Bob and June Wheeler, played by Brent Spiner and Annie O’Donnell, first appeared during the third season of the original Night Court in 1985. Nearly forty years later, they returned for a special guest appearance in the second season of the Night Court revival series. Now, the comically (and cosmically) cursed family is back again in this week’s episode, “A Few Good Hens.”
Brent Spiner is best known for his decades-long tenure as Data the android, a role he originated in Star Trek: The Next Generation that has since spanned four theatrical movies, the final season of Star Trek: Picard, and a surprise guest spot in Star Trek: Lower Decks. In addition to his generation-defining role, Spiner has also appeared in dozens of films and TV shows over the years, to say nothing of his numerous stage roles and extensive voiceover work.
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Every Data & Android Brent Spiner Played In Star Trek
Brent Spiner has played several androids in addition to Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Lt. Commander Data throughout his Star Trek career.
ScreenRant interviewed Brent Spiner about his work on Night Court, discussing the origins of the character’s West Virginian accent and explaining why the Wheelers disappeared from the original series after season 5. He also spoke about his erstwhile wish to make a prequel to The Sunshine Boys with John Larroquette and writer Neil Simon, and shared a kernel of an idea for a potential next step for Data within the Star Trek franchise.
Brent Spiner Reveals The Secret Origin Of Night Court’s Bob Wheeler
“Bob Wheeler Always Exists Inside Of Me”
Screen Rant: It was 37 years between the last time the Wheelers were on the original show and their first appearance on the revival.
Brent Spiner: I know, kind of amazing, isn’t it?
Did you ever think that you were going to get to be Bob Wheeler again?
Brent Spiner: No. But I will say, when I heard they were doing a reboot, I was hoping against hope that I would be back and that Annie O’Donnell would be back, and that we’d be doing the Wheelers again. And here we are! Annie’s fantastic. She’s a secret weapon there, she really is.
Did you have to go back to Wheeler boot camp to find that character again, or was he right there?
Brent Spiner: Bob Wheeler always exists inside of me. (Laughs) I didn’t really have to do much research. When I did the second Independence Day film, I had to watch Independence Day again to remember how I did that. But with Bob Wheeler, I’ve been doing some Bob Wheeler since I was a kid because I’m from Texas. I would amuse my friends doing this kind of “hick” character.
As it turned out, when I first auditioned for the part, I thought, “I wonder if I can do my old character.” I went and did it, and they gave me the part! And so, he’s a part of me.
Your Yugoslavian accent is perfect.
Brent Spiner: Oh, I’m glad you recognized that, thank you! You know, that is one thing I hope. If we come back again, I hope they make some mention of the fact that we are from Yugoslavia, actually.
Why The Wheelers Disappeared From The Original Night Court
“I Took The Job Thinking, ‘Star Trek’s Probably Not Going To Last Long'”
The legend goes that you were going to be, if not a regular, at least more frequently recurring after your last appearance in season 5 of the original show. But then you got cast in that space show and had to abandon Night Court. Is that accurate to say?
Brent Spiner: Yeah, I think so. As I recall, the last episode of the original Night Court we did, we bought the newsstand. We were going to become a part of the milieu of the show, and then I got offered Star Trek in the hiatus between the last season we did and the next one. I took the job thinking, “Star Trek’s probably not going to last long. You can’t do Star Trek again.” And it turned out, of course, I was wrong! Star Trek: The Next Generation was very successful, so I was pretty much committed at that point.
But I will say, I’ve noticed that the set on Night Court is exactly the same as it was right back in the day. And the newsstand is still there! And I’m just thinking, “Hey, if they keep going? Maybe Bob and June can ultimately wind up running the newsstand again!”
Brent Spiner Reflects On The Lost John Larroquette Collaboration
“We Should Get Neil Simon To Write That For Us!”
The reason Night Court works so well for me is that it’s so singular. I’ve watched every episode of the original and the new show, and every week I have to pinch myself because this is genuinely Night Court. It’s like there was a thirty-year commercial break.
Brent Spiner: Yeah, it really is. I mean, they really get it. The writers really get the whole feel of the original series. Plus it’s got Larroquette, who was always the most important part of the original series. And he’s here, you know, doing his amazing work. John’s as good as it gets. And having him there is really extraordinary. And it really sets the tone again for the whole show.
Had you seen him or worked with him in between Night Court shows?
Brent Spiner: I’d seen him. I’d run into him. I think we actually worked together, although we weren’t on set at the same time. He did a few episodes of The Librarian for Dean Devlin, or The Librarians, it was called. And I did the voice of an animated character in one scene. I did the voiceover for this character. And I think the scene was with John, if I’m not mistaken.
But I have certainly run into John since then and couldn’t be happier to work with him again. I actually tried to push him, years ago, I thought maybe he and I should do The Sunshine Boys on stage somewhere. We thought about it. Back in the day, we had this idea of, what were The Sunshine Boys like when they were younger? We thought, “We should do that and get Neil Simon to write that for us!” But of course, now it’s too late for that. Now we could actually play the Sunshine Boys!
Does Brent Spiner Want To Return To Star Trek?
“I Have This One Idea…”
We saw Data get a new body in Picard season 3, he got to finish that decades-long transition towards becoming fully, completely human from every angle. Would you like to see further Data stories or have you closed the book on the character?
Brent Spiner: I’m always available if the writing is good and the ideas are good. I mean, I have this one idea. I don’t know if it’s any good or not, but it’s just a title, and the title is Star Trek: Data. I don’t know. How does that sound to you?
It sounds like chills running down my spine when you say it!
Brent Spiner: (Laughs) yeah, I’m always up for doing more. I thought that they captured something really wonderful in the third season. Terry Matalas brought us all back, and I felt like everybody was pretty much at the top of their game. It was a wonderful achievement on Terry’s part because I was dubious, myself… But it worked!
More About Night Court Season 3
Night Court is a 2023 series following optimistic judge Abby Stone, daughter of the late Harry Stone, as she oversees the night shift of a Manhattan arraignment court, navigating a group of quirky and skeptical colleagues, including former prosecutor Dan Fielding.
Check out our other Night Court season 3 interviews here:
Night Court season 3 airs Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Night Court
- Release Date
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January 17, 2023
- Showrunner
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Dan Rubin
