The Mindy Project: Josh and Mindy's Christmas Party

I have watched a lot of romantic comedies in my day and that makes me love The Mindy Project.  I have to confess after the SNL skit of "Dylan McDermott vesus Dermot Mulroney," I would totally lose at that game without imdb.com.

2 Broke Girls also referenced the confusion between the two actors on Monday night.  As a student of pop culture, I should be able to tell them apart but alas I cannot. Maybe one day after a marathon of their movies.

I loved tonight's episode of the Mindy Project.  Mindy's unabashed love of the holidays with the music and colorful outfits set such a great tone for the show.  Danny who is uninterested in the holidays comes to the party with an elaborate ginger bread house.  He is the perfect foil to Mindy.  He does care about her when trying to help her navigate a cheating crisis with grace.  Mindy confronts Josh perfectly mimicking the voicemail.  Danny saves Mindy during her speech becoming her knight in shining armor.

Ellie Kemper appears as Heather (not a fan of the character being named that), but she does a great crazy girlfriend who insults Mindy and destroys her house. It was genius to have Wham's Last Christmas as background music to when Mindy's friends are rallying around her to make her feel better. It's what the holidays are all about sharing, caring, and loving all that are special to us.  This episode is proof that Mindy's show is hitting its stride, and I am only looking forward to more.

The Mindy Project: Teen Patient

After Mindy's tweet, I made it a point to blog about The Mindy Project tonight.  It is taking time away from The Passage by Justin Cronin. {I decided to participate in "The Double Down Book Club" because of Grantland's Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald podcast from last week, and I am now reading a 900 page book.  I will forgive them since they are from Philadelphia, and the book is good.  (Is everyone at Grantland from Philadelphia?? Even the reviewer of Silver Linings Playbook is from Philadelphia.)}

I digress back to the task at hand, The Mindy Project. Tonight's cold open was funny, I worry often about harming an intern, poor guy took a hard hit. Like every great romantic comedy, the main female character is on her journey to find love.  It is obvious Mindy hasn't found it with her current boyfriend, otherwise the relationship would be able to withstand the grueling questions of a fifteen year old.  This faulty relationship doesn't mean the show isn't without its funny moments, like Danny trying to handle an HR situation. Or Mindy visiting a high school on multiple occasions to dispense wisdom or condoms.  I have never felt older watching Mindy on the bean bag trying to have a conversation.  I would probably be doing all of those things.  I also wouldn't try to sit on a bean bag in a pencil skirt. I loved all the green of her outfit though.

I like Mindy Kaling enough to keep watching the show for its bits of comedy.  I really hope that it is appealing to a wider audience because I think Mindy is smart enough to continue to write good episode and truly hit a stride in the second season.  Once the characters are established, Mindy can play to her strengths of writing for female characters and develop a more "will they, won't they" storyline for Mindy and Danny (Dr. Castellano, almost as fun to say as Jordan Catalano).

The Mindy Project: Halloween

I am a huge fan of Mindy Kaling.  I loved her original blog, and her book is an awesome read.  When her show was picked up by Fox, I was really happy for her.  I was also impressed with her marketing campaign.  The picture above is from Walnut Street in Center City Philadelphia.  They were giving out free manicures, pedicures, and hair styling.  I thought it was genius for her show that is a romantic comedy once a week.

I thought Tuesday's Halloween episode was good.  I totally relate to the trials and tribulations of dating and possibly ending up a cat lady.  I also enjoyed the reference to Charlie Brown, which is a Halloween classic.  If she could have fit in a Hocus Pocus reference I would have been in heaven.  A separate story line for Danny and Jeremy was good for the characters.  I really hope her show makes it to a second season because I think she'll hit her stride with writing and the characters much like Happy Endings hit its stride in the second season. 

Well Happy Halloween Everyone!!!!  I will be eating Halloween Oreos and watching tv.