Night Court Video: Marsha Warfield Returns as Roz in the Season Finale — But Is She Joining the Cast Full-Time?
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Tuesday’s Night Court finale.
Dan Fielding’s new gig as a judge brought him face-to-face with an old friend.
Tuesday’s Night Court season finale ended with Dan settling into his new job as a judge in his native Louisiana, where his first defendant was… Roz! Yes, Marsha Warfield reprised her role from the original Night Court series as the surly bailiff, now in court after a rowdy bachelorette party in New Orleans. She was stunned to see him: “Fielding? They made you a judge?” Then she ordered the bailiff: “Take me back to jail.” (Press PLAY above to watch the scene.)
It was a special treat for Night Court fans who haven’t seen Warfield play Roz since the original 1992 series finale. For Warfield, it was simple: “They asked me to do the episode, and I said sure,” she tells TVLine. But “I never considered that I might be part of the cast” of the new series, she adds. “I’ve always felt like, and I’ve said publicly: If they asked me, I’d be happy to. But I understand why they wouldn’t.”
In fact, Warfield hadn’t appeared on television at all in more than two decades before her recent stint on Fox’s 9-1-1 as Hen’s mother. (“I like to say that at the height of my career, I decided to take some time out to get really old, as you can see,” she explains with a laugh.) But she enjoyed getting a chance to reunite with her old co-star John Larroquette, who reprises his role as Dan on the new Night Court: “Spending time with him on the set… it was so comfortable and so nice to see him.”
That won’t be the last time she sees him, either: Warfield reveals that she’ll return as Roz in the Season 2 premiere as well. (Night Court was renewed for Season 2 back in February.) “We find out why she went to jail in the first place,” she teases, and we also “get to catch up with her for a little bit” and hear about “some of the things she’s done in her past and is doing now. Then she gets to spend some time with an old friend.” Warfield isn’t becoming a full-time cast member on the show, but “if they ask for more, I’m hopefully available, and I would love to do it.”
Elsewhere in the season finale: Before he left, Dan helped get Abby’s felony charge dismissed, despite the best efforts of evil prosecutor Jeff Dewitt, and Abby broke up with her boyfriend Rand when they realized they want different things. (He’s not exactly a New York City guy.) And yes, Dan did take that job in Louisiana — but he has to come back to Abby’s courtroom at some point, right?
Give the Night Court season finale a grade in our poll, and tell us: Will you come back for Season 2?
Oh please please please – Let Roz be engaged to the son of Bob Wheeler.
Like the son – and father in tow (…”no son, toe. T – o – e”) – come to bail out Roz.
Nice spoiler warning.
So happy to see her character back! This show got so much better as the season went along, Can’t wait for next season!
So happy to have her character back! This show has improved alot as the season went along. Can’t wait for season 2!
Loved that they got her back. Can’t wait for season 2.
They should have done a Night Court spinoff with Dan Fielding as Judge in Louisiana and with Abby as a DA and Olivia as the prosecutor, Roz as bailiff, and any random person to be the clerk. That would have been great. They need to get rid of the new bailiff and clerk. They’re annoying.
Definitely!
Who would be the public defender. If Abby is the DA that would mean Abby would just be Olivia’s boss. I’m assuming you meant you want Abby as the defense.
Yes, I meant Abby would be the defense attorney. Her personality is most like Christine and Olivia is like Dan without the sexual harassment.
Agreed except for Olivia. She’s the worst part of the show, and I’ve liked that actress in other things. It’s like she slips in and out of a 1920s “flapper” type accent, and they’ve built no personality for her. She’d be the first character I’d ditch.
I had to laugh at the 1920s “flapper” type accent! And I actually agree with you on that; I just couldn’t put my finger on it until you put words to it.
John larroquette was supposed to have a spin off after night court but chose not to just like when he took his name out of Emmy running .I’m not a Abby fan at all but I wasn’t a Christine , Billie fan either .
I agree that Dan should have been the judge and Abby the public defender, but I’m not a fan of the prosecutor at all, it’s painful to watch her try and be funny, she’s not. I would have loved the prosecutor to be Renee F. Robinson, the daughter of Mac. As for the other two, the clerk is so vanilla and has no personality, I can’t even remember his name. The bailiff is growing on me though, sort of the anti-Roz.
Roz was a great surprise!
My main issue is with the prosecutor, can’t recall her name. Olivia? Anyway, I just wish she wouldn’t seem to try so hard. To me it’s as if she is afraid of not being funny so she has this seriously nervous, jumpy acting thing and the super fast talking. Just makes me not like her and I’d really like to.
I agree .
I agree. She needs some sitcom training. Her delivery is like unfunny Groucho Marx.
That’s part of the character, though – Olivia is desperate to reach more than she’s got, and insecure. Her journey over the season has been her growth from that starting point.
Confession, Olivia bugs me more than Gurts. Though she got on my last nerve in the episode from 2 or 3 weeks ago. When she accidentally spilled coffee on Dan.
I think Gurts has improved over the course of the season. I like her a lot more since episode 1.
I’ll take as much Marsha Warfield as she and the show will give us. She’s terrific. She’s also the best acting match for Laroquette.
One of the best episodes was when they addressed Roz’s diabetes and Dan had to help her down off the roof.
Was so happy to see Roz back Eben just for a minute
I enjoyed the finale. Dan remains my favorite bit. Abby and Rand are my least liked characters. Abby needs a bit of the TBBT’s Bernadette. I hope Roz stays. I’ll take as much Dan and Roz as they want to give us. Love them.
Where is the play button to watch cannot find it or see it
Glad they held off until the end with Roz. Gimmick guest stars are a ratings crutch. If they announced an episode with the cast of Big Bang they’d get a one time jump in ratings.
Just like the original, some recasting is needed. Remember they had two defense attorneys before Markie Post joined.
Let’s see if there is a season 2…this ending felt like a series finale. Everyone is happy.
Renewed a long while ago.
NOW DO BULL!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to like this revival of Night Court, I really do. I watch it and I watch it and I hope and I pray that the writing gets better but it doesn’t. Or maybe it’s not the writing, it the supporting cast’s acting, so over the top most of the time. Perhaps it’s both. Why are only the lead’s roles written/acted well? You can have zany without overacting, in fact I would argue you cannot have zany if it’s overacted because then it just feels forced.