| ""Cheerleaders in Chains"" | |
|---|---|
| Season 4, Episode #18 (#91) in series (95 episodes) | |
 With Mindy in jail refusing to name the source for a story she's broken, an increasingly desperate Mork tries to do everything he can to get her home, including trying to convince her to breakout, in Episode #18 Cheerleaders in Chains | |
| "Mork & Mindy" episode | |
| Guest Star(s): | Barbara Billingsley Larry Carroll Phillip R. Allen Judy Pioli Paul Willson |
| Network: | ABC-TV |
| Production code: | 418 (4x18) |
| Writer(s) | |
| Teleplay by: | Winifred Hervey |
| Story by: | Cindy Begel & Lesa Kite |
| Director | Bob Claver |
| Original airdate | April 22, 1982 |
IMDB 
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"Cheerleaders in Chains" |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Midas Mork" | "Gotta Run, Part 1" |
| List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes | |
"Cheerleaders in Chains" was the 18th episode in Season 4 of Mork & Mindy, also the 91st overall episode of the series. Co-written by Cindy Begel and Lesa Kite, the episode, directed by Bob Claver, premiered on ABC-TV on April 22, 1982.
Synopsis[]
Mindy is jailed when she won't reveal a source in a story she broke on a Construction Scandal. As days tick by without her release, Mindy sticking to her principles, an increasingly desperate Mork tries to go through political channels to get her out, then hatches a plan to spring her.
Plot[]
Mindy, Mearth and Fred come home with Mearth in excellent mood, chanting about how Mork has earned his driver's license, and looking for his grandfather to 'pay up', Fred having bet against Mork passing his test. Fred can't believe that Mork will be let loose on the roads, especially as he managed to drive off from the gas station with the mechanic still under the hood! Wistful he thinks of how one good stiff wind when Mork was landing on Earth could've left Mork in Kentucky. Pulling Mindy aside he tries to get her to keep him off the roads, but she demands that he has a little faith in Mork, after all he didn't try and put Fred off when he took up Karate. Returning to Mork she tells him she's proud of him, and he declares it a near red letter day, only his lousy photo on his ID making it a downer. After Mearth reads a short poem out in his honor, a knock on the door disturbs them.
Mindy answers it to a man who introduces himself as their neighbor from across the street, Bob Miller, who tells her he thinks he got some of her mail, but when she takes it she realizes he's served her a subpoena. Indignant, she throws him out, and opens it telling her family it's a summons for her to testify on a highway construction safety scandal that she reported on, on the air, that now want's her to reveal her source. Everyone stares at Mearth when he forcefully tells her hopes she's not going to betray the informant, and will stands on her rights under the 1st amendment and as a journalist. Fred appreciates her principles, but asks haven't journalists gone to jail for refusing to name their sources. Mindy shrugs it off, saying this is just a small road construction scandal not the Pentagon Papers, they're not going to do anything to her.
At KTNS, Larry Carroll, newscaster on Newsline, reads out a report that KTNS reporter Mindy McConnell was cited or contempt of court and jailed for refusing to reveal her news source in the Hidden Springs Bribery Trial, footage of Mindy handcuffed and trying to cover her head as she led into jail playing in the background.
In the Hidden Springs Jail, Mindy, now in Prison Greys, with her expensive sweater draped around her shoulders the only personal item left to her, is led in by the strapping blonde Matron, who towers over her. Nervous, Mindy notes there's already someone in the cell the Matron opens for her and asks if she can have one by herself, only for the Matron to tell her 'This is Jail not the Love Boat' and pushes her in grabbing her sweater off her in the process, then joking she'll only wear it weekends when Mindy points out it's a really expensive sweater. The woman in the cell with her is a much older lady, who politely stands up from one of the beds, and greets Mindy warmly able to tell that she doesn't really belong there. Telling her just knows just how she feels she sits with her. Mindy tells her she's never done time before, in fact she's never even been grounded. Introducing herself as Louise Bailey (special guest star Barbara Billingsley), she calls Mindy a cutie wondering how she could've wound up in 'a hellhole like this?!' Miserably Mindy tells her she doesn't know, she really didn't think things were going to work out like this, but her lawyer called and said she should be out in a few hours. Louise nods, thinking its funny how things worked out, and to Mindy's shock tells her that she's in because of a 'silly old parking meter'. Mindy assumes that nice, sweet Louise was arrested for illegal parking, only to find that the policeman found 'Walter' in the trunk when his arm fell out,("what was he doing in the trunk?" "not much!").
