Mork's Mixed Emotions

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"Mork's Mixed Emotions"
Season 1, Episode #20 (#20) in series (95 episodes)
A really embarrassing situation occurs when Mork points it out to Todd (Bill Kirchenbauer), a self-professed "macho guy" that his toupee was coming off of his head while shopping in the music store in "Mork's Mixed Emotions" in Season 1 (episode #20).
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s):	Jeffrey Jacquet George Pentecost Bill Kirchenbauer Peter Elbling
Network:	ABC-TV
Production code:	120 (1-20)
Writer(s)	Tom Tenowich & Ed Scharlach
Director	Jeff Chambers
Original airdate	February 22, 1979
IMDB	Mork's Mixed Emotions
Episode chronology
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"Yes Sir, That's My Baby"	"Mork's Night Out"
List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes

Mork's Mixed Emotions was the 20th episode in Season 1 of Mork and Mindy, also the 20th episode in the series overall. Co-written by Tom Tenowich and Ed Scharlach, the episode, which was directed by Jeff Chambers, first aired on ABC-TV on February 22, 1979.

Synopsis

Mork is starting to dream, caused by awakening emotions. Disturbed by a particularly arousing dream involving himself and Mindy, Mork resolves, despite her protestations, to lock his emotions away. Trying to reach him Mindy kisses Mork, and succeeds beyond her wildest intentions. Releasing his emotions in a flood, creating a number of extreme results.

Plot

Hanging out in her apartment, Mindy is on the phone with Sally Friedman who is checking if she wants to do something Friday Night. Mindy says she can't as its her birthday and she already has plans with someone. Sally asks her if it's anyone 'special' and Mindy confirms it is someone pretty special just as a rather meek looking Mork comes down from the attic. Approaching her about this special someone he makes a number of outlandish guesses before she tells him, she meant him. She plans for them to have dinner just the two of them at a really nice place, laugh and enjoy themselves, and is shocked when he tells her that sounds rotten.

Confused, Mindy wants to know doesn't he want to spend her birthday with him? He tells her absolutely does, but something happened during the night that has deeply disturbed him. He tells her as he was sleeping he had little talking pictures in his head. She suggests he had a dream, and he says he doesn't know if it is or not but it was terrifying and she was in it! Intrigued she presses him on it. He tells her of a dream where they were intimately involved only to find her in another man's arms, who was also him, experiencing grief, rage and jealousy all at once he started fighting amongst himself till she decided to choose between him. Mindy tells him not to worry, he just had a dream, but Mork says she doesn't understand, Orkans don't dream they cut them off bleems ago when they cut off their emotions.

Mindy challenges his assertion that Orkans have no emotions, as he clearly shows them all the time. He admits he sometimes experiences them subconsciously, but now he thinks they're getting out of control. She tells him that showing emotion is healthy, but he tells her he's come to a decision, before his emotions take him over entirely, he's going to shut them off permanently behind a door in his mind. Standing up he goes to start the process, only for a horrified Mindy to intervene. He tells her she doesn't understand, after being locked up for so long, if his emotions get out they could be dangerous and cause havoc. Mindy tells him if he studies humans he'll see they can't get along without their emotions. Mork says he has studied them and notes the World Wars and Watergate. Mindy tells him to study them closer at work.

Accompanying Mindy to work at the Music Store, Mork takes notes, starting with Eugene being upset at the death of his pet lizard. Mindy suggests he might feel better if he cries, but Eugene says his father told him big boys don't cry. Mork makes a pointed note of humans suppressing emotions to Mindy, and jots it down. Once he goes in for his lesson with Cora, Mindy argues to Mork that Eugene does cry, she's seen him. Recently, he wants to know? But she can't admit to that. As they're talking a chain clad, posing, swinger walks into the store (the first appearance of the as yet unnamed Todd Norman Taylor - TNT) and asks if they have any disco records. Already trying not to laugh at him, Mindy goes to show him the section and as he's with her, the toupee he's wearing comes loose and unbeknownst to him starts flapping around. Losing it entirely, Mindy rushes to Mork and pleads with him to deal with him, as she knows she'll just laugh in his face. Mork queries why she's hiding her emotions, she said laughing was good. She replies it is, but in this case it could just hurt the guys feelings. He poo poos the idea saying he's sure the guy would be happy to know he brings joy to the world, walks up to him and tells him he's seen wavy hair before never hair waving, mortifying the guy before Mork pulls his hair right off him, and he runs right out.

