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Mindy McConnell played by Pam Dawber, is an aspiring and, later, fully fledged journalist. She is also Mork's guide, teacher, and roommate on Mork and Mindy, who falls in love with and eventually marries him. Mindy's Apartment is located at 1619 Pine Street in Boulder, Colorado.

About Mindy McConnell[]

Little Mindy

Mindy, age 6.

Mindy Beth McConnell is. from outward appearance, your typical 'All American' girl. Pretty, popular and outgoing.

Having lost her beloved mother, Elizabeth, at aged 6 she was raised in the McConnell Home by her protective but supportive father and free-spirited grandmother. Inheriting, often warring, traits from both. Also, like them both she has a musical streak, and is an accomplished and very fine singer (Looney Tunes and Morkie Melodies), who gives music lessons in her own right (Mork vs. Mindy). The first girl to play Little League in Boulder, she went on to be very popular in Boulder High School, with a lot of friends, and dating and being pursued by the popular boys in turn. At a time when not many women were making inroads in journalism, Mindy made up her mind to try and pursue that avenue when she left High School and got into College in Colorado University.

However, possibly due to meeting Dan Phillips, Mindy lost her own way, dropped out of College and ended up engaged to marry Dan, only for him to get cold feet and break it off. Since then she works in McConnell's Music Store, the family run store located on the Mall in Boulder, where she works behind the counter and gives singing lessons, and has moved into her own apartment to live on her own for the first time.

Pilot3

With Bill Mason

It is there she's working when she goes on her third date with Bill Mason, driving up above Boulder Reservoir in her Jeep for the view. There Bill reveals himself to be a handsy jerk, Mindy dumping him only to be stranded as Bill drives off in her Jeep. Encountering what she thinks to be a priest, she walks home with him venting about Bill, and invites him in to thank him and offer him a drink, to discover it's not a collar he's wearing but a business suit backwards, and she has an Alien named Mork in her home. Overcoming her fear as she realizes he is only there to learn, almost every facet of her life is subsequently turned on its head, as she becomes his guide and teacher, in return for learning more about him and his world,

Personality[]

Mindy's personality, to her annoyance, is often summed up as 'Perky', something Mork teases her about. A 'nice girl' she plays within the rules, but has an adventurous and rebellious streak, and is in many ways a combo of her father and grandmother. Active, she enjoys riding (Mork's Vacation), playing tennis (A Mommy for Mindy / Limited Engagement), and is a keen skier regarding herself as pretty good (Apartment Decor / My Dad Can't Beat Up Anybody). She is keen to have a career and relationship, but the notion of having children and being a Mother unnerves her (A Mommy for Morky), even after her marriage to Mork (The Honeymoon).

Immensely likable, she is bright, and intelligent, kind, warm and friendly. She is curious and can be forthright about what she believes and stand up for it, but gets a little nervous sometimes in the face of authority or the unknown. That said, she will not put aside her principles for her own advancement (I Heard It Through the Morkvine) even when her subsequent career at KTNS as a journalist begins. Even willing to face jail rather than sacrifice her journalistic integrity (Cheerleaders in Chains).

She also has a jealous/possessive strain to her, especially in regards to Mork (Mork's Seduction / Mork's Baby Blues / Mork, the Swinging Single / Gotta Run, Part 1). Though she says she is not, Mindy is almost endlessly patient, as evinced over and over again by her ability to (mostly) calmly deal with the antics of her disruptive roommate, boyfriend and husband that would wreck most people's heads, as well as their apartments.

She teaches Mork almost everything he knows about the world and human behavior, and brings forth in him his own emotions, helping him to reconcile the things he is not used to within himself (Mork's Mixed Emotions), and to believe in himself (There's a New Mork in Town).

The protectiveness she has of him, the fact she has to support them both (and later their child too), and the supportiveness he shows her in return, helps her to stand more and more on her own two feet, learning to stand up to the system (Pilot), her father (Mork Moves In).Orson (The Wedding) and even the courts (Cheerleaders in Chains).

Mindy's personality seems to appeal greatly to Orkan men, as not only Mork, but The Elder, Xerko, and even Orson himself are all swayed/affected by her in one form or another by her.

Foibles[]

Relationships[]

Mork[]

As central as Mindy is to changing Mork's life, Mork is no less central to hers. From the moment she meets him, the pattern of her life is altered forever.

