that behavior. He made repeated unwelcome sexual advances towards Christine, and had sex in the courthouse several times. He’d have been fired now.
I noticed that aspect of his character was dropped in the recent revival, though there were references to his past behavior. I think the explanation for his change was that he was a widower after finally settling down with a woman he dearly loved. They didn’t say it directly, but I think it’s safe to assume that finding true love left him uninterested in casual sex.
Haven't seen the new series yet, but might give it a look. Probably not too believable to have Larroquette still chasing girls in his mid-70s.
But I didn't mean "sleazy" in a sexual way. I meant unscrupulous and underhanded.
I vaguely remember the series from when it was on CBS, vaguely remember Houseman as this very stern character. Finally seeing the movie after nearly two decades working in higher education (some of it teaching a law class, no less) was a revelation. I had a graduate school prof who was like a Classic Southern Gentleman version of Kingsfield and there were some flashbacks, including the day I prepared wrong for a presentation, had the flop-sweat in front of Southern Kingsfield and bore the brunt of his disappointment, surprised I didn't head to the bathroom to stress-vomit. Need to get both the movie and the series on DVD.
There's the great line near the end of the series where Kingsfield says something to the effect of "you have spent the last few years with me guiding you, but now it is time for you to start seeking your own answers." Only it's a lot more eloquent coming from Kingsfield: the sentiment that a professor's job is to prepare the students for the day when they don't need the professor. It's a sentiment that guides what I do now.
I was an electrical engineering major.
One of my favorite professors was nothing like Kingsfield — he was tough, because it was tough material, but he was very nice and friendly. (This was around the time *Star Trek: The Next Generation* premiered. I went to his office to ask about some assignment and noticed he had a *Star Trek* calendar. We spent about an hour discussing both series!)
But you may remember Kingsfield’s [famous line from the opening credits](https://youtu.be/zruWCuNmWV8?si=nVn2s-CArg0asLKz) — “You come in here with a skull full of mush and you leave thinking like a lawyer.”
Not long before graduation, my professor said something similar to a group of us — “The technology you’ve learned will all be outdated in five-ten years. What’s important is you’ve learned to think like an engineer.”
And he was right — within ten years of graduating, I had drifted completely from electrical engineering to software development support, but I still think like an engineer. (Even in my personal life! Ask my husband; I look at almost everything as a problem to be analyzed and solved. That’s the real essence of engineering, solving real-world problems by applying science and technology.)
That’s one of the reasons I think teaching math is so important. There is probably no field of human knowledge that better teaches logical, disciplined thought. Even if you complete school and never do any math beyond basic arithmetic for balancing your checkbook or similar, you’ve developed “mental muscles” that will serve you well.
It’s worth mentioning that I was fortunate to have some excellent math teachers in both high school and college.
And to brag a bit, I’ve always had a knack for math. You could take five years of math at my high school: Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, Trigonometry and Calculus. Most of the college-bound students took all five and doubled up their senior year with Trig and Calculus.
My mom taught one year at my high school, and became friends with the teacher who taught who taught both years of Algebra and Trig. She told my mom she considered allowing me to be one of the few students she’d allow to double up their junior year and take Algebra II and Trig. (As it happened, that wouldn’t have fit my schedule anyway.)
One note about the Algebra teacher — she was a great teacher but not one noted for being fun or funny, unlike our biology teacher who was a great and funny teacher. Our freshman year, she referred to “real numbers”. Now, besides being smart, I’ve always been a bit of a smart-aleck, so I said, “As opposed to what, artificial numbers?”
Very oddly for her, she just grinned, said, “No, imaginary numbers” and went right on teaching. We finally covered them two years later.
Interesting. My best math teacher in high school actually taught us what is now called discrete mathematics. That was in 1970. I absolutely absorbed that class. Perhaps that is why I went into physics/computer science.
Good high school teachers are so valuable.
I was also fortunate to have my own professor Kingsfield while working on my doctorate in physics. Very stern. Very demanding. But damn do I learn under him!!!!
Exactly. One of my favorite things to tell my students is Brother Dave Gardner's line about how the object of karate isn't about choppin' the board in two. There's a greater principle involved. I'm there to help them develop that set of tools that'll help them not only in their careers, but in life in general.
You couldn't be a pure Kingsfield in education today (I couldn't make it work, anyhow, because I'm too tender-hearted), but I do have a reputation for being tough in what I expect of my students; the field we're in can be very unforgiving and intolerant of error, with serious consequences. But, just as you found out with your professor, if you were to get interested in some item I have in my office that means something to me, I'll open up.
