Dr. Morkenstein

"Dr. Morkenstein"
Season 2, Episode #5 (#30) in series (95 episodes)
Mork winds up instilling human emotions in a robot when he begins working in a department store in "Dr. Morkenstein" in Season 2 (ep.#5).
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s):	Robby the Robot Roddy McDowall Ken Magee Lu Leonard Gregory Itzin Elizabeth Hoy Jon Schroeder as Grandpa #2
Network:	ABC-TV
Production code:	205 (2x5)
Writer(s)	Bruce Kalish & Philip John Taylor
Director	Harvey Medlinsky
Original airdate	October 7, 1979
IMDB	Dr. Morkenstein
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"Mork's Baby Blues"	"Mork vs. Mindy"
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Dr. Morkenstein was the fifth episode of season 2 of Mork and Mindy, also the 30th overall episode in the series. Co-written by Bruce Kalish & Philip John Taylor, the episode, which was directed by Harvey Medlinsky, was shot on July 19, 1979, and premiered on ABC-TV on October 7, 1979.

Synopsis

Working as a security guard in a science museum, Mork befriends a robot named Chuck. Mork Programs Chuck with conscious thought, unfortunately he also develops emotions.

Plot

At the NY Deli, Mindy, while being treated as a guinea pig by Jeanie for her medical studies, tries to placate Remo whose latest promotion 'A Night in Acapulco' has flopped. Remo however would rather Jeanie turned her attention from Mindy's tendons to her brother's business, which 'is dying'. Remo's fretting is interrupted by the 'macho' arrival of Mork in his uniform, introducing himself as 'Officer Mork of the Right On Police'. When Remo expresses surprise at Mork's get up, Mindy explains he has a new job, as the night guard at the Science Exhibition. Mork is enjoying it and says he can keep it as long as he does two things, his rounds, and keeps his hands off the exhibits....he figures one out of two isn't bad. When Mindy sighs and tells him to spill it, he explains he's reprogrammed an old robot to play games and talk. He always wins, Mork observes of the Robot. Mindy gently but firmly warns him he shouldn't be fooling around with the exhibits, but Mork thinks no one cares about the Robot but him. Remo can't believe he reprogrammed it in the first place, but Mork scoffs at how easy it is before going into an elaborate and complex explanation of how to do it. 'I knew that', Remo huffs, before Mork heads off to his job.

At the Boulder Science Exhibit, Mork is playing, and cheating, at Poker with Chuck the Robot. who he's already taught to swear in Orkan. Chuck thanks Mork for programming him for consciousness, but Mork tells him it's no big deal, he was kind of lonely and needed someone to talk to. But Chuck says something strange has happened. He tells him that after Mork left yesterday, he experienced a condition that seemed to necessitate Mork's presence. Smiling, Mork explains that Chuck missed him. Chuck points out that that is impossible, Robots only function by logic, they have no emotions. Well you have them now, Mork enthuses, figuring they happened by accident but probably came with having a conscience. He shouldn't have them, Chuck informs him, the conflict with his computer banks. Mork points out he used to feel the same way, but now he's up to his ears in Emotions. Chuck reasons that perhaps that is what caused the other strange thing, relating how, when Mork came in the previous night, he smiled at the newer Robot, and Chuck wanted to 'scratch out his catodes'. Jealousy, Mork explains, Chuck wanting to know if these emotions have names? Yes, Mork replies and he knows them all 'personally'. Mork wants to know why he was jealous of the new robot XLG-15, Chuck explaining it's because he is new, and technologically perfect, while he is going to be dismantled next week.

Why? Mork asks upset. Metal fatigue, Chuck replies, saying they say that old robots like him need to be destroyed. Mork demands to know who 'they' are? Saying they aren't God they don't have the right to do that to him, but Chuck calms him down, reminding him that everyone is only there temporarily. The only thing that's hard is that he's found out he's going to be dismantled, just as he's found out what it means to be alive. Mork wonders how he can take it so calmly, but Chuck feels they must know what they're doing, feeling he must be taken apart before he falls apart. But Chuck gets angry suddenly, stating that the only flaw in their logic is that he's not falling apart. Something rattles loudly inside of him, and Chuck tries to cover rapidly saying it's his stomach. Mork suggests other games, and they start to play a game of I Spy, during which Chuck reveals the very human emotion of wanting to live, to sing, dance and shake his booty!