That night back at the apartment, Mindy, in the kitchen, is still arguing with Mork about the necessity of emotions, and that no matter what he says he can't shut his off. But Mork says she has failed to convince him, and on behalf of his emotions wishes her a multi-lingual goodbye. Before she realizes what he's doing, and can get to him to stop him, Mork closes of his emotions off as he said he would. Forever. Speaking in a robotic monotone voice with a blank expression he tries to convince her that they can have the the non-emotional version of fun Decidedly unconvinced, she asks him if he can get the door in his mind open again. He replies yes, but he won't do it as what is behind it is far too dangerous. Mindy has a go with him, calling him dumb, but Mork recognizes the insulting behavior for what it is, an attempt to elicit an emotional response. from him. Mindy tells him she hates him like this that he will be ruining her birthday, but the attempt to make him feel guilty is also recognized by him and fails. Grabbing hold of him and anger doesn't work either. She tells him he was such a terrific guy the way he was, so much fun to be with, now un-emotional and cold as he is, it almost feels like a part of him has died. Genuinely upset she sinks to the couch with tears in her eyes. Mork responds that if she thinks she can get to him by crying she's wrong. But there is a flicker of emotion when he says her name again, before he slips back, shoring up the doors defenses in his mind.

Control restored he sits beside her, blankly, on the couch, his head turning to her he tells her he can deal with her as any other person...with invitingly soft skin, rosebud lips and sweet little eyes that leak cute little drops that roll gently down her cheeks. Mindy looks sharply at him, a gleam in her eye, asserting that she's getting to him. Moving quickly away from her denies it. Evaluating him, Mindy sees her plan of action, and moves seductively after him, pressing herself close, sliding her fingers down his throat and into his chest hair, coaxing him to show her where he's hidden his emotions. The moment she brushes her lips over his ear and murmurs in it, Mork shoots to red alert, his defenses crumbling. Mindy presses her advantage, prowling after him as he desperately tries to maintain his control. Any chance he has dissipates the moment she slides her hands up him, and kisses him heatedly bending him back over the table. Jumping back she waits excitedly to see if it's worked. And it has. But not as anticipated. The door does not just open but explodes, Mork's emotions spilling out in a tidal wave. With Mork wild eyed and ferocious looking, Mindy backs away from him in shock then runs as Mork chases her and cuts her off. Unnerved she tries to get Mork to stop, he tells her he's not Mork, he's Mork's Lust. As he advances on her, she's saved by the appearance of Mork's Jealousy who fights with Lust over her, before one after another more and more of his emotions manifest, and he's pinballing between them, till finally his emotions rally behind his Anger and with the real Mork yelling to Mindy for help she watches in utter shock as he's effectively dragged out of the apartment by them.

In the music store the next day, Cora is in disbelief that Mork could have been so badly affected. Mindy says it's her fault, she kissed him. Her grandmother notes at least she got a kiss. As they talk the door opens and the McConnell's look on in shock as wild haired, ripped clothed Mork struts in and fires a Steve Martin cut out display across the room. A concerned Mindy asks him what's wrong and Mork emerges to say that wasn't him, that was his Anger who is keeping guard over the rest of his emotions while they sleep off the night before, when they ran amuck, heading out of Colorado, spending time drinking in a dive, taking on a biker's gang, charming a girl into selling her car and giving him the money. Mindy is hopeful he seems okay now, but Mork tells her he can't tell when they'll come out again, Anger making a brief appearance to reinforce the point. He tells her that he can't go to dinner with her to celebrate her birthday, he'd ruin it. But she tells him the only that will ruin it is if he's not with her. His insults levelled at Cora's sweater gift to Mindy however, leaves that less than assured.

At the restaurant, Chez Michel, that night, a well dressed Mindy and Mork arrive. Mork nervously hopes he doesn't ruin her night, but she says she got him into this, and they'll work it out together, kissing his cheek. He thanks her, but then the sensation of the kiss starts to get a hold, and Lust starts to emerge again. Getting it back under control, Mork's Anger emerges when the Maitre D' tries to pretend Mindy's reservation doesn't exist when he doesn't get a bribe. Bawling him out Mork threatens him if he doesn't give Mindy her table right now. When he tries to fob them off with a table by the kitchen his Disgust loudly makes it clear they're not going to sit there, and they're quickly moved to the best table. Joy thanking him profusely. Mork is quite pleased at how his emotions are working for them, but Mindy thinks they're still coming on a bit strong. When the waiter arrives and makes a recommendation, Mindy is very happy with the sound of it, but he snobbishly derides her request for thousand island dressing, her favourite, for the side salad. Mork's Disappointment takes right over so dramatically that the waiter offers to go to the 7/11 to get her a bottle. Mindy encourages Mork to hang in there, he's doing good, before she looks over at the next table and see the huge lobsters the couple there have, regretfully second guessing her order to Mork. Mork's Envy emerges, which triggers his Aggression and he storms the couple's table to take their lobsters from them, before his Pity takes over at that lobsters fate, at which point a mortified Mindy tries to slide under the table.

