About Christmas TV History

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Mork & Mindy Christmas (1978)


I've always been a huge Mork & Mindy fan.  Yes, I wore the familiar rainbow suspenders in the 5th grade.  The suspenders had buttons on them--a button of a pointing finger and a button with a crescent moon and stars.  Remember?

Anyone else remember wearing those rainbow suspenders?
From Mork's first appearance on the television series Happy Days to his own successful spin-off with the beautiful and patient Mindy, I was hooked on this TV alien.  Continuing our marathon of science fiction Christmas entertainments, do you remember this classic TV Christmas episode?


Mork & Mindy: "Mork's First Christmas" (1978)
by Joanna Wilson

Having never experienced Christmas before, Mork hilariously misunderstands Earth’s holiday traditions from the door-to-door carolers to the fat men in red suits standing on every street corner.

Mork questions his friend Eugene about the Christmas tradition of a dead tree.
When Mindy describes Christmas as "a time for caring and sharing" and a time for "opening your heart to your fellow man," in the spirit of Christmas, Mork invites the egotistical and shallow Susan Taylor over to spend Christmas with them.  (Susan Taylor is played by the gorgeous Morgan Fairchild).  When Mindy fumes over having spend Christmas with such a horrible person as Susan, Mork concludes that Christmas is a sham.

Susan (Morgan Fairchild) has a way of inviting herself over for Christmas.

Not wanting to send the wrong message, Mindy finally agrees to having Susan over for the holiday--even if she makes everyone else feel miserable.  Mork then sets off on the next Christmas tradition: buying gifts for his friends.

The Orkan is not prepared for crowded holiday shopping and angry shoppers.
When holiday shopping becomes too much, Mork decides to prepare homemade gifts for the McConnell family.  But on Christmas morning, he overhears how the others don't really like his gifts made from carpet scraps, chewing gum and dead flies. 

Grandma doesn't really appreciate her new sculpture of Liberacé made from chewing gum!?
Though Mork's gifts go under-appreciated, he is able to give better presents once he understands the adage “it’s the thought that counts.”  His alien abilities allow him to affect them each with a cherished memory from their pasts.

Since it's the thought that counts, Mork literally gives them good thoughts for Christmas

Mindy is given the emotional experience from her past when her runaway puppy had returned home.  Grandma is able to re-live the memory of her first Christmas with her now-deceased husband, and Mindy's father remembers the love he felt when he held his baby daughter in his arms for the first time.  This episode's story will take your from laughter to tears in a matter of moments.  Merry SCI-FI Christmas in July!

The McConnell family thanks Mork for his thoughtful Christmas gifts.

6 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting this, I just watched it last Christmas for the 1st time in 30 years.
    I was huge 'Mork & Mindy' fan, watched it religiously when it originally ran. Whenever I've watched in recent years, I don't think it holds up. But 'Mork's First Christmas' is still fun.

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  2. I was also a huge Mork & Mindy fan, had the suspenders and the Mork figure with the egg spaceship. Loved it. Great post!

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  3. I loved Mork and Mindy. Such a cute show. Robin was adorable as Mork.
    RIP, Robin Williams.

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  4. The first season of "Mork and Mindy" was the best. From the first joke of Mork wanting to warn Monty Hall because he heard people singing "Deck the Halls, Deck the Halls" to the emotional scene where Mork gives the thoughts for Christmas, this is one of the better episodes of that season.

    However the most touching part in my opinion is the scene that plays out behind the ending credits. Mork descends from his room at night, takes a seat on the floor beside the tree (that used to be "bondage" according to him) and stares at the decorated tree in wonderment and awe. A wonderful silent scene.

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    Replies
    1. Lots of wonderful moments in this episode. Thanks for reminding us of a few more!

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