Pilot21

Finding Mork's Voice

Mork is initially a figure of fascination for her, throwing everything she thought she knew out the window. His obvious cluelessness and innocence brings out a protective streak in her which leads her to berate her prudish father for his behavior in trying to drive Mork away. Something which leaves Mork facing a sanity hearing, and her to stand up for him in front of a judge (Pilot). Mork is also a way out of the hum drum life she has fallen into since dropping out of college, telling him that his importance makes her feel like she's important (Mork Moves In). Falling into the role of mentor, guide and teacher, his boundless enthusiasm, optimism and humor brings laughter, joy and excitement into her life, and with it her zest for returning to her journalistic studies. Though there are trade offs, as his actions in trying to find his way and understand things, also bring a serious element of chaos, and leaves her trying to cover for him and his secret. In addition his presence in her home causes a problem with any potential romantic life (Mork Runs Away). However when Mork runs away to try and make things better for her, Mindy's already growing attachment to him is revealed both in how she panics, fearful for him, breaking down when telling her father that she doesn't want him to go, and in her relief on finding him. Their first and second kisses follow shortly after. The first coming in the form of tuition (Mork In Love). The second more earnest and real, in the wake of Mindy's jealousy when an old classmate, Susan Taylor, sets her sights on Mork (Mork's Seduction).

SFKFOMH - 19

Frozen, Solid

Mindy's attention is briefly deviated from Mork when the man she was once engaged to, Dan Phillips, returns. Dan having done an almost 180 to recover from the cold feet that caused him to break it off with her previously, and now very keen to settle down and and start a family, proposing to her again. But Mork's reversion to childhood via his age machine, along with her realization that she is the one not ready to settle down, ends that. From then on Mindy's attentions are focused on her renewed studies, and Mork, learning to appreciate his philosophies and abilities (Mork's Greatest Hit; Mork the Tolerant), admitting their growing attachment (Skyflakes Keep Falling on My Head) and on encouraging his emerging emotions (Mork Goes Erk).

Mork's Mixed Emotions 36

Opening the door

She is amused when he starts to have intimate dreams involving them, but deeply unhappy when due to the intensity of the dreams (which he is not used to having), he attempts and succeeds in locking away the ever strengthening emotions that are causing them. Trying to insult, and guilt him into a reaction, she resorts to more primal techniques, seductively coaxing, toying, then straight up coming on to him, her passionate kiss having far more effect then she expects. His emotions emerging volcanically, introducing her to his lust, chasing her around the room, before his emotions take him on a rampage. On his return, Mindy works with him on the difficulty he is having with accepting his emotions as a part of him, and reconciling them with himself (Mork's Mixed Emotions).

Mork In Wonderland 2 - 32

Returned and Restored

After her father and grandmother move away, and the Music Store is sold, Mindy is left alone with her secret about Mork. When he catches cold and she gives him cold meds to shrink his nasal membranes, she does so without knowing much of his Orkan physiology is membrane, and is left desperately trying to find away to stop the effects as he starts to shrink. Unable to stop it, she can only watch distraught as he shrinks away to nothing in front of her eyes. Having been gone for three days and thinking him dead, in tears she mourns fiercely, only to be stunned and brought to even more tears when he returns (Mork in Wonderland, Part 2).

AMH - 35

Unsettling Times

As Mork has trouble both finding and holding onto a job, with no Music store as a back up, along with attempting to guide/keep a rein on Mork she finds herself trying to balance her studies and supporting them both, chiefly through giving singing lessons. A fairly fraught year follows which sees her nearly lobotomized (Mork's Health Hints), trying to sell her family home only to, via Mork, encounter the ghosts of ancestors and her mother (A Morkville Horror), her father unexpectedly re-marrying (A Mommy for Mindy) and trying to deal with aliens inhabiting Mork's vacant body (Mork's Vacation). All while her apartment is attacked variously by a strip club owner, local racists and Necrotons. Some stability comes when Mork finally lands the perfect job for himself in the Pine Tree Day Care Center.

Putting The Ork Back In Mork Pt1 4

Mindy and 'Mory'

But her attempts, to get him to fit in more and more with Earth customs during this period ultimately cause a problem. Mork developing Observer Syndrome, becoming 'Mory', almost entirely losing his Orkan-ness. In an effort to help him, she finally meets Orson 'face to face'. But discovers that Mork's condition brings with it the threat of his being recalled in disgrace to Ork, once there, ostracized, never to see her again. In order to remain with her Mork undergoes a dangerous procedure to restore himself (Putting the Ork Back in Mork). After that things in both their lives and relationship progress.

Boosted by Mork's attempts to get her to focus on what she has going for her, Mindy eschews postgrad work to begin searching for a job (Mork in Never Neverland). When Mork half destroys the apartment in a reckless attempt to make her laugh, an angry Mindy considers making Mork move out, but discovers that what is out there doesn't compare to what she has at home (Mork the Prankster). Something that is reinforced for her, after he both helps her get and keep her new job (Mindy Gets Her Job); when another Orkan, Xerko the Magnificent arrives to try and take both Mork's position and her from him (There's A New Mork in Town); and when her friends encourage her to go on a date with someone else, only for Mork's success with the ladies (after she encourages him to see others too) to reignite her jealousy and appreciation of what they have together (Mork, the Swinging Single).

