| "Mork vs. The Necrotons, Part 1" | |
|---|---|
| Season 2, Episode #11 (#36) in series (95 episodes) | |
 Captain Nirvana (Raquel Welch) and her cronies arrive on Earth with plans to take Mork back to their ship to try to torture him in "Mork vs. The Necrotons, Part 1" in Season 2 (ep.#11) | |
| "Mork & Mindy" episode | |
| Guest Star(s): | Raquel Welch Debra Jo Fondren Vicki Frederick |
| Network: | ABC-TV |
| Production code: | 211 (2x11) |
| Writer(s) | Alan Eisenstock & Larry Mintz |
| Director | Howard Storm |
| Original airdate | November 18, 1979 |
IMDB 
|
Mork vs. The Necrotons, Part 1 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Dial 'N' for Nelson" | "Mork vs. The Necrotons, Part 2" |
| List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes | |
Mork vs. The Necrotons, Part 1 was the 11th episode from season 2 of [[Mork & Mindy[[, also the 36th overall episode in the series. Co-written by Alan Eisenstock & Larry Mintz, the episode, directed by Howard Storm, was the first part of a two-episode story arc. It was shot on November 2, 1979 and premiered on ABC-TV on November 18, 1979.
Synopsis[]
Orson makes emergency contact with Mork to warn him that a cohort of the unrelentingly vicious Necrotons have landed on Earth. They are, he believes, in search of Mork's information on Earth, with the intention of either conquering or destroying the planet.. The only up side, is they can only last 24 hours before Earth's atmosphere kills them. Panicked, Mork tells Mindy he has to make plans to go into hiding before he's found.
Plot[]
Mork is acting as the Sergeant at Arms for Nelson's surprisingly well attended political rally being held in the Deli. Well attended they discover because Nelson is paying for lunch. As Nelson starts to talk, Mork's mouth starts to ring, and as he's causing a disturbance has to throw himself out. In the Men's bathroom, Orson communicates with Mork telling him that their Arch Enemies the Necrotons have landed a on Earth and its crew are most likely after Mork and the information he has about the planet, to see if Earth is worth conquering or not. Orson can't tell Mork anything about what they look like as no one has ever encountered a Necroton and come back to tell the tale, so they could literally look like anything. Fortunately the Necrotons can only survive in Earth's atmosphere for 24 hours so all he has do is avoid them, for his sake and the sake of everyone on Earth.
Back in the Deli, Nelson concludes his speech, and as he does, Mindy notices a table creeping along the floor by itself near her. Stopping it, she crouches down and is unsurprised to find Mork secreted underneath. Yanking him out, Mindy demands to know what is the matter with him, that even by his standards, this is pretty weird behavior. Mork tell her that the Necrotons have landed, but as she has no idea what that means she is decidedly underwhelmed. Mork tells her they are Orks arch enemies and that they can disguise themselves as anything even food, as Gina arrives with a tray of anti pasto, which he promptly knocks out of her hand in panic.
Later Mindy returns to her apartment, Mork having left the Deli before her, calling for him, she sees the attic is shut up, and there's no answer. Perplexed she goes to sit on the couch, only for a scream to come from beneath her making her scream in turn. Jumping up she sees Mork sit up from inside the couch. After he cracks a (pretty filthy) joke about her sitting on his face, Mindy orders the jittery Mork out of the couch telling him he can't hide in there, and wants to know what's going on.
Mork tells her that Necrotons are the scourge of the Universe, and only have 3 emotions, Hate, Lust and Greed. He explains that Ork has been at war with them for as long as he can remember, which in their case means hiding waiting for them to go away. She's shocked when he tells her they are after him for his reports on Earth, so they can decide whether to destroy the Earth or not. Mork starts to gather his luggage, and Mindy follows him around wanting to know where he's going to go, and what, if anything she can do to help? He tells her not to worry, that he only has to last 24 hours before Earth's atmosphere will drive the Necrotons out or kill them, so he'll be back tomorrow, unless they find him. She gets a good idea of what they'll do to him if they catch him, via the scream he emits as the 'saying' those who've dealt with Necrotons have. Stopping him as he moves to go again, Mindy tells him that the chances of him being found in 24 hours are slim in a town of 70,000 people, especially if he just lays low in the apartment. Mork agrees with her logic, mentally calculating the odds of his being found in the apartment at 362 million to 1.
