Mork & Mindy: Gunfight at the Mor-Kay Corral

Mork & Mindy: Gunfight at the Mor-Kay Corral
ABC
December 18, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This is the only Mork episode written by Stuart Gillard, who did "Chrissy's Night Out" for Three's Company.  As with Mindy's green hair in the previous episode, it feels a bit Brady-like, with Billy (Corey Feldman) admiring his namesake Billy the Kid, although Mork uses celebrity imitations and pacifism to teach Billy not to admire a violent cowboy.  Note that Mork asks if Billy the Kid is Jimmy's brother who helped Reagan win, and he makes a Liberace "in the closet" throw-away joke.

Amy Tenowich and Stephanie Kayano return as Lola and Stephanie respectively, while this is Jonathan Ian's middle of three appearances as Jonathan.  (Like Kayano, he wasn't mentioned on the IMDB page for the season-opener, although the episode is on his page.)

Mork & Mindy: Mork the Prankster

Mork & Mindy: Mork the Prankster
ABC
December 4, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Wendy Kout teams up with George Zateslo, whose first of five Mork scripts this is.  At first it's pretty standard "Mork annoys Mindy, who forgives him" stuff, but it does have some surprises, including that Glenda Faye is trying to distract herself from her grief over her husband, and Mindy gives Mork a kiss of forgiveness that makes his leg "pop" enough to lift her Jeep (which he put in her living room as a prank but it crashed down into Mr. Bickley's).

The highlight of the episode though is the return of Bill Kirchenbauer, this time for the first of three appearances as Todd Norman Taylor.  Kirchenbauer manages to distill every stereotype of the '70s swinging single into one character, but he also does little touches like a mimey moment when he leans against "the wall" to hit on Mindy (see picture).  I found this funnier and fresher than anything Williams does in the episode, including the Julia Child routine.  (Dan Aykroyd had done that earlier and better, although Kirchenbauer's TNT is better than Aykroyd's "wild and crazy guy."

I think it's a nice touch to have Fred and Mr. Bickley bond and go fishing, since they're middle-aged men who can be grouchy at times, Fred less than Mr. B of course.  Amy Tenowich returns as Lola, while Stephanie Kayano makes her second of seven appearances as Stephanie.  (IMDB didn't list her for the season premiere, although the credit is on her page.)  But of course the most notable of Mork's daycare friends is Billy, played by nine-year-old Corey Feldman in his first of two Mork cameos.  Remo is absent, although Jean is in the first scene.

Note that Mork refers to "no one thinking an actor could become President," but it's not clear if this means the possibility or the actual election on November 4th.

Mork & Mindy: Mork's Mixed Emotions

Mork & Mindy: Mork's Mixed Emotions
ABC
February 22, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B

I considered going with a B+ on this Tom Tenowich & Ed Sharlach story (the first of fourteen for Sharlach), since Williams gives another tour de force performance, this time as Mork's various no longer repressed emotions.  But it bothers me that Mindy takes Mork out in public during this vulnerable time, even if it is her birthday.  (Note that she's on the phone to Sally talking about her plans, presumably the Sally we've seen.)  The penultimate scene where some of Mork's emotions kiss Mindy is funny and sweet, and Orson in the final scene decides not to report Mork for breaking Orkan law.  The episode contains, among other things, an Idi Amin reference and a Steve Martin imitation.

Stan Rodarte, who was a Reporter at the Homecoming Parade in Rescue from Gilligan's Island, is the Waiter.  Maitre D' George Pentecost would play two other characters on this show.  And twenty-five-year-old but already balding Bill Kirchenbauer makes his first of four Mork & Mindy appearances, here as a disco-loving customer, years before he became known as Coach Lubbock on Growing Pains and Just the Ten of Us.

Mork & Mindy: Yes Sir, That's My Baby

Mork & Mindy: Yes Sir, That's My Baby
ABC
February 15, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Susan Lawrence returns as Sally, now with the baby, whom Mork adores enough that he falls for a baby-selling scheme.  It's cute to see Mork playing father, but the pacing or something feels off in this April Kelly story.  Note that Sally teases Mindy about the possibility of having a baby with Mork.

William Porter's character is credited as "Sleazy," although we hear some of his pseudonyms.  He'd return as Ernest.

Mork & Mindy: Mork's First Christmas

Mork & Mindy: Mork's First Christmas
ABC
December 14, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B

This is producer Bruce Johnson's first of twelve Mork scripts, here collaborating with creator Dale McRaven, who did the pilot.  It's also the first of five directed by Jeff Chambers.  It manages to balance sentiment and humor, with Mork giving Mindy and her family happy memories, then and now.

Salesman David Ketchum was on That Girl three times.  Pat Cranshaw makes his second Mork appearance, as the Old Man at the department store.  Interestingly, there's no report to Orson, although Mork obviously learns a lot, including from Eugene (Jacquet) and Susan (Fairchild).