As Mindy silently tries not to freak out, Louise sighs and tells her she warned him about his snoring for years but he wouldn't believe her. Finally the previous night she took a pair of her best pantyhose and strangled him in his sleep, after which she had the first decent sleep of her life in 31 years. When Mork arrives, they rush to each other separated by the bars, Mork worried for her, Mindy telling him they took everything even her wedding band, and that Louise told her she murdered her husband! But Mork refuses to believe that she could have: "come on, she looks like Mrs. Cleaver!"
Mork gives Mindy some cigarettes to 'bribe the screws with', face cream and a harmonica, just before the Matron comes back to tell him that visiting hours are over, as she drags him away, Mindy tells him she's missing him already, and to try and make it easier on her, Mork calls to Louise and tell her not to worry, Mindy's a great room mate. Just don't let her snore and keep you awake he calls as he's dragged away, leaving Mindy to face the hardening face of Louise, trying to pretend he was joking, before finally yelling for the guard.
At home, Mork is hanging up all of Mearth's toys that he's washed, as Mearth returns home, limping and whimpering having skinned his knee. Mearth makes out that a dog, cat and grey squirrel all bit him, before Tommy Linder hit him with a bat, apparently irritating all of them in turn. Mearth berates his father for his attempts to treat his cut, but confesses that nothing bit him when Mork says they'll have to get him a rabies shot. And it turns out to be Bobby Danner that hit him with a bat. He moans that Mommy never used to do what Mork is doing to his cuts, and Mork snaps at him railing at him that his Mom is in the slammer and he's all he's got, before Mork unravels, Mindy's absence getting to him. As Mearth limps to the couch after his father, Fred arrives with further bad news, Mindy's petition for release has been denied and she could be locked up for quite a while. Mork deflates on hearing she won't be home for a while, and further at the idea of relatives starting to bring over strange casseroles like 'Tomato Delight. Mearth too hates to hear it, but is rather pleased at having won more money from Fred, having bet against Mindy's release.
Alone in her cell, Mindy plays the harmonica Mork gave her. Badly. Nine days, Mork notes, as he's let in to visit her, and she hasn't improved at all. On seeing him, Mindy grabs hold of the bars between them, telling him she's not sure she can handle another day. Mork tries to console her telling her he has a plan so she can say goodbye to the bars, the communal showers, and the mystery meat. Just tell them the name of her informant, or tell him and he'll spill her guts for her. But she refuses point black to break her principles, she reminds him how she feels about freedom of the press, and that this is a basic constitutional question. The Matron arrives pulling another prisoner with her and sticking her in the cell with Mindy. A lot more dangerous and hard-bitten looking than Louise, Mindy faces her down, but turns back to Mork, who pleads with her to come home, not being able to bear the idea of her sleeping on anything that doesn't have a dust ruffle. She desperately wants to come home she tells him, its not easy for her there, the other prisoners giggle when she tries to shoot baskets in the exercise yard, she has to cut her meat with a spoon, and the screws 'aren't very nice'. However, when she looks around and sees the newcomer is on her bunk she snarls 'Move it Sister, you're on MY bunk!" the other woman backing off rapidly, Mindy startling even herself, 'that woman would kill me for my lunch!' she tells Mork. Seeing the effect it's having on her, Mork refuses to let her rot there, determined to do something. But Mindy groans that it's too complicated he wouldn't even know where to begin. But he doesn't' care. He tells her he's going to go to the capital and start knocking on doors, until someone listens, working through the system.
