Night Court (TV Series) Welcome Back, Momma (1984) User Reviews

Welcome Back, Momma: Night court

[Scarecrow-88 · 8/10 · 24 September 2011]

In a bittersweet episode of Night Court, Harry is introduced to an elderly woman who was arrested for chucking a rock through a store window claiming to be his mother! The "Pleased to meet you", followed by a handshake from Harry to this woman sets off the opening credits perfectly! Screen veteran (of movies and mostly television) Janis Paige is the sweet old lady who knows about Uncle Otto and his missing digit, so Harry decides to give her the benefit of the doubt. Plus, Harry has never known his mother (she took a hike when he was five), so this possible opportunity to reconnect he doesn't take in stride. I must admit that "Welcome Back, Momma" is really rather sad, because the result doesn't allow the kind of closure you would prefer for Harry, but he is given a chance to confront another person who hasn't appreciated his mother, thinking about "putting her away" in a home or sanitarium. The really laugh-out-loud moments go to Larroquette as Dan attempts to convince foreign beauties—having come to America in the guise that they would be participating in a legitimate pageant, the one responsible, organizing this supposed event, actually preying on them for other more despicable reasons, upon finding out this scam they react by beating the crap out of him—to meet him at his apartment as he hopes to score! Bull interacts with Miss Sweden (who looks like a farm girl, a little rough, but not too rugged) as he shows on paper in a doodle what his name is (it's all implied and expertly done by the two, as she storms off, speaking in her own language as he stands confused as to why she seems so insulted), by drawing a bull (to differentiate the difference in cow and bull…haha!). Melanie Vincz as bubble-headed Miss USA, Barbara (people call me Buffy!), full of perky sweetness, a wide smile and cheery energy is a real treat.

"This is Dans' apartment. Dans' apartment is GOOD."

[Hey_Sweden · 8/10 · 26 February 2023]

Appearing before the court in this episode are a bevy of gorgeous babes from various countries who assaulted a sleazy dude who passed himself off as a beauty pageant organizer. This is good for a number of laughs as well as some girl-watching, but the kicker comes when elderly Eleanor Brandon (Janis Paige, "Please Don't Eat the Daisies") comes before Harry. She claims to be his long-lost mother (who'd left him when he was just five), and this both throws Harry for a loop and greatly upsets him.

While it is a little hard to believe that Eleanor could come to know so much about Harry through "a little research", this episode does a fine job of both delivering the expected laughs and giving the story some real poignancy. Paige is so endearing and wonderful that she just steals your heart. And you really feel for Harry, having to grow up without a maternal influence in his life and not knowing what to believe.

Some good recurring laughs come from Bull trying to get close to "Miss Sweden" (Lena Pousette, "The Lonely Guy") and a typically, hilariously horny Dan trying to con the beauties into coming to his apartment. "There will be no funny stuff....unless you want it."

Also guest starring Peter Jurasik ('Hill Street Blues', 'Babylon 5'), Melanie Vincz ("The Lost Empire"), who's very funny as the bubbly "Miss U. S. A.", Stephanie Faulkner ("Howling V: The Rebirth"), and Adele Yoshioka ("Magnum Force").

Eight out of 10.

Mommy dearest

[Calicodreamin · 6/10 · 25 June 2022]

One lucky guess that Uncle Otto only had one thumb, though it seems a bit unbelievable that the rest so easily came out through a little research. Beauty pageant storyline was a throwaway.