Ep 4. Welcome Back, Momma

Welcome Back, Momma is the fourth episode of season one of the classic sitcom Night Court. Created by Reinhold Weege, the show follows the evening shift of a Manhattan Municipal Court presided over by the unconventional Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone. Airing on NBC from 1984 to 1992, Night Court was known for its zany humor, eclectic cast of characters, and skewed perspective on the legal system.

In this episode, Judge Harry Stone (played by Harry Anderson) is surprised by an unexpected phone call from his mother, Claire, who he hasn't seen in years. Introducing herself as "Momma", Claire appears in the courtroom dressed as a hippie and carrying a pair of bongo drums. Harry is visibly embarrassed by her appearance and unusual behavior, but his colleagues at the courthouse are amused and curious to meet her.

As the episode progresses, Momma Stone's presence causes chaos in the courtroom. She tries to mediate a dispute between two lovestruck hippies, performs some impromptu folk tunes, and offers her unconventional wisdom to Harry's colleagues. Meanwhile, Harry is trying to manage the court's docket and deal with his mother's interference without losing his cool in front of the defendants, who are waiting for their cases to be heard.

One of the most memorable scenes in Welcome Back, Momma is when Momma Stone meets the court's resident bailiff, Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon (played by Richard Moll), a hulking, soft-spoken man with a heart of gold. Bull is immediately taken with Momma's free-spirited ways, and they share a sweet moment when she asks him to play his harmonica while she sings "You Are My Sunshine". The unlikely pair's shared love of music and gentle nature is a touching moment in an otherwise silly episode.

Throughout the episode, Harry struggles to reconcile his estranged relationship with his mother. He is still clearly hurt by her abandonment when he was a child, but he also wants to forgive her and build a new relationship. Momma Stone, for her part, is a bit of a mystery. She is clearly hiding something from her son, but she also seems genuinely interested in getting to know him and his life in the courthouse. The tension and awkwardness between mother and son is palpable, and the episode's climax comes when Harry finally confronts Momma about the secrets she's been keeping.

Overall, Welcome Back, Momma is a fun and silly episode of Night Court that showcases the show's wacky humor and heart. It's not a particularly groundbreaking or important episode, but it's a joy to watch the characters interact with each other and see Judge Harry Stone come to terms with his complicated family history. Fans of classic sitcoms and offbeat comedy will appreciate the episode's quirky charm and memorable moments.