In the Denver State Capitol, dressed in his best, Mork grouses to Rep. George Logan that he's gone through enough red tape to 'gift wrap the Kremlin'. Logan wants to know what he can do for him, and Mork explains that his wife is a journalist who refuses to reveal her sources, and the judge found her in contempt and she's been 'in the stir, 9 days now and they haven't even taught her a trade!'. Logan calls it a disgrace, takes the petition (signed by an intermediate tap class), thanks Mork for coming to see him and tries to fob him off with a pen. But Mork reacts in real annoyance, reaching into his pocket and pulling out fistfuls telling him he has pens "Coming out the Klarn, here!" Irked and getting desperate, Mork reminds him he's an elected official and he's supposed to help people. Logan tells him the only viable solution he can think of is a Shield Law, a law that protects journalists from having to reveal their sources. He tells him that 26 states have some form of Shield Law in place but Colorado doesn't. Mork offers him a campaign slogan "Free the Shiksa, one!" in the hope that Mindy will be home changing the vacuum bag in no time. But Logan dashes Mork's hopes in giving him the timeline for it to get drafted, pushed through, made a law and enacted, figuring Mindy will be out in 2-3 years. Appalled, Mork realizes that Logan can't help him get his wife out, and Logan agrees, apologizing saying it's not that he doesn't want to help, he just doesn't want to make waves. Annoyance turns to anger on Mork's part, furious that he won't help Mindy because he doesn't want to make waves, telling Logan that all politicians are alike, and what could he expect from a system that gave them Spiro Agnew! Shooting an Orkan insult at him, he leaves.
Back in the jail house, Mindy is working on the jigsaw Louise Bailey was doing previously, only for the Matron and Mork to arrive outside of her cell, singing Happy Birthday, pushing a large cake in the shape of a saw, and wearing party hats. A bemused and amused Mindy points out its not her birthday, Mork jumping in telling the Matron she's show shy, always fibbing about her 'Birthday and SAT scores'. As the Matron laughs uproariously at the 'funny little man' Mindy has, Mork mutters to Mindy to play along with him 'We're making our own laws here, like Haiti.". Muttering back, Mindy begs him not to carry out whatever he has his mind. But Mork has his mind set, and the Matron unlocks the cell looking forward to the first party they've had there since 'the police chief had his heart attack'. Dropping hints as heavy as a sledgehammer it doesn't take Mindy much to figure out that Mork's hidden a saw in the saw cake, but despite wishing he wouldn't go through with it as part of her blowing out the candle, he presses on. At least until the Matron goes to cut the cake instead of the 'tradition' of the birthday girl. The Matron reminding Mork of the 'old tradition' of shooting prisoners with knives'.
As soon as the Matron slides the knife into the cake of course she hits metal...and Mork and Mindy can only watch as she reaches into the end of the cake to pull out the saw inside. Trying to act surprised, telling her he asked for a 'Rum Raisin' filling, Mork pulls the trolley with the cake back out of the cell past the Matron as quickly as he can. Grabbing hold of the cell door to close it, to go after him, the Matron wants to know if Mindy actually married Mork or if she is "just breaking him in for somebody else!", before she gives chase.
Alone in the cell again, Mindy sighs and goes back to the Jigsaw, only for Mork to appear at the barred window of the cell of looking out onto the back alley at the rear of the jail house, startling her. Jumping up as he urges her to hop on the 'Midnight Express', she leans to him at the window and tells him to stop it now. But Mork pleads with her, telling her he needs her. That Mearth needs her, they have tickets to Sophisticated Ladies and it's clam night at Howard Johnson's. No, she tells him in no uncertain terms, her look firm, but he won't listen. Backing away from the window he calls to her to stand back, Mindy continues to try to prevent her husband from breaking her out: "Mork, put that finger down!" But he cuts through the wall of the cell with his finger, and jumps onto the huge slab that falls inwards, looking at Mindy triumphantly. Taking his wife's hand he moves to pull her after him to the car that's running outside, but she refuses to go.
