Have You Been Watching...? Mork & Mindy: Dr. Morkenstein (1979)

 

Mork and Mindy is one of a number of spin-offs from the hugely successful American situation comedy series “Happy Days”. The eponymous “Mork” appeared in a dream sequence in one of the former’s episodes and was such a hit, the dream sequence was ret-conned in the pilot episode, making Mork a 100% real character in the Happy Days Universe. I LOVED Mork and Mindy when I was little. It was silly, it was bright and colourful (not just Robin Williams' outfits) and it was a lovely programme to sit down and watch. Now that I’m older and more cynical, does it still hold that magic? A lot of it does, and it’s down to the performances of the two principal actors.

The series ran for 4 seasons from 1978-1981, and marked the debut of global mega-star-to-be Robin Williams as Mork, an alien from the planet Ork, sent to observe Mankind on Earth. While on Earth, he meets young, single gal-about-town Mindy McConnell, played by Pam Dawber. Mork then moves in with her and learns about humanity while developing a sweet romance with Mindy. While it’s another variation of the “fish out of water” set up, similar to ALF, Small Wonder and numerous others, the series was a huge hit with audiences but by the end of season 1, the studio made changes to the format. By the time "Dr Morkenstein" comes around, gone is the whimsical theme tune, replaced by a “with it” disco version, gone are Mindy’s dad and maternal Grandmother, replaced by young brother and sister duo Remo and Jeannie DaVinci, who run their new hangout: The New York Deli, replacing the old music shop from series 1.

The show “feels” different now, younger and sillier, but this episode (only the fifth in the second series) reminds us that it can still grab our heart-strings when needed. The episode has a lot for fans of cult TV and movies: Chuck the robot in the episode is Robbie The Robot from the Forbidden Planet movie and cameos in Gremlins etc. The voice of Chuck is that of Roddie McDowell, well known for the Planet of the Apes movies.

Mork gets himself a job in a science museum as a night watchman. Bored, he tinkers around with one of the exhibits, an old robot, and gives it a consciousness. Mork bonds with the robot, now called Chuck, as the robot wants to explore more of being human and what life is like. Liberating itself from the museum one Friday night, he turns up at Mork and Mindy’s apartment, much to Mindy’s horror. However, Mork pleads for the robot, who starts to display concerning traits, like forgetting what he was saying and getting facts wrong. The old robot confirms he is suffering from metal fatigue, and there’s nothing anyone can do.

Trying to give him more insight to people and the human experience, Mork takes Chuck to the deli, but the robot begins randomly insulting people, and getting sums wrong causing some unrest with the customers. Trying to usher him out, Mork pleads there’s nothing wrong with Chuck.

Mindy and Mork take Chuck back to the museum, but Mindy realises the old robot is wearing down. Mork is devastated and doesn’t want it to end this way for Chuck. He tries to set Chuck back to the way he was, but Chuck pleads with him to keep his as he is. He wants to be “human”, the end comes with the territory.  Chuck values his friendship with Mork and values that he gave him life. He wants to feel the end of it and appreciates the chance to die with dignity. Wanting to play one last game of “I-spy”, Chuck begins to die in Mork’s arms.

Mork’s pain is clear to see and he cries, his face scrunched up in agony. In the episode’s epilogue, Mork sends his usual mental update to his superior on Ork, a being called “Orson”. Referring to the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, Mork relates his friendship with Chuck to Orson. Orson asks if he can make another. Mork realises he can but hasn’t the heart for it. He breaks down as he relates the death to Orson and the importance of creating something and watching it grow and develop. He will always keep Chuck in his heart. Unusually for the show, Mork doesn’t bow with his farewell to Orson or end it with a quip at Orson’s expense, but it fades out with a tear streaming down his face. In fact the jump to the end credits with it’s jaunty disco theme sits very out of place.

While the episode is called Dr Morkenstein and it’s influence from the story of Frankenstein is battered into the viewer, it can also be seen as a reflection of a friendship between a young person and an older person as the older succumbs to age. Pam Dawber’s lovely Mindy takes more of a back seat in this episode, but her concern and love for Mork shows as she remains just out of his sight, as Chuck passes so she can be there with him in his distress. Remo and Jeanie barely feature, and other new series regulars Mr Bickley (played by Tom Poston) and Mindy’s cousin Nelson Flavour (played by Jim Staahl) don’t even appear in this one.

Mork is such a childlike being, who views our world with wonder and bewilderment, and never a thought to harm anyone. To see him in tears at the loss of his friend, however brief that friendship was, is utterly heart-breaking. While the “new” series is taking a while to get used to, this smaller, emotional episode brings us back to the more innocent days of series 1. Whatever your thoughts on the quality of episodes as the series makes its way through its four seasons and strange production decisions, this episode stands head and shoulders among the series’ greatest. It also stands as a reminder just how much the world misses Robin Williams.

Year – 1978

Series count – 4

Episode count – 91 (some double episodes as screened were later split into individual episodes)

Availability – DVD boxset of all 4 seasons (individual season are available in some areas)