Premiering September 17th at 9:30pm with its second season, FOX's The Mindy Project was an early favorite among most critics, topping many a best new show list. However, its buzz quickly faded as it spent half of the first season figuring out the right balance of work and play, as some actors slowly receded from the show and others became more fleshed out. Now secure in its structure, The Mindy Project is simultaneously an ensemble office sitcom with plenty of hilarious characters and a modern dating comedy following a confidant, successful woman, whose fully realized perspective is both ridiculous and identifiable. Much like the way classic comedies Louie and Curb Your Enthusiasm are built around the values, opinions, and comedic sensibilities of their creators Louis C.K. and Larry David, The Mindy Project is predominantly defined by its creator, Mindy Kaling (as OB-GYN Dr. Mindy Lahiri). So if you aren't a fan of her's, then this show is probably not for you, but if you are, then you will love it and if you're neutral, you may quickly become one, as her witty ruminations and willingness to look like a fool provide the perfect substitute for Tina Fey in the absence of 30 Rock and Liz Lemon.
Although the series opens with a voice-over narration by Mindy (and some subsequent episodes do as well), it is revealed she is just telling some stranger way too much about her life, not writing into her computer like Carrie Bradshaw as this show is actually pretty far from Sex and the City or even Girls. In fact, a big part of the mid-season retooling was to shift the focus further form Mindy's relationship with her underdeveloped gal pals, and emphasize the character of her rich and riotous coworkers. The most prominently ridiculous of which is the ex-convict turned nurse Morgan (Ike Barinholtz, who like Mindy is also a writer for the series), who fancies himself Mindy's personal guardian angel and relationship guru after she took a chance on him by bringing him into the practice in episode two. He's loaded with obscure foibles and equally specific opinions about everything, much like any character on Kaling's previous series The Office, but his good heart and occasional wisdom outweigh his quirky ditziness. However, the most fully developed character aside from Mindy herself is fellow OB-GYN partner Dr. Danny Castellano (Chris Messina, who you may recognize as playing a fantastic douche in various movies and shows, and other small roles). Danny and Mindy's relationship could easily become one of those will-they-won't-they type things so common in sitcoms featuring single people, however it has been treated as purely platonic thus far, as Danny began the series harshly critical foil for Mindy (one of her voice-over monologues is revealed to be given to Danny on the subway, who quickly explains they are not train buddies and that she simply saw him by coincidence, then sat next to him and wouldn't stop talking) though they eventually become true friends as the first season progresses (one great episode revolved around him contesting of their friendship, explaining he could be her OB-GYN since he has no feeling for her but that she would get all girly about it, leading to a hilarious game of uncomfortable chicken during an exam, pictured above). What makes Danny such a great character is not merely his richly complex relationship with Mindy, but also his own outrageous opinions and eccentricities, such as his excessive sweating and stereotypically manly values (which are often subverted, as when he screams seeing Mindy in her psycho serial killer sleep mask which she wears in case of a real murderer, whom she presumes will say "eh, too many cooks in the kitchen" and leave when he sees her).
Additional characters like the wholesomely naive receptionist Betsy (Zoe Jarmon), the slightly deranged office veteran Beverly (Beth Grant), and the self-centered British cad Dr. Jeremy Reed (Ed Weeks) also have many funny moments, though the second season will likely present them with more frequent opportunities to grow dimensionally and offer more consistent laughs, now that the core cast has been settled. Aside from the now established office dynamics, Mindy's romantic life is an area of the show that has already found its comedic and narrative footing. As a self-proclaimed romantic comedy obsessive from the outset, Mindy's dates often involve some kind of genre trope, however they are often flipped around in unexpectedly humorous ways as she learns to move beyond her childhood/hollywood ideals to develop unique and meaningful connections. It also helps that the series features a variety of excellent guest stars for said relationships, including Seth Rogen, Bill Hader, The Office's B.J. Novak, and Workaholics' Anders Holm as Mindy's various romantic interests. The League's Mark Duplass also recurs as one of two holistic mid-wife brothers (the other played by his real life brother and writing/directing partner Jay Duplass), who occupy the space above the stars' medical practice and are constantly trying to steal their patients, solidifying an office rivalry. Of course Mindy ends up involved with him in some way as well, as his charm is able to overcome his self-righteous douchebaggery, if only temporarily. All in all, The Mindy Project is an exceptionally worthy addition to the ranks of quality feminist comedies, offering a fully realized portrait of a modern single woman who knows who she is, is great at what she does, and makes you laugh out loud throughout.
