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Mindy Gets Her Job

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"Mindy Gets Her Job"
Season 3, Episode #11
(#62) in series (95 episodes)

After speaking up for herself lands her her dream job, Mindy runs into trouble her first night, requiring unconventional help from Mork.
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s): Foster Brooks
Patrick Cranshaw
Jessica Hoyt
Stephanie Kayano
Amy Tenowich
Bebo
Network: ABC-TV
Production code: 311 (3x11)
Writer(s) Tom Tenowich & Ed Scharlach
Director Howard Storm
Original airdate January 22, 1981
IMDB Mindy Gets Her Job
Episode chronology
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"Mork and the Bum Rap" "Twelve Angry Appliances"
List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes

Mindy Gets Her Job was the 11th episode from season 3 of Mork and Mindy, also the 62nd overall episode in the series. Co-written by Tom Tenowich & Ed Scharlach, the episode, which was directed by Howard Storm, was shot on January 9, 1981 and premiered on ABC-TV on January 22, 1981.

Synopsis[]

Mindy manages to land a job at KTNS a local TV station. However, on her very first night, a blizzard leaves the newscasters unable to get to the studio, and with only Mork and a camera man for company, her new boss calls to inform her she has to do the entire evening news broadcast alone.

Plot[]

At Mindy's apartment, Fred is trying to buck his daughter up over her difficulties trying to find a job. As they talk Mork comes home from the with Lola and Stephanie from the Daycare Center in tow. As Stephanie heads for the refrigerator, Mork brings Lola around to sit with Mindy, telling Mindy he's told all the kids in the Center about her search for a job and how he's been fretting over it, and how Lola has some good news for her. Lola it transpires has an Uncle who manages KTNS a local TV station and she thinks there's a job available in the newsroom. Mindy is thankful but tells her she already tried KTNS a couple of times and there was nothing going there. But Mork says that Lola's Uncle said there'd be a job opening that day. Lola gives Mindy her Uncle's (and her own) card, if she wants to call him. When Stephanie and Lola head home, Mindy decides to call and gets an interview for the following afternoon. When she hangs up she tells Fred & Mork that they told her that, if she got the job, every now and then she would have to be on camera, and she's never been on camera before. But Mork references the home movies Fred took of her when she was 2, saying she's a natural and doing an impersonation of her at that age flashing her underpants.

The next day the snow is coming down heavily as Mindy joins a group of girls also interviewing for the position in KTNS, another girl heading out having been told they are looking for more experience. Mindy gets talking to the girl beside her, bemoaning the weather and how she nearly didn't make it in time, the other girl saying she is after Mindy. As they talk they both notice how much they look like each other, pretty, sleek haired brunettes a similar build and dress sense. As Mindy looks around she sees the others aren't too dissimilar from her either. She notes to the other girl that there's a lot people there, and then introduces herself as Mindy McConnell, only for the other girl to laugh and reply that she's Mandy MacDonald. Mandy bets Mindy is a Journalism major, which she confirms and Mandy tells her most of the others there are too, bumping into them a lot at these kinds of interviews, there only being so many jobs going. Mandy went to Colorado State, and Mindy to University of Colorado, and both of them graduated with honours.

Feeling less and less unique, Mindy jokingly asks her if she lives with a guy named Mork, and stares at her when Mandy replies, not anymore. Shocked, Mindy presses her if she actually does know a Mork, relieved when it transpires Mandy misheard her and thought she said Mark, her ex boyfriends' name, though the parity of a Mark & Mandy weirds her out. As does Mandy's allusion that they all think they're so special till they get out of college and discover they're just another 'perky' face. Realizing she is pretty much literally part of a crowd, Mindy is called up for interview and meets Station Manager and Lola's Uncle, Miles Sternhagen. After a slightly nervy start, Mindy talks about her experience which is mostly entirely college based. When Sternhagen asks her if she has any experience in the field, she has to admit no, and he stops her from going any further saying they're looking for someone with experience.

Gathering up her things and feeling dejected, Mindy pauses, and with nothing to lose turns back to Sternhagen and tells him that her and the others like her meet a lot of people like him, and they always tell them they are looking for someone with experience, but how can they get experience of people like him aren't willing to let them get it? He probably wouldn't send a man to the moon because he hadn't been there before. She tells him she's capable, intelligent and hard working and she does a darn, no...damn...good job. Turning to go she's stopped by the applause of the others and Sternhagen being behind her. He notes that she speaks her mind, the reason the previous girl got fired, but he also considers that she may be right, he should take a chance on her and offers her the job. While she's stunned and overjoyed, he explains that she'll do a number of trivial jobs, and fill on camera for whoever isn't there, and then shocks her by telling her they'll try her out on the air doing the weather report that night,. She warns him she's not done much of that kind of thing and he tells her not to worry, if she's no good they'll fire her. All the same she leaves ecstatic at having landed her first job.

