SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 25:00 Min.
First airing on ABC-TV on October 15, 1981, Bob Claver directed this pivotal episode. Overcoming her disapproving father’s skepticism, Mindy expects Mork to demand, if necessary, Orson’s consent to their impending nuptials. Defying Orson’s adamant refusal, Mork assures Mindy that all is well – that is, until he finds himself transforming into a sheepdog one hour before the wedding.
Realizing that it’s now up to her, Mindy desperately contacts Orson herself. In a battle of wills, does Mindy’s heartfelt stance triumph over Orson’s cold insistence upon Orkian law?
At the wedding, Fred & his wife, Cathy, observe a deranged (and straight-jacketed), best man Exidor stalling for time. Will the missing bride and groom (as a dog or not) show up? The episode’s final seconds sets up Episode 3, as to whether or not the newlyweds opt to spend their honeymoon in Acapulco or on planet Ork.
Mork: Robin Williams
Mindy McConnell: Pam Dawber
Fred McConnell: Conrad Janis
Cathy McConnell: Shelley Fabares
Cora Hudson: Elizabeth Kerr
Exidor: Robert Donner
Orson: Ralph James
Stephanie the Flower Girl: Stephanie Dizon
Reverend: James Staley
REVIEW:
Though the climatic wedding scene is worth the wait, other creative elements risk stirring up a ‘hot mess.’ Obviously, the impatient producers sought to kick-start the show’s dwindling popularity ASAP, but immediately following the couple’s long-awaited engagement episode with the wedding is unnecessarily rushed. Playing up their engagement period for a few episodes would have made good sense as a sub-plot to some ‘nervous fiancé’ Mork hijinks. Instead, the show implausibly jumps from Point A (proposal) to Point C (marriage) without hesitation, let alone forgetting to throws in any laughs.
Side Note: Speaking of rushing things, wouldn’t it be preferable to forget this final season then dubiously inserts Jonathan Winters as the couple’s ‘newborn man-child’ almost immediately after the honeymoon?
Second, was it really necessary to blatantly rip off Disney’s The Shaggy Dog? While Orson’s retaliation makes sense (sort of), why not concoct a more original creature as Mork’s punishment — i.e. a monkey? maybe a rabbit? Or a lovebird? Suffice to say, just watching Robin Williams’ half-hearted ‘Shaggy Dog’ impersonation is cringe-inducing.
Also, though it’s welcome to see the original cast reunited, but one wonders where is Tom Poston’s grumpy Mr. Bickley? For that matter, wouldn’t Jay Thomas & Gina Hecht’s characters from Seasons 2-3 have been invited? Hence, it’s disappointing that this pivotal episode doesn’t try a little harder to homage the show’s prior continuity.
Lastly and most significantly, the episode fails viewers re: how/why the intriguing Mindy/Orson stand-off is so conveniently resolved. Confronting Orson, credit goes to Dawber’s underrated acting for saving this sequence, given the eye-rolling circumstances where Mindy even threatens to still marry Mork … should he remain a dog. Cutting this ultimatum/resolution short insults both Mindy and Orson’s characters, as it would have instead been an ideal cliffhanger for a potential two-part episode.
Despite all these weaknesses, the final few minutes of “The Wedding” (i.e. Dawber & Williams’ poignant acting) makes it a genuine treat for Mork & Mindy fans.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