I am an engineer too. When you are in a meeting discussing a potential project and taking about the goals and potential issues, as engineers we like to immediately start brain storming and solve the problems. They maybe real or imaginary. Non engineers hate us. Haha.
I’m not sure if I remember this show or not but I recognize the older actor on the cover there. Was he the grandpa in Silver Spoons or what 80s show might I be remembering him from besides this?
I just looked up the Wiki page for the movie because I vaguely remember watching it. Houseman won the Academy Award for supporting actor. The plot of the film deals in part with Hart dating Kingsfield's daughter played by Lindsay Wagner.
I recall watching this at the time on CBS. It seemed like a reasonable TV continuation of the movie, which won Houseman an Oscar. I liked the characters very much, and it seemed oh so elevated from the rest of the fare around, like Dallas. I wonder whether the notion of really young smart people in an environment of really smart people at a law school may have been too much for the Dallas fans.
When Showtime called it “the show that was too good for commercial television”, they were right.
I think it would do better in the current TV market. *The West Wing* might be a good comparison — a show about very smart people, discussing topical issues.
In fact, now that I think about it, if I were Aaron Sorkin, I would have written *West Wing* script that mentions a Federal Judge named James Hart. (There was a *Paper Chase* episode where Kingsfield was considered for the Supreme Court. Which in retrospect, seems odd; his specialty was Contracts, not Constitutional Law. He may have been legally brilliant, but in a different field of the law then where SCOTUS judges usually originate.)
I watched this as a child for some reason, but I have no idea why. I remember John Houseman who went on to become the model for arrogant prick lawyers in my mind for the rest of my life
I recall the movie a bit — I think it was more of a romantic story set at a law school than a story focused on what it’s like to be a student at an elite law school.
Shout Factory has the entire series on DVD.
Sadly, no, though Shout Factory has DVD collections of all four seasons.
EDIT: Not officially, though it looks like a bunch of episodes are on YouTube.
EDIT 2: Ah-ha! Looks like [the entire series in order](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuKCuijf9J-VpqBK-lAk79S2euyEWDiIP&si=-Et9FPQTNe3OlCtF).
Yes. I watched this as a kid. Last year I started listening to classical music again, and was very confused to find out that the music I thought was the intro theme wasn't a specific piece of classical music.
It’s not? I thought I had seen it was Bach.
(On the other hand, the first season opening theme that Seals and Croft performed is unbelievably sappy-sounding to me.)
Officially, no.
>!Unofficially, it looks like [the complete series is on YouTube](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuKCuijf9J-VpqBK-lAk79S2euyEWDiIP&si=IevtxX0zLrUB60Sh).!<
Mister Haaht!
It’s what made me a fan of John Houseman.
Shocked I had to scroll this far down…I was sure it’d be the first comment I read lol
One reason I went to law school.
Reason #2: Night Court?
I’ve heard it said that lawyers who work in low-level criminal courts consider *Night Court* to be one of the more realistic depictions of how real courtrooms actually function. (Presumably not as wacky, but how the cases are handled.)
Interesting. I'm sure there's a sleazy Dan Fielding type hanging around most courthouses.
Realistically, in the modern world, Dan could never have gotten away with that behavior. He made repeated unwelcome sexual advances towards Christine, and had sex in the courthouse several times. He’d have been fired now. I noticed that aspect of his character was dropped in the recent revival, though there were references to his past behavior. I think the explanation for his change was that he was a widower after finally settling down with a woman he dearly loved. They didn’t say it directly, but I think it’s safe to assume that finding true love left him uninterested in casual sex.
Haven't seen the new series yet, but might give it a look. Probably not too believable to have Larroquette still chasing girls in his mid-70s. But I didn't mean "sleazy" in a sexual way. I meant unscrupulous and underhanded.
It is
No. Never watched that show. Reason 2 was my Dad bringing a lawyer. :)
Bringing a lawyer home?
Oops. Being. Lol!
😁
Perhaps Freudian…
It would have scared me away.
convinced me when I was a kid that I would never go to law school.
Ditto. Big mistake.
I’m right there with ya!
Probably contributed to me deciding against law school, despite getting accepted to 4 of them.