It's against the law to break her out she reminds him. She badly wants to go with him but she can't. She tries to make him see that this is her one chance to show that her beliefs are more than just words. Seating herself on the bench, she grasps it tightly, firm in her resolution that she's staying there, she's not going anywhere. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for your principles, taking his hand she tells him he has to see that doesn't he? But Mork nods yes while saying no, torn between agreeing with her and wanting her with him. As he grabs her hand again though, the Matron returns and catches him. Mork tries to pretend the wall caved in because of kids playing handball in the alley, but the Matron grabs his wrist, and cuffs him to the bars of the cell, while Mindy tries to tell her this is all just a big mistake. Mork sighs and tells Mindy to look on the bright side, now they're together, and if they can get Mearth on a juvenile rap charge they can be a family again. The Matron tells him he wasted his time, however, she came in to tell Mindy that she's been released, her source finally spilled the beans. Delighted to be freed, Mork notes that 'ex cons are so insensitive', reminding her of what happens 'to a pretty face' in jail, and as she's let out she promises to call the lawyer the second she gets home, gives him his harmonica, and advises him not eat the macaroni 'it's baaaad'.
Chained to the bars, Mork plays and sings the blues on his harmonica one handed, then blinks and wonders what he's feeling sorry for. There's no jail in Boulder than can hold him on clam night! Pointing his finger at the cuffs, he burns through them. Taking the cuffs as a souvenir, he clambers back out through the hole in the wall, turning and pointing his finger, the huge slab rising up and reaffixing itself seamlessly, looking like nothing ever happened. Reappearing gleefully by the barred window, Mork sings a quick refrain of 'Born Free' before zipping away. A second later the Matron returns with a deputy sheriff in tow, only to find no Mork, no handcuffs and no hole in the wall. With a sigh she looks at her colleague and shakes her head, all those years in the roller derby 'I knew I should've worn a helmet!'
The episode ends with Mindy's jeep back at KTNS, and Mindy on air giving a report on Newsline on flash floods locally. This is followed by a story on Denver Gazette reporter Judd Smith being cited for contempt of court ala herself for refusing to reveal his news sources in the Arvada Kick Back Trial. In a related story, a bill to provide a shield law for journalists died in committee. And finally, a picture of Louise Bailey's mug shot comes up as Mindy announces that the man hunt continues for the escaped pantyhose strangler. Details at 10!
Trivia[]
Orkan 'Facts'[]
- After making it's first appearance in Alas, Poor Mork, We Knew Him Well, the Orkan word for 'Ass' definitely appears to be Klarn as used by Mork again here.
General[]
- The title of the Episode is a play on the 1972 ABC-TV Movie 'Women In Chains' starring Ida Lupino & Jessica Walter.
- Hidden Springs the Boulder township location of the Highway scandal Mindy is investigating, and where she ends up jailed, appears to be combination of the Boulder townships of Hidden Lake & Eldorado Springs.
- This is the second of two appearances of Paul Willson, future Cheers cast member, who was one of the founding members of the Off The Wall Improv group that Robin Williams belonged to before he landed the role of Mork, and appears in archival footage of Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind.
- Guest star Barbara Billingsley played ultimate home maker June Cleaver in 'Leave it Beaver' for years. No actual mention of that was supposed to appear in the script, but according to Barbara Billingsley, Robin Williams ad-libbed the line 'She looks like Mrs Cleaver!' when Mindy tells him she told her she murdered her husband.
- The 'face cream for an older woman' that Mork gives to Mindy is the classic (navy pot/light blue top) jar of Noxzema (sans sticker), which Pam Dawber had begun advertising on national TV and in major magazines, at the start of 1982.
- We get another Mindy / Shiksa reference when Mork suggests 'Free the Shiksa One' as a campaign slogan for Mindy.
Pop Culture[]
- Mork tells Mearth his poem's meter reminds him of Eubie or Robert Blake. Eubie Blake being the composer and jazz pianist. Robert Blake an actor known for hard nosed roles.