A yawning Mork returns home to the apartment in the wee hours of the morning, not seeing Mindy has fallen asleep on the couch, the TV still on. Taking off his jacket he tosses it to the couch which awakens her with a startled scream, which starts him screaming. Both of them shaken, she wants to know what he's doing home so early and he points out its' 5am. Realizing she fell asleep watching an old tear jerker she turns off the TV. As Mindy fetches them some juice, Mork tells her about work, Mindy amused to hear he's named the robot 'Chuck', though is dubious about his having developed emotions. Something Mork points out he wouldn't have believed of Orkans previously, the real difficulty is that he sees himself as a 'being' and now wants to meet people not machines, in order to 'party hearty'. She's really not sure about what he's getting himself into and asks him if he's heard of the story of Frankenstein? Warning him that the monster in that story, while admitting Chuck isn't a monster, was given emotions it couldn't handle and it didn't work out too well. She's not suggesting it's going to go around strangling villagers, but it could end up hurting itself or someone else...and...costing him his job. As she gathers up her stuff to go to bed properly, Mork moves after her telling her that he knows a lot about Chuck, he's his best friend and wouldn't harm anything. At that, there's a knock on the door, before a robotic claw smashes through it. Her mouth open, Mindy informs Mork it's for him.

Once he's inside Mork makes the introductions between Mindy and Chuck, the robot apologizing to her for the door, Mindy nervily saying it's her fault, she should just leave it open. Looking around Chuck is thrilled to be inside a 'home', but when he goes to sit down on one of the bar stools he barely touches it when it collapses. Mindy taking Mork's arm suggests brightly that perhaps Chuck should go back to the Science Fair. Mork attempts to plead with her to let him stay, and smiling when Chuck is in view, tells Mork 'No Way!' when ducking out of Chucks view, suggesting they can have lunch together sometime. Mork looks at her, and tells her she's acting like she's afraid of Chuck. Noooo, she laughs in front of Chuck, confirming it vigorously to Mork out of sight of the robot. Taking hold of her hand, Mork tries to calm her fears bringing her closer to the robot, trying to get her to touch him, not helping when jokingly ordering Chuck to 'Kill!' trying to point out that Lassie would've been at her throat by now. Chuck greets her again, telling her she's very pretty. Thanking him, she replies he's very metallic. Chuck asks her to let him stay, telling Mork he was kidding himself earlier say he is rusting away, that he needs to be with real, warm people in the time he has left. Mork turns to Mindy telling her he and Chuck are real good buddies. Chuck slapping him on the back, and sending him flying across the room.

Mindy tells them he needs to go back before he's missed, but Chuck informs her that the Exhibit is closed till Monday, no one will miss him over the weekend. Mork pleads with her again, telling her he'll be the perfect house guest, he doesn't eat, he doesn't sleep, he won't smell after three days, and only uses the bathroom to change his oil. Laughing, Chuck pats him on the back again, sending Mork flying again. As Mindy helps him up, Chuck wants to know how to thank her for letting him stay? Anyway you want she tells him, from 'over there'. Mork turns to her, and asks her to make Chuck feel at home, she can fluff up the tool box, and he'll mix up some STP Daiquiris. As she starts to waver, Chuck suddenly starts to recite 'Mary had a little Lamb' before tailing off into garbled nonsense. When he declares that in 1492 Columbus invented the Cotton Gin, Mindy starts to realize what bad shape he's in, especially when she asks Chuck how long it's been happening, and he asks her has what been happening? Chuck tells Mork he's well enough for someone whos rusting away, who Geritol with Iron won't even help. Mindy feeling bad for him, asks if there's anything they can do to help. And Chuck tells her he wants to find out what life is all about. He has feelings and he wants to use them, before he announces that Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President and inventor of The Continental. Mindy's look softens further, saying she never thought she'd feel sorry for a robot, but Chuck asks her not to feel sorry for him, just help him make his last days meaningful. He wants to feel useful. Looking to Mork, she tries to figure that there must be something useful a robot can do beside being an exhibit at a Science Fair. Mork brightens thinking she may have just licked that problem with her cute little tongue and asks Chuck how he'd like to be the central attraction at a Delicatessen? Chuck asks if he'll learn more about feelings there? Mork assures him he'll learn about the most intense emotion of them all. Heartburn.