Almost as soon as he's done saying it, the door to Mindy's apartment is blasted inwards off its hinges violently. As the duo duck for cover, a beautiful woman in a tight fitting uniform marches in, announcing herself as Captain Nirvana of the Necroton Black Army. Summoning her two Lieutenants, Kama and Sutra, she informs Mork that he has 5 seconds to get ready, and that he's either going to tell them what she wants to know or she'll suck his brain out his ear.
With Mork too paralyzed from fear to respond, Mindy steps in front of him, and stands up to Nirvana. Who promptly just laughs in her face, and tells Mork to curb his pet. Mindy flaring at that, goes to retaliate, prompting Mork to try and pull her back and erect a forcefield that he confidently tells Mindy will keep Nirvana trapped for months Only for Nirvana to immediately lay hands on him, telling him his Orkan weapons are useless against them. Mindy tries to get between her and Mork again, telling him to run, and when Nirvana tells her lieutenants to silence 'the pet' again, a furious Mindy goes for her, only to end up trapped behind a forcefield herself. Nirvana uses a Trance Inducer to semi-stun Mork, and Mindy can only watch helplessly as her lieutenants carry Mork off, Nirvana pausing to take a couple more pops at her, appearance, commenting that she must've been the 'runt' of her litter, before leaving her trapped.
Sometime later, just as the forcefield starts to fade, Nelson arrives at his cousins apartment to see the broken in door and Mindy looking like she's excelling at being a Mime clambering out from behind the shrinking field. A panicked Mindy tells Nelson that Mork was kidnapped. Nelson alarmed and concerned right up until she tells him that the perpetrators were three gorgeous women, then his interest in what they'll do to him becomes more prurient. Frustrated Mindy realizes that she can't tell him the truth about the danger Mork is in without revealing Mork's secret. Caught between a rock and a hard place, and nearly in tears, she caves to Nelson's persuasion, even though she thinks he won't believe her anyway, and tells him exactly who took Mork and why. As per expectations Nelson duly fails to believe her, despite her insistence its true. To make matters worse he blames, what he perceives to be a breakdown on her part, on the pressure of being a single working woman, leaving her alone, with no one to turn to.
Inside the Necroton space ship, Nirvana is reporting to her superior back on Necroton, telling him that the Bogart movies they found which revealed the existence of Earth were not entirely accurate in their depiction of the planet, including the fact that it's not black and white. This her leader says makes it all the more essential that she extract every report Mork has ever made from his brain, but her leader shows absolutely no confidence in her ability to carry out the mission, Nirvana only being sent on the mission as everyone else was ill.
When Mork is brought in on her orders, he is already blindfolded and whimpering as if in pain, informing them that this is a deliberate Orkan tactic to make them feel guilty before they've even started on him. Nirvana frisks him, finding only a yo yo and chewing gum on him, and Mork defiantly tells her she'll never get anything out of him. She tells him they will simply rack him and stretch him till his bones crack, but he laughs it off telling her he'd enjoy it. When she threatens to hang him upside down till his spleen falls out his nose, he tells her that is a hobby of his. Orkans he tells her scoff at pain.
Something she is ready for however,, knowing that Orkans crack like an egg, under any kind of physical pleasure. Mork's defiance turns to slow horror as she turns on romantic music and soft lighting. And starts to quake and when he sees the hot tub. Nirvana makes him strip. Mork taking off his clothes and three pairs of underpants, still emerging wearing an old fashioned bathing costume. The Necrotons tickle him, then throw him in the hot tub, where Nirvana sets Kama & Sutra on him, subjecting him to smutty limericks, and finally the magic fingers of the Trembler. But Mork manages to form a mental block.
