There is an advantage to being a revival comedy like Night Court: not only do you often have one or two sitcom legends in your lead cast, but you also get to bring in some of the all-time greats for guest appearances. Episode 4 (“Dan v. Dating”) of the 2023 revival of Night Court (Dan v. Dating) embodies this spirit. Not only do we have a plot revolving around the original Night Court performer and sitcom classic John Larroquette, but we also get to witness him act opposite one of the greats: Wendie Malick.
And with any luck, this will not be the last time Malick visits the Night Court set. Her function may appear to be very one-dimensional, but it doesn’t have to be. Listen to us, NBC! However, initially…
What role does Wendie Malick play in the cast of Night Court?
In the episode “Dan v. Dating,” Wendie Malick portrays Dan Fielding’s potential romantic interest Julianne (Larroquette). This is quite significant for the former playboy prosecutor. While Dan was definitely the love-and-leave type in the original Night Court series, he has since loved and lost a wife. Today’s Dan Fielding is an altogether different person, and he is unsure if he is ready to date. He’s unsure if he’s ready to go on a date with Julianne, a perfectly nice-looking woman who flirts with him in the canteen of the night court. He should have faith in his instincts.
It turns out that Julianne is not seeking a casual relationship with Fielding. She is truly seeking retribution. Apparently, thirty years ago, Dan prosecuted Julianne for burning her then-house boyfriend’s on fire. When she found herself again in night court (“Different boyfriend, different fire”), she saw an opportunity to exact revenge on the man who had put her to jail. Fortunately for Dan, he was simply too depressed for Julianne to bother.
Where have you previously seen Wendie Malick?
Malick’s two major series regular appearances on Hot In Cleveland and Just Shoot Me are likely familiar to you. She has also had a number of important recurring parts, including Ronee in the final season of Frasier. As Rose Byrne’s mother in Apple TV+’s Physical and as Young Beatrice in Netflix’s BoJack Horseman, Malick is still widely seen and audible on television today.
Will Wendie Malick return to the Night Court cast?
Um, if the minds behind Night Court possess any common sense, then yes! At the Television Critics Association winter 2023 tour, Decider met up with series star and executive producer Melissa Rauch, who discussed bringing in an all-timer such as Malick.
“It was so exciting to watch [Larroquette and the guest stars] together,” added Rauch. “I was frequently behind the monitor for situations I was not in, such as the scene with John and Wendie Malick… I felt as though the younger version of myself who was getting a front-row seat was losing her head. There is a palpable chemistry between the sitcom stars, which was evident at every turn. It was very, incredibly great to witness the searing sitcom magic that I believe occurs when people like that are in the same room together.
What if, as she put it, Julianne turned out to be “criminally insane”? Even if she and Dan did not develop a romantic relationship, that does not exclude her from returning in future episodes to annoy him. Malick’s propensity to portray magnificent, over-the-top weirdos is better utilized as Dan’s rival than as his love interest. She might be the type of recurring character in a sitcom that viewers anticipate seeing because they know she will stir things up. Consider Newman, Janice, Waldo Faldo, and even Buddy Ryan from the first Night Court. Make it so, Night Court administrators!
New episodes of Night Court premiere on NBC on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and are available to stream on Peacock the following day.
»Wendie Malick’s Guest Appearance on ‘Night Court’ Should Become a Regular Cast Member«