Reflections & Regrets 1

Prelude to an Admittance

Soon after Mork helps her father reunite with her estranged Uncle, Dave (Mork and the Family Reunion), her grandmother regain her confidence (Old Muggable Mork), and they navigate together through the changes her new working life has brought about (Mindy and Mork), all of which serve to increase his importance to her. In Reflections and Regrets at Mr. Bickley's 50th birthday party, to cheer Bickley up, all the guests talk of their current and past regrets, bar Mindy who repeatedly avoids being called on. When he asks her why, she tells Mork it's because its' very personal, something for him only to hear. Alone with him later, she tells him her regret is that her mother died before she could meet him. Something she could not talk about in front of everyone else, as she wanted her mother to know everything about him, including where he came from. And, that he's the most important thing in the world to her. Deeply touched Mork says he knows what he would've said to her mother had he met her. He opens the door and has what appears to her, at first, an imaginary, yet heart felt talk to her mother. A talk that she starts to understand is his way of telling her something, as, when 'her mother' asks him if he loves her daughter, Mork asks 'her' if wanting to give Mindy everything he has, and spend the rest of his life with her means he loves her, getting teary at 'her answer'. When he says goodbye to 'her mother', the door closes by itself, and on Mindy's moved query, Mork confirms her mother was really there and that her mother told him to give her something: kissing her on the forehead. Taking her hands he confesses his love for her, which she happily reciprocates.

Limited2

Mindy struggles with her feelings for Mork over her family's advice against marrying him.

Despite finally admitting to their feelings, Mindy is still taken by surprise when, a short while later, Mork goes down on one knee and asks her to marry him (Limited Engagement). Her first instinct is to follow her heart and say yes, arguing her love for him over her family's objections. Until they pointedly remind her of what she would face/ be giving up, in saying yes to an Alien. Especially one who ages backwards. Namely any chance of a normal life, and the probability of children of her own. Feeling, for both their sakes, that she has to be the pragmatic, sensible one, and though its not what her heart wants, she turns Mork down. Saying there's a line that probably shouldn't be crossed. But is unable to resist when a stricken Mork pleads for 24 hours to try to convince her.

Limited Engagement 14

Losing Mork...

Through the 24 hours she wrestles with herself, knowing what the logical answer to his proposal should be, while emotionally she feels exactly the opposite. Mork gives it his all in a romantic onslaught, but despite all his efforts to convince her that they were meant to be, she holds firm. That is until a defeated, heartbroken Mork, jolts her by accepting her decision and goes to move out immediately. Not having thought that by turning him down she would face losing him, she tries to stop him, wanting him to stay, and to continue as they are. But it is Mork that is pragmatic and realistic now, telling her loves her, and cannot stay there knowing she would never be his (waiting to lose her to someone 'normal'), before asking her straight up, if it were the other way around, could she stay? Knowing she couldn't, she has to admit it, and watches him walk to the door, though the moment his hand touches the door handle, she breaks and calls him back. Weighing a shot at a normal life, over losing him, there is only one winner, and she gives in to what her heart wants anyway and asks him to marry her.

The Wedding 11

Mindy informs her father she does not need his permission to marry Mork

Her decision made, past her own qualms, Mindy is determined to face up to the objections of others, and tells first her Grandmother and then her Father that she has changed her mind and is fully intent on marrying Mork. While her grandmother is shocked, she feels that if that is what Mindy truly wants, she will support her completely. Fred however is a different matter, and they argue repeatedly as he refuses point blank to give his consent or his blessing, calling her decision a tragic mistake. Faced with his intransigence Mindy takes a stance of her own. Telling Fred that while they would like his blessing, they don't need his permission to get married. And one way or another she is marrying Mork, and while it's not what she wants if that's how Fred feels about it, she will walk down the aisle to him, alone. Faced with that, Fred folds, and gives his blessing.

TW - 2-2

I Do's Done

However, things still do not go smoothly. While aware that Orson had opposed the marriage but thinking Mork has talked him around, Mindy is shocked on their wedding day to discover that Orson is upholding his ban. And in punishment for his opposing his orders, Orson is turning Mork into a dog (The Wedding). Going into his head with him, Mindy goes head to head with, and defies, Orson telling him that no matter what he's done to him, she is going through with the wedding as dog or not it's still Mork he's risked everything for her and she loves him. Her defiance and commitment to her fiancé impress the hulking Orkan, and Orson relents. restoring Mork, allowing him to marry her and even arranging for them to Honeymoon on Ork. There, she learns a little of what it's been like for Mork to live on a world where you stand out, and are a confused stranger to all the customs and habits around you. While at the same time coaxing her nervous groom, fearful of letting her down, through the more Earthly customs of the wedding night, crossing the final barrier in their relationship. (The Honeymoon).