Sending out her lieutenants, Nirvana resolves to take him on alone. Once alone, Mork is surprised when she apologizes to him, and then bursts into tears telling him that if she doesn't' get the information from him she'll lose her job, that Kama & Sutra are keen to take her down, and that sometimes she just wants to kidnap a family she can call her own. Mork feeling sorry for her, agrees to tell her what she wants to know, but then fabricates a lot of nonsense, including the necessity of participating in an ancient Earth Custom 'Simon Says' to be able to understand humans.
Using her willingness to participate, Mork manages to get her to the Trembler. Traps her in it, and gleefully escapes. Yelling for Kama & Sutra, Nirvana gets free, but neither of them believe her story abut her accidentally stepping into the machine, especially with Mork gone. Nirvana isn't overly concerned until she relays the information Mork gave her to her Superior and he tells her she's' been utterly duped. That everything Mork said was nonsense. Things get worse for her when he discovers she's also contrived to let him escape. She swears she'll get him back, but he calls her an imbecile reminding her that Orkans are the greatest hiders in the Universe. She swears she has a plan that will make Mork come to her, and he warns her she'd better or else she's dead.
On her hanging up Kama & Sutra ask her how she plans to achieve Mork returning of his own free will? And Nirvana seizes on his attachment to his 'pet' Mindy. Ordering her 2 lieutenants to capture Mindy and bring her to the ship, Nirvana considers that, when its all done, she may keep Mindy's foot for her keychain.
Continued in Part 2
Trivia[]
General[]
- This originally aired as an hour-long episode. It was split into two parts for syndicated reruns.
- After season 1, the Network dropped the entire supporting cast, switched nights and interfered in the writing, that combination of factors seeing the ratings start to slide. ABC was gaining a reputation for "jigglevision," so Raquel Welch was brought in to amp the sex factor, which miffed the cast and crew. "There were a lot of little kids who went through puberty watching that episode," Robin Williams commented, "and I think we lost a lot of the audience."[1]
- According to Howard Storm, "Raquel Welch was any director's nightmare."[2] In addition to various other annoyances, she was so afraid of being upstaged by the other girls playing her Necroton Lieutenants, Kama (Debra Jo Fondren, Playboy's 1978 Playmate of the Year) and Sutra (Vicki Frederick, an award winning actress and talented Broadway dancer).that she suggested they wear dog masks and she drag them around on leashes.
- Raquel Welch in a private meeting with herself, Robin Williams, Pam Dawber and Director Howard Storm while willing to listen to Robin Williams, got under Pam Dawber's skin by being completely dismissive towards her personally. Behind her back, and in front of Robin and Howard, Pam mimicked punching her in the back of the head. An act she would continue to do whenever she was behind her on set, cracking up the crew.[2]
- At the end of a take, Robin Williams refused to get out of the hot tub because he had an erection.[2] a frequent problem he had with intimate scenes throughout the run of the show, including with Pam Dawber, Howard Storm describing him as perpetually, 'primed'.
- This episode was spoofed in the 2011 porn movie Mork & Mindy: A Dream Zone Parody.
- Mork previously mentioned the Necrotons in "To Tell the Truth." named here as the Orkan's arch enemies.
- This episode marks one of the few times that Orson calls Mork.
- Mindy's iconic red couch undergoes a subtle change in this episode. It is the same color and has the same backing protector, but prior to this, her couch had curved arms and the seat was integral to the couch. Now the arms are straight and there are removable cushions. This is done exclusively to facilitate the sight gag of Mork hiding *inside* the couch which wasn't feasible with the previous type of couch. This will be the couch she has until the end of the show.
- Ovits Is a go to name in the show, used for the name of Planet pillaged by the Necrotons where the discovery of 2 Humphrey Bogart movies revealed the existence of Earth. Mrs Ovits is the person who owns KTNS where Mindy ultimately gets a job in Season 3. And Ovits is a school mate of Mearth in Season 4.
