Mork & Mindy

The comic phenomenon that is Robin Williams was first fully unleashed on the world with this hilarious syndicated TV series.

Created as a spin off from an, admittedly, quite silly episode of Happy Days, this series charts the course of an alien, Ork, (Williams) as he investigates the planet Earth for his superiors back home.

What could have been an absolutely laughable disaster is transformed by Williams into an absolutely laughable success, from drinking with his finger and talking to plants, to his wild dances with Mindy, the woman who unwittingly welcomes him into her home, and reporting back upside down with his fingers in his ears, Williams keeps us laughing from start to finish off every episode.

This series blows away most of the comedic films Williams has done in his career, with the exception of Good Morning Vietnam, and should always be remembered as the ultimate comic performance from Williams.

I began watching Mork and Mindy in reruns in 2005. I quickly began to like the characters in the show, more than the show as a whole if you catch my drift. I can expand on that by saying I enjoyed watching robin ad lib and and do his shtick in the character of Mork, as well as watching the beautiful and warm-hearted Pam Dawber play the straight man as Mindy. Also, I enjoy the repartee between Mork and some of the peripheral characters like Remo, and Mindy's dad. That's where the heart of the show is at in my opinion. Don't try to take the plots too seriously or try to worry about continuity between episodes because you will quickly find holes that can't be filled. Instead of having a willing suspension of disbelief, Just watch it for the performances alone, and not treat this show as you would Happy Days or Laverne and Shirley, even though this show takes place in the same universe. This is an attitude I only take with this show, because I think the performers are good, and Robin's ad- libbing funny, but as a whole I think it isn't well written. Also, it will save you from being disappointed in the declining quality in seasons three and four. I know this sounds like a cynical review, but I still give it a 7 out of ten for the performers outshining their roles, and it's still a fun show to watch if you need a quick pick-me-up.

I remember the late summer of 1978, working to save enough money to go back to school. Many days were long and difficult. My friends and I left behind by those that had their finances lined up for classes, were always looking for something to do to take our minds off of what we thought were big issues at the time.

Along came this wacky television show with a guy on it that was absolutely nuts. A bunch of us would get together every Thursday night to see what he would do next. We would laugh our heads off at this crazy show and we wouldn't think of missing one. Mork and Mindy was a bright spot in our day in day out lives.

Anyone who was ever a fan of the late Robin Williams has fond memories of Mork&Mindy. Another spinoff from Happy Days where a confrontation between spaceman Willlams, Mork from the planet Ork and Fonzie proved so popular Williams got his own show.

As Mork,Williams was on a mission from his planet to report on Earth and its inhabitants. He chose Milwaukee as his base and every night he reported to his leader Orson. He lived with Pam Dawber, all American girl who was at great pains to explain what this weird person was doing.

In this show we saw Robin Williams open that amazing book of comic tricks for the world. Williams was a genius no doubt, right up there with Chaplin and Keaton. Sad he was such a depressed and tortured soul in real life.

Those reruns are still popular and timeless. Check the show out and sample the first taste the world got of Robin Williams.

Mork & Mindy was a hilarious series that unleashed the comic talents of Robin Williams. This series began as a hilarious episode of Happy Days and ended with Mork getting his new assignment to go to the seventies. Mork even went back in another episode of Happy Days (a clip show but still funny). The series had a pretty good cast behind it, but it could have failed without Williams and his unique humor. It remains as one of Williams' best works.