Tony’s Timeless Thursdays™: Mork & Mindy: "Nanu Nanu" and the Birth of a Comedy Legend

When I sit back and think about television that really shaped my childhood and left an imprint on pop culture, Mork & Mindy always comes to mind. It wasn’t just another sitcom of the late 70s — it was different. It was weird, wild, and yet full of heart. And at the center of it all was a young comedian nobody had really heard of yet: Robin Williams.

This was the show that gave us “Nanu Nanu,” rainbow suspenders, egg-shaped spaceships, and one of the greatest comedy talents of all time. It was a show that mixed science fiction with slapstick, and somehow, it worked. Today, I want to revisit this classic, share why it was so special, and why even now, decades later, it still makes me smile.

🚀 How Mork Arrived on Earth

What some people forget is that Mork didn’t even start on Mork & Mindy. He first showed up on an episode of Happy Days in 1978 called My Favorite Orkan. It was supposed to be just a silly one-off episode — an alien trying to take Richie Cunningham back to Ork and Fonzie fighting him off. But then Robin Williams walked in and turned that simple idea into something magical.

The audience went crazy for him. ABC knew they had something special, so they gave him his own show. That’s how Mork & Mindy was born — from a guest spot that was supposed to be a gag.

🌍 The Premise We All Fell in Love With

The show’s premise was simple but brilliant. Mork was sent to Earth in an egg-shaped spacecraft to study humans. He lands in Boulder, Colorado, where he meets Mindy McConnell (played by Pam Dawber). She’s kind, patient, and open-hearted — the perfect counterbalance to Mork’s weirdness.

Mork doesn’t understand Earth customs, so everything we take for granted — handshakes, dating, clothes, slang — becomes comedy gold. And every episode ended with Mork checking in with his boss Orson, reflecting on what he learned about humans. Those little monologues were more than funny — they were thoughtful. They often made you stop and think.

🎭 The Cast That Made It Work

• Robin Williams as Mork — This was his breakout role, and the world got its first taste of his improvisational genius. He could turn anything into comedy on the spot.

  
  

• Pam Dawber as Mindy — She grounded the show. Without her warmth and sincerity, Mork’s antics wouldn’t have landed as well. She was the heart to his chaos.

  
  

• Conrad Janis as Fred McConnell — Mindy’s dad, always suspicious of Mork.

  
  

• Elizabeth Kerr as Cora Hudson — Mindy’s grandmother, who adored Mork.

  
  

• Jonathan Winters as Mearth — In season four, Mork and Mindy had a child who, thanks to Orkan biology, aged in reverse. Their “baby” was Jonathan Winters, and the chemistry between him and Robin was off the charts.

The show was built around Robin’s talent, but this supporting cast made sure there was balance and depth.

🌟 Robin Williams Breaks Through

I can’t talk about Mork & Mindy without stopping here. This show didn’t just introduce us to Robin Williams — it unleashed him. The producers let him improvise, and many times they just let the cameras roll as he riffed, ad-libbed, and physically threw himself into every scene.

It was unlike anything on TV at the time. His energy was contagious. You could see Pam Dawber breaking character sometimes because she was laughing so hard at what Robin was doing. From this show, he went on to become one of the most beloved comedians and actors of all time, but it all started right here.

📺 The Catchphrases & Culture

Even if you never watched the show, chances are you know its catchphrases:

• “Nanu Nanu” — Mork’s greeting, complete with a hand gesture.

  
  

• “Shazbot” — His word for frustration, which actually snuck its way into video games later.

  
  

• “Mork calling Orson, come in Orson” — His weekly reflection on humanity, part comedy, part life lesson.

These phrases made their way into everyday conversation in the late 70s and early 80s. Kids mimicked Mork’s voice, adults repeated “Shazbot,” and suddenly Robin Williams’ alien had become a national obsession.

📅 The Rise and Fall of the Show

• Season 1 (1978–79): A huge hit, ranking in the Top 3 shows on TV. Everyone was talking about Mork.

  
  

• Season 2 (1979–80): The network tinkered with the format, adding more traditional sitcom elements. Ratings slipped.

  
  

• Season 3 (1980–81): They went back to focusing on Mork and Mindy’s relationship, but the magic of Season 1 was hard to recapture.

  
  

• Season 4 (1981–82): The show introduced Mearth, played by Jonathan Winters. It had brilliant moments thanks to the Williams-Winters improv duo, but by then audiences had moved on. The show ended in 1982.

Even with the decline, those early seasons cemented Mork & Mindy as a pop culture staple.

🎬 Unforgettable Episodes

A few episodes stand out to me when I think about this show:

• The Pilot: Mork arrives, meets Mindy, and sets the tone for everything that followed.

  
  

• Mork’s Mixed Emotions: Mork experiences human emotions in overdrive, giving Robin a chance to go absolutely wild.

  
  

• Mork Meets Robin Williams: Yes, there’s an episode where Mork meets Robin Williams. Meta before meta was cool.

  
  

• The Wedding: Mork and Mindy finally tie the knot.

  
  

• The Birth of Mearth: The wildest twist of all, introducing Jonathan Winters as their child.

🎤 Comedy Changed Forever

Mork & Mindy wasn’t just funny — it changed how sitcoms were made. It showed that improvisation could drive an entire show. It let an actor’s raw creativity be the star. Later shows like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm would lean on improv, but Robin Williams pioneered it in primetime.

🛍️ The Merch & Spin-offs

The show was so popular in its early days that it spawned toys, lunchboxes, trading cards, and even a Saturday morning cartoon: Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour. It didn’t last long, but it proved how far Morkmania spread.

🌌 The Legacy

For me, the legacy of Mork & Mindy is twofold: it gave us Robin Williams, and it reminded us that weirdness can be wonderful. Without this show, Robin’s career might have taken much longer to take off. And without Robin, comedy itself would look very different.

It also paved the way for other sci-fi comedies like ALF, Third Rock from the Sun, and Resident Alien. They all owe something to Mork.

✨ Final Thoughts

When I think about Mork & Mindy, I don’t just remember the catchphrases. I remember the way Robin Williams lit up the screen with unfiltered brilliance. I remember the kindness of Mindy, who showed us that friendship is about acceptance. And I remember those closing “Mork calling Orson” moments, where comedy gave way to wisdom.

That’s why this show is timeless. It wasn’t just about laughs — it was about connection. It was about looking at ourselves through alien eyes and realizing we’re not so bad after all.

So to that, I’ll simply say: "Nanu Nanu."