Back at the apartment Mindy is concerned at how he is dealing with his emotions like they are alien entities separate to him when they are in fact a part of *him*. She asks him if he could talk to them, but he feels they wouldn't talk to him. So she wonders if maybe they would talk to her if he called them out? Mork nervously gives it a go, and Mindy finds herself face to face with Anger who demands to know what she wants. She tries to reason that on Earth people need their emotions. Anger turns to Disappointment, and expresses how things on Earth aren't what they thought it would be, that they find the whole place bizarre. Fear emerges to express how lonely they are, and how scared they are they are going to be hurt, and Mindy tries to reassure them that on Earth they are free to express themselves and no one will hurt them. Disgust emerges to disparage that idea, insult her apartment, and remind her that she doesn't seem to like their appearance when they made it. Mindy tries to tell them that Mork needs to work with all of them in order to be a feeling person. At that Mork himself re-emerges and promises if they don't go wild, he won't repress them, and sweetens the deal, by offering to introduce them to Mindy's emotions.

The Emotions grab a hold of Mindy and give her a quick physical examination to see what they're getting, go into a huddle, break and come back to her. When she asks what the decision was, Mork tells her he has Mixed Emotions. Asking what emotion he's currently feeling, Mork's Gratitude emerges and kisses her in thanks, when she says she likes Gratitude, his Joy emerges and kisses her again, enthusing about how great it was. Guilt nervously gives her another one then berates himself for doing so. Envy kisses her on the cheek and moans about how everyone else got to kiss her on the lips. Fear gives her a tentative kiss and hopes he didn't catch anything. Finally they pull themselves together...Mork saying this is a kiss from them all, that we...then amends it to "I", as they amalgamate into him at last....telling her he cares for her very much, and they kiss once more.

The episode ends with a nervous Mork making his report to Orson, who knows that Mork has opened the door to his emotions, breaking the highest of all Orkan laws. Mork quietly admits it, and understands that it's Orson's duty to report him to the council. But he tells Orson he doesn't regret it, because for the first time in his life he feels really alive. He feels great and he wishes Orson could try it, feel some of the things he's been feeling. Orson tells him that's impossible, they would throw him in prison if he did. Without trying to be disrespectful Mork tells him that until he can marvel at the beauty around you, take joy in a child walking for the first time, or feel the warmth inside you as you hold someone, he suggests he may already be in prison. Awaiting his fate he asks Orson when he will report him to the Council. Only for Orson to ask for what? Relived, and gleeful at Orson's caring reaction, Mork struts away joyful.

Goofs

• The "Reserved" sign in the Maitre D's hand moves from one shot to the next as he holds out his other hand for a tip and Mork just gives him a Nanu hand shake.

Trivia

Orkan 'Facts'

• Orkans do not dream as a result of turning off their emotions thousands of bleams ago.
• Only animals have emotions on Ork, as it should be according to President Fluffy.

General

• The 'little man' in the background that Mork talks about going 'Don't worry, it'll be cute, don't worry!" when he's relating his dream to Mindy, is an impersonation of Garry Marshall.
• This is the first episode featuring Bill Kirchenbauer as a customer who was essentially "TNT" (Todd Norman Taylor), a recurring character in seasons 2, 3 and 4.
• In Mork's Emotion's physical examination of Mindy as part of the deal they are making with Mork, Robin Williams closes Pam Dawber's mouth with considerable force, so there's an audible click, and she almost corpses, and rubs her chin a moment later.
• According to staff writer, David Misch. Robin Williams was very sick that week, and the day he shot that show, he had a 102 temperature, and collapsed right afterwards. "It was the most exhausting show imaginable—he had to do all these lines, very quickly. Each one was a different voice and character. And he pulled it off brilliantly."
• George Pentecost who played the Maitre D' in Chez Michel, had previously played Mr. Herman the Undertaker in Season 1's Mork's Best Friend and would appear again as Quentin the Butler in Season 4's Midas Mork
• A clip from this show was included in the best-of episode The Way Mork Were.
• In 1997, this episode was ranked #94 on TV Guide's list of the 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.
• This was one of the episodes featured in Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Mork & Mindy.

