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| "Mork Goes Erk" | |
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode #18 (#18) in series (95 episodes) | |
 Susan gets everyone to join ERK (a self-help program called Ellsworth Revitalization Konditioning) where they meet its tyrannical con artist of a motivational speaker, Ellsworth (David Letterman) in "Mork Goes ERK" in Season 1 (episode #18). | |
| "Mork & Mindy" episode | |
| Guest Star(s): | David Letterman |
| Network: | ABC-TV |
| Production code: | 118 (1-18) |
| Writer(s) | Lloyd Turner & Gordon Mitchell |
| Director | Howard Storm |
| Original airdate | February 8, 1979 |
IMDB 
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Mork Goes Erk |
| Episode chronology | |
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| "Skyflakes Keep Falling on My Head" | "Yes Sir, That's my Baby" |
| List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes | |
Mork Goes Erk was the 18th episode of Season 1 of Mork and Mindy, and also the 18th overall episode in the series. Co-written by Lloyd Turner and Gordon Mitchell, the episode, which was directed by Howard Storm, made its world premiere airing on ABC-TV on February 8, 1979.
Synopsis[]
Mork reveals that Orson has reassigned him to another planet. Meanwhile, Susan Taylor returns and is trying to get everyone to join ERK (a self-help program called Ellsworth Revitalization Konditioning).
Plot[]
A snowy morning, and in Mindy's Apartment, Mork calls out to Mindy, still in her bedroom, to see if its okay if he and his friend start breakfast with out her? His friend turning out to be a young chimp who has a matching pair of rainbow suspenders to Morks. Coming out to join them Mindy stops dead in her tracks, shocked on seeing the chimp. Mork introduces her to O'Keefe who he says is a con on the lam having escaped the zoo. Mork finding him while he was up a tree observing bald spots in humans, and decided to bring him home to help him out and because he thought it would cheer her up. Mindy puts Mork straight about Zoos not being prisons for animals, but where they're protected and cared for and he agrees to take him back, sending O'Keefe up to his room to get packing.
While O'Keefe is up there, Mork shows her a new dance 'The Funky Monkey Hustle' and tries to get Mindy to do it with him. Stopping him, she notes that he's been acting strange lately, even for him. Walking and talking backwards the day before. And he outlines his plans to go out and buy 400 balloons, a can of nitrous oxide and some calves liver. When she asks why he's doing all these strange things, he says again, to cheer up. Smiling, she wonders why, as she's not sad. Slowly becoming serious, he tells her she will be when she hears the news he has. He then tells her that he's received word from Orson, he's been transferred to another planet and he will never see her again. Seeing her shocked and immediately teary, Mork tries to console her by saying she's not losing an alien she's gaining an empty room, but Mindy is deeply upset.
Later at the Music Store, Mr. Bickley is trying to purchase a set of headphones from Fred who gives him a good pair, only for Bickley to pull out the cord. Informing him he won't be able to hear anything without the cord, Bickley says' that's perfect if he hears anything he'll bring them back. Fred says it's up to him and charges him $50 only for Bickley to say charge it to Mindy. Fred stops him from going asking what does he mean get it from her? Bickley explains who his to Fred who knows of him, but hasn't met him before, and he explains that he lives and works below Mindy. He tells him he can't concentrate with all that racket coming from her apartment, asking how he could be expected to write sympathy cards with Mindy crying all morning. Fred is immediately concerned, but Bickley can't tell him anything about why, he just doesn't' want to be bothered by it anymore. At that moment Mindy walks in and Bickley immediately shoves his earphones on. Mindy, depressed, tells Fred what's happened, and that Mork will be leaving in a couple of days. As Bickley empties a travel size bottle of bourbon into Cora's cup, Susan Taylor enters and makes a beeline for Mindy. She immediately starts on her one-upmanship, but Mindy just walks away from her not in the mood. Fred tells Susan. Mindy is depressed, and Susan says she used to be like that, subject to life's emotional vagaries, until she got ERK. Giving in, Mindy asks her what ERK is and she tells her Ellsworth Revitalization Konditioning. Mr. Bickley points out you spell Conditioning with a 'C', not Ellsworth she replies, Ellsworth says spelling is just another hang up. Mindy declines Susan's offer of lunch, not feeling up to it, but Susan tells her she really needs to consider ERK and learning to love and focus on yourself, and get over these emotional rollercoasters.
