Mindy and Mork

"Mindy and Mork"
Season 3, Episode #21 (#71) in series (95 episodes)
With both of them struggling due to the changes Mindy's job has brought about, Mindy & Mork swap roles and personas to try to help them better understand each other.
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s):	Elinor Donahue Robert Donner
Network:	ABC-TV
Production code:	321 (3x21)
Writer(s)	Brian Levant
Director	Howard Storm
Original airdate	May 14, 1981
IMDB	Mindy and Mork
Episode chronology
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"I Heard It Through the Morkvine"	"Reflections and Regrets"
List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes

Mindy and Mork was the 21st episode from season 3 of Mork and Mindy, also the 71st overall series episode. Written by Brian Levant, the episode, which was directed by Howard Storm, was shot on March 27, 1981 and premiered on ABC-TV on May 14, 1981.

Synopsis

With Mindy's job at KTNS taking up more of her time, she needs Mork to adjust to their new circumstances, Meanwhile, Mork can't seem to catch her attention and is feeling of secondary importance to her. After both issues spill into Mindy's working life, on a psychologist's advice, Mork and Mindy decide to switch roles for a day.

Plot

In her apartment, Mindy rushes out of her room having overslept thanks to the snooze button on her alarm and is rapidly trying to get ready for a very hectic day she's already running late for. As she's trying to eat and finish dressing, a chirpy Mork descends from the attic, and tries to help with the boots she's trying to put on, by pulling them off. He keeps encouraging her to make him his breakfast, but she tells him she' has to be at work in 10 minutes. He'll have to make his own breakfast and possibly dinner that evening as she could be late home again.. Mork baulks at the idea of his cooking, but she tells him he's a 'Big Orkan' now and can handle it, and some light cleaning around the place. Mindy tells him that since she's been working she just can't keep doing all the things around the house she used to do, and tells him she's going to need his help. Considering himself an 'enlightened' Mork, he will do the housework, but he begs her not to make him cook. As he's travelled 200 million miles to get there, Mindy reckons he can pour himself some cereal. She races out the door despite Mork's best efforts to get a 'Big Kiss' from her. Bemoaning the fact she used to have time for a 'big kiss' and now doesn't even have time to pucker.

Mork is hopeful she's come back when there's a knock on the door, only to find it's Exidor, in his latest incarnation as an Exidor-to-door salesman, purveying a new gadget called The Maid-o-Matic' which can do everything a maid can do besides steal the silver. Exidor gives Mork the hard sell on the gizmo, but derides him when he discovers that Mork actually needs it because he's doing to the housework, not Mindy. A little while later, Mork is in full house-husband mode, dusting, ironing, dishwashing, finding it a breeze before everything blows up in his face. Mr. Bickley comes running up from downstairs. turns off everything. Mork apologizes and tells him he has no idea what happened.. He's confused as Mindy makes everything look so easy, Bickley tells him it's not, its miserable, backbreaking repetitive work and his wife hated it too. He tells Mork how she wanted to get a job but he laid down the law and told her her job was to cook and clean after which there was no problem. As she left him. Mork panics not wanting Mindy to leave him, so Bickley advises to find out from her how to run the place before it's too late.

At KTNS, Mindy is co-ordinating the production of the new 'Call Dr. Lincoln' call in show, with therapist Dr. Joanie Lincoln. A mortified and miffed Mindy listens as Mork comes on the air, to speak to her, not Dr. Lincoln. Dr. Lincoln pleasantly tells him that Mindy will call him back later. Trying another line, Dr Lincoln finds Mork on that line too. Dr. Lincoln tells him that that line is meant only for people with problems, and he tells her he does have a doozy of problem if he could only speak to Mindy. Mindy is forced onto the set and the air, and when Mork's problem is revealed to be Zucchini stains on the ceiling a tightly smiling Mindy tells him she'll help with that later, and offers him a karate chop gesture instead of a blown kiss as requested, before cutting him off. Off air Mindy apologizes profusely to Dr. Lincoln, who must think she's some kind of a loon. Dr. Lincoln assures her not, but does think Mork could benefit by coming to see her at the clinic. The phone lights up again. and Mindy snatches it up ready to give Mork an earful only to find it's her boss, Mr. Sternhagen summoning her into his office.

