‘Night Court’ Recap: ‘Wheelers of Fortune’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

NIGHT COURT -- "Wheelers of Fortune" Episode 211 -- Pictured: (l-r) Brent Spiner as Bob Wheeler, Annie O'Donnell as June Wheeler -- (Photo by: Nicole Weingart/NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 211 of ‘Night Court’. To revisit the previous episode, clickhere.
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If there is one lesson we’ve learned as fans of popular entertainment, it is easy to give life to a sequel to a popular story. Because really, all one needs to do is slap a part two on that bad boy and create something that does indeed invoke the spirit of its predecessor. Which we’ve seen come to life, time and time again with mixed results. Since some of those stories don’t really do much than offer that tip of the cap. Which means we tend to take a lot of sequels with a grain of salt because what we really want… are sequels that understand balance. That know how to take the story in a new direction but properly invoke the spirit of what came before it and that is why Night Court on NBC is such a wondrous show.

Because it knows balance and it has indeed carved out its own path, while paying proper tribute to the original series. A feat that it once again accomplished during this week’s adventure in the courtroom. For ‘Wheelers of Fortune’ took the time to bring back two wildly popular guest stars from the original series, Bob, and June Wheeler. Who were perhaps the unluckiest characters to ever grace the small screen as evidenced by the shenanigans they went through in Judge Harry Stone’s courtroom and the hell they put Dan Fielding through. But they were of course, a true staple of the previous show, and their return here was highly anticipated through and through and well, their return was nothing short of legendary for several reasons.

First, because it was like old times all over again. Thanks in part to Brent Spiner and Annie O’Donnell not missing a beat in reprising their roles as Bob and June, respectively. Because they were simply delightful here and brought the unluckiness back to life courtesy of a case involving a haunted house, and some sheep. Because that’s how the Wheelers do. But having them back and having the next generation of Wheeler appear here in Carol Ann (played just as brilliantly by Kate Micucci) really did bring about a perfect tribute to the past and a reminder that we are in new territory, and it was wondrous and amazing to see this duo in action once again, and enjoy some hearty laughs at their tragedies and oddly enough… their return here led to another endearing tribute. One for Harry Anderson and his legacy as Judge Harry Stone.

Because the return of the Wheelers reminded Abby of all the stories her father told her about them, and that prompted her to think deeply upon her dear old dad and the impact he had on this courtroom and of course her life, and how badly she missed him. Which of course, prompted her to babysit Carol Ann to make use of a psychic the Wheelers hired to flush their property of evil spirits. Because then she could fulfill a longstanding dream to make contact her dad on the other side via a message, he promised to express to her if the afterlife was really a thing. Which Abby wanted to have happen to answer that eternal question about what comes next and to have hope she would see her dad again. Which of course, ended in disaster since Jovan (played by the iconic Julia Sweeney) wasn’t a psychic but a grand sham.

Granted, eventually Abby got her wish through Dan, since somehow, he channeled the spirit of Harry Stone, but that aside… this truly was a beautiful segment to experience. Because it really did speak to Harry’s impact on the franchise and in many ways, how much he meant to us as fans and how much we miss what he brought to this show and showbiz in general. And it was wonderfully expressed through Melissa Rauch’s amazing performance here, who sold Abby’s wounds wonderfully and well, in the end, this was just an incredible episode. One that tied the old show and the new guard together beautifully through the return of the Wheelers and that tribute to the Harry’s, while still finding ways to remind us that we are in a new chapter for this saga. Since it is Abby’s courtroom now and well, all this episode does is leave us filled with emotion and joy, and it also leaves us eager for more… so we can see what other wonders await us when court returns to session. Until next time.

To learn more about the cast’s experiences in creating ‘Night Court’, check out our interview with the actor who plays Donna ‘Gurgs’ Gurganous, Lacretta.

As a bonus, here are some stills spotlighting the incredible guest stars that appeared in this week's episode and reflect the wondrous tribute to Harry Anderson and his character, Judge Harry Stone.

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