- Mindy shrugs off anything happening to her, telling her father that this isn't like The Pentagon Papers, whose release to the press by a whistleblower demonstrated, among other things, that the Johnson Administration had "systematically lied, not only to the public but also to Congress" about the U.S's involvement in Vietnam and the progress of the War there.
- Mearth's sophisticated outburst about Mindy standing on the 1st Amendment and her rights as a journalist, he attributes to his watching of Lou Grant, Ed Asner's Newspaper Editor character in the Mary Tyler Moore spin off. Whose frame resembles Mearths.
- When Fred comes in and tells Mork he has some bad news, Mork is worried something's happened to Gene Rayburn. Rayburn was an American radio and television personality, best known as the host of various editions of the American television game show Match Game for over two decades.
- When Mindy points out that journalistic freedom is a basic Constitutional Question, Mork says like how "Strom Thurmond keeps having children?" The 70+ Republican Senator having 4 of his 5 children at that point.
- Mork takes another swing at current President Ronald Reagan, pulling out a pen from among his collection when angry at Logan's not being willing to help him with Mindy, telling him it's just like Ronald Regain "...It has no point."
- Another of Mork's favorite targets Brooke Shields gets a mention, when Logan tells Mork it could take 2-3 years for Mindy to get out, enough time for Brooke Shields 'eyebrows to have met'.
- Spiro Agnew was Richard Nixon's Vice President, who resigned before Nixon was impeached for the Watergate Scandals, because of prior corruption of his own (which ultimately meant that Gerald Ford went from Secretary of State to Vice President because of Agnew, to President because of Nixon).
- Mork tells Mindy to hop on the 'Midnight Express' which is prison slang for an inmate's escape attempt.
- Mork tells Mindy she has to escape as they have tickets to 'Sophisticated Ladies' a musical revue based on the music of Duke Ellington. The musical ran on Broadway in 1981–83, earning 2 awards and 8 nominations at the 35th Tony Awards.
- Mork gives another short rendition of "Yadda Yadda!" popularized by Lenny Bruce in his standup bit "Father Flotsky's Triumph," the closing track on his 1961 album, as he's done before (Mork vs. The Necrotons, Part 2)
Quotes/Excerpt[]
- Fred: Mork driving. Who would believe it could happen here! I keep thinking one stiff wind four years ago and he would've landed in Kentucky.
- Mindy: Oh come on, Dad! Mork went out set a goal for himself and he achieved it! I think you should be very proud of him.
- Fred: Proud? He just drove out of a gas station with the attendant still under the hood!
_______________________________________
- Mindy: Wait a minute!! This is a subpoena!!
- Bob: That's right.
- Mork: Wow! Isn't that great! Bob what a kind o' guy you are! Why don't you come over tomorrow, wear some shorts stand by a fire and have a weenie roast.
_______________________________________
- Louise: I'm in here because of a silly old parking meter.
- Mindy: *stunned* You're kidding!?
- Louise: No I went into a hardware store and when I came out, there was a policeman writing me a ticket.
- Mindy: I don't believe it! They threw you in jail for a parking ticket?!
- Louise: Well, in a round about way. You see, when I put the shovel in the trunk. Walter's arm fell out.
- Mindy: Who's Walter?
- Louise: *smiles* My husband.
- Mindy: *getting a little nervous* Wh...what was he doing in the trunk?
- Louise: Not much. *they stare at each other* He was dead. *Mindy nods, turns away from her and silently freaks out*
_______________________________________
- Louise: *as Mindy silently freaks out* I warned him about his snoring for years. But he just wouldn't believe me! So last night I took a pair of my very best pantyhose and I wrapped them around his neck, real tight. Y'know it was the first good night's sleep I've had in 31 years.
- Mindy: *stands up quickly and moves toward the jail cell door, glancing back at her nervously* Well you look well rested!
- Louise: You don't snore do you dear?
- Mindy: *wide eyed* NO! Ah No! No.
