| "Who's Minding the Brat" | |
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode #1 (#1) in series (26 episodes) | |
 | |
| "The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour" episode | |
| Guest Star(s): | Stan Jones Frank Welker Ralph James Mark L. Taylor Additional voices |
| Network: | ABC-TV |
| Production code: | 1x1 |
| Writer(s) | |
| Director | |
| Original airdate | September 25, 1982 |
IMDB 
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Who's Minding the Brat |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| None - Pilot | "The Greatest Shmo on Earth" |
| List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes | |
Who's Minding the Brat was the Mork and Mindy themed pilot episode for the ABC-TVThe Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour animated series..
Summary[]
When Mork babysits Mr. Caruthers' daughter, Louise, she accidentally gets transformed into a Cave Ork and disappears. As Mork and Mindy desperately scramble to find Louise, Hamilton makes his way to Mr. Caruthers to rat them out.
Plot[]
School out at Mt. Mount High and the students make a hasty exit to their cars and home. Bar Mork who remains in the Home Economics room honing his cooking kills, after a fashion. Mindy opening the classroom door to find him 'grilling an onion', trying to get it to confess. Amused she tells him cooking class is over, but, he says, he still has to beat the eggs, whip the cream and toss the salad, pulling out a bat and bullwhip before he goes full samurai on the salad. Mindy having to duck out of the way of the flying vegetables until Mork runs out of steam commenting that Earthly cooking is violent. And messy, Mindy notes taking in the mess he's made. But Mork tells his 'Little Mama' that's no problem before using his finger to quickly tidy everything up. Complimenting him on his work, Mindy grabs his finger and pulls him after her by it, telling him she has another problem, which she'll tell him about in the car.
In Mork's Orkan Egg Car, his Grimbel Pazzati, Mork declares himself 'all earlobes' and presses her to tell him her problem. Their Principal, Mr. Caruthers is throwing a party that night and wants her to babysit, she says. Mork wondering if that doesn't hurt the baby? Mindy tells him her real problem is that her Dad wants her to drive him to the airport at the same time, and she asks him to babysit until she gets back. Mork happy to, never having sat on a baby before. As Mindy goes to correct him, they are disturbed by a green sports car pulling up alongside them as they drive, the good looking, preppy Hamilton trying to grab Mindy's attention, smugly declaring himself 'King of the Campus'.
Less than impressed, Mindy greets him with a roll of her eyes, before Hamilton makes a crack about Mork keeping his 'heap' out of the sun incase it hard boils. Equally as unimpressed, Mork gives him a reluctant 'half laugh' for that, the Orkan even less happy when Hamilton calls him a creep to Mindy's face, and wonders what it is she can possibly see in Mork with him around. Mork retorts he's no creep, he's an Orkan. Mindy having to scramble to cover, telling Hamilton that's a town in Ohio. Hamilton, pretending he knew that, tells her to dump the 'ding dong' and he will help her baby sit that night...after 'the brat' is in bed. As she tries to tell him no, Hamilton guns his sports car and takes off. Sighing, Mindy resignedly comments that's that all she needed two 'baby-sistants' Mork suggesting they order a large Pablum Pizza.
Back at the McConnell House, in his attic room, Mork and Doing kick back upside down, waiting for Mr. Caruther's to arrive with their charge. Heading down as the door bell rings, eating his banana, Mork is startled and then worried when he opens the door to a giant banana. Looking to his half eaten piece of fruit, the tells the large banana that its his first babysitting job and he's sure the little banana will heal up, before being both startled and relieved when Mr. Caruther's reveals it to be him, and demanding to know where Mindy is? He warns Mork not to make any cracks about his ridiculous costume, saying it was his wife's idea. He wanted to come as Burt Reynolds. Mork's thinking he's joking doesn't improve Caruther's mood. Mork hurriedly telling him he's filling in for Mindy till she gets back. Caruther's considers this unorthodox, but will little choice brings his daughter, a sweet looking 7 year old redhead, Louise. Getting a kiss from his daughter, Caruther's warns Mork there better not be one complaint from Louise when he gets back or Mork will have to deal with him.