Over the weekend, The New York Deli is absolutely packed as Remo makes his announcement that Chuck the Robot will be appearing any minute, and Jeanie calls Mork a genius, getting all these customers in with a robot. With the customers getting restless, Jeanie and Mork lead Chuck out with Remo making his big introduction, telling them he will answer any of their questions and solve any of their problems. Things start off well, with Chuck wisecracking with the audience and thanking them all for coming, until he starts to make fun of an overweight woman in the audience, though he doesn't know why, and even when he goes to apologize, he does it again, embarrassing and angering her resulting in her storming out, much to Remo's chagrin. When a little girl hops up and asks Chuck how much 3+4 is he tells her nine, and when another member of the audience tells him he's wrong, and Chuck aggressively tells him to can it. From there it descends into chaos as a panicked Chuck tells Mork he's having an emotional 'brown out', and wants to leave but the crowd won't let him, Mork having to plead with them to let him go and not to touch him, as Remo and Jeanie try to placate them. Mork uncharacteristically losing his temper, angrily screaming at the crowd to 'Shut up', before tearfully telling them there's nothing wrong with Chuck, leaving behind a shaken Remo & Jeanie.

Later that night, at the Exhibit, Mork back in his uniform, moves to turn on the lights, whispering back to Mindy who helps to lead Chuck in telling Mork they'd better hurry. While Mork assures that her no one comes in till Monday, Chuck starts to babble again, 'I'm sorry Gwendolyn, foxholes are for fighting.' A saddened Mindy noting his circuits are going fast. But Mork feels its nothing that can't be fixed. Mork tries to reassure him, but Chuck's sensory perception is going, not sure who is talking to him. Both Mork and Mindy reassure him to their presence, Mork telling him to hold on that he's home now. Chuck coming to a little, notes that that is the best place to die. Mork asks him not to talk like that, taking his hand, Chuck noting it's warmth, before he slides back into dementia again. Mork suggests to Mindy that he could perhaps pull his transistors, give him a temporary jerry rig he could possibly recharge him. Trying to find the right way to tell him, Mindy, stops him, drawing him back with her telling him that what he wants to do is good, but he's only postponing the inevitable. Mork tells her has to do something he can't bear seeing him die like that, but Mindy points out that he's suffering, and he's only going to prolong it. Gently she tells him that he should let Chuck go for both their sakes. Tearfully he tells her it's not right, but she says its not for him to decide. He feels though he has to do something, and asks for a few moments alone with him from her, she draws back to let them talk.

Approaching him, Mork asks him how he's feeling? Afraid, Chuck says honestly. Mork tells him he'll feel better in a moment, and tries to open a panel on Chuck's chest. Chuck stopping him, asking what he's doing? Mork tells him he's just going to pull a few circuits to put him back the way he was so he won't feel anything. But he wants to be left the way he is, Mork tells him he has to, that way he won't feel the fear anymore. Chuck reminds him he wanted to be human, and fear comes with the territory. Mork blames himself, Chuck just being a machine before he messed with him. But Chuck tells him then they wouldn't have been close, he let him feel life, and asks Mork to let him feel the end of it. Mork doesn't want to see him suffer like this, but, as Mindy returns to overhear, Chuck tells him that all his life he never had a choice, till he gave him a choice. And his choice is to die with dignity. Mork nods but says he doesn't make it very easy for him. Chuch reminds him they never finished their 'I, Spy' again, and that they were on F. When Mork says he doesn't think he can play, Chuck pleads with him till he gives in. Mork tries but starts to break down, Mindy watching, upset for him from the doorway, as Chuck starts to fade. Finishing the game he touches Mork's face saying 'I spy with my little eye...friend.' and shuts down. As Mork fully breaks down, Mindy tearfully comes forward to soothe him.

Mork makes a rather somber call to Orson this episode reporting that he took a robot that was a bunch of nuts and bolts and helped him become a person. Orson is rather taken aback, asking if he means he built a 'monster'? Mork refuting that adamantly, saying he made a friend. If you made a friend, Orson asks, why is he so sad? Because he lost him, Mork replies, Orson wanting to know can't he make another? He could, Mork says, but he hasn't got the heart for it. Orson want's to know what he means, and Mork tells him, that when you create someone and you nurture them, and they grow and there comes a time when they have to live their own life, or die their own death. And now his friend is gone forever, Orson asks? Tearful again, Mork tells him no...he'll always keep him in his heart. He signs off "nanu-nanu" tears on his cheeks, and, as after the loss of Mandy (Mork in Wonderland, Part 2), does not bow to Orson.

