I do my weekly DVR Purges, but let's be frank: they are crap. I don't proofread them at all most weeks. They're collections of scattered thoughts that barely even make sense a week later. What I've decided to do is, with most of these shows I watch taking a break, reflect on where I stand with them, assessing what is in the show's favor (assets) and what could get it in trouble (liabilities).
Now, not every show I watch will be included. In general, I'm sticking to shows that I've kept notes (be them from Purges or otherwise) as I've watched. That means, shows like The Bridge, Looking, Sherlock, and Dexter will not be included. To get my thoughts on those, ask me. This project, supposing I stay on schedule should take all month and I hope it does a good job summing up where these shows stand. In some cases, I'm hoping to convince you to start watching. Other times, it'll be nothing more than a postmortem for a show that's gone.
I hope you enjoy.
Favorite Episode(s): "Mindy Lahiri is a Racist" and "An Officer and a Gynecologist"
Mindy: It should come as no surprise that Mindy Kaling writes for herself better than anyone. Week to week, she has some of the funniest lines I will hear on any show and, more than anything, that is why I continue to watch this show. I remember when it first began, being concerned that I'd see her as Kelly from The Office too much and it's become quite the opposite. Now, if I see her being written in something other than the Mindy voice, it's hard for me to deal with. She has certainly done right by herself in her series.
The Supporting Cast: ...when they want to write for them. That's not always the case. Danny has reached co-lead status and they have a good handle on him. He's the opposite of Mindy in a still very funny way, especially when he puts in an effort to understand her. After Mindy, Morgan is the character the writers appear to have the most fun writing for. He began as a character who annoyed me but Ike Barinholtz plays him so sincerely that I can't dislike him. Jeremy, the forgotten third lead from when the series began, has been absolutely lethal at times this season (look at his work in "Mindy Lahiri is a Racist" or with the release forms in the finale). I love Adam Pally and even though he plays Peter nearly identically as Max from Happy Endings. It took some time to tweak the character, but by the end, Peter was stealing scenes and was one of my favorite characters to be paired with anyone in a B-story (especially Jeremy).
Guest Stars: Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Anders Holm, Glenn Howerton, Chloe Sevigny, Bill Hader, Ellie Kemper, James Franco, Maria Menounos, Kevin Smith, Ben Feldman, Jenna Elfman, Anna Gunn, Kris Humphries, and many others did single or several episode stints this season. I can't think of a show that has such a heavy roster of non-regulars and by and large, they use them well. It rarely feels like stunt-casting and the only real downside to it is that no matter how they are introduced (normally as a love interest) it's a ticking clock until they go away.
Inconsistency Story: What is this show about? A doctor looking for love in New York and her crazy coworkers. Something like that, right? A little generic, but it'll work. What was the season arc? I think the second part was about Mindy and Danny getting together although it was less of a slow-burn than it was the show remembering that those two are "supposed to" get together. First part of the season was about getting back into the office. Or was it adapting to Peter showing up? No, was that supposed to be feelings building for Danny? No, we were supposed to be rooting for Glen Howerton's lawyer character. The real shame is that some of the best episodes ("Girl Crush", "Mindy Lahiri is a Racist") have to do with office hijinks or Mindy hanging around young people ("An Officer and a Gynecologist") rather than whatever the series focus is. One of these days, it would be nice to more succinctly recommend the show to a friend, but I still don't know what to say it's about.
Inconsistent Cast: Did you know that Zoe Jarman, Beth Grant, and Xosha Roquemore were all regular cast members this season? Credited in every episode. That's insane, right? I figured after Steve Tobolowski, Anna Camp, and Amanda Setton all rotated through the cast last year that we'd have some stability/balance. Now, I'm getting word that at least Jarman is gone this season. And, it's not like these actors are bad either. Setton more than proved her chops on The Crazy Ones this year and Grant is a journeyman actress who rarely disappoints when given an opportunity. The show can only get stronger the more it feels like an ensemble, so it's no surprise that it can't find a rhythm when only Mindy and Danny feel secure to come back each week.
Romantic Comedies: Remember that a liability isn't a problem. It's something that could become a problem. Mindy Kaling has a love of RomComs. That's clear. I think the idea to do her show as a serial RomCom is ambitious. Some of the best moments and most unique ideas in the show come from this. I loved the finale, for instance. It played the RomCom aspect hard and it worked. A RomCom is a 90 minute story though and sometimes, those beats make for a bad flow in the show. Look at when Mindy and Danny first try to get together. We go from breaking up with the old boyfriend to hiding their dating from the office to breaking up in about three episodes. In a movie, you burn through that quickly because there's only so much time. The beats are more forced on TV. They could've made half a season out of that or saved us of the contrivance of a secret romance altogether but that would've gone against the spirit of RomComs. In all honestly, this is a small concern and if the other two liabilities are taken care of, this would barely be a concern.
The simple test of a comedy show is "does it make me laugh?". By that measure alone, The Mindy Project is a good comedy, perhaps a great one. If that's all you need to know, there you have it. Start watching it if you don't already (based on the ratings, you probably don't). The trouble I have with the show, that I've had nearly since the beginning, is that I don't know what show it is. The direction and cast are still in flux somehow. At this point, I'd wager, like Suburgatory (RIP), that it will allways be that way. With Danny and Mindy getting together "for realsies" at the end of the season, it may finially have the stability it has lacked, which, as far as I'm concerned, is the only thing keeping it from being a top-tier comedy. I can't believe Fox was smart enough (and bullish enough) to pick it up for a third season but I'm more than happy to enjoy as much of it as I can.
Previously this Offseason...
Community
Brooklyn Nine Nine
New Girl
Suburgatory
Modern Family
Parenthood
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