Just read this on Jump The Shark:

I remember this very well from when it first aired, and I want to set the history straight: Originally, Mork's visit was presented as *only* a dream by Richie (and BTW, the exaggeration of Fonzie's powers was thus excusable this one time)! There was even a tag scene after Richie wakes up, where the doorbell rings and it's Robin Williams as a man whose car broke down asking to use the phone, but Richie, startled due to the man's resemblance to the dream Mork, screams and scares him away. That's how the episode originally ended. It was clearly presented as an "imaginary story" with no potential link to a spin-off. By the time the episode was re-run that summer, there had obviously been a strong positive fan reaction to Mork and the spin-off decision was made. So for that re-run, a special **second tag** was added (perhaps only time in TV history that a summer re-run added a new scene!!) which Mork contacts Orson and discusses his new assignment, which was to be based 20 or so years in the future. He also states that he was successful in making the earth people think his visit was a dream. So this was a definite "retcon" (to use comic book terminology) and not the original intent of the episode.

I saw this episode recently and thought that it was peculiar that Mork would call Orson, especially since Mork And Mindy wasn't even on the drawing board yet.

Hopefully if this episode is ever released on DVD, they'll include the original ending and use the Mork calling Orson ending as a bonus feature.

I think it was recently when HD was on Nick that I first saw the scene at the end with Mork. Other versions of the reruns of the show didn't have it at all until then. I didn't even know it existed!

Re-elect Bush in 2004!

If i remember it the way I think i do, they aired the rerun with the new ending at the END of the summer; the week before Mork and Mindy premiered, as part of the promotional blitz for the new show

Originally posted by Dr. Thong
Just read this on Jump The Shark:

I remember this very well from when it first aired, and I want to set the history straight: Originally, Mork's visit was presented as *only* a dream by Richie (and BTW, the exaggeration of Fonzie's powers was thus excusable this one time)! There was even a tag scene after Richie wakes up, where the doorbell rings and it's Robin Williams as a man whose car broke down asking to use the phone, but Richie, startled due to the man's resemblance to the dream Mork, screams and scares him away. That's how the episode originally ended. It was clearly presented as an "imaginary story" with no potential link to a spin-off. By the time the episode was re-run that summer, there had obviously been a strong positive fan reaction to Mork and the spin-off decision was made. So for that re-run, a special **second tag** was added (perhaps only time in TV history that a summer re-run added a new scene!!) which Mork contacts Orson and discusses his new assignment, which was to be based 20 or so years in the future. He also states that he was successful in making the earth people think his visit was a dream. So this was a definite "retcon" (to use comic book terminology) and not the original intent of the episode.

I saw this episode recently and thought that it was peculiar that Mork would call Orson, especially since Mork And Mindy wasn't even on the drawing board yet.

Hopefully if this episode is ever released on DVD, they'll include the original ending and use the Mork calling Orson ending as a bonus feature.




Surprisingly, TV LAND aired the new ending with Mork calling Orson.

Originally posted by Sitcom Analyzer
Surprisingly, TV LAND aired the new ending with Mork calling Orson. yeah, but the way they cut it - it didnt make much sense :(

Originally posted by robyrob
yeah, but the way they cut it - it didnt make much sense :(


You mean there was more to be shown? I thought that scene TV LAND showed with Mork calling Orson was UNCUT?