Trivia

General

• The title of the episode is a reference to Dr. Frankenstein.
• Chuck is Robby the Robot, created for the 1956 MGM classic "Forbidden Planet" and its sequel "The Invisible Boy," and was a longtime veteran of many TV shows like The Twilight Zone, Lost In Space, and Columbo.
• Behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage (including some of Robin Williams' improvisations that never would've made it into the show) is included in the documentary The Adventures of Garry Marshall.
• Mork's line about Lassie being at Mindy's throat when he ordered 'Kill!' to Chuck, has a double edge, with Roddy McDowell having starred as a boy in Lassie Come Home (1943)
• This was aired out of sequence. Jim Staahl receives an opening credit, but his character isn't introduced until the next episode.
• The first of more attempts to get Mork a job this season, with him working as a Night Watchman/Security Guard at Boulder Museum.

Pop Culture

• Mork addresses Mindy in a Humphrey Bogart accent while admiring her legs, using antiquated slang to describe them.
• Mork goes even older saying that losing repeatedly to the Robot in games is better than playing 'Mumbley Peg' with a laser, which, given one uses your mouth for that game is understandable.
• Mork suggests he and Chuck play 'I, Spy' then tells him he can be Robert Culp and he'll be Bill Cosby, referring to the (1965) TV Show 'I, Spy' starring the two actors, rather than the game.
• When Chuck spins his head around while playing I Spy, Mork compliments him on his impression of Linda Blair, another reference to her part in 'The Exorcist'.
• Mork defends Chuck to Mindy saying he's not a monster, but admitting he's no Robert Redford, referencing the actor again.
• Mork tells Mindy he'll make up a batch of STP Daiquiris, STP being the motor oil company.
• When Chuck garbles Mary Has A Little Lamb, and Mindy looks confused, he asks her if she's not into literature, saying that's the Poetry of Billy Carter.
• Mindy reminds Chuck of when he laid his head on her bed, while Mork sponged him off with Rust-oleum. At the time an oil based lubricant to stop the spread of Rust, now Rust-oluem produces a wide range of rust retardant and other products.
• While talking to Orson, Mork says, "I played The Wizard of Oz. I gave the Tin Man a heart."

Quotes

• Mork: *to Mindy* Nice gams sweetheart!
• Mindy: Gams?
• Mork: Pins, Stems, Pipes.

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• Remo: Sounds like you've found a job you really like. I'm proud of ya!
• Mork: Well I can keep it as long as I do two things I'm supposed to. One is to make my rounds and the other is to keep my hands off the Science Exhibits.
• Jeanie: How's it going?
• Mork: Well one out of two ain't bad.

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• Chuck: Mork can we talk for a moment in private?
• Mork: *goes to check* Private's locked.

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• Mork: What were you watching?
• Mindy: Oh I dunno, some old tearjerker.
• Mork: My favourite love story is Mothra vs Godzilla. I always cry when Tokyo gets destroyed. Same old story though. Boy meets City. Boy loses City. Tiny girls sing 'Mothraaaa'

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• Chuck: So this is a home!
• Mindy: No, this is an apartment. A home is where *he* belongs! *points to Mork*

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• Mork: Oh c'mon Mindy let him stay! He's a friend he needs a place to stay! Please! Please! Please, Min!
• Mindy: *smiling nervously at Chuck* Ahehehh...gee Mork...I don't know. *ducks out of sight of Chuck and gestures vigorously at Mork* Noooo way!! *to Chucks' face* But uh maybe we can all get together and have lunch some time!
• Mork: You act like you're afraid of Chuck!
• Mindy: *laughs nervily in front of Chuck* Noooooo *ducks out of sight, and grabs Morks arm* Uh huh! Uh Huh! Uh Huh!! Uh HUH!!!

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• Mindy: There must be something a robot can do besides being another exhibit in a Science Fair.
• Mork: Mindy, you may have just licked that problem with that cute little tongue of yours!

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• Jeanie: This is great! Getting a robot to lure in all these people Mork you're a genius!
• Mork: Oh, you're too modest!
• Jeanie: *sees Remo* And somebody thought this was the dumbest Idea he'd ever heard.
• Remo: Look it's no disgrace to be a septic, okay?
• Jeanie: Sceptic.
• Remo: Tanks.

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• Chuck: I spy with my little eye...friend.

Image Gallery

Cast & Crew

• Robin Williams as Mork
• Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
• Jay Thomas as Remo DaVinci
• Gina Hecht as Jeannie DaVinci
• Tom Poston as Mr. Bickley
• Ralph James as Orson
• Roddy McDowall as Chuck the Robot (voice)
• Robby the Robot as Chuck the Robot
• Ken Magee as Man #1
• Lu Leonard as Lady #1
• Gregory Itzin as Man #2
• Elizabeth Hoy as Girl
• Jon Schroeder as Grandpa #2