Why The Mindy Project Should Be Saved
The TV Gods giveth and they taketh away. When the news broke that Fox cancelled its comedy The Mindy Project, it felt like being hit with a baseball bat, or, depends on where you are, a cricket bat (the point is they both can hurt like hell, okay), right to the ribs. It stung more than when your favourite contestant is eliminated on American Idol.
But...
And it’s a hopeful but...
With the news of cancellation, came the reports that our wonderful Mindy could be picked up by Hulu on a multiple season deal. It made us breathe just a little after the shots to the ribs.
I mean, we need that ass that doesn’t quit on some type of flat screen! So this is a plea, a plea that could get us on our knees, pick this show up! Pretty please. It’s in our and your best interest, Hulu executives.
Here’s why:
Yahoo has Community, Netflix brought Arrested Development back to life, and with those shows, came its brand and its audience. Hulu could benefit greatly from adding a smart comedy to their roster.
The Mindy Project is arguably one of the best comedies on television. It’s smart, it takes risks, and it aims to defy genre expectations. It’s take on shower sex is one that stands out. Turns out, nope, it’s not as easy as pop culture makes it looks. When the shower is too small, you can get hurt. Mindy trying to lie on top of Danny’s piano is another cracker – she slips off and lands on the floor. Two tropes we have seen in many a film or tv show. Not only does it try subverting normal rom-com expectations, it pays homage to classic rom-coms just as well. In the season 2 finale, Danny tells Mindy to meet him atop the Empire State Building (well, hello ‘Sleepless in Seattle’), a scene from said film that Mindy Lahiri loves to death. It has always been her dream to live in a romantic comedy, and the show nailed it. A show that can nail subverting the genre (mostly), and paying homage to it is the real deal. It is what makes the show unique, no other comedy on television does what Mindy does best.
Mindy and Danny make the best couple on television. They’re polar opposites – Mindy is a hopeless romantic who is addicted to Real Housewives (Yup, all of them) and loves pop music. Danny is a cynic who hates love (Divorce is a bitch), loves to read, and is a fan of rock music. “Opposites attract” is an old rom-com trope, but Mindy and Danny make it feel fresh and funny. They’re easy to root for – you want their love to work. Another sitcom, also on Fox, New Girl, has Jess and Nick. A couple who made me cringe and change the channel in the middle of season 3. Their struggles as a couple became tiring, whereas Mindy and Danny have a real sweet connection, a sweetness that makes the chemistry pop. Their struggles seemed more real, and the differences between them made the show funny as hell.
Chris Messina. He is surely reason enough. It’s his portrayal of Danny that makes the character so darn lovable. He plays the cranky cynic with underlying charm so well, gives Danny a depth that in turn makes the show all the more richer. He hits the right mark every time, and a lesser actor would have made Danny less likable.
How can we not applaud Mindy Kaling’s Mindy Lahiri? Rom-coms are normally prone to female characters who are awkward and insecure, who are clumsy and sometimes dumb in love. Then there’s Mindy Lahiri – a smart, confident doctor who is proud of the way she looks, has an “ass that does not quit”, loves eating food and not obsessing over her weight, knows what she wants in life and is not willing to compromise or settle. This again brings up New Girl’s Jess, a smart but not very confident character who acts and dresses awkwardly. The former is more refreshing, a confident female character that goes for what she wants. Mindy Lahiri kicks ass.
Cliffhanger! The show cannot end with Danny standing outside Mindy’s parents’ door. The viewers deserve more. The viewers need to see all the hilarity that would ensue during their wedding planning, their struggles with the baby, and there is so much more.
So please, Hulu, pick up the show, and give us Mindy and Danny showing off their new born baby to the world like in The Lion King. Yes, that is funny. Very funny even. Just remember to credit this site, Mindy. You can get it for free.
*Hulu picked up the show for 26 episodes.
