| "Muddle in a Huddle" | |
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode #13 (#13) in series (26 episodes) | |
 | |
| "The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour" episode | |
| Guest Star(s): | Conrad Janis Frank Welker |
| Network: | ABC-TV |
| Production code: | 1x13 |
| Writer(s) | |
| Director | |
| Original airdate | November 6, 1982 |
IMDB 
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Muddle in a Huddle |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Meet Mork's Mom" | "The Incredible Shrinking Mork" |
| List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes | |
Muddle in a Huddle was a Mork and Mindy episode from the ABC-TV The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour animated series, the 13th episode of the series.
Synopsis[]
When Mork lands the job of school mascot, he consumes Grifle Eggs to boost his energy. When one of the members of the Ratfield High football team eats a Griffle Egg, it makes him run backwards, so his cohorts concoct a plan to feed them to the Mt. Mount High team so they will lose the game.
Plot[]
Out by the Mount Mount Football Field, Mindy and Doing are hanging around waiting for Mork, Mindy wondering where he is, Mork having told them to meet him there. A moment later a giant yellow duck flies in, Mork having taken up the role of the Mount Mount Duck, team mascot. The other candidate not being able to fit into the costume. Mork demonstrates his cheer for her:
"Rah Rah Rah! Frish bleam blah! We want a Touch Up! Gotta have a Touch Up! Laundermat, Laundermat! Ring around the collar! All for Mount Mount rise up and holler!"
Pulling him to his feet after he ends up in a heap, Mindy asks him why the sudden interest in football? Because, he says, today is the day of the big game against the Ratfield High Rats, and he's intent on Sis Boom Bah-ing the Mount Mount team to victory.
Nearby three Ratfield High players are scoping out the opposition, led by Sly, and wondering how they're going to beat Mount Mount, who are good. The usual way, Sly tells them, by cheating. Suggesting they may be able to get 'the nerd in the duck suit' to help them, they move closer and call out for the Duck, Mork immediately diving for cover, till Mindy points out they were talking to him. Embarrassed, Mork pulls himself up, feeling his 'feathers turn pink', leaving the Ratfield crew wondering if he's stupid or nuts? Both, Sly concludes before asking him what he knows about the football team. Warning him not to trust the crew, Mork tells her not to worry, he wasn't born 'tomorrow', and refuses to divulge anything except his name, rank and favourite cereal. As he's talking, one of the Ratfield heavies notice Mork's leg is 'ringing' Mork revealing his ankle watch, telling them that instead of 'Father Time' it's 'Feather Time' and it's telling him that it's time for his Griffle Egg, sending Doing to fetch him the Egg Basket he's brought with him.
Perusing the weirdly spotted eggs, Mindy asks him what's with them? Explaining that they're Griffle Eggs that Orson sent him to give him super Orkan energy for his cheerleading efforts. Demonstrating for her, he eats one, borrows the heavies' football he tosses it down the field and gives chase after it, catching it in the end zone...all in front of the Ratfield Crew. Immediately giving them ideas, betting if they ate the eggs they'd win the game easy, one of the heavies promptly snagging the basket. Mork however warns them not to eat the Griffle Eggs, but too late, one of them swallowing one down and immediately speeding up, but shooting backwards when he tries to run forward. That, Mork tells them, is how Griffle Eggs affect humans. That puts questions into Sly's mind as to why Mork didn't run backwards. Quickly stepping in, Mindy 'explains' that that is because Mork had his 'Griffle Shots'. Rather than putting them off however, Sly hatches a new plan for the eggs. Feed them to the Mount Mount team, and Ratfield can't lose. Grabbing the basket back from Mork, Sly and his crew head for their car.
Heading for Mork's Grimbel Pazzatti in the Student's Car Park, Mork and Mindy give chase, quickly gaining on them, until they are alerted to a rising draw bridge. Stepping on it, Sly is able to leap his hot rod over the gap, but the bridge is too high up by the time Mork tries it, leaving his Pazzatti tottering on the edge of the bridge, before it plunges down towards the river. As Mindy and Doing duck down in the car, Mork hits a switch which brings a screen down over the front of the car, sealing it into a perfect egg, and protecting them as they are submerged in the water. Steering the car through the water, Mork cheerfully notes one should never underestimate a Grimbel Pazzatti. On taking them back up onto land though, Mindy notes they've lost the Ratfield crew, but Mork tells her not to worry before switching the Pazzatti to air reconnaissance mode taking them to scan from the sky. Doing, using his tail eye, spots something, and Mindy catches it, seeing Sly's hot rod parked behind Ratfield High.
