A young Ob/Gyn doctor balances her personal and professional life, surrounded by quirky co-workers in a small office.
How anyone could possibly find any redeeming qualities in the six-season show “The Mindy Project,” I will never know. Mindy Kaling not only stars in the show, but she is also the creator. Based on this particular project, I have no desire to see any more of her work or ever listen to her dolphin-pitched nasally voice in any other TV appearances. Her character, also named Mindy, may be beautiful with curves and a pretty face and lovely locks of hair, but that’s about all of the redeeming qualities of the show and the person.
Mindy must have missed “The Office” and decided to carry the show on in essence and by making her own little spin-off. Although, this show focuses on an Ob/Gyn’s office instead of a mockumentary of the personal dynamic inside of a close-knit group of co-workers. With “The Mindy Project,” the office is a revolving door or narcissistic, borderline personality disorder individuals walking into her life and back out once they realize what I already figured out after one episode – Mindy’s a neurotic narcissist with a penchant for one night stands and no ability to control herself any better than a two-month-old puppy.
Seriously, at thirty-something-years-old, you would think this woman with a Ph.D., would have some redeeming quality, but no, she doesn’t. She purposely seeks out one-night-stands, hopping from one bed to the next with a random slew of guys, including a priest, co-workers, and guys who obviously have no interest in what she claims to be seeking – a real rom-com worthy romance. The woman has no real interest in a love match, she just wants a cute story and someone to give her everything she wants while she ignores their needs completely, except in bed. Through large chunks of the show, Mindy does have a horrible clique on-again-off-again relationship with co-worker Danny (Chris Messina) who is just as bad as Mindy in the personality department.
The rest of the cast is an ever-changing flow of co-workers that are even stranger characters than the ones Mindy dates. It’s as if this doctor’s office only hires mentally immature people incapable of understanding they are their own problem. For the first season, nurse Morgan managed to add a hint of humor to the otherwise waste of time show, but his particular flavor of comedy wears off quickly. The other characters aren’t funny or entertaining in any other fashion with their strong ability to make poor personal decisions, lack of morals, and basically everything I can’t stand about Mindy.
Although I’m fully aware of the media’s desire to encourage sleeping with anyone and everyone, I find the show nauseating with the sheer amount. Honestly, the only redeeming quality of this motley crew cast was how loyal they were to each other and how few spars they had within their group. The problems were with those not in their inner circle as they were always on a quest for new additions but never found anyone who fits. Each episode, at least in the first couple of seasons, attempted to serve as a mini romantic comedy, and it was too much for a single thirty minutes show.
I kept hoping each season would miraculously improve upon the material but it was a giant cluster of poorly written – though decently-acted – characters, making bad decision after bad decision. It was like watching an unattended preschool class, with all the kids running around with markers drawing on the walls. At some point, Mindy has a baby, and later on a failed marriage, that’s about it for highlights in the show. Poor baby having this cast as his family. That’s another thing, Mindy had normal parents who loved her and doted on her, maybe a little too much but she should have some sense based on her upbringing alone.
The entire series is now available on DVD, all 117 nauseating episodes. That’s 43 hours and 47 minutes of terrible decisions with bad writing if you are interested in an entire cast of Barney Stinsons in different attire. The world could easily live without this show, though it’s free on Hulu if you really feel the need to torture yourself.
“The Mindy Project: The Complete Series” is now available on DVD