That night, a seriously upbeat Mork returns with a mystery gift for Mindy, trying and succeeding in making her laugh as he makes himself guess what it is, ultimately revealing it is 2 pieces of Styrofoam stuck together into a cube with the words Zen-O-Matic printed on them. Going into a TV pitch routine for something that can do nothing, just to make her laugh, she tells him she appreciates what he's doing but she's just not in the mood. When he tells her she doesn't have to be unhappy over him, she asks how can she help it he's being sent to the far side of the Universe, getting angry she tells Mork she wants to talk to Orson, but he tells her he already did. When she asks him what Orson said, Mork goes uncharacteristically quiet and sincere. He feels he's not good for her, he does silly things, makes weird objects, talks to the furniture and leaves her out of the conversation. He's always getting in the way and brings home strange people. Feeling he's just trying to soften it for her, she believes Orson wouldn't change his mind. But he tells her in fact he spoke to Orson for a long time, and Orson agreed that he could stay. Mindy is overjoyed, until Mork tells her it was nice to have a choice, and he's chosen to go.
Confused and upset Mindy wants to know why? Asking him if he's unhappy, wondering if its something she's done? Not something that she's done, something she has, he replies. Emotions. But she doesn't' feel that makes any sense. He feels however it makes perfect sense. Eventually he is going to have to leave the Earth, if she's this upset by his leaving after knowing him only a few months, what would it be like for her in 10years? The longer he stays the harder it will be for her. She wonders what it will be like for him? But he shrugs it off, being as emotionless as he is. With Mindy wondering how she will be able to make the adjustment to being without him, she's annoyed by Mr. Bickley knocking at the door, and cuts him off at the knees before he can start complaining about the noise they're not making.
But he knows they're not. He was just feeling depressed downstairs and thought he'd come up and share it. Even though Mork wants to let him in, Mindy tries not to be rude in telling him she doesn't want him there, but tells him she's very upset at the moment, that Mork is 'leaving town'. But Bickley thinks that's small potatoes. He's lost the ability to write his cards. But Mindy is unsympathetic, he is just going through a writers slump, Mork is leaving for good. Taking a seat on one of the high stools in front of the breakfast bar, Mork takes the one beside her, as Bickley leans on the counter a drink in his hand on the far side of her. Susan barges in, and sees them lined up, Mork with his head in his hands, Mindy with hand over her eyes, and Bickley with a glass to his mouth. Having enough of their depression she insists they come with him to the ERK that Ellsworth can help them all. Mork prevails upon Mindy to try as he doesn't want to leave her like she is.
Later, at Susan's Apartment, 20 people have gathered for Ellsworth, a tall incredibly smug individual who only seems to care about the checks from the people there and his Rolls Royce, who even after Susan introduces them doesn't bother to shake either Mork or Mindy's hands. Starting his session all Ellsworth do is insult those present. Susan mouths Ellsworth's philosophy that they are there to find their 'own' space. But when Mork points out that this is Susan's space and they're all packed in like sardines, Ellsworth rules jokes out of order, Mork argues that its reality, but Ellsworth says reality is just a concept and tells him to sit down and shut up. He deals likewise with anyoene else who has something to say or ask he doesn't agree with, telling an inebriated Bickley that, for the next 15 hours there will be no eating, no going to the bathroom, and no drinking...the last of which makes him leave. When Mindy stands up to point out they paid a lot of money to come here and learn something, Ellsworth tells her she has, and freely admits they've been conned. Arguing with him, she figures out that anything he doesn't want to talk about is just 'a concept'. When he tells her to sit down, Mork stands back up again, and makes an inspirational speech about being honest with yourself, knowing, trusting and liking yourself being all you really need. Mork undermines Ellsworth's agreements, and Ellsworth shrugs, having all their money and his Rolls all he cares about and heads out, only to come back in, his car stolen. Mork telling him not worry about it as losing his Rolls is a concept, getting it back is a reality.
The next day, Mork is in his spacesuit ready to leave and, as Mindy comes to her bedroom door to observe him, saying goodbye to the Apartment, every tiny sub-atomic part of it. Interrupting his goodbyes, which she correctly notes could go on for several months, she asks to speak to him. She says she's been doing some observing of her own and tells him he doesn't practice what he preaches. He is confused, and she reminds him that the meeting last night he spoke about knowing himself, and tells him straight up that he may not have had emotions when he got here but he sure as hell has them now. He reacts ala Ellsworth, defensively, denying it, telling her to sit down and shut up. She presses' on saying no one could have said the wonderful things he did the night before, without feeling them. And she's figured something else out too....he's not leaving because of her, he's leaving because of himself.