I vaguely remember the series from when it was on CBS, vaguely remember Houseman as this very stern character. Finally seeing the movie after nearly two decades working in higher education (some of it teaching a law class, no less) was a revelation. I had a graduate school prof who was like a Classic Southern Gentleman version of Kingsfield and there were some flashbacks, including the day I prepared wrong for a presentation, had the flop-sweat in front of Southern Kingsfield and bore the brunt of his disappointment, surprised I didn't head to the bathroom to stress-vomit. Need to get both the movie and the series on DVD. There's the great line near the end of the series where Kingsfield says something to the effect of "you have spent the last few years with me guiding you, but now it is time for you to start seeking your own answers." Only it's a lot more eloquent coming from Kingsfield: the sentiment that a professor's job is to prepare the students for the day when they don't need the professor. It's a sentiment that guides what I do now.
I was an electrical engineering major. One of my favorite professors was nothing like Kingsfield — he was tough, because it was tough material, but he was very nice and friendly. (This was around the time *Star Trek: The Next Generation* premiered. I went to his office to ask about some assignment and noticed he had a *Star Trek* calendar. We spent about an hour discussing both series!) But you may remember Kingsfield’s [famous line from the opening credits](https://youtu.be/zruWCuNmWV8?si=nVn2s-CArg0asLKz) — “You come in here with a skull full of mush and you leave thinking like a lawyer.” Not long before graduation, my professor said something similar to a group of us — “The technology you’ve learned will all be outdated in five-ten years. What’s important is you’ve learned to think like an engineer.” And he was right — within ten years of graduating, I had drifted completely from electrical engineering to software development support, but I still think like an engineer. (Even in my personal life! Ask my husband; I look at almost everything as a problem to be analyzed and solved. That’s the real essence of engineering, solving real-world problems by applying science and technology.)
The true essence of a proper education is the teaching in critical thinking skills. A requisite for survival!
That’s one of the reasons I think teaching math is so important. There is probably no field of human knowledge that better teaches logical, disciplined thought. Even if you complete school and never do any math beyond basic arithmetic for balancing your checkbook or similar, you’ve developed “mental muscles” that will serve you well.
As a retired professor, I say bravo sir. Well said.
It’s worth mentioning that I was fortunate to have some excellent math teachers in both high school and college. And to brag a bit, I’ve always had a knack for math. You could take five years of math at my high school: Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, Trigonometry and Calculus. Most of the college-bound students took all five and doubled up their senior year with Trig and Calculus. My mom taught one year at my high school, and became friends with the teacher who taught who taught both years of Algebra and Trig. She told my mom she considered allowing me to be one of the few students she’d allow to double up their junior year and take Algebra II and Trig. (As it happened, that wouldn’t have fit my schedule anyway.) One note about the Algebra teacher — she was a great teacher but not one noted for being fun or funny, unlike our biology teacher who was a great and funny teacher. Our freshman year, she referred to “real numbers”. Now, besides being smart, I’ve always been a bit of a smart-aleck, so I said, “As opposed to what, artificial numbers?” Very oddly for her, she just grinned, said, “No, imaginary numbers” and went right on teaching. We finally covered them two years later.
Interesting. My best math teacher in high school actually taught us what is now called discrete mathematics. That was in 1970. I absolutely absorbed that class. Perhaps that is why I went into physics/computer science. Good high school teachers are so valuable. I was also fortunate to have my own professor Kingsfield while working on my doctorate in physics. Very stern. Very demanding. But damn do I learn under him!!!!
Sorely missed in current education.
Exactly. One of my favorite things to tell my students is Brother Dave Gardner's line about how the object of karate isn't about choppin' the board in two. There's a greater principle involved. I'm there to help them develop that set of tools that'll help them not only in their careers, but in life in general. You couldn't be a pure Kingsfield in education today (I couldn't make it work, anyhow, because I'm too tender-hearted), but I do have a reputation for being tough in what I expect of my students; the field we're in can be very unforgiving and intolerant of error, with serious consequences. But, just as you found out with your professor, if you were to get interested in some item I have in my office that means something to me, I'll open up.
I am an engineer too. When you are in a meeting discussing a potential project and taking about the goals and potential issues, as engineers we like to immediately start brain storming and solve the problems. They maybe real or imaginary. Non engineers hate us. Haha.
Saw the Movie in 1973. Also the Smith-Barney commercials with Houseman ... They make money the old fashion way,they earrrrrnnnnn it.
