Mork & Mindy (1978 — 1982)

The American television sitcom, Mork & Mindy (1978–1982), originally aired on ABC from September 14, 1978, to May 27, 1982. A spin-off of the popular show Happy Days, it featured Robin Williams as Mork, a visitor from the planet Ork, and Pam Dawber as his human companion and eventual love interest, Mindy McConnell. Despite her efforts to help him adapt to life on Earth and understand human customs, Mork’s behavior remains delightfully odd. His mission is to gather information about our planet for his superiors back home.

Season 1 (1978–1979). Mork, arriving on Earth in an egg-shaped spacecraft, has been tasked with observing human behavior by his mostly unseen and long-suffering superior Orson. His mission is to leave Ork, where humor is not allowed. In an attempt to blend in, Mork dons an Earth suit but wears it backwards. As he lands in Boulder, Colorado, he stumbles upon 21-year-old Mindy McConnell, who is upset after a disagreement with her significant other. Offering to assist her, Mindy mistakes Mork for a priest due to his peculiar attire and appreciates his willingness to listen (unbeknownst to her, he is simply observing her actions). When Mindy points out his backward suit and unusual mannerisms, she directly asks him about his identity and he innocently reveals the truth.

Season 2 (1979–1980). In its second season, Mork & Mindy aimed to attract a younger audience by introducing a fresh disco version of its theme tune. Along with this change, the characters Fred and Cora were written out of the regular cast. It was revealed that they had left on tour as a conductor and musician respectively, bringing an end to their time in the series. Although they did make appearances later on. However, recurring characters Susan and Eugene did not return after the first season and were never mentioned again. In their place, new faces were added to the mix. These included siblings Remo and Jeanie DaVinci, who owned a local deli where Mork and Mindy often visited. Additionally, neighbor Mr. Bickley became a regular character after previously appearing occasionally in season one, while Mindy’s uppity cousin Nelson Flavor also joined the main cast as he ran for city council.

Season 3 (1980–1981). In the third season, Jeanie and Remo had opened a restaurant and Nelson’s interest in politics had waned, leading him to dress more casually. Mindy’s father and grandmother made their return to the series. The show acknowledged this by naming the third season’s hour-long opener Putting the Ork Back in Mork. To expand the cast, several supporting characters were brought on board. These included Lola and Stephanie, two children from Mork’s day-care center, and Mindy’s friend Glenda Faye Comstock, a widow who catches Nelson’s eye. Unfortunately, Wilzak only stayed for one season as a regular.

Season 4 (1981–1982). Despite declining ratings, ABC renewed Mork & Mindy for a fourth season, but requested changes. This included bringing in special guest stars. In the new season, Mork and Mindy tied the knot and were joined by Jonathan Winters, who played their child Mearth. Due to Orkans aging backwards, Mork laid an egg which hatched into the much older Winters. He had previously appeared in a Season 3 episode as Mindy’s uncle. This also explained the appearance of 11-year-old actress Louanne Sirota as Miss Geezba, Mearth’s teacher. Despite 95 episodes over four seasons, the show was ultimately canceled in summer 1982 and ended its run at 60th place for that season.