In 1984, Shelley was cast as public defender Christine Sullivan for the second season of the nighttime sitcom Night Court. Shelley said she was delighted with her character, a defense attorney who will eventually become romantically involved with Judge Harry Stone (played by comedian Harry Anderson). "I liked the show. They offered me the role. I went and met with them and liked them," Shelley said in a 1984 interview. "But what happened was the role was changed somewhere between that meeting and my first day on the set," she added. "Instead of being a funny lady, as she was in the reading, they had changed her into a straight woman," Shelley continued. Shelley didn't think it was working; so she and the producers of the show amicably parted ways without her completing a single episode. Promotional pics of Shelley with the cast (as well as her solo promo pics) were produced though.