After Caruther's leaves, Mork introduces himself to Louise and asks her what's going down. Louise answering 'these' before grabbing hold of Mork's suspender held trousers, dragging them down to the ground letting them snap back up sharply. Her 'sweet little girl' demeanor vanishing, she snarls at Doing sending him fleeing. Demanding to play a game, she asks for Hide & Seek, snapping Mork's trousers again to distract him and running off, heading upstairs and secreting herself in a closet, where she finds a lot of Mork's knick knacks and devices. When Mork finishes counting in Orkan, he heads upstairs with Doing who sniffs her out. Mork's triumph at finding her as he opens the closet drains on seeing her holding two halves of an egg shaped device that appear to plug into one another. 'Heavy Vibrations' summing up his trepidation he tries to get Louise to put the device down, but she gleefully sticks the two parts together causing a violent blowback and a puff of green smoke, Mork and Doing blown to the floor and looking up to see Louise transformed into a green one legged/bodied creature, a Cave Ork.
Louise, still talking and acting like herself thinks it's just a really great costume and bounces down the stairs intent on heading to her father's costume party. As she does, Hamilton arrives outside the front door, calling for Mindy, a large heart shaped box of chocolates in his hand and telling her he has a surprise for her. Hearing a girlish giggle from behind the door, he prepares himself to kiss her, only for the door to open and leave him face to face with Ork Cave Louise who blows a raspberry at him. Terrified, Hamilton runs back to his car and zooms away. Louise bouncing after him. Not knowing where she's gone, Mork and Doing search the house for her, just as Mindy arrives home. Swallowing, Mork tells Doing they'll face Mindy together, only for Doing to make a run for it, leaving Mork to face the Mindy music himself.
Rising up nervously, Mork pre-empts her anger by pleading in near tears with her not to be angry with him, telling her he can't stand the thought of her hating him, despising him, begging her to forgive him over and over as she stares, bewildered, at him. Cutting him off, Mindy caves and tells him he's forgiven, before demanding to know what it is he's actually done. He explains that the device Louise played about with was actually his 'Time Twister', and turned herself into a Prehistoric Orkan. When Mindy is appalled, Mork tells her not to worry, it 'only' lasts an hour. This does not make her feel better, telling him they have to find her now. Which confuses Mork, feeling if you've seen one Cave Ork you've seen them all. Rolling her eyes, Mindy grabs his arm and pulls her after him.
In the middle of Boulder Cave Ork Louise is bounding across the street, pausing as a car screeches to a halt behind her, the driver, Hamilton horrified to see the creature again, as Louise blows another raspberry at him. Hamilton if further agog when he hears Mindy calling after Louise before she and Mork gives chase past him, and after the altered girl. Sitting back down in his car, Hamilton's eyes narrow as he sees Mork's involvement, feeling he should've guessed that 'space case' was behind it, and decides he'll just have to prove to the world just how dangerous Mork is.
At the Caruther's house, the costume party in full flow, Louise bounds up the driveway eager to surprise her father, with Mindy and Mork in hot pursuit. Hamilton has tailed them, and is wondering why they're crashing their Principal's party. Ducking into the bushes behind one of the refreshment tables, Reaching over, Mork grabs the fruit bowl and the colorful floral tablecloth from the table, then drains the punchbowl with his finger, grabbing that too. Telling him to hurry, Mindy dons the tablecloth wearing it like a sarong, the fruit bowl on her head, and a doyly over her face like a veil. While Mork puts the punchbowl over his head like an astronaut's helmet, and pulls his trousers right up his legs bending low to make himself look small, the two of them heading out to the party in their make shift costumes.
Up in a tree, spying, Hamilton tries to draw Caruther's attention to the pair, but suddenly finds Louise sitting beside him on the branch, which sends him leaping off the branch and crashing onto another refreshment table, sending the food flying out onto the dance floor and the guests as well as Mr. Caruthers. Rushing over, Hamilton apologizes but tells him he's in grave danger from Mork and his 'space monster'. Turning red in the face, Caruthers boots Hamilton out. On the drive way Hamilton swears to get Mork if its the last thing he does. Heading to the back fence, Hamilton spots Louise and climbs over as she goes into a bush, grabbing hold of her leg to try and pull her out, only for her powerful Ork Cave Leg to kick him off easily, sending him flying into yet another punch bowl on a trolley, shooting it and him out towards the crowd, sending the guests, and Caruthers once more, scattering, this time into the pool. Amidst the howls of outrage from his guests, Caruthers grabs hold of Hamilton telling him he's gone too far this time.