Back home, her life with Mork as blissful newlyweds doesn't last long however, as Mork starts to exhibit some strange behavior a month into their marriage. All of which leads to her discovering that, in the past few weeks of 'mating' with Mork, she has not only somehow managed to get her husband pregnant, but that he has given birth to their child in the form of an egg. Her world, and expectations of her own motherhood, turned upside down, she has little time to adjust as said egg grows rapidly to hatch into their son. A full grown middle aged man. All within 24 hours. (Three the Hard Way).

Other Romances[]

AMFM - 6

Daddy Fixation

Dan Phillips - Dan Phillips (tall, blond, and good looking), is Mindy's ex-fiancé and, given the time frame, likely part of the reason she dropped out of college the first time around. However, Dan broke off their engagement due to cold feet, and not being ready to settle down. When he returns (A Mommy for Morky), a few months after Mork has moved in, he appears a changed man. Now more interested in throwing rice than sowing wild oats, and one of those few men willing to believe that Mindy's relationship with Mork is platonic. Back to woo Mindy, he is intent on rekindling their relationship, and their engagement, wanting to start a family having discovered that what he wants most is to be a father.

After taking her on a veritable whirlwind of internationally themed restaurant dates over the course of a few weeks, Mindy tells Mork that Dan has proposed to her again, and while she hasn't yet said yes, to Mork's dismay she is strongly considering it. A few weeks after that she still hasn't said yes, and confesses to Mork that what is holding her back is Dan's immediate desire to start a family and her qualms about being a mother. Something that is settled, in part, by Mork's wondering what it would be like to have a mother, and regressing himself with his Orkan age machine to a 3 year old, leaving her struggling to deal with him. The other prime reason being for her turning him down being Mindy's gradual realization that Dan is truly less interested in having a wife, then having someone to bear his children (all ten of them!).

Long Before We Met 11

Breaking up with Steve

Steve Sanders - Steve Sanders (tall, blond and good looking) was Mindy's High School boyfriend, who she went steady with for 2 years. With Steve on the football team, to Mindy's cheerleader, they were *the* couple in their Senior Year, ultimately, and to no one's surprise, voted Prom King & Queen (Long Before We Met). None of this is known to Mork until relatively early into their married life, when he attends a School reunion with Mindy and is introduced to Steve, who is rapidly making inroads as a young politician and already Lt. Governor of Wyoming. Unperturbed at first by their reunion, Mork's insecurity is gradually stirred by the reminiscences of Glenda Faye and fellow class member Dickie Nimitz of what a romantic/ideal couple Mindy and Steve were. Dickie's waxing lyrical about how into each other they were, and how clear their chemistry still is, augmented by Steve's repeated playful kisses as they dance.

His jealousy ignited, an argument ensues between Mork & Mindy. Mindy, irritated by Mork's lack of trust in her, insists that the only reason there ever was a Steve was because she hadn't met Mork yet. However Mork's insecurity is further fueled by the arrival of roses for Mindy from 'Stevie'. Unsettled and unhappy, Mork decides to travel back in time to Mindy's Senior Prom, to see whether she might have loved 'him' back then even with Steve around. Infiltrating Mindy's Senior Prom as 'Vladimir', a Russian exchange student, There Steve is revealed to be a self absorbed, opinionated, egotistical, jerk, unconcerned with Mindy's own dreams, and possessive to boot. 'Vladimir' quickly hooks Mindy's interest, charming her with his humor, exoticness and genuine interest in and encouragement of her dreams. Steve's aggressive reaction to 'Vladimir' dancing and trying to make time with Mindy, attempting to beat him up, is the final straw for her, and after they are declared Prom King and Queen, she dumps him on the dance floor, to go seek out 'Vladimir' to dance with her, confirming to a happy Mork that he has nothing to be insecure about when it comes to Mindy's affections.

Mindy & Brad

Brad making a rapid exit on finding Mork lives with Mindy

Brad Jackson - Brad Jackson, (tall, blond and good looking...establishing a definite Mindy 'type') was an old High school friend of Mindy's who like Steve (and Jack Peterson) was on the football team, and who she obviously liked well enough to consider dating, but who never asked her out. Having gone away to Law School, he's doing well for himself and back in town re-connects with her and asks her on a date, which also goes well, until Mork's return home early (Mork Runs Away). Getting in between them, Mork's frank (and truthful) confessions that he lives with Mindy, gives Brad the wrong idea about Mindy's dating practices. Her own attempts to explain don't fare very well and he leaves with the impression she's a swinger.