Getting up rapidly he backs away from her, denying it fiercely, but she moves after him, grabbing his arm., telling him it's him that will be the one who won't be able to handle leaving if he stays much longer. He tries to laugh it off...but falls off it weakly, tears forming in his eyes. He admits she's right, he doesn't want to go home. It's cold there and no one will let him do the things she does. He tells her he feels humiliated and guilty but she insists gently he shouldn't feel guilty about having emotions, but Orson has told them they are wrong he will never evolve if he has them. Pressing her finger to her lips she silences him quietly before kissing him softly, and strokes his cheek. As she draws back his eyes flash and he laughs wildly calling Orson a Ninmel and rushing to go upstairs telling her he's going upstairs to talk to Orson, and to her delight tells her he's not leaving, that having feelings is good!
The episode finishes with Mork making that report to Orson, telling him he's decided to stay and continue his observation of human emotions, especially...he notes with a little smirk...guilt Orson asks if everyone on Earth has them? And Mork says absolutely every one, with the possible exception of a few Presidents. Orson isn't sure what Presidents are, so Mork explains they are elected officials sent to Washington every 4 years to bring the country to financial ruin, recognize Chinese and throw a baseball out every Spring. He's also observed that they don't tell a lie, but then again they don't tell the truth, something called Politics. They also have a power that's very much feared by everyone, called Veto. He's not sure but he thinks it's an Italian bodyguard. Orson thinks it sounds dull, but Mork argues that the big bucks come when you get to be an Ex-President then publishers pay you millions of dollars to write memoirs, but the strange part is they don't have very good memories, and the really funny part is no one buys the books!
Trivia[]
General[]
- This is the last of Morgan Fairchild's 3 appearances as Susan Taylor
- This is the first time that Fred McConnell and Franklin Bickley meet, later becoming friends.
- This episode is one of David Letterman's first TV series appearances.
- Mork was to be sent to the far side of the Universe to the Sigma 7 Galaxy to a trouble planet named Suras where the people were vicious but tiny.
- Interestingly an angry Mindy asks Mork to 'plug me into your head' (so she can have a go at Orson for transferring him off Earth), something that will actually happen in the first episode of S2 (Putting the Ork Back in Mork, Part 1)
- Mork tells Mindy he doesn't have a heart, leaving won't be a problem for him, but we know he has three, so in this case the reference may be metaphorical as in regards to emotions.
Pop Culture[]
- Mork asks O'Keefe, 'How about that new Pope?' The episode was written/aired in the wake of the rather seismic election of John Paull II, as the new Pontiff, the Pole the first non Italian Pope for over 450 years and who revitalized the role with his travelling.
- Mork is relaying a rather different version of 1933s King Kong to O'Keefe, in which its star Fay Wray comes off rather the worse for wear.
- Mork tells O'Keefe he'll arrange conjugal visits for the chimp with Cheeta (the ape from the Tarzan movies)
- Mork does an impression of one of the blindfolded panelists from 'What My Line?' doing his 'What's My Bag?' moment for Mindy.
- One of his 'guesses' in his 'What's My Bag?' game with Mindy is 'A Synanon joke book'. Synanon an alternative community centered on group truth-telling sessions that came to be known as the "Synanon Game", a form of attack therapy, a verbally abusive form of 'therapy' (and one that Ellsworth seems to favor later in the episode).
- Mork refers to himself as the 'Cosmic Charles Bronson' the actor known for his hard nosed emotionally minimalist roles.
- Mork in referring to The Rabbit Died (ostensibly meaning Muffet) as the reason he's depressed drops a double entendre, with the rabbit dying euphemism for someone being pregnant.
- When Susan says they could all be straightened out by one little thing, and Mork queries 'Paul Williams?' referring to the diminutive singer/songwriter/composer, famous for his work with everyone from Bowie & Streisand to the Carpenters and the Muppets
- ERK is a reference to the similar 1971-84 organization abbreviated EST (Erhard Seminars Training).
- During the ERK meeting with Ellsworth, Mork raises his hand and mistakenly says, "Point of Ellsworth, order!" (instead of "Point of order, Ellsworth!") The phrase "point of order" is used in parliamentary proceedings when a member asks the leader whether a rule has been broken. In American history, the phrase is associated with Communist-hunter Senator Joseph McCarthy, who frequently used it during what are known as the Army-McCarthy Hearings (1954-1955). (See the documentary film Point of Order! (1964).) Notwithstanding Mork's unlikely knowledge of the phrase (he certainly doesn't know how to use it), the writers of the show use this as a way of of hinting that Ellsworth might be a tiny bit like McCarthy, who in the aftermath of the Hearings has generally been considered a villain. A further part of the joke is that David Letterman is a Democrat, and thus would have been considered a Communist by McCarthy.