_______________________________________
- Mork: *they rush to each other separated by bars* Oh my poor little prison Pooter! My little San Quentin Quail! How are you?! Oh Mind! I mean the anguish! The degradation! *looks her up and down* But cute little dress though!
- Mindy: Mork I feel so humiliated, even though I know what I'm doing is right! They...they...they took everything! I mean they took my clothes. *holds up her hand upset* And they took my wedding band! And then the finger printed me, and took mug shots!
- Mork: *full of sympathy* Oh Min.
- Mindy: And Mork *gestures over her shoulder to Louise* That woman told me that she murdered her husband!
- Mork: *scoffs* Oh Min! Murdered her husband, c'mon! She looks like Mrs Cleaver!
_______________________________________
- Matron: Let's go shorty!
- Mork: You got it, butch!
- Mindy: *follows him along the bars* Ohhh! I miss you already!
- Mork: I miss you too, Min! *calls to Louise* Oh and lady, don't you worry! She makes a real good roommate! And don't let her snore at night and keep you awake at night! *gets pulled out*
- Mindy: *nervous, as Louise's smile fades* That...that...*points at door* that was just a joke! He was kiddin'. I don't snore. As a matter of fact I don't even sleep! *turns back to bars* GUARD!!!
_______________________________________
- Mearth: Mommy never...Mommy never puts these on! She always puts...
- Mork: *snaps, hardboiled* Wise up to one thing, kid!! Mommy's in the slammer now bustin' up rocks and breakin' out license plates! So I'm the best you got, and you better deal with me the way you have me right now! *His hand goes to his head dramatically as he wails* Ohhh what am I talking about I miss Mommy too!!!
- Mearth: *leaning away from him alarmed* Boy you need some sedation!!
_______________________________________
- George Logan: Before you go I would like to present you with one of my souvenir pens! *present it to Mork*
- Mork: *annoyed* Listen if I wanted a pen and coffee I would've mugged a waitress!! *reaches into breast pocket* Y'know what I don't need anymore pens! Look at this! I've got pens coming out the Klarn here!!! *pulls out fistfuls of them* Look at this! Look at this one here! It's a Ronald Reagan pen! It has no point!!
_______________________________________
- George Logan: Yes, I know what I can do! Of course this is going to take time. This isn't Photo Mat. We'll draft a bill and then ehh...push it through the right channels.
- Mork: Right! Right!
- George Logan: And eh, you know what, I won't take my Christmas Break!
- Mork: Oh bless you!
- George Logan: I'll ram this thing right through!!
- Mork: Oh ram it home!!
- George Logan: Yes sir! And you know what?! She'll probably be out in around 2 or 3 years.
- Mork: *appalled* Two or three years?! By that time Brooke Shields eyebrows will have met!
_______________________________________
- Mork: Well, Mind, I *Saw* this cake. It was the best cake I saw *Bar* none. I hope you don't *break out*!! Ahrr Ahrr Ahrrr Ahrrr Ahrr! *Breakout!*
- Mindy: *fixed smile in place* I get it.
- Mork: Make a wish, hon!
- Mindy:*bends to blow out candle* I did. But you're probably going through with this anyway.
_______________________________________
- Matron: *to Mindy* Did you really marry that guy, or are you just breaking him in for somebody else?!!?
_______________________________________
- Mork: Mind, c'mon now, please!! *she doesn't move* Well stand back! Stand back!
- Mindy: No!!
- Mork: *disappears from window, voice* Mind, c'mon!
- Mindy *yells after him* Mork stop it!!
- Mork: Stand back!
- Mindy: Mork, put that finger down!
_______________________________________
Image Gallery[]
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Robin Williams as Mork
- Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
- Conrad Janis as Fred McConnell
- Jonathan Winters as Mearth McConnell
- Ralph James as Voice of Orson
Guest stars[]
- Barbara Billingsley as Mrs. Louise Bailey (Special guest star)
- Larry Carroll as Himself (Special guest star)
- Phillip R. Allen as George Logan
- Judy Pioli as The Matron
- Paul Willson as Bob Miller