A somewhat smug Mork notes Hamilton's troubles, before Mindy pulls him on, warning him they'll be in similar trouble if they don't get Louise. As Caruther's rants at him, Hamilton spots Mindy and Mork chasing Louise into the garden shed and yells to Mr. Caruthers that they're there. Not knowing who he's talking about, Hamilton tells him Mork and his Space Monster as he runs to the shed pulling on the door to open it, while Mork holds onto the door on the far side to keep it closed. Telling Mindy, the much bigger Hamilton is strong, Mindy exhorts Mork to hold on for a few more seconds as she keeps the bouncing Louise penned in the corner using an inflatable airbed, saying Louise's hour is almost up.
Still tugging on the door, Hamilton feels the resistance go limp just as there's a flash, and pulling the door open smugly gestures for Caruthers to look inside to see what he's talking about. Only for a restored Louise, and Mork and Mindy back in their regular clothes to step out, Mindy politely greeting the Principal. Looking at his little girl, Caruthers turns to Hamilton demanding to know if she is the 'Space Creature' they are all supposed to be in danger from. Cutting off Hamilton's babbling, Caruther's informs him that at least he can count on Mork and Mindy. Heading over to them, he thanks them and holds out the babysitting money. But Mork hands it back saying they can't take it. They haven't' actually sat on the baby yet. Taking the Money with one hand, and grabbing Mork with the other, Mindy walks away hand in hand with him, telling him to say good night.
Trivia[]
Orkan Facts[]
- Mork swears 'Jeeapop' directed at Doing when he deserts him to leave him to face Mindy's wrath alone.
- The Egg shaped device that Louise uses is an Orkan Time Twister. Which, like Mork's Aging Machine in the main show (In Mork We Trust / Old Fears) obviously has the ability to alter the age and appearance of the wielder. However, unlike the Aging Machine, which only affects Orkans, the Time Twister obviously affects humans and can alter them genetically to appear Orkan.
General[]
- A large chunk of this episode was featured in ABC's Pac Preview Party, a Saturday morning preview special hosted by Dick Clark. Orson also made a vocal appearance on the special, interacting with Clark and a group of children.
- Mork's 'Samurai' on the salad is a throwback to similar scenes in the main show (Alienation)
Pop Culture[]
- Mork tells Mindy that they can always order a large Pablum Pizza when babysitting Mr. Caruther's daughter. Pablum being a processed cereal for infants originally marketed and co-created by the Mead Johnson Company in 1931, which ceased being sold in 2015, also being mentioned by Fred in the main show (Limited Engagement).
- While relaxing, Doing looks at Pet House's Mutt of the Month, a jokey (and quite adult) reference to adult men's magazine 'Penthouse''s Pet of the Month.
Gallery[]
Cast/Characters[]
- Robin Williams as Mork
- Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
- Stan Jones as Mr. Caruthers
- Mark L. Taylor as Hamilton J. DuPont XXV
- Ralph James as Orson
- Frank Welker as Doing
- Additional Voices: Dennis Alwood, Michael Bell, Val Bettin, William Callaway, Philip L. Clarke, Dave Coulier, Keene Curtis, Alan Dinehart, Jeff Doucette, Walker Edmiston, Richard Erdman, Stan Freberg, Bob Holt, Helen Hunt, Katie Leigh, Allan Melvin, Sidney Miller, Al Robertson, Neil Ross, Shavar Ross, Michael Rye, Steven Schatzberg, Marilyn Schreffler, Steve Spears, Lynne Marie Stewart, Larry Storch, Mark L. Taylor, Lennie Weinrib, and Alan Young.
External Links[]
- Kiss Cartoon