Bill Mason - Bill Mason, (never seen standing up) blond, and pretty good looking, was on his third date with Mindy and up at Boulder Lake when he let his hands run away with him, and wouldn't stop, getting himself properly dumped. Though being described by Mindy as being ineffectual up to that point, probably meant he was heading that way anyway (Pilot). Taking her reaction to his groping badly, he absconds with her Jeep leaving her stranded there. It is assumed he clearly returned it, as there was no talk of him being prosecuted for theft, and she is in possession of her Jeep again shortly after. Bill, could be considered the most crucial of all her other romances, as it was his actions that led to her meeting Mork.

IAWM -33

Cliff spinning another tale

Cliff - Cliff (no surname), breaks from the norm in being tall, dark and bearded (but still good looking), is the one who might have been for Mindy, but fortunately wasn't (It's a Wonderful Mork). Cliff was a blind date of Mindy's (ironically, never seen) who, like Brad was chased off by Mork, who assumed he was actually blind and insisted on helping him around the apartment. Later, when Mork unintentionally, and through unthinking behavior, badly upsets almost all the McConnell clan, including costing Mindy a shot at a great interning job at a magazine, he grows so upset with himself over causing so much disruption and in the wake of her anger at his behavior, he reports to Orson. There he asks to be relieved of his duty on Earth due to the mess he makes of Mindy's and her family's lives. Only for Orson to suggest that, before making his final decision, Mork views how it would have been for Mindy and her family had he never arrived. In doing so, Mork discovers that Mindy would have gone on to marry Cliff, as he wasn't around to chase him away...but this is soon revealed to be a disaster as Cliff is in trouble at work, has a gambling problem and treats Mindy both badly and like a cash cow, her journalistic ambitions in tatters as she has to work two jobs to keep them afloat.

Jack Peterson - Never seen, just spoken about by Susan Taylor (Mork's Seduction) and a subject of some rancor on her part towards Mindy, it is not exactly clear whether Mindy actually dated Jack Peterson the 'devastatingly handsome' captain of the football team after he broke up with Susan Taylor, or whether he simply chased after her.

Note - All of Mindy's 'other guys' bar the one final date (Stan, mentioned but only appearing in a cut scene ) in S3's Mork, the Swinging Single, all appear or are spoken of in Season 1 or occur (like Steve in S4) before she ever met Mork.

Family[]

Mama Mork Papa Mindy 31

Bonding with 'Daddy'

Mearth McConnell - Mindy's relationship with her son did not begin smoothly. The shock of somehow managing to impregnate her husband in the first weeks of their marriage, was followed by the sudden realization of a kind of loss. Despite her fears about being a mother first voiced in S1's A Mommy for Morky and reiterated in S4's The Honeymoon once it proves to be Mork that bears their child and not her, she confesses that she (naturally) had hoped when they did have a child, she would be the one to carry it, feeling it grow inside her, having those months to feel her body change, have the weird cravings, lose sight of her feet(!). Mork manages to focus her on the role she has to play still as their child's parent (whether Mother or Father), but when their 6ft 225 man child, Mearth is born, Mindy though she tries to put a brave face on it, finds it very hard to connect with him. His rapid mental development doesn't alleviate matters as her son identifies Mork as 'Mommy' and Mindy as merely 'Shoe', and as a result she retreats to work, taking late shifts to stay away, until her father brings it to Mork's attention. Her husband's attempt to get them to connect, bears fruit, and from then on Mindy's relationship (as Mommy) with her son deepens, especially as her job as a journalist brings his respect, and her maternal protectiveness of her unique and out of place son flourishes.

MRA 17

Father being wheedled by daughter

Fred McConnell - Prior to Mork's arrival, Fred McConnell, Mindy's father is the most central figure in her life. Despite having moved out of the family home where she'd lived the first 20 years of her life (A Morkville Horror), when Mork arrived she was still very much under the influence of her father, working at his Music Store, and in regards to his opinions of how, and with whom, she should live her life. The latter tie is particularly hard to break from as they have a very warm and loving father-daughter relationship, full of honesty and humor and she respects him hugely. That strong relationship however is what serves to hold them together once she does start to stand on her own two feet and stand up to him. Despite their disagreements and her occasional exasperation with him (mostly always around Mork and her life with him), Fred always ultimately ends up supporting her and helping her, and she always values his honesty, good opinion of/pride in her. His rapid second marriage to Cathy, causes a brief problem, as Mindy struggles to come to terms with the idea of someone else taking the place of her late mother, but it is her own internalized issues at heart, and she wants her father to be happy, and is happy for him (A Mommy for Mindy) . She supports him frequently in turn, valiantly trying to help resolve issues between Fred and his brother, her tyrannical Uncle Dave. Fred is also one of the few people she can turn to in regards to both Mork and his Orkan issues, and their son Mearth.

