Mork and Mindy: Season 3

Because the initial allusions to `interracial' co-habitation were loosing some `shock value', the series production team refocused storylines on Mork and Mindy as a romantic couple ("Mindy, Mindy, Mindy", "Mork, the Swinging Single") this season. They are moving from friends to `friends'----and quite smoothly!

However, Mork wasn't supposed to ever become too acclimated to earth (Putting the Ork back in Mork I, II). So, in order to successfully complete his mission, he is required to remember his extraterrestrial heritage. It's also the studio's way of acknowlleging that deleting Fred and Cora from the cast had been a mistake, and gennuine attempts were being made to repair things--such as the series Nielsen ratings.

As it turns out, Mork's reports have been so popular (regardless of whom he interacts with on Earth) that other Orkians want his job ("There's a new Mork in Town"). And can we really blame them! Aside from being an observer, Mork is a compassionate being who sincerely tries to help anything he thinks is hurting, even a chimp ("Mork, The Monkey's Uncle")

Pam Dawber gives another awesome lead performance in "Mindy Gets a Job". Fate requires her--with some assistance from Mork--to unexpectedly perform the local newscast as a solo gig. A blizzard conveniently prevents all of the old pros from getting to the station. So, there is nothing like the present to demonstrate that she has the competence necessary to successfully make it as a professional journalist. Episodes like these easily remind me why I had looked up to Mindy as a young girl--and now continue doing so; she remained both pretty and professional---even in a crisis.

Gender is again brought up in "Mork and Mindy Meet Rick and Ruby". Remo has decided that he does not want a pregnant singer who is part of a performing duo. Although the Pregnancy Non-discrimination Act had just been passed, years earlier in 1978, this was still a very topical issue for the viewing audience. The usually sophisticated Remo genuinely had convinced himself that pregnant women should not be working, lest they get `hurt'! Undaunted, Mindy convinces Remo to hire her back--and Mork enthusiastically fills in when she DOES go into labor on stage. Williams has a charming singing voice.

Mork himself continues not to get offended by the 70's ever-shifting gender mores. To bring extra money into their apartment, he is happily working at a local daycare center. This suits such a `different guy' perfectly because childcare worker historically has been something which gets performed by women. And Mork is devoted to the point where he participates in a fundraising race for the kids ("Dueling Skates") in addition to helping them learn about the importance of non-violence ("Gunfight at the Mork-ay Corral").

But because Mindy's increased work schedule does make him lonely, he suggests they switch places ("Mindy and Mork") ultimately discovering they both have very busy lives. There is no such thing as `unimportant work'. But there is unpleasant work in "I Heard it Through the Morkvine" when Mindy successfully convinces Mr. Sternhagen that TV gossip's initially high ratings become outweighed by long-term traumatic effects it visits on the community. Having weathered the onslaught of tabloid TV and now `reality television' I can't emphasize how accurately prophetic this one episode was. Wow!

This usually lighthearted sitcom made both a very noticeable mood and scripting departure with "Mork Meets Robin Williams". You-know-who does double duty as himself. For `some reason', people think that Mork looks like Robin Williams who for the sake of this episode is just in town doing stand-up routines!

However, the real memorable scene during this episode--and season comes during his weekly report to Orson. Talking about the burdens inadvertently created by celebrity hood, Mork rattles off a list of celebrities who died too early--cracking when he mentions John Lennon and then suddenly fading out as opposed to giving the usual witty closing.

Given the episode's airing two months after Lennon's assassination, I am assuming that this individual improvisation was not intentional. And the emotion which Williams publically did exhibit must have required a great deal of internal self-control rather than breaking down all together on screen. This one ending still gives me the chills and I am not even old enough to have remembered the Beatles together and performing. This one episode alone is why the season warranted five stars hands down.

The only thing which really bugged me was the lack of extras--and the flimsy cases. I realize this show was not an enormous phenomenon; but technology does exist for better DVD cases--and other companies have proven their ability to put out non-classic shows lasting one season in better and still low-budget cases.

ABC's MORK & MINDY's third season in 1980-81 began unusually late due to an actors' strike that began around July 1980 and ended about two months later. Robin Williams had just wrapped up filming his first starring film POPEYE,the breakthrough of his film career. I incorrectly mentioned in the review for the season 2 set that Mindy's(Pam Dawber) father Fred(Conrad Janis),a music store proprietor,had gone on the road to conduct for a symphony tour this season. Actually,Fred is back this season and still running the store. His mother or mother-in-law Cora(Elizabeth Kerr) returns to Boulder,Colorado also. Mork(Williams) and Mindy are still living together and are such great friends. New York Deli owner/operator Remo DaVinci(Jay Thomas) and his sister Jean(Gina Hecht) are still here also.

CBS/Paramount, please don't stall on Mork and Mindy again when there is one season left to release! I wish you release Mork and Mindy The 4th and Final Season (1981-1982) on DVD for the Holidays of 2008. It would be great if Mork and Mindy The Final Season is released on DVD before 2008 ends. You should have the color Blue with Mearth for the cover art of the Final Season. Please release the Final Season before 2009!

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