Ep 1. Pilot

In Night Court season 1 episode 1, titled "Pilot", viewers are introduced to the strange and hilarious world of New York City's night court system. The episode begins with newly-appointed judge Harry T. Stone (played by Harry Anderson) arriving at the courthouse for his first night on the job. He greets the bailiff, Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon (played by Richard Moll), who immediately starts showing him around the courthouse and introducing him to the quirky staff and defendants.

One of the first defendants to appear before Judge Stone is a man who is accused of stealing a coat. The man insists that he was just trying to stay warm and didn't intend to steal anything, but Judge Stone isn't convinced. He decides to let the defendant off with a warning, but not before making a few jokes about how cold it is outside.

The next defendant is a woman who has been arrested for prostitution. Judge Stone seems sympathetic to her plight and tries to convince her to turn her life around. However, when she insists that she enjoys her work, he is forced to sentence her to 30 days in jail.

As the night wears on, more and more strange and hilarious cases come before Judge Stone and the rest of the night court staff. One woman is arrested for throwing a TV out of a window, while another is brought in for impersonating a nun. Throughout it all, Judge Stone keeps his cool and manages to inject a little bit of humor into even the most serious of cases.

Meanwhile, the rest of the night court staff is dealing with their own set of problems. Public defender Liz Williams (played by Paula Kelly) is tasked with defending the man who stole the coat, but she's having trouble focusing because she's in the middle of a messy divorce. Court clerk Mac Robinson (played by Charles Robinson) is dealing with a backlog of paperwork, while Bull Shannon is trying to keep the defendants from escaping.

Despite all these challenges, however, the night court staff manages to work together and keep the courthouse running smoothly. As the night draws to a close, Judge Stone admits that he's impressed by his colleagues and that he's looking forward to his next night on the bench.

Overall, Night Court season 1 episode 1 is a hilarious and fast-paced introduction to the show's unique premise and quirky characters. With its snappy writing and skilled cast, it's no wonder that Night Court went on to become a beloved classic of 80s television.