Todd Norman "T.N.T." Taylor is a recurring character who appears in a total of four episodes of Mork & Mindy, across all four seasons. The part of Todd is played in the episodes by Bill Kirchenbauer.
Character Summary[]
In his first series appearance unknown to either Mork or Mindy, Todd arrives into the Music Store as a customer (where he's credited as "The Customer"). Dressed in the Swinger's 'Uniform' of casual wear, with chest exposed and medallions galore, he shakes his chains, and reveals his cack-handed knowledge of music, asking for the Gee-Bees as Mindy goes to help him. He also reveals his toupee, as he bends over the records, sending Mindy scurrying back to Mork desperate not to laugh in the guys face, and pleading with Mork to serve him so she doesn't embarrass him. Having already been told by Mindy however that one shouldn't hide one's emotions, Todd winds up getting embarrassed by Mork (Mork's Mixed Emotions) as Mork straight up reveals to the previously oblivious Todd, that his toupee was coming off and takes it straight off of Todd's head sending him fleeing in embarrassment.
Todd returns a little over a year later (having ditched his toupee), and is formally introduced to Mindy, by Glenda. Todd and his friend Derek neighbors of hers in her singles complex (Mork the Prankster). Mindy, furious with Mork after his latest escapade put her Jeep through her apartment floor, and ready to call time on living with him, is soon introduced to 'what is out there', when Todd immediately puts the moves on her. Unable to recall her name, 'Cindy', or to pick up on her not interested vibes (including maneuvering an 'accidental' smack to his face) as he talks about Manilow, his chains, and inviting her to a 'salt lick' race around a shared Margarita. When he suggests they go for a dip in his 'Jacuz', Mindy flees back to Mork fairly rapidly.
Todd has a further effect on Mork & Mindy's relationship when a few months later, Glenda introduces an out of place Mork to TNT at a dinner party she's throwing (Mork, the Swinging Single). With Mindy out on a date, ostensibly to see if seeing other people will enhance 'their relationship', Mork is left at a loose end and is invited to a dinner party at Glenda's, but is ill at ease with Glenda's swinger friends. TNT seeing something of how he used to be in Mork, decides to take Mork under his wing. And TNT does indeed seem to be able to "score" with interested ladies, teaching Mork the finer points of scoring with the ladies himself. However, the type of girl does seem to play a part, either swingers (or not particularly bright) themselves. His actions in transforming Mork however, pay a sort of dividend for Todd, as a jealous Mindy responds to Mork's sudden popularity with the ladies (her seeing other people plan having backfired), by planting a kiss on Todd 'Hey TNT, how would like a Megaton of fun!', sending him happily spilling head over heels back over Glenda's couch, and igniting Mork's jealousy in turn.
After Mork & Mindy marry, Todd returns once more, after Mindy insists that Mork get driving lessons (having been unable to teach him herself) (Drive, She Said) When his driving instructor turns up, it turns out to be his old friend TNT, both of them delighted to see one another again. However, once Todd discovers (to his disgust) that Mork is now married, he has no idea why Mork would want to drive. The only good part of driving for Todd is how cool it makes him look and how it improves his chance of picking up chicks (including really sleazily, teenage learners). With Mork being married he has no need of either, and all that's left is the 'bloodbath' of the roads, proceeding to terrify Mork with how dangerous driving is, resulting in Mork having terrifying dreams of the Devil as his Tester. Despite this, Todd continues as Mork's instructor, and on being reintroduced to Mindy at the DMV, lays a kiss on her as a 'wedding gift', before telling her it's returnable. Out in the car however, as Todd gets into the back with Mork and his Tester, the dreams that he induced in Mork start to feel like they're becoming a reality, including a nightmare of a driving test, that leaves a panicked Todd on the roof of the car, as Mork careens towards the highway.
Personality[]
Todd is a rather geeky-looking, gaudy, loud-dressing character who nonetheless boasts massive self-confidence, having worked hard to form it in himself. He tries to pattern himself, at least in a fashion sense, as somewhat as a Tony Manero (John Travolta's character in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever) A self-professed ladies' man, he thinks of himself as a "real macho guy" and "God's gift to women", despite many women, including Mindy, strongly seem to think otherwise.
Not bright, and exceptionally shallow, he mangles a lot of what he says, including in the areas he professes to know a lot about. And he veers between disturbingly sleazy (talking about using driving lessons to hit on teen girls Drive, She Said) to comically ineffective (Mork the Prankster). .
Relationships[]
Friendships[]
Mork - Todd's relationship with Mork is mostly based around cringeworthy attempts to be 'cool' and pick up women. Ironically, however, three of his interactions with Mork and Mindy result in Mork making progress both in his own personal development and with Mindy, making him one of Mork's most important/pivotal friends. Todd's first encounter with Mork, Mork's Mixed Emotions) though they don't know each other yet, bolsters Mork's decision to try and lock away his emotions, which in turn ultimately sees them and him integrated as an emotionally 'whole' being. When Mindy encounters Todd a year or two later at Glenda's apartment complex, it is his (hilariously awful) attempts to hit on her, that help make her realize what and who she has in Mork, helping to reignite the romantic aspects of their relationship. Later, when Mork is finally formally introduced to TNT, the swinger takes the out of place Orkan under his wing, and transforms him into a variation of himself, which among their swingers group, and the ladies in it, makes Mork very popular indeed...reminding Mindy that she is not the only one who can be attractive to others, and to value what they have.
Glenda Faye - Todd is a neighbor of Glenda's, and when we first meet him in the apartment complex, despite being described as friends, he doesn't actually get her name right. Thankfully that seems to have been rectified a few months later, and the friendship seems to be reasonably solid, as later Glenda describes TNT to Mork as being the guy who is always the life of the party, and he is a fixture at hers.
Mindy - TNT actually has more encounters with Mindy than Mork, but no doubt much to her relief, does not end up spending as much time with him as Mork does. After being properly introduced to him, her mind is quickly made up by his relentless and bizarre attempts to hit on her, leaning on imaginary walls, taking her hand but kissing his, offering her cheetos from his tracksuit pocket, and pretty much misreading every (overtly) negative single she gives him as a positive. His personality and effects does end up having a positive effect on her relationship with Mork in almost every case, though certainly not by design. However, Todd does boast the unique achievement of being the only other man bar Mork, to have been kissed by (Mork the Swinging Single) or to have kissed (Drive, She Said), Mindy twice.
Appearances[]
External links[]
- Todd Norman Taylor article at Wikipedia