- Mork jokes that Leon Spinks told him that inspirational speech he makes at ERK. Spinks being at the time the World Heavyweight Champion boxer, who had taken the title from Muhammad Ali, that year, in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
Quotes/Excerpts[]
- Mindy: Mork, you've been acting awfully strange lately. I mean, more strange than usual.
- Mork: Oh, you've noticed.
- Mindy: Noticed! How could I help it? Like, yesterday you spent all day walking and talking backwards.
- Mork: Well, that's all behind me now!
_________________________________
- Mindy: Mork, why are you doing all these strange things?
- Mork: To cheer you up.
- Mindy: But I'm not sad.
- Mork: Well, you will be after you hear the news that I have to tell you.
- Mindy: What news?
- Mork: That I've got orders from Orson. I've been transferred to another planet and I'll never ever see you again.
- Mindy: *sitting down, in shock, tears forming* What?
- Mork: *bravely* Well. You've got to look at the good side. You're not losing an alien, you'll... you're gaining an empty room!
_________________________________
- Susan: ERK teaches you how to love yourself.
- Bickley: I'll bet you got an "A".
- Susan: A+!
_________________________________
- Mork: It's the Zen-O-Matic!! The exciting new kitchen tool that does absolutely nothing! That's right! It can't dice! It can't peel, it can't chop! And it won't even make julienne fries whatever those are. That's right Zen-O-Matic does diddly for you! Yes an exciting new kitchen tool from the people who brought you frozen sand and electric toothpaste! Send absolutely nothing today to Buddha productions care of Nevada, box Ohm. Get one today!
_________________________________
- Bickley: I used to be able to get tears out of a coatrack. Not anymore. Listen to this *pulls out a card* 'Your pet rabbit died. Poor Little Muffet. Your two choices are...Eat it or Stuff it.'
_________________________________
*Susan barges in and sees Mork with his head in his hands, Mindy with hand over her eyes, and Bickley with a glass to his mouth*
- Susan: Wow what a group...*looks at Mork* Hear no Evil *moves to Mindy* See no Evil *to Bickley* And feel no pain.
_________________________________
- Susan: Mr Bickley you could use some help with your drinking.
- Bickley: I drink fine my myself
_________________________________
- Susan: *to Mork, Mindy, and Bickley* This is Ellsworth!
*Mork and Mindy stand up to shake hands, but Ellsworth ignores them*
- Susan: Oh, Ellsworth, you know, we're so lucky to have a man like you, so unselfish - it's a special gift for...
- Ellsworth: *interrupting her with a huge smile* Yes, excuse me, excuse me. Could you hold that thought just a moment?
- Susan: *almost swooning toward him* Ohh, yes.
*Ellsworth, with checkbook in hand, starts counting how many people are attending*
- Ellsworth: 17...18... 19, 20. Twenty bodies, twenty checks! Okay, we're all set!
*He puts his checkbook in his pocket*
- Ellsworth: Now, what were you saying?
- Mork: She (Susan) was saying how nice it was that an unselfish man like you came all this way for a little thing like money!
_________________________________
- Mork: People don't come here for humiliation and abuse every creature in the Universe is entitled to respect
- Ellsworth: That's ridiculous nobody wants to hear that message. Sit down and shut up.
- Mork: But you said to say what was on our mind.
- Ellsworth: Well I've changed the rules
- Mork: Not before I get one more thing in! *to everyone there* I think you should be honest with yourself. Like yourself. Trust yourself. And know yourself. And that's all you need to know.
- Mindy: Oh Mork that's beautiful!
_________________________________
- Mork: Yeah. I don't want to go home. It's cold out there. Who else will let me do the things you do? I'm gonna miss you.
- Mindy: Oh Mork.
- Mork: *tearfully* I feel humiliation and guilt.
- Mindy: *soothing* Oh Mork you don't have to feel guilty about having emotions.
- Mork: Oh yeah Orson says emotions are bad for you. You'll never evolve if you have emotions.
- Mindy: *leans to him* Shhh. *kisses him softly*
- Mork: *eyes flash and laughs ecstatically* Boy is he a NIMNEL!!
Image Gallery[]
Episode cast[]
Starring[]
- Robin Williams as Mork
- Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
- Conrad Janis as Fred McConnell
- Elizabeth Kerr as Cora Hudson (credited only)
- Ralph James as Voice of Orson