Figuring out THE MINDY PROJECT

Learning that The Mindy Project is now the lowest-rated, under performing show on Fox worries me because there's a good chance it may not last another season. Since its return for its second year last September, viewership dropped to 3.1 Million average (from 3.8 Million), with its demographics also down by 20%.

The Mindy Project Cast on Glamour Magazine

I was getting bummed out about this news, so over the weekend, I decided to watch all of the show's episodes again. If only my watching would somehow help push the show's ratings up.

Well, of course it didn't.

For very obvious reasons... like, I'm not a Nielsen viewer.

Packaged as a rom-com show, The Mindy Project (TMP) has all the elements and tropes of what you would expect from a chick flick. In my world, it's already a hit because I am its right audience (read: female). So, is this part of the reason why it's failing to gain viewers? Because it only appeals to women?

Interestingly enough, I asked a girl friend's opinion about the series, and despite us liking basically the same things, it turns out, she isn't a fan of TMP. She cites that Mindy is a shallow and narcissistic person. She says she's annoying and probably wouldn't be friends with her in real life. Could her description of the lead character be the other reason why viewers can't seem to warm up to the show?

I used to wonder what the "project" meant in the title. I thought it was all about Mindy finding her ever-after, with the "project" being finding the right man to marry and grow old with.

But over the course of the first season, it became apparent that the central theme of The Mindy Project is all about Mindy growing up, with the "project" being her personal growth and maturity.

In other words, she is supposed to have all these annoying qualities. Because the show is about Mindy figuring out what kind of an adult she should become.

Mindy Kaling, the series' lead writer and creator, is one of the brightest comedy writers on TV today. I like that she writes a lot of contradictions for her character, Mindy Lahiri --- e.g.  she's a successful at her career, but she's a hot mess as a person; she's self-centered, but she's also compassionate; she's self-deprecating, but she would like to be seen as a confident person; she's loads insecure, but she acknowledges all of her imperfections. All these show Mindy as a multi-faceted character... and nothing about that is shallow, is it?

But The Mindy Project also works well because she is surrounded by all these misfits:

Schulman and Associates: Dr. Castellano, Betsy the Receptionist, Dr. Lahiri,
 Dr. Reed,  Beverly, Morgan the Nurse

The new members of the practice, with the addition of Dr. Prentice and Tamra  

One thing that makes TMP seem like it's all over the place is because the writers try to squeeze all of these characters into the storyline, even when they should really just be people Mindy sees at work everyday.

But they aren't.

They're with her everywhere, even when she's out socializing with her boyfriend, or supporting her brother's passion, or her friend's cause.  She has these people as her own support group that it wasn't necessary to keep her other group of girls anymore (Mindy's BFF's were cut from the series).

As a result, it's hard to distinguish whether this show wants to be a workplace comedy, or a show about friends who goof around and hangout together, or a romantic comedy. 

And to me, this is why it's vital to give this show a chance to grow beyond the second season.  To give it more room to figure itself out (just like the lead character). Or perhaps to establish that, maybe, it's all of the above.

Plus, there's that obvious romantic friction (sexual tension?) between Mindy and Danny that really needs time to develop...which I will discuss for another entry.

Someday, these two...

are gonna have... 

to get a room!!!

##########

On a slightly different note, I applaud the show for being able to is able to enlist some of the best male guests ever, all good-looking and talented in their own right. 

I suppose Mindy Kaling's connection in Hollywood has a lot to do with it. But as an avid viewer, this list of male guests is one of the reasons why I look forward to new episodes.

      

From left to right: Bill Hader, Ed Helms, Andrew Holm, Seth Rogen, BJ Novak, Ben Feldman, Glen Howertorn, James Franco and the Duplass Brothers.  (She has also enlisted Tim Olyphant in an upcoming episode.)

So, what do you like about The Mindy Project?

What do you think would help keep this show for another season?

"Borderline" Cover, as heard on THE MINDY PROJECT

The Flaming Lips' cover of Madonna's Borderline.

Heard this version on The Mindy Project's second season premiere and I thought it was a refreshing cover of the 80's hit song. It was equally refreshing to hear it used as background music for a very important ceremony on the show. The choice was uncanny, given Borderline's lyrics, but the music's tone and mood couldn't have been more perfect for the scene!

Listen ----


2009 Flaming Lips & Stardeath and White Dwarfs - Borderline from George Salisbury on Vimeo.

As for the show, overall, I thought the first episode for the second season of The Mindy Project had a clear direction. It was entertaining and well put-together from start to finish, which is to say that its writing was seamless. The show has had a few hitches at the beginning of its first season, which reflected on the series. This time, I think (and I hope!) that Mindy has it under control. I'm so excited for what else is coming on The Mindy Project!

This was what I wrote on my Facebook Page, after watching Season 2 Episode 1 (click photo for a bigger resolution):

And this may be the right time to say that I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with this blog anymore (talk about clear direction!). Writing about TV shows can be super draining and time-consuming, especially if you do this on a regular basis, required and expected from you. I'd rather spend all my energy, or what's left of it, actually watching, you know?