An irate Mindy gets home, pausing when she notices the place is spotless, and two pots are cooking merrily away on the stove top, but is too annoyed to let that stop her. She summons Mork angrily down from upstairs, only to be startled when he emerges from behind the kitchen counter where's he's been down on knees working. Telling her dinner is on and everything is almost ready, he produces a perfectly baked loaf of bread. But she ignores it, telling him she almost lost her job. Not connecting that with what he did, and not listening to her, he ushers her to the couch, and presents her with a large pipe(!), slippers and the sports section of the newspaper with the 'recipes' cut out, before launching into what a hard say he had trying to put a waxy yellow build up *on* to the floor. She stops him telling him she doesn't want to talk about the floor she wants to talk about what happened at work that day...but he still doesn't connect it with his calls, and accuses her of being a 'Type A' personality only interested in work. She tells him straight out he almost got her fired with what he did, controlling herself, she tells him she just wants him to promise he won't do it again. But Mork does not react well, launching into the traditional underappreciated housewife complaint of that being all the thanks he gets for slaving over a hot stove. As he spirals, Mindy is forced to backtrack to calm him down, but he refuses to serve dinner, tells her to eat out, won't let her touch him, and as she stands there stunned tells her he has a headache and storms off to his room.

The next day as Dr. Lincoln's show airs, Mindy is completely distracted by what went on with Mork, dwelling on it, not listening to what's going on, missing her cues, and cringing when the phone rings. Telling Dr. Lincoln they're off the air, Mindy apologizes, and confesses that it's Mork, and the fact he's having trouble adjusting to their new working/living arrangements. Mindy says the problem is he's over adjusted having gone from Ozzie to Harriet. overnight, but she doesn't want him waiting on her hand and foot, she wants to help out around the house too. Dr Lincoln asks Mindy a few questions about their relationship including about how compatible the physical side of things is between them. Blushing and stammering, Mindy confesses they 'kiss and stuff' but don't 'y'know' but yeah they're 'compatible'. At that point however, Dr. Lincoln stops her saying there's more to talk about...but they right now she believes they are still on air. As Mindy freezes, the phone lights up again, and cringing Mindy tells Mr. Sternhagen she'll be right in.

When she gets home, she finds a rather distant Mork embroidering an Orkan scene, and asks him hopefully if he saw the show that day, but he hadn't watched due to an issue at the Day Care Centre, a crayon getting lodged in Mrs Fowler's ear.. She tells him she spoke to Dr. Lincoln about their problems, which he denies they have, but she insists they do and she is part of the problem. As soon as she says that, Mork crumples in relief, saying he thought it was all him, that he was dragging her down, and wants to know how they can save the shambles of their relationship. Mindy calms him and says Dr. Lincoln has suggested some games they can play to help them relate better to each other, to which Mork suggests he can be Shirts and she Skins. Mindy says it's not those kind of games. The first she tries, a trust game does not go so well, Mork failing to understand which way to fall. The second, involves them swapping roles, where she will play him and he will play her. Mork agrees, but needs to prep for the part, and so they agree to try it in the morning.

The next morning they come out of their respective rooms, wishing each other good morning, before heading into each others rooms. A moment later Mork comes rushing out Mindy's room, 'late for work' and with Mindy's boots in his his hand, as he's fretting in 'her voice' about being late for work, Mindy comes swinging down out the attic making a beeline for him on the couch badgering him to make her breakfast. Mork says he can' t because he's too busy being a butch career girl, which Mindy takes offence at. However when he praises 'her' as Mork for being talented, handsome and having great taste in clothes, Mindy points out she never said that, to which Mork says it would be nice if she did, which take's Mindy by surprise and makes her think. Mork asks about his keys, and Mindy tells him she buried them to keep them safe, asking if she did good, uttering Shazbot when he says absolutely not. Bringing her to the couch, she intones "Sense of Impending Doom" then sits on her face, he rolls his eyes and sits with his leg tucked under him. When Mork tells her he knows she's an alien that doesn't know his 'elbow from his raznick', Mindy replies yes but she wouldn't have been able to do it without his support and encouragement, which Mork seems dubious about. Pretending the phone is ringing he rushes to talk to 'work' and Mr Sternhagen while Mindy makes Morks usual pretend voices on the phone in the background. Mork puts the phone down and races for his purse, telling Mindy she will have to make her own breakfast and he'll be home before midnight.

He strides for the door with Mindy in his wake trying to stop him, calling him Mork rather than Mindy but he keeps going closing the door on her before she can even finish asking for a Big Kiss. Which he finishes for her as he comes back in. Mindy tells him its clear that she's been ignoring him. He tells her he can't really blame her that he never realized how hard he was to live with. Taking his arm she takes him back to the couch with her telling him he's not, he's great...but their lives are changing and they just have to do a better job of changing with them. Mork agrees and says he won't go overboard with the housework, doing his share, and Mindy promises not to use so much of herself up at work she has nothing left for him. They promise each other that the will always tell each other how they're feeling. He says he feels better now, and as she moves closer, and puts her arm around him he gets progressively happier, ecstatic as she kisses him.