Pop Culture

• Mork namechecks a number of unlikely figures as Mindy's Birthday date, including Menachem Begin the current Israeli Prime Minister. current U.S President, Jimmy Carter, Frank Zappa the free-form improvisational musician, and Pope John Paul II.
• When debating the relative rewards of having Emotions with Mindy, Mork references World War I, World War II and Watergate as the kinds of outcomes that occur when you have emotions.
• On entering the Music Store, the man who will be TNT, does a disco spin and the icon John Travolta style point and pose from Saturday Night Fever.
• Wanting to see the store's collection of Disco albums, he says he's really into the Gee Bees, transposing the Bee Gees and highlighting his wannabe status.
• During Mindy's attempts to break through Mork's Emotional Door, he tells her 'I hear you knocking, but you can't come in', a line from the R&B record 'I hear you knockin'' by Smiley Lewis (1955) that was a hit again for Dave Edmunds in 1970.
• Angry Mork fires the Steve Martin comedy album display across the McConnell's Music Shop with a loud "Well Excuuuuuuuuuuse me!!" Martin's most recognizable catchphrase.
• Mork tells the Maitre D' that the second table he gives Mindy and him is 'Delightful, it's Delicious, it's De-Lovely', from the Cole Porter song, It's De-Lovely.
• When Mindy tells him if he doesn't get his emotions under control he's going to be scooped up by a net, Mork makes the joke that Frankie Avalon didn't seem to mind being scooped up in the movies by Annette, meaning Annette Funicello who starred with him in the Beach Party movies in the 60s.
• Mork's Fear sounds exactly like Peter Lorre.
• Mork's Hope is just a gag to sing Bob Hope's signature song 'Thanks for the Memory'

Quotes/Excerpts

• Mork: I don't know if it was a dream or not but it was terrifying! And you were in it too!!
• Mindy: Me? What did I do?
• Mork: Don't play dumb!!
• Mindy: *makes a face at him, amused*
• Mork: We set off first by going through this human car wash, and being covered in shake and bake. And the entire cast of the Untouchables was there too! *lays down on the couch* And then we ended up in this big hot tub where we played connect a dot with each other's freckles and bobbed for wet things. *shoots up again* And then!! Suddenly!! You were in another man's arms! Exit grief! Enter RAGE! And as he turned around? HORROR! It was me!! And then I started carrying on like I wasn't even there, how could I do this to me?! Total grief, then jealousy!! And I started slapping myself around! Hitting myself all over the place! And there was this little man in the background going...don't worry it'll be cute, don't worry....And then as I started fighting and fighting among myself, fighting among myself, you said *attempt at Mindy voice* It's alright stop! Stop!! I'll choose between you!!

__________________________

• Mindy: Mork you claim Orkans have no emotions yet you show them all the time!
• Mork: Watch your mouth!
• Mindy: You do! Face it!
• Mork: *sighs* You're right...sometimes I do get occasional pleasure out of flashing them in the raincoat of my mind.

__________________________

• Mindy: Are you saying you won't feel anything anymore?
• Mork: Right on, strike up the bland!

__________________________

• Mindy: I'm getting to you aren't I?
• Mork: *moves down the couch rapidly* Not this fella!
• Mindy: *evaluates...then slides seductively after him, pressing close* C'mon Morky...open up the door *slowly tangles her fingers in his chest hair* Why don't you show Mindy where you tucked away all those little emotions? *brushes her lips over his ear* Huh?
• Mork: *eyes widen to saucers and shoots up, spinning away from couch* Mayday! Mayday!! Mayday!! All systems overload!! Fallback, Defense line B!! Prepare for assault system.
• Mindy: *prowling after him, slides her hands up his chest, pressing close again* You show me yours, I'll show you mine.
• Mork: Never! Never! Ne...*cut off by Mindy kissing him full on*

__________________________

• Mork: We started off by going to this really cheap dive called The Ball Park. Fear didn't want to go in but Disgust called him a sissy, and Excitement was so titilated by that he went to the bar and ordered 10 beers, one for each finger. Guilt felt so bad about that he yanked us into the alley Whimsy said it must be named Mohammed *laughs manically....Anger emerges* SHUT UP!! Let me finish the story! *Mork re-emerges* Okay...Suddenly, we were surrounded by a vicious motor cycle gang! There was 12 of us versus 42 of them. Anger is still spitting leather.

__________________________

• Orson: You opened the door to your emotions, didn't you?
• Mork:' Yes, Sir.
• Orson: You realize you've broken the highest Orkan law. It is my duty to report you to the Council.
• Mork: I understand. But I don't regret what I've done, sir. You see, for the first time in my life, I feel really alive, I feel fantastic! Oh, I wish you could try it! I wish you could feel some of the things I've been feeling!
• Orson: Impossible. I could never do that. They'd throw me in prison.
• Mork: Oh, I don't mean to be disrespectful, your immenseness, but until you can marvel at a rainbow after a storm or rejoice at seeing a baby walk for the first time, or hold someone and feel the same warmth inside as you feel close to them outside - until you can do these things, aren't you already in prison?

Image Gallery

Cast

Starring

• Robin Williams as Mork
• Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
• Elizabeth Kerr as Cora Hudson
• Conrad Janis as Frederick McConnell
• Ralph James as Orson

Recurring cast/Guest stars

• Jeffrey Jacquet as Eugene
• George Pentecost as Maitre D'
• Peter Elbling as The French Waiter
• Bill Kirchenbauer as Todd Norman Taylor