Mindy & Cora

Mindy & Cora bored senseless in the Music Store

Cora Hudson - Cora is in many ways Mindy's surrogate mother, having helped raise her after the death of Cora's daughter and Mindy's mother, Elizabeth. Very close to each other, Cora, and Cora's side of the family, is where Mindy inherits those adventurous and crusading aspects of personality, her grandmother maintaining her spark, humor and free spirt well into her 70s. When that spark is doused after she is mugged, a furious Mindy gives an editorial on violence against the elderly at her job at KTNS and supports Mork's plan for helping to restore Cora's confidence. Cora is Mindy's prime support against the more prudish strictures of her father's approach to life, and is also her main support against Fred in her relationship with Mork, Cora having discovered the truth about Mork being an Orkan relatively early on herself (Old Fears)., and Mindy turns to her frequently to help her fight off her father's opinions of Mork. The only time Mindy fails to gain that immediate support being after Mork proposes to her, and finds herself up against both her father and grandmother, Cora joining with Fred in outlining the difficulties and 'impossibility' of this kind of mixed marriage encouraging her towards thinking with her head rather than her heart. Ultimately though Mindy gains Cora's support once she understands that marrying Mork is what Mindy wants, and will help giver her a beautiful wedding, but won't help her face down a Fred she knows will freak out. Once she sees how happy the pair are together though, Cora is again Mindy's staunch supporter against Fred, and remains one of Mindy's few confidantes surrounding the birth of Mearth, along with helping them look after him.

LTAMM - 1

Helping plan Nelson's Saturday Morning Campaign with the Kids

Nelson Flavor - Nelson is Mindy's cousin, the son of Mindy's 'crazy rich' aunt. As Fred only has a brother, Dave, and as Nelson and Mindy share a grandmother, this aunt (though it is never stated) appears to be Cora's other daughter, and the late Elizabeth's sister. Nelson also has a sister, though her name is never given. Described by Mindy as 'so straight', Nelson is initially an exceedingly stiff and 'square' person. Though only a little older than Mindy, he owns a firm that manufactures attaché cases, and runs for Boulder City Council. But Nelson has no platform, or rather his platform is whatever anyone wants to hear, and therefore naturally has difficulties reaching anybody. He hires both Mindy and Mork to help him with his campaign (Mork vs. Mindy), and though they both quit to avoid the competitiveness that develops between them, both continue to help him in various ways including when his life is threatened (Dial 'N' for Nelson), though Mindy tries more than a few times to try and subtly shunt him away from a campaign she's sure he can't win. Nelson is also one of the few people she has attempted to tell the truth about Mork too, in this case when she desperately needed help after Mork was kidnapped. However Nelson thought she (and later Mork) were trying to prank him (Mork vs. The Necrotons, Part 1). Nelson relaxes after losing the campaign, and returning to running his attaché case firm full time, begins to date Mindy's recently widowed, old high school friend, Glenda Faye Comstock. He and Glenda and Mork & Mindy sometimes form a double couple group heading on trips to Yellowstone (Alas, Poor Mork, We Knew Him Well) and Aspen together.

MNL - Cathy & Mindy Extra Scene

Mindy bonding with her Stepmother.

Cathy McConnell - Cathy & Mindy's relationship starts out a little rocky, as her young step-mother is sprung on her out of the blue by her father (A Mommy for Mindy). The issues are not however, personality driven. Cathy is no 'wicked stepmother'. The difficulties are mostly due to Mindy's residual fears from losing her mother at such a young age, and perhaps from Mork's over enthusiasm to accept Cathy as 'Mom'. But Cathy makes it abundantly clear to Fred and Mindy, that she has no expectations or desire for Mindy to view her as her 'new' mother, no one can replace her mother and she does not want to try. She would rather, if it helped, that Mindy would accept her as a friend and confidant in an extension of her family. Something that proves to be the case, as, whenever Cathy is home from touring with her quartet, she and Mindy embark of 'wicked little step mother/daughter' talks (Mork's New Look), defends Mindy & Mork's engagement and marriage to Fred, throwing Mindy her Bridal Shower, and being Mindy's Matron of Honor (The Wedding).

Dave McConnell - Mindy's relationship with her Uncle Dave is sporadic at best. A lot of time passing between encounters. Unlike her father, Fred, Dave is not a warm person, and comes across as a bully towards both his wife and younger brother, which is clearly evident to his niece, who though he is reasonably warm towards on first seeing again, also patronizes her. But her desire to make things good between her father and his brother keeps her silent on his sexist attitudes to her and her aunt.