The episode ends not with Morks' report to Orson but Mindy's, Orson just thinking Mork has a new haircut when she shows up. When Mindy corrects him reminding him of her last visit with Mork (Putting the Ork Back in Mork, Part 1) Orson silences her demanding to know where Mork is. She explains that she and Mork have made a commitment to try and share their responsibilities, so here she is! Nervously she suggests she could go get him, but Orson tells her to get on with it now she's there. Her report is about her and Mork's relationship, to which Orson retorts, 'again'?! Mindy is surprised to hear Mork told him about it and suddenly gets very curious as to what he said about them. Orson tells her he's told him everything, but Mindy says that isn't possible because relationships keep evolving and changing. Orson queries why you'd change a relationship if it's working well? She tells him sometimes there's no choice that life can put all kinds of obstacles in front of you, and each one is a test of how how much you care about the other person, and sometimes even if you have no problem getting past the obstacle your partner might. Then you either have to stop and help the other person over, or you move on alone. Asking if she did alright, Bebo agrees, and Orson gives her a 'not bad for an Earthling', which a pleased Mindy says is big of him...then realizing what she said tries to backtrack rapidly, before signing off.

Trivia

General

• Mindy gives Mork's report to Orson in this episode.
• This is the last appearance of Bebo. No explanation is given for his disappearance, though his apparent growth size could be a 'reason'. Though the retool of the show's cast for the 4th Season is obviously the prime purpose.
• Guest star Elinor Donahue recalled that an irritated Robin Williams lashed out at someone during the table read early in the week. Later, she went back to her dressing room and was reading the bible when Williams came in on his hands and knees, pretended to be a puppy, rested his head on the sofa and asked, "Are you scared of me?" "No, I'm not scared of you!", she laughed.
• There are 2 in jokes involved in Mork's exchange with Mindy about male patriarchs and not doing work around the house. Firstly the show's guest star in this episode Elinor Donahue played Betty Anderson, Jim Anderson's daughter in Father Knows Best Secondly, Mindy's 'Who?' when Mork says Archie Bunker, is ironic as the show had gone up against Archie Bunker's Place in Season 2.
• Mork's line about being a "good little wifey" to Mindy but 'drawing the line at motherhood' becomes somewhat ironic given the events of Season 4.

Pop Culture

• Mork does his Tonto impression again, trying to slow up Mindy's Lone Ranger calling her Kemo Sabe
• Mork namechecks Robert Petrie, Jim Anderson & Archie Bunker to Mindy, as reasons he won't work around the house. All three of them typical male patriarchal figures in sitcoms from the 60s through 70s, Robert Petrie being Dick Van Dyke's character in the Dick Van Dyke Show, Jim Anderson Robert Young's character in Father Knows Best, and Archie Bunker, Carroll O'Connor's from All In The Family/Archie Bunker's Place.
• In the same exchange he also mentions Ricky & Lucy from I Love Lucy, making a plaintive version of Ricky (Desi Arnaz)'s Babalú
• Mork takes a pop at current U.S. President, Ronald Reagan again, specifically in relation to Ronald Reagan's environmental budget...comparing it to how thin he'll get if he has to cook.
• Mork wonders what Erma Bombeck is kvetching (Yiddish for complaining) about in regards to the rigors of housework (before everything falls apart). Bombeck was an American humorist whose syndicated newspaper column chronicling the ordinary life of a midwestern suburban housewife reached over 30 million readers from 1965-1996.
• While slam dunking vegetables into the Maid-O-Matic to make a salad for Mindy, Mork sings "Sweet Georgia Brown" a reference to the theme tune of the world renowned exhibition basketball team The Harlem Globetrotters.
• Mork tells Bickley that everything blew up around him out of the blue like Krypton, Superman's home world that exploded.
• Mork says to "Call Madge" when he sees Mr. Bickley's hands, a reference to Madge the manicurist in the Pamolive ads ("you're soaking in it.")
• Mork asks Mindy over the phone when she's on camera, if she's not going to wave or throw him a kiss 'like Dinah?' Referring to Dinah Shore, the entertainer who hosted variety shows on TV during the 50s and 60s and two talk shows during the 70s.
• Mork tells Mindy dinner will be ready before she can say Poppin' Fresh, the name for the Pillsbury Doughboy, the advertising mascot for the Pillsbury Company. He follows that up with another Pillsbury reference "Nothing says lovin' like something from the oven' as he presents her with a fresh made load of bread.
• Mindy refers to Mork as having switched from Ozzie to Harriet over night. Ozzie & Harriet being another sitcom with archetypal male and female stereotypes.
• When Mindy tells him they have some games they can play, Mork is enthused and suggest that he can be 'shirts' and Mindy 'skins'. Shirts and Skins being the practice of one person/team wearing shirts while the other goes shirtless.

