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'The Mindy Project' Pilot Review

By | Published on September 26, 2012
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Fox’s new show, The Mindy Project, focuses on a 31 year old gynecologist who struggles to put her life together. After drunkenly riding her bicycle into a pool and spending the night in jail, the pilot very clearly shows us that Mindy is a wet, hot mess. She wears too much glitter for someone you’re supposed to take seriously as an OB/GYN, but her quirks will  certainly make the show very entertaining. The 30 minute episode was choc full of cringe worthy moments, like a first date with a man portrayed by Mindy’s ‘Office‘ costar  Ed Helms. Along with Helm’s, the pilot featured SNL star Bill Hader as another one of Mindy’s failed love interests.
While I couldn’t relate with Mindy’s tendency to try and make her life a romantic comedy (too cheesy), I could relate with her general frustrations on trying to grow up without losing her fun sense of self. This show appeals to a young female audience, but the general motifs of gynecology, romantic comedies, and girl problems might turn away some male viewers. While The Mindy Project is up against some heavy hitters targeting the same demographic, such as HBO’s Girls, and Fox’s New Girl, under the leadership of Kaling’s comedic genius, The Mindy Project will likely prove itself worthy competition. The pilot definitely had some laugh out loud moments and I look forward to the show picking up some momentum while further developing the lovable, yet oddball, cast of characters. 
Mindy Kaling initially stole my heart with her over the top performance of a superficial single girl stereotype as Kelly Kapoor in NBC’s The Office. With her success as a writer and actress in The Office, along with some recent movie cameos in films such as The Five Year Engagement,  and the publishing of her popular new book “Is Everyone Hanging Out with Me? (And Other Concerns)“, Kaling has proved the scope of her on and off screen comedic talents.
The show’s cast features Mindy Kaling as OB/GYN ‘Mindy Lahiri’, with Danny Messina as “Danny Castellano” and Ed Weeks as “Jeremy Reed”, Mindy’s fellow OB/GYN’s. Her Betty Crocker best friend, Gwen Grandy, is portrayed by Pitch Perfect star Anna Camp. The Mindy Project premiered on Fox last night with so-so ratings. Don’t let the numbers fool you though, the show is definitely worth watching, at least for now.

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