The Mindy Project "Pilot" Review

Mindy Kaling's new project is The Mindy Project, but her fictional counterpart's project is self-improvement. Kaling broke out during her tenure as a writer/actor on NBC's The Office. In between The Office and The Mindy Project, she wrote a non-fiction book that became a New York Times Best Seller. Kaling is also a different kind of leading lady. TV executives don't put Indian-American women in leading roles, but she is creator/writer/actor/executive producer. The woman is pretty much kicking ass.

During my two week long Fall TV Preview, I basically wrote off The Mindy Project after watching the official trailer for the show. The emphasis on romantic comedies killed my interest in the show; however, I thought it worthwhile to watch a full episode and not judge a TV show by its trailer. Mindy's foundations as a romantic are the romantic comedies she watched while growing up. She longs to meet her Hugh Grant or Billy Crystal. She'll watch these movies late at night when she's alone. To Mindy, it's so easy in the movies, but why isn't it easy in real life? Her romantic comedy moment happened on an elevator. A dashing man, portrayed by Bill Hader, shared the ride with her. The elevator broke down. For 20 minutes, Mindy and the dude shared lunch then moved in together two months later. Mindy got her happy ending.

The payoff to the expositional set-up is great. Aspiring writers are taught to capture and engage their audience within five minutes. Mindy Kaling's an adept and skillful screenwriter. She's able to subvert the audience's expectations by using the predictable and lazy narrative device to sort of lull the audience into comfortable expectations before pulling back the curtain to show that what you've heard and saw is only a memory. Mindy's sitting in a holding cell, telling an officer a sob story about how the memory led her to this room and to this conversation. Gwen, her friend, bails Mindy out. From this day forward, Mindy swears to improve her life. No more public displays of intoxication and no more convenient sex with the handsome British co-worker. The Mindy project begins.

The pop-culture references fly throughout the episode. The humor of the show is derived from situations and set-pieces as well as from pop-culture references. A lot of jokes depend on one's knowledge of popular culture. Downton Abbey is referenced in one scene. Mindy's co-worker announces how he's never seen the show and doesn't understand what the show means. The joke works because Mindy incorporated an actual popular culture discussion into the episode. I appreciated the humor because I'm like Danny, the male co-worker. The phenomena of Bruce Springsteen concerts is referenced along with Katherine Heigl movies and the differences between masculine reality shows and feminine romantic comedies. The emphasis on pop-culture isn't alienating. Basically, if you're familiar with popular culture, that familiarity will enhance your viewing experience, but it won't decrease your enjoyment. Kaling's a smart writer; she knows well-written characters and a relatable, entertaining story will be the reason people watch the show.

The medical element of the show isn't expansive yet. Mindy works as an OB/GYN and has two supportive girls working for her. Part of her self-improvement is motivated by missing out on the birth of her patient's baby because she got arrested and didn't make it on time. The hospital scenes are set in the 'lounge' area. Mindy interacts with the British man she sleeps with, and Danny, the Springsteen fan. Danny's critical of Mindy's style of life, of her dress, of her philosophy towards dating, and offers suggestions to correct it. Mindy is not appreciative. Little does Mindy know her life is set up just like a romantic comedy.

The beats of the 21 minute episode are broad. Characters need to be defined in situations in a pilot. Mindy meets an immigrant woman and her son. The woman is pregnant and needs a doctor for the delivery, but she does not have health insurance. The boy pleads with Mindy to treat his mother. Mindy will, but only after the boy swears his mom will have insurance. The mother won't; however, Mindy wanted to hear the promise because she wants to treat the patient. She explains to the boy that men tell her things that aren't true all the time and makes decisions based off that. The line is sad, funny and representative of why Mindy feels she should change her life. She's tired of being lied to, and tired of being sad; that is why Mindy requests her assistants find her patients with insurance after meeting with the boy and his mother.

The Mindy Project seems promising. It's usually foolish to judge an entire series on one episode without watching any other episodes. Mindy Kaling knows what she's doing as an actress, writer and show-runner. Danny's the only character with any development. The secondary characters lack distinct voices. Best friend Gwen is married, a mother, and Mindy's voice of reason; but she's off screen most of the time, popping in and out whenever Mindy needs to confront her conscience. Gwen's like the angel on her shoulder, while everyone else is the devil, and Mindy's definitely leaning to the far left in the pilot. All of it seems purposeful. Mindy is our lens, so what she sees, we see. I look forward to future episodes when the characters are more fleshed out, and I'm interested in how the medical element will be handled weekly, and all that. It's a really solid pilot.

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