Quotes

• Mork: Well Mind I'm really famished, I feel like Ghandi at a MacDonalds. Come on! I could eat an Aardvaark's tongue, come on now Min!

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• Mork: Wait wait wait Min Min, I draw the line right there. I will not cook clean or do windows, I am man watch me sit. *sits*
• Mindy: Oh ho ho ho...where'd you get that idea?
• Mork: Robert Petrie, Jim Anderson and Archie Bunker.
• Mindy: Who?
• Mork: Mr. Television.
• Mindy: Ohhhh! Hmmm...well Mork that's a load of bunk, tv isn't real life.
• Mork: Oh Mind are you kidding? Then Ricky really doesn't love Lucy? Babalú! Babalú!!

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• Exidor: This miracle of modern technology can do everything a maid can do except steal the silverware. And next week, we're putting on an attachment for that.

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• Exidor: You buy this gizmo or you'll never see your wife and kids again!
• Mork: I'm not married.
  Exidor: We have an attachment for that too.

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• Exidor: Mork, you whimpering washrag, pull yourself together! Who wears the pants in this house? You or the tomato?!
  Mork: *macho* Well!!!....*drops his head to look at his nightgown* She does. *goes back to macho* Well this man's had enough though!! I'm going to let me push her around!! Because....*folds* I'm going to be the best little wifey Mindy ever had!!

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• Mork: Oh Mr Bickely I'm sorry I was just trying to help! But It looked so easy at the time I was doing it then all of a sudden BLAMMO it was like Krypton, wham bam blang!

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• Mork: So this is the thanks I get for slaving over a hot stove, and working my fingers to the bone?!! I'm wasting the best bleems of my life!! Oh no!!
• Mindy: Mork! *walks after him* Mork, look, calm down.
• Mork: *rounds on her* No YOU calm down! Here I am in this house, cooped up all day! Vicariously living through your exploits! *hysterical* Ahrr Ahhr Ahhrr Ahhrr...
• Mindy: *unsettled* Okay Mork. Look, Forget...forget I ever mentioned anything about it. *puts her arm around his shoulders and tries to guide him towards the table* Look, we'll sit down, we'll have a nice little dinner just the two of us.
• Mork: *shrugs off her arm violently* NO!! You want your dinner you eat out! *storms towards the attic*
• Mindy: *startled walks after him* Mork?!?! *talks his arm* Oh come on you're overreacting.
• Mork: No!! *slaps her hand away* Don't touch me!! I have a headache! *climbs up into the attic*

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• Mindy: *swings down from attic* Oh Min Min Min Min Min Min will you fix me breakfast? Will you huh huh huh huh? Will you? Will you? Will you? Will you? I'm so hungry I could eat Bebo, ahhrr ahhr ahhhr ahhrr ahhrrr
• Mork: Mork I haven't got time right now, I'm too busy being a butch career girl
• Mindy: Hey Wait a minute that's hitting below the belt. And stop it you're going to stretch out my boots!
• Mork: Are these your boots? Really? I had to stuff socks in the front.*sashays over to the table with her purse* Oh Mork, you're so talented and handsome and you have such great taste in clothes.
• Mind: Hey, wait a minute I never said that!
• Mork: Well it'd be nice if you did once in a while.

Promo

Mork & Mindy - Mindy & Mork - Episode Promo

Promo for ABC's Thursday May 14, 1981 for Season 3's Mindy & Mork

Image Gallery

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Cast

Starring

• Robin Williams as Mork
• Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
• Conrad Janis as Fred McConnell (credited only)
• Jay Thomas as Remo DaVinci (credited only)
• Gina Hecht as Jeanie DaVinci (credited only)
• Jim Staahl as Nelson Flavor (credited only)
• Tom Poston as Mr. Bickley
• Crissy Wilzak as Glenda Faye Comstock (credited only)
• Ralph James as Voice of Orson

Guest starring/Recurring cast

• Elinor Donahue as Dr. Joni Lincoln
• Robert Donner as Exidor
• Gregg Berger (Voice) as Bebo

External links

• "Mindy and Mork" at TV.com