Grabbing the eggs from the car, they are trapped by Sly and his heavies, joined by 4 more of the Ratfield team, Sly asking where the 'twerp' thinks they're going. Indignant at his talking to Mindy like that Sly assures him he was talking to him. Happy enough with that, Mork tells him he's taking his eggs back, but Sly and his team mates have other ideas. Hour's later and Mork, Mindy and Doing are all tied up in the Ratfield High gym, Mindy telling Mork they have to do something soon or the game will be over. Mork struggling to get his 'funny finger' free, until Doing separates himself to escape the bonds, and chews open the area around Murk's finger. Using his finger, Mork frees himself and Mindy, who promptly spots they can't get out through the doors as Sly has left guards. When she tells him they have to come up with plan, Mork seizes on his 'Brainy Mama"'s idea and spotting a sky light, and a trampoline, promptly starts bouncing. Getting through the sky light, he uses his finger to remotely fly the Grimbel Pazatti to the roof, before lowering a rope for Mindy and Doing. But before they can use them, the guards spot what's going on, and try to grab the pair off the trampoline. Dropping back down, Mork grabs Mindy and Doing, bouncing hard enough from that height to take them all back up through the skylight with him. Mindy landing in his lap in the car, he tells her there's no time for smooching now, they have to get to the game.
Arriving back at Mount Mount, they race in to find Fred watching the game, telling them that the Mount Mount team are in full reverse on the field and on the board, with Ratfield having run up 0 - 41 score in their favor, with only 5 minutes left to play. With an hour at least left to run on the Griffle Eggs powers, Mindy tells Mork that his Eggs got them into this, he needs to do something. Mork agrees. Though he feels it won't be the same without his duck costume, and promptly starts to do his mascot cheers. Grabbing hold of him, Mindy tells him she meant he has to physically go into the game. Surprised, he agrees, and grabs a team jersey which is massively oversized on him, along with a helmet and heads out onto the field.
As Mork talks to the Mount Mount team, the Ratfield team spots him, and resolves to take him out of the game. Setting himself up as quarterback ready to take the snap, Mork calls it, and as the ball comes back to him, the entire Mount Mount defensive line, still under the effects of the Eggs, shoots backwards, leaving Mork facing the entire Ratfield team alone. Stepping back Mork hurls the ball downfield and using his powers zips away leaving the Ratfield players grasping at air, Mork arriving in the end zone to catch the ball and score a touch down. With Mindy cheering him on, Mork kicks from his own line downfield and zaps the ball with his finger, so when it comes down it evades all the Ratfield player's attempts to catch or pick it up, giving Mork enough time to run down field pick it up and score again.
At the next scrimmage, Mork pulls out a crossword puzzle book and asks Sly what a four letter word for a walk in the woods might be. When Sly answers 'Hike' Mork does just that and flings the ball at him, catching it as it bounces off him, running downfield with it to score again. The scoreboard rattling over as he scores again and again. Mindy points out that while Mork is doing great there's only 10 seconds left and they're five points behind.
With the Mount Mount team reversing again, Mork with the ball alone, heads down field again being chased by one portion of the Ratfield team, with another pod of players in front of him, trapping him. Figuring he needs a time out, he zaps both pods with his finger, freezing them both, getting out of their way and unfreezing them, so they land in a heap on top of each other. Taking off for the line again, Mork finds Sly and his two pals ahead of him. Balancing the ball on his finger, Mork levitates it as the trio dive for it, then nabs it as it comes back down, darting over the line to score the six points they need to win.
Racing to him with Doing, Mindy throws her arms around him saying he's the hero of Mount Mount High. When Mork tries to demure saying is the fact is he goofed, Mindy won't hear it saying he won the game single handed 42 to 41, how could he have goofed? Mork pulls out a Griffle Egg and tells her he forgot to eat it. If he had they could have won 442 to 41. Laughing and throwing her arms back around him, she calls him a 'Griffle Head' kissing him.
Trivia[]
Pop Culture[]
- The old 'Ring around the Collar' reference to the classic Wisk ad, that was popular in the Show proper, makes another appearance here during Mork's 'Cheer'.
- Mork's refusal to give anything but name, rank and favorite cereal, is a jokey reference to the military instruction never to reveal anything but name, rank and serial number.
- Mork refers to himself as O.J. Mork during the game, referencing a (pre-disgraced) O.J. Simpson, the biggest name in Football at the time.
Gallery[]
Characters[]
- Robin Williams as Mork
- Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
- Conrad Janis as Fred McConnell
- Frank Welker as Doing