Grade: 73%
I really wanted to like THE MINDY
PROJECT. The star and creator, Mindy Kaling, has not only played Kelly
Kapoor on The Office for all of these years, but has also written some
of the funniest episodes of that show. It is time for her to get her own
vehicle, and to let her voice be heard outside of the protective bubble
of the long-running, popular sitcom.
Sadly, it’s really hard to be a fan of
this new effort. At least, the “Pilot” isn’t very good. The jokes are
predictable, the situations a little too “been-there, done-that,” and
the characters don’t seem fresh. It may grow into something great, and I
really hope it does. But it is not there yet, as of the first episode.
Kaling’s character, not coincidentally
named Mindy, is a lot like Kelly, though toned down slightly to be more
realistic. She is a relatable girl, smart and cute, even if she worries
about her weight issues. She loves romantic comedies, and longs so much
for her life to be one. But, like many girls who can relate to this
attitude, her dreams will not come true. She struggles to find any guy
who can live up to her ridiculous standards, but even those who fall far
below that seem to be scarce. She doesn’t help herself by sleeping
around, a habit hinted at, but not shown in the “Pilot.” All in all, the
best adjective to describer this character, meant on a couple different
levels, is sad.
The writing is as uneven as the
character herself. There are lots of great pop culture references, which
might date the show in the future, but seem timely enough for now. But
the delivery of them isn’t goofy, like Kelly, or witty, as in other
shows. Instead, it just adds to the mental delusions that keep Mindy out
of touch with reality. Perhaps if she had a little more confidence, or
didn’t sound like she believed them so sincerely, they would land
better.
Much of the first episode is given over
to Mindy’s romantic adventures. First, there is an oral surgeon
(Saturday Night Live’s Bill Hader) who dumps her to marry a younger
model. Then, there is the sane and handsome first date (Kaling’s former
co-star, Ed Helms), who may be scared off by her crazy. The thing is,
neither of these men feel like they have chemistry with Mindy, making
the whole thing seem off.
Of course, the man Mindy is supposed to
be with is right in front of her face and she is blind to it. His name
is Danny (Chris Messina, Damages, The Newsroom), and he is a man’s man,
as well as a co-worker. While Mindy is seeking romance, he tries to tell
her to alter her expectations and look for a “real” guy. She ignores
him, not willing to abandon her mission.
If THE MINDY PROJECT would allow Mindy
to calm down and ditch her silly, unrealistic ideas, it would work much
better. Danny isn’t just the opposite of what she thinks she wants, but
really needs, he is also someone who will challenge her and