Caroline McConnell - Much like her relationship with her Uncle, Mindy's acquaintance with her aunt Caroline is from a distance. Her aunt seems very fond of her and is quite a gentle character, but while she would like to be closer to her niece and brother in law, her husband's domineering personality overwhelms everything. However she is very relieved and happy when Dave relents on his behavior with Fred and is eager to reconnect with both Fred and Mindy.

Mindy's Extended Family[]

Friends[]

Glenda Faye Comstock - Glenda is Mindy's oldest friend. Hugely gregarious, Glenda seems to have had a wider circle of friends (or at least more awareness of others) than even Mindy (Long Before We Met) in High School. A glamorous blonde with a bubbly personality her whirlwind life, and eventual marriage to husband Randolph, took her away from Boulder and it was only after his death that she returned and to resume her friendship with Mindy. Despite being outwardly flighty, not particularly knowledgeable, and a bit of an airhead, Glenda is far deeper than she looks and a very good friend to Mindy as well as quickly becoming very fond of Mork, and developing a strong friendship with Jeanie. Independently wealthy, and widowed, living a full on singles lifestyle she gives Mindy a window into how the other half live but also what the most important things in life are (Mork the Prankster; Reflections and Regrets).

Jeanie DaVinci - Jeanie is possibly Mindy's closest friend. She, Mindy and Glenda formulate a triumvirate, that exercise and socialize together frequently. The aspiring doctor to be shares a lot of Mindy's values and desires for her own future, as well as some of the problems in negotiating it as an attractive young woman in a, at the time, male dominated working environment. Not as confidant and outgoing perhaps as Mindy, they still share a very similar sense of humor, and, it seems a somewhat similar taste in men, as Jeanie too begins to fall for Mork (Jeanie Loves Mork) before she realizes that the whole thing has been a terrible misunderstanding.

MMMRR 20

Friendly Fire

Remo DaVinci - Mindy and Remo get on really well, providing the topic doesn't turn to matters regarding women in the workplace and families, when his traditionalist values clash with her view of a woman being able to make the choice to work or not and not have it imposed upon them. His sexist attitudes, and tendency to voice them around an impressionable Mork aside though, like his sister, he shares a similar sense of humor with Mindy and much of their time together is spent laughing and swapping stories.

Mr. Bickley - The chances are, had Mork never arrived, Mindy and Franklin Bickley would probably be warring neighbors. Her initial attempts and overtures of friendship having been rebuffed (Mork the Tolerant), her growing irritation with his curmudgeonly nature, and propensity to sound off at the slightest noise coming from his upstairs neighbor had already irked her to the point of thinking he was a hopeless cause, until Mork's lesson in tolerance, and the need to be especially kind to those who were most unkind caused a breakthrough. Though he remained crotchety, he at least became approachable, and in fact his visits to her apartment began to result in the disappearance of items, his kleptomania designed to bring her and Mork down to him so he could feel as if he had friends. From then on, he became a more regular visitor to Mindy's, his acerbic and cynical nature becoming more humorous than annoying to her, and his growing friendship with her father, making him feel more like a grumpy Uncle.

Sally and Mindy

Sally matchmaking Mork & Mindy

Sally Friedman - Because of their reaction to her, Sally seems well known, and well liked to all the McConnell's so appears to have a friendship with Mindy that goes back a few years. Perhaps because she is both mischievous and married, Sally seems keen to matchmake Mindy off, notably with Mork, whose humor and fascination with first her pregnancy and her newborn son she enjoys, (Yes Sir, That's My Baby), and follows up again with Mindy on whether she's spending her birthday with 'someone special' in Mork's Mixed Emotions while on the phone with her. Their friendship continues (off screen at least) through S2, when Sally brings the baby over to Mindy's for a visit in Hold That Mork.

Eugene - Eugene hits it off with Mork big time, but his relationship with Mindy predates it, with Mindy knowing both his parents and watching out for Eugene to temper some of Mork's influence (Young Love) his parents happy and secure enough with her to not be worried when he leaves home to leaving a note saying they should send his allowance to her house.

Nemeses[]

MIW1 - 16

Out!

Exidor - Somewhat ironically, Mindy's life would not be plagued by Exidor if she hadn't set in motion the chain of events that led to Mork meeting him, when her explaining to Mork how his living with her was upsetting her personal life, led him to run away (Mork Runs Away). Perhaps some form of Cosmic karma gets set in motion as the crazy street preacher, close pals with and ultimately adoptive father of Mork, turns up to plague her apartment and life with his unhinged lunacy repeatedly. Often treating her as if she isn't even there when she speaks, he can be sexist and insulting, and then turn around and announce they are the reincarnation of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, or declare his undying love for her (Reflections and Regrets). Though she his happy (if nervous) for his help in adopting Mork and resolving his problem with staying in the U.S.(Little Orphan Morkie) she is fairly exasperated that Mork often turns to him for advice. Mostly as invariably Exidor either provides support for Mork's more extreme ideas, or involves him in his, and often shows up unannounced at her apartment to make pronouncements about what he's up to and give Mork strange tasks to do while he's away. It's also a matter of deep irritation to her, given they can't actually take Mearth to a real doctor after his birth, that Exidor somehow ends up as the de facto family 'physician', and she throws him out of the house on a regular basis .