Back at her apartment, Mindy, Fred, Jeanie & Glenda are sipping champagne Fred brought over to celebrate Mindy's job. Fred decides to head off as the snow is still coming down hard, but he wishes Mindy good luck and he and Cathy will be watching. When Jeanie asks Mindy what is she going to wear that night, Glenda tells Jeanie it doesn't' matter what she wears it's what she projects. As it's at 10pm, Glenda advises her to cater to the mood of a late night adult audience, then stands up and gives a breathy 'Joy of Weather' seductive performance, that Mindy tells her she wouldn't even do on her Honeymoon. Jeanie tells her she should be herself and does an uber perky imitation of Mindy where everything is great and cute. The snow getting even heavier the girls head out and Mindy alone, gives Glenda's style a go, rapidly cutting it off, embarrassing even herself.

With a full on blizzard in force, Mindy arrives with Mork in tow and meet Jake Loomis, the camera man who tells them all of Boulder is snowed in and they're the only ones who got through thanks to Mindy's 4 Wheel Drive Jeep. The only others there are him and the Engineer. Jake gives Mindy a number saying that whoever showed up was supposed to call Sternhagen. He tells her better hurry up as the news is up and the movie is almost over. Picking up the phone she calls him, and tells him no one is there, suggesting that the news won't get done tonight. As Mork watches, Mindy's face starts to grow wide eyed, and panicky. Hanging up she tells him there's a half hour till the station signs off, and Sternhagen doesn't want to lose his sponsors with dead air, he wants her to do the entire news report by herself. She doesn't have much time to steady herself as Jake comes out with a sheaf of papers that are the news and weather, with the news she has 15 seconds to air.

Handing off the papers to Mork to hold she tries to get herself settled behind the newsdesk. as Jake counts down to 3...Mindy asks Mork to give her back the report, and he throws it to her, the pages flying everywhere. On air, and with the news scattered everywhere, Mindy is left staring into the camera, and after introducing herself and the news reaching for the scattered sheets. At the same time Mork has crawled in under the desk and is trying to do the same. As Mindy reaches down to the left, his hand shoots up on her right with a page, unfortunately the page he hands her only has one line. Reaching to her right, Mork's hand comes up from the left. After each disconnected and incomplete report Mindy keeps trying to end the report, but Jake keeps telling her to stretch it out and go on. Through gritted teeth Mindy asks Mork to help her. Popping up from beneath the desk, Mork slides onto the chair with her...and knocks her off.

As Mindy picks herself up and sidles off, Mork welcomes the viewers to the news from Boulder, or as he likes to call it, the Mindy City, and introduces himself as Walter Morkite, with Dan Mork in London, Morkie Rather in Paris, and Michael Mork in women's clothes. As Mindy desperately tries to get the pages together, Mork starts concocting the news with a series of hilarious over the top stories, recreating non-existent film footage with his fingers, and impersonating wild haired tele-evangelists. That gets them almost to the end, and during commercial Mindy tells Mork she's managed to get the weather report together. When he asks if she wants him to do it for her, she tells him no, its time she stood on her own two feet. Reading the report on the blizzard she makes a smooth job of it...only for Jack behind the camera to indicate to her there's still more time. Caught in the headlights again, Mindy manages to blurt that it's cold out, to which Mork yells 'How cold is it?!' using it as a prompt, Mindy does her Mindy thing, talking positively about winter, curling up with hot chocolate under a quilt, walking in the snow, saying hi to your neighbors, celebrating Christmas, looking forward to spring, and is in full flow that's when Jack indicates they're done. Surprised and pleased she signs the station off.

Coming around to Mork, Mindy is amazed that she felt good doing it in the end, and that they managed to fill the time, each giving the other credit they celebrate together, until Mindy's boss walks in. Mindy tells Mork it's Mr Sternhagen and as he repeats her bosses name, Mr Sternhagen greets Mork as if *he* is Mr Sternhagen, her boss completely sozzled. Sternhagen veers back and forth as he relays how sure he was going to be done with nothing to put on the air. When Mork asks him if he liked Mindy's weather report, Sternhagen says he doesn't like anything until the ratings come in. When she asks if she can keep the job, he shrugs and says why not, and as she's celebrating, Sternhagen pulls her close. Overwhelmed by his fumes which get worse as he bleches her name, he tells her she got him through a difficult time and he cant thank her enough. . After a couple of drunken attempts he manages to leave. Telling him, Mr Sternhagen was not like that before, Mindy doesn't care, she got the job! Commenting that her four years of college really paid off, she nods, but says not as much as her three years of Mork. Mindy's not wanting to drive in this weather, makes Mork get the idea of cadging a lift with the drunken Sternhagen and rushes after him, but then yelling at him not to drive. It leaves Mindy a moment to look around the studio and take in the start of a new phase of her life as she embarks on her long worked for career, celebrating with a vigorous Yessssss....she exits with a skip in her step.