So, as much as I would like to talk in great length about what I've just watched, micro-blogging works better for me now. (If this still isn't clear, this is my not-so subtle way of telling you --- over and over --- that you can find me blabbing about TV on Facebook or Twitter. Thank you for joining me there!)

You can check out my short feedback on the newest crop of shows for 2013 TV season on my Facebook album here.

If I Were A TV Showrunner, Part 2

I played this game once and I'm happy to do it again!

If I were a TV showrunner and the network is asking I do a women's show --- because, you know, there aren't a lot of it to fill the void that Sex and The City left on TV [/irony] --- I would make sure to get these women to star in it:

Dakota Johnson would be the character closest to a Carrie Bradshaw persona, only ten times more adorable:

Dakota Johnson

Lucy Punch would play the strong Miranda Hobbes personality, but she would be less tightly-wounded and also goofier.

Lucy Punch

Krysten Ritter would be this group's Samantha Jones. Only younger, sexier, prettier and kinkier.

Krysten Ritter

Dreama Walker would be perfect in the role of someone like Charlotte York. She would be naive, but she won't be a push-over.

Dreama Walker

And finally, I would get Mindy Kaling as writer to give this show the spin that would work for the ladies of this decade.

Mindy Kaling

• Dakota Johnson & Lucy Punch star as best friends in the series Ben & Kate.
• Krysten Ritter is the bitch in Don't Trust The Bitch on Apartment 23, while Dreama Walker is her unfortunate roommate.
• Mindy Kaling writes and stars in The Mindy Project.

And I think these are some of the most talented and laudable women we have on TV right now.

I don't have a title for the show yet. What would you suggest?

First Thoughts: THE MINDY PROJECT

With what she has already achieved on TV as a writer, I hold such high regard for Mindy Kaling. When she announced she was going to star in her own TV show, The Mindy Project, I did my best to control going on fan girl mode and held no high expectations.

I avoided devouring every news I came across about the show since I wanted to watch the pilot without riding on the hype. With Mindy's calibre, I was sure there's gonna be a lot of that (hype), especially since this show is scheduled to be aired on Fox and that the network's really pushing (read: hardcore marketing and strategizing) to gain an audience for their comedies.

People are gonna be saying The Mindy Project is the "Best Comedy of the new season" very early. Having watched the pilot just now, here's what I think:

It's premature to say it's the "best" but there's a reason why Mindy Kaling is successful. SHE WRITES REALLY WELL!

The one thing that stood out to me while I was watching the pilot was its flow and pacing. It's like Mindy wrote this on a really good day, where she's on roll and everything is just coming together. That's hard to do given her really busy schedule since she's not only writing and starring in this show, she's still doing other stuff for The Office, even as she's running The Mindy Project.

I love the transition from scene to scene. I like how important characters in her life were introduced. The set-up is well-executed and the language and dialogues totally speak of her. Those are her very thoughts coming to life (or to TV, as it were). Having followed Mindy Kaling's blog(s) for many, many years...I can definitely say that this truly is HER show.

The one tiny flaw I can think of? It's a girl's show, and one that will most likely be compared a lot to HBO's Girls.

The Mindy Project is television's version of a rom-com...which is to say that sometimes, it can get so sappy and maybe even unrealistic. It's not my favorite genre, and I'm such a girly girl most the time at that! Not many will find Mindy's antics cute, I assume. The Office fans will see that she sometimes channels her inner Kelly Kapoor.

But as far as entertainment goes --- The Mindy Project is bound to become a winner. So long as Mindy keeps it together and continues to write with precision. I dare say, I liked this pilot's flow even better than New Girl. (These shows are going back to back on Fox's schedule. A nice fit!)

One minute into the show, I was already laughing at something Danny said (which Mindy wrote, of course). Five minutes of watching, and I found myself nodding in agreement to what Gwen was saying, while I was sending thoughts of congratulations to Mindy Kaling via mental telepathy for a good job done. I hope she got it! =)

From the official press release:

THE MINDY PROJECT is a new single-camera comedy from Emmy Award-nominated writer/producer and New York Times best-selling author Mindy Kaling ("The Office") that follows a woman who, despite having a successful career, desperately needs to break bad habits in her personal life. After all, how many doctors make inappropriate toasts at their ex-boyfriend's wedding, nearly drown at the bottom of a stranger's pool and get arrested for disorderly conduct just moments before having to deliver a baby?  

Funny, impatient and politically incorrect, MINDY LAHIRI (Kaling) can quote every romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan that exists. She loves the good ones and the bad ones, because the girl always gets the guy. Mindy is determined to be more punctual, spend less money, lose weight and read more books - all in pursuit of becoming a well-rounded perfect woman...who can meet and date the perfect guy. Mindy is a skilled OB/GYN and shares a practice with a few other doctors, none of whom make life any easier for her. 

Here's a preview:



The show will run on FOX beginning Sept. 25th.