- Orkan dogs have three legs and fall over every 4th step.
Pop Culture[]
- Orson tells Mork they've got trouble, Mork responding with 'Right here in Boulder, City?' the old stand bye gag taken from Ya Got Trouble (Right here in River City) from The Music Man
- Claude Rains, the star of 1933's The Invisible Man is namechecked as one of those who would be among Ork's National Heroes.
- Mork mentions one of the places he might go that no one goes to as a Mike Curb rally. Curb was a former musician turned Ronald Regan supporter and Lt. Governor of California.
- When he's hit by the TransInducer by Nirvana, a reduced intellect Mork starts quoting lines from The Dating Game
- Nelson references what Jimmy probably said of brother Billy 'Why My relative?' talking about President Jimmy Carter and his brother Billy whose actions contrived to harm and ultimately lose him the Presidential election against Ronald Reagan.
- The Necroton Leader reveals they only discovered the existence of Earth through the discover of two Humphrey Bogart movies when they pillaged the planet Ovits.
- Mork tells Nirvana he'd enjoyed being stretched on the rack as he'd come out looking like Tommy Tune, the 6'6 Broadway star/dancer/choreographer who often wore striped shirts, ala Mork, to make himself look shorter
- Mork calls Kama & Sutra in their flamboyant silver robes The Supremes
- When Nirvana threatens to read to him, Mork tells her reading can't hurt him, he's been to Evelyn Wood, the American educator who popularized speed reading
- In describing some of the people of Earth, Mork talks about Alan Akalala who lives in Hawaii and has a tattoo of Jack Lord with the words Why'd you leave the show Danno? Referring to the original Steve McGarret in the 1968 version of Hawaii 5-0
Quotes/Excerpts[]
- Jeanie: *hands Nelson the bill for the food* Here's what it comes to
- Nelson: Fine I'll pay you next week.
- Remo: Next week?!
- Nelson: Sure, you can trust me you have my word as a politician.
- Remo: *turns to the attendees* Drop those forks! Kitchens closed! Take that wiener out of your mouth!!
____________________
- Nelson: Mork? Why are you ringing?
- Mork: Cuz my knocker's broke.
____________________
- Orson: The Necrotons can only survive on Earth's Atmosphere for 24 hours. So all you have to do is what any patriotic Orkan would do in a time of war.
- Mork: *proudly* Hide!
____________________
- Mindy: Mork! What...?! Mork!!
- Mork: *Climbs out of the couch* Mind, it's alright for me to sit on my face, but I don't think you can.
____________________
- Mork: Yes! I'll use one of your dresses! I'll go incognito
- Mindy: Wait wait wait wait...why are you taking my dress?
- Mork: What better way to hide then in one of your dresses? You know hiding is a drag.
____________________
- Mindy: Well what will they do if they catch you?
- Mork: Well...people who've dealt with Necrotons have a saying.....AAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!
____________________
- Mindy: Mork, do something!!
- Mork: I am Mind! I'm shaking as fast as I can!
____________________
- Mindy: Nelson!! Look, i mean you know me! I'm good old logical reliable, Mindy! I wouldn't make up something like this!
- Nelson: Alright. I'll help you.
- Mindy: You will?!
- Nelson: First, we'll get you to a nice home, in the country. Far away from the urban hubbub.
- Mindy: Why?
- Nelson: For your mental and my political health.
Promo[]
ABC Mork & Mindy promo November 1979
Ernie Anderson narrates the ABC network promo for the 1 hour Special Mork vs. The Necrotons the November 18, 1979 episode of "Mork & Mindy" guest starring Raquel Welch.
Image Gallery[]
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Robin Williams as Mork
- Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
- Jay Thomas as Remo DaVinci
- Gina Hecht as Jeannie DaVinci
- Jim Staahl as Nelson Flavor
- Ralph James as Voice of Orson
- Tom Poston as Mr. Bickley (credited only)
