Feeling lonely working as a night guard, Mork gives a robot part of the exhibit (named Chuck) human emotions. When he learns he's getting dismantled next week, he agrees to take him out and experience what life is all about.
This starts off as your typical wacky Mork & Mindy episode. There's some humorous friendly banter between Mork and Chuck, and Mindy's skepticism and horror over having a giant robot live in the apartment is priceless. It's not helped by Chuck constantly throwing Mork across the living room by accident.
She does feel sorry for him when she hears about his oncoming fate, so she lets him stay as long as he gets a job. Mork gets the idea of making him an attraction at The New York Deli. But things get out of hand when he starts malfunctioning and insults people and answers questions incorrectly. This is where a complete tonal shift takes place, as Mork and Mindy are forced to realize he doesn't have enough mental capacity to survive in the outside world for much longer. He's taken back to the museum, and Mindy tells Mork to take out his circuits. Chuck insists however he'd rather die naturally. Robin Williams has one of the best acting moments of his entire career as he can't stand the sight of Chuck suffering, and feeling just as scared of losing him as Chuck is of dying. I was getting really choked up during this whole scene. Roddy McDowall does an equally amazing job voicing the robot, expressing its feelings with vigor and passion.
Even the report at the end is a lot bleaker than we're used to. Orson wonders why Mork can't just build a new friend, and he tells him it's hard to replace someone you've nurtured and had so close to you. But no matter what, Chuck will always be left in Mork's heart. It's a very touching and meaningful epilogue.
This starts off as your typical wacky Mork & Mindy episode. There's some humorous friendly banter between Mork and Chuck, and Mindy's skepticism and horror over having a giant robot live in the apartment is priceless. It's not helped by Chuck constantly throwing Mork across the living room by accident.
She does feel sorry for him when she hears about his oncoming fate, so she lets him stay as long as he gets a job. Mork gets the idea of making him an attraction at The New York Deli. But things get out of hand when he starts malfunctioning and insults people and answers questions incorrectly. This is where a complete tonal shift takes place, as Mork and Mindy are forced to realize he doesn't have enough mental capacity to survive in the outside world for much longer. He's taken back to the museum, and Mindy tells Mork to take out his circuits. Chuck insists however he'd rather die naturally. Robin Williams has one of the best acting moments of his entire career as he can't stand the sight of Chuck suffering, and feeling just as scared of losing him as Chuck is of dying. I was getting really choked up during this whole scene. Roddy McDowall does an equally amazing job voicing the robot, expressing its feelings with vigor and passion.
Even the report at the end is a lot bleaker than we're used to. Orson wonders why Mork can't just build a new friend, and he tells him it's hard to replace someone you've nurtured and had so close to you. But no matter what, Chuck will always be left in Mork's heart. It's a very touching and meaningful epilogue.