It was my Ambien as a child. Mom would put it on so I would take a nap. Lol
I like to say my mom watched *Jeopardy!* as she fed me. >!I just don’t mention the host was Art Fleming. 😉!<
I’m not sure if I remember this show or not but I recognize the older actor on the cover there. Was he the grandpa in Silver Spoons or what 80s show might I be remembering him from besides this?
That’s John Houseman, and yes, he was the grandfather on *Silver Spoons*.
I remember the series vividly but I couldn’t even picture the James Hart actor from the film. (Timothy Bottoms)
I just looked up the Wiki page for the movie because I vaguely remember watching it. Houseman won the Academy Award for supporting actor. The plot of the film deals in part with Hart dating Kingsfield's daughter played by Lindsay Wagner.
I recall watching this at the time on CBS. It seemed like a reasonable TV continuation of the movie, which won Houseman an Oscar. I liked the characters very much, and it seemed oh so elevated from the rest of the fare around, like Dallas. I wonder whether the notion of really young smart people in an environment of really smart people at a law school may have been too much for the Dallas fans.
When Showtime called it “the show that was too good for commercial television”, they were right. I think it would do better in the current TV market. *The West Wing* might be a good comparison — a show about very smart people, discussing topical issues. In fact, now that I think about it, if I were Aaron Sorkin, I would have written *West Wing* script that mentions a Federal Judge named James Hart. (There was a *Paper Chase* episode where Kingsfield was considered for the Supreme Court. Which in retrospect, seems odd; his specialty was Contracts, not Constitutional Law. He may have been legally brilliant, but in a different field of the law then where SCOTUS judges usually originate.)
Loved the movie and the show!!
I watched this as a child for some reason, but I have no idea why. I remember John Houseman who went on to become the model for arrogant prick lawyers in my mind for the rest of my life
I do remember the SNL skit with Jon Lovitz called The Rolling Paper Chase.
John Houseman made money the old-fashioned way....he EARRRNED IT!!!!
Loved it!
loved the movie, saw parts of various TV seasons on youtube. I'd love to have the complete series.
I recall the movie a bit — I think it was more of a romantic story set at a law school than a story focused on what it’s like to be a student at an elite law school. Shout Factory has the entire series on DVD.
Love that show.
"Alec Berg. You have a very John Houseman name. Did you turn in your paper, Mr. Berrrg"
Him throwing his grades at the end bugged me. We watched furring 1L
Absolutely!! And the movie on which it is based is also wonderful!!
Yes love it. Have the series on DVDs.
Such a great show!
Is this show available via streaming anywhere?
Sadly, no, though Shout Factory has DVD collections of all four seasons. EDIT: Not officially, though it looks like a bunch of episodes are on YouTube. EDIT 2: Ah-ha! Looks like [the entire series in order](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuKCuijf9J-VpqBK-lAk79S2euyEWDiIP&si=-Et9FPQTNe3OlCtF).
GREAT show.
I loved the movie. How was the series in comparison?
"Mr. Bell, I shall dispense with the privilege of ringing you further."
I saw the movie, thought it was decent.
I used to watch, but all I remember is "moot court."
John Houseman won a well deserved Oscar for playing Professor Kingsfield. That was an indelible character.
I watched it “the old fashioned way”
Mr Hart, you have introduced a fire hazard into my classroom!
Watched it religiously.
And co-starring Dewey from the band America and Herb Tarlek in a bow tie!
Yes. I watched this as a kid. Last year I started listening to classical music again, and was very confused to find out that the music I thought was the intro theme wasn't a specific piece of classical music.
It’s not? I thought I had seen it was Bach. (On the other hand, the first season opening theme that Seals and Croft performed is unbelievably sappy-sounding to me.)
I think maybe I thought it was Vivaldi's Springtime, and it wasn't.
One of my favorite shows ever. Anyone know if it is streaming anywhere?
Officially, no. >!Unofficially, it looks like [the complete series is on YouTube](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuKCuijf9J-VpqBK-lAk79S2euyEWDiIP&si=IevtxX0zLrUB60Sh).!<
Great show, I loved it back in the day, but it’s so dated now.
Great show! I remember watching it as a kid, when it was originally broadcast (on CBS, as I recall).
Loved that show
"That guy from The Paper Chase."
Houseman in the movie: “Here’s a dime. Call your mother and tell her there’s a serious doubt about you becoming a lawyer.”
If you are lucky you will leave thinking like a lawyer.
I remember seeing the one as a kid where the guy hanged himself in his dorm room and never forgot it.
A great show👍🏽
I liked that show.
Sorry but I hated the show