Morks Seduction 7

Rapacious Rival

Susan Taylor - Susan is best described as a 'Frenemy' of Mindy, stemming from their time in High School. Mindy was popular, well liked, a cheerleader and much pursued by the boys and ultimately Prom Queen, whereas 'Plain Ol' Susan as Mindy recalls her, only seems to have blossomed post their High School Years. However, the loss of the object of her affections, Jack Peterson, to his (one sided) interest in Mindy colored her perspective towards Mindy, into a kind of one sided rivalry on her part, where almost every action and utterance is an attempt to one up her in some form or another. The most salient attempt being to try and steal Mork from Mindy in revenge for Jack, which, while it excited Mindy's jealousy, fell apart thanks to Mork's cluelessness. Amoral and self obsessed, her obnoxious attitude means that, along with Exidor, Susan is the person Mindy least enjoys running into.

Jake Loomis - Nemesis may appear a little strong for Jake the misanthropic Cameraman at KTNS, but this is a man who threatened to plant a bomb to dispose of new boss Daniel Pearson after he was canned on his take over. And Mindy's appeal to others seems utterly lost on 'Ol' Jake' who spends most of his time criticizing her, allowing her to put her foot in things. taking pleasure in her discomfort and is utterly disinterested in offering her any advice, professional or personal.

Behind The Scenes[]

Mindy the Lynchpin[]

In effect, Mindy is the “straight man” of Mork and Mindy. This is often “a thankless role,” but it’s important, says writer April Kelly. Citing how central the character of Mindy is to everything she compares her character to another lynchpin character around whom pretty much everything revolved. “Look at Richie Cunningham on Happy Days. They even wrote a show one time where Richie was afraid he was a dull guy. And he was wonderful. And everybody loved him.”[1]

David Misch says he and April Kelly pushed for an episode that would develop Mindy’s character further, in which she agonizes over what to do with her life. But “the word from on high” was that “Mindy’s got to be the normal American girl, ‘cause that’s how Mork can play off her.” Misch recalls: We were thinking: She’s the alien. She has no job, she has no ambition, she has no friends. She evidently never thinks about sex—or anything, other than saying the line, ‘Mork, what are you doing?’ We thought, if we give her an actual character with neuroses and things like that, that would be more fun for Robin to play off. But they didn’t think so. [2] Those came later on.

Mindy the Adult[]

In fact, says Howard Storm, because the character of Mork was so naïve and innocent, it was as if Mindy “was taking care of a child.” Mindy “was always finding a way to make sure [Mork] didn’t do the wrong thing—to protect him from the outside world, and to try and make him understand what life was really about.”

"Pam was a very solid actress, and we would talk about how she was dealing with this strange person that was in her home. She loved him, she adored him—[but had to wonder] how she was going to deal with the outside world.[2]

Mindy the Career Woman[]

Writer Wendy Kout, came on board in the third season, and recalled that "My first episode that I [wrote] was about [Mindy] trying to move forward in a career. So we started that third season with [Mindy’s career] being the storyline. So it was prominent: “Oh, so we’re paying attention to Mindy now.” That was good for the character, and I think it was also good for Pam, to have a little bit more to do [and] more direction of where her character could go.

Brian Levant concurred, "Mork is worried she’ll become this big career girl and going to lose her. You know? Where does he fit in? That was fun, that was a good aspect to play. That comes from something real, you know? She’s focused on her career, and going up the ladder, and successful, and he’s going to be left behind." [2]

Interestingly the effect of making Mindy the 'adult', the breadwinner, the 'responsible' character also made her something of a stand out figure for young women in sitcoms at the time. While there were a number of strong older women (often divorcees or widows) in sitcoms during that period, Mindy, albeit in a zanier more outrageous set of situations fell into a still lesser developed category inhabited by character's like Mary Tyler Moore's Mary Richards in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Marlo Thomas's Ann Marie in That Girl. A young intelligent, curious, career focused woman, who outwardly voiced qualms over the 'traditional' role of motherhood. Perhaps even more than the other characters Mindy effectively took on the 'male' role in supporting (ultimately) husband and child, aside from trying to keep her Orkan out of trouble in the first place. The Ricky to Mork's Lucy.

References[]

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