We begin our countdown of my favorite 1970s Christmas TV episodes with 1978’s “Mork’s First Christmas” from Mork and Mindy.
As I think you might have picked up from some of my past discussions of Mork and Mindy, I don’t think the show ever quite lived up to what it SHOULD have been. Robin Williams, of course, was a comedic superstar, and Pam Dawber was a strong actor with a ton of charisma, so the concept of Williams as an alien learning about Earth and Dawber as the Earth woman who takes him in as a roommate and hides his alien identity from the rest of the world while slowly falling in love with him really SHOULD have been as funny as it sounds, but the whole never quite added up to the sum of its parts for me. Part of that might have been the lack of a strong supporting cast (few shows changed their supporting cast as much as this show). Part of it was a lack of narrative focus, as well. Whatever the case, I was not nearly as into the show as I really feel like I should have been for a show starring someone as talented as Robin Williams.
So honestly, I was iffy about even including this episode on the list, but I think there’s just enough here to merit its inclusion over Good Times‘ “Penny’s Christmas,” which it was vying with for the final spot on the list.
An interesting aspect of the episode is that the whole conceit doesn’t really work, as Mork has never heard of Christmas or Jesus Christ before this episode (Episode #13 of Season 1), which makes no sense for a guy who has already shown a decent understanding of Earth culture from studying it, and yet 13 episodes in he has never heard of Christianity? That never came up? For serious? All for the sake of him being all freaked out by Christmas carols (He thinks “Deck the Halls” is a threat to assault Monty Hall and his family. I mean, come the heck on with that joke).
However, once he picks up on the concept, there are some good bits about commercialism when he goes shopping for Mindy and her family (including her materialistic friend, Susan, played by Morgan Fairchild in a standout performance). Jeffrey Jacquet’s little kid, Eugene, was a great comedic partner for Mork in Season 1. I dunno why they couldn’t think of a way to work him into Season 2 even after dropping the music store setting (Eugene was getting music lessons, which is how he befriended Mork).
Mork decides to make homemade presents for everyone, and they’re absurd (but heartfelt) gifts. After he hears Susan mock them, he is upset, but when he learns that it is the thought that counts, there’s a great twist where he reveals that he can GIVE them a pleasant thought as a gift, which he does. It touches Mindy and her family, although it should also have made them think Mork had powers, right? So that was weird, but it was still a very nice bit, with all of them suddenly being hit with a memory of a really pleasant moment in their lives.
Touching stuff.