The episode ends with Mork reporting to Orson dressed in mountain climbing gear. Mork reports on the concepts of jobs, telling Orson after much searching Mindy finally got one. Orson comments that he thought she was a student, and Mork says she's an excellent one, but there's a saying that those who stay in college too long die by degrees. Orson asks him about the mountaineering gear, and Mork tells him its to symbolize the climb that Mindy has just embarked on towards the peak of success. Anyone who thinks they're going to get a job straight out of college has been the victim of an abominable snow job. That there's no guarantee that anyone coming out of college will get a job. It's an unfair system, the old ones are forced out of their jobs, the young ones can't get a start and the ones in the middle end up with ulcers from overwork and stress. But he's learned one thing, no matter how high the mountain or how dull the task you have to take that first step to reach the top.

Promo[]

Mork_&_Mindy_-_Mindy_Gets_Her_Job_-_Promo

Mork & Mindy - Mindy Gets Her Job - Promo

Mindy Gets Her Job - Ep 11 Season 3 Promo

January 1981, ABC Promo for Mindy Gets Her Job (featuring misleading storyline!) followed by Bosom Buddies promo.

Trivia[]

General[]

  • There was less than a two week turn around from this episode being shot (Jan 9, '81) to it's being aired (Jan 22, '81).
  • Mork tells Stephanie and Lola, "If you're real good, I'll take you to see Popeye again." Robin Williams starred as the title character in Popeye between seasons 2 & 3 of Mork and Mindy and the film had recently been released when this episode aired. Williams went on to reference the movie in several other episodes as well. From the adult onset actors reactions this was one of William's ad-libs kept in, and he also says to the kids 'Bet you wonder where *I* got those big arms..." making a deflating noise, talking about the huge false inflatable forearms he had to wear as Popeye and which caused problems during filming.
  • The description Lola gives of Mindy, as attractive to men yet no threat to women, was how Garry Marshall described Pam Dawber and frequently ascribed in the media at the time as the reason for Pam Dawber's own popularity/likability across both sexes.
  • Mork says that if she lands a job at the TV station, tomorrow Mindy could be "Fred Silverwoman." Fred Silverman was a successful producer and the president of ABC, who saved Happy Days from cancellation and green-lit Laverne & Shirley - though he had taken over as head of NBC just prior to the debut of Mork and Mindy.
  • This marks the introduction of Mr. Sternhagen, portrayed by Foster Brooks, who was renowned for playing a drunk through many sitcoms and movies, and does his fabulous drunk routine here, congratulating Mindy on a job well done and keeping her on at the station. He only appears in two more episodes but they are among the third season's performance highlights.
  • This is also the first time we see the character of Jake Loomis, the cameraman, but not Patrick Cranshaw who plays him (having already made an appearance as a customer in the Music Store (Mork the Gullible) and a customer in a Department store (Mork's First Christmas) both in Season 1.
  • This is the first mention of Dewey Fishbeck, KTNS stations anchorman who, in the grand tradition of sitcoms, is a character often mentioned but never seen.
  • Mork apparently doesn't drink champagne as it "perpetuates cruelty to grapes", however when he lies to Mindy in S4's The Wedding, that Orson has given his permission for them to get married, he immediately calls for champagne to celebrate.

Pop Culture[]

  • Another Munchkin, Wizard of Oz reference to the kids from the Day Care Centre
  • Fred says of Lola, when she talks E.F.Hutton listens. E.F.Hutton being one of the most respected financial firms in the U.S, and a major player on the U.S. Stock Exchange.
  • Lola heads out with Stephanie saying she wants to get home to watch the renowned astronomer and astrophysicist Carl Sagan (ironically given Mork's presence, involved with the Search for Extraterrestrial Life) on Cavett...the renowned Dick Cavett talk show being on PBS at that time.
  • Mork introduces himself on air as Walter Morkite, playing on Walter Cronkite, he also references Morkie Rather (Dan Rather)
  • During his news report Mork launches a series of zingers against current U.S. President Ronald Reagan' mocking his verbal gaffes and his background as an actor.
  • Mork refers to the new birthing method named after the colorful former baseball catcher, broadcaster and TV panelist Joe Garagiola Sr.

Quotes/Excerpts[]

  • Mork: *to Mindy* I brought in the munchkins, I told all of them today that you were looking for a job because you were tired of me fretting around in my room going, will she get the job? Or will she end up as the bag lady of Boulder, fighting alley cats for fish heads?

________________________________

  • Mork: Lola's Uncle said there'd be a job opening today, Mind.
  • Mindy: Really? Well maybe I do stand a chance.
  • Lola: I don't see why not. You're attractive to men yet no threat to women.

________________________________

  • Mindy: You don't happen to live with a guy named Mork do ya?
  • Mandy: Not anymore!
  • Mindy: *gapes* You know a Mork?!!!
  • Mandy: Ohhh...I thought you said Mark. That's my old boyfriend.
  • Mindy: Ohhh. Mark and Mandy. Cute! *looks away, weirded out*

________________________________

  • Mindy: *reaches to her right, and Mork hands her paper from the left* Another news bulletin has just been handed to me! *reads* Thousands flee in terror as....*Mork hands her two more pages, she takes one and reads*...the Pope blesses visitors to the Vatican.

Image Gallery[]

Cast[]

Starring[]

Guest stars/Recurring cast[]

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