"Night Court" and the Backlash of Conservatism
One of the benefits of having digital cable is that I'm able to relive many of my favorite childhood programs. Ok, so I didn't used to watch "Banacek," but golly, that George Pepard is such a charmer. And who doesn't love re-runs of "Alf?"
Though of all my rekindled television flames, the standout is "Night Court." Set in New York, "Night Court" (1984-1992) chronicled the antics of an off-beat judge and his cast of sarcastic clerks presiding over Manhattan's most bizarre petty crimes. It's where Harry Anderson (and Richard Moll) made names for themselves. Oh, and it has one of the best instrumental theme songs ever.
But I never realized how overtly conservative the themes in the show are. In the first episode I watched, a non-English speaking Russian man, threatened with jail time, pours gasoline on himself and holds the court hostage. Judge Harry talks the guy down, in the process pointing out how awful things must be where he's from. Can you say Cold War?
The 1980s also saw the birth of the "Say No to Drugs" campaign. "Night Court" mirrored the efforts of Nancy Reagan by showing various misuses of substances lead to disaster. Characters end up climbing walls, licking tables, passing out in the hallways, and generally make asses of themselves and end up either feeling really crappy or saying, "Boy, I'll never do THAT again."
The theme of capital gain equalling happiness is a frequent one. The characters often pine after winning lottery tickets or even lucrative class action suits. In one episode Dan Fielding even goes so far as to say, "Money can't buy happiness... it buys the things that make happiness." Incidentally, he also mentions getting investment advice from Dick Cheney.
Dan Fielding embodies everything sleazy about the 1980s. Mostly it's womanizing, as he constantly objectifies the female form. In one episode, he refers to a woman as "Mrs. So and So," and the woman corrects him by saying, "It's Ms. (pronounced Miz)," to which Dan replies, "Oh, my mizzzzzstake!"
But Dan's not the only one dishing out the sexism. Harry and Bull also use the terms "broads," "chicks," and "babes," with frequency. Not only that, the female characters are patronized by the writers, painted as soft defenders of humanity with raging emotions, always quick to cry or slump down defeated. And temporary! The show went through 4 female public defenders before Christine Sulllivan, 3 female bailiffs before Roz (ok, Selma Hacker died, it's still a statistic), and about 300 different girlfriends for Harry Stone. If they were too emotionally stable, for example a successful musician or writer, Harry usually dumped them, saying his work in law came first.
The liberal politics of the 1970s led to a massive backlash of conservatism in the 1980s, and I'm realizing now that "Night Court," for all its hilarity, is often just a thinly veiled vehicle for that. Will social consciousness overtake my nostalgia? My DV-R argues the statute of limitations has run out on this one.
Though of all my rekindled television flames, the standout is "Night Court." Set in New York, "Night Court" (1984-1992) chronicled the antics of an off-beat judge and his cast of sarcastic clerks presiding over Manhattan's most bizarre petty crimes. It's where Harry Anderson (and Richard Moll) made names for themselves. Oh, and it has one of the best instrumental theme songs ever.
But I never realized how overtly conservative the themes in the show are. In the first episode I watched, a non-English speaking Russian man, threatened with jail time, pours gasoline on himself and holds the court hostage. Judge Harry talks the guy down, in the process pointing out how awful things must be where he's from. Can you say Cold War?
The 1980s also saw the birth of the "Say No to Drugs" campaign. "Night Court" mirrored the efforts of Nancy Reagan by showing various misuses of substances lead to disaster. Characters end up climbing walls, licking tables, passing out in the hallways, and generally make asses of themselves and end up either feeling really crappy or saying, "Boy, I'll never do THAT again."
The theme of capital gain equalling happiness is a frequent one. The characters often pine after winning lottery tickets or even lucrative class action suits. In one episode Dan Fielding even goes so far as to say, "Money can't buy happiness... it buys the things that make happiness." Incidentally, he also mentions getting investment advice from Dick Cheney.
Dan Fielding embodies everything sleazy about the 1980s. Mostly it's womanizing, as he constantly objectifies the female form. In one episode, he refers to a woman as "Mrs. So and So," and the woman corrects him by saying, "It's Ms. (pronounced Miz)," to which Dan replies, "Oh, my mizzzzzstake!"
But Dan's not the only one dishing out the sexism. Harry and Bull also use the terms "broads," "chicks," and "babes," with frequency. Not only that, the female characters are patronized by the writers, painted as soft defenders of humanity with raging emotions, always quick to cry or slump down defeated. And temporary! The show went through 4 female public defenders before Christine Sulllivan, 3 female bailiffs before Roz (ok, Selma Hacker died, it's still a statistic), and about 300 different girlfriends for Harry Stone. If they were too emotionally stable, for example a successful musician or writer, Harry usually dumped them, saying his work in law came first.
The liberal politics of the 1970s led to a massive backlash of conservatism in the 1980s, and I'm realizing now that "Night Court," for all its hilarity, is often just a thinly veiled vehicle for that. Will social consciousness overtake my nostalgia? My DV-R argues the statute of limitations has run out on this one.
posted by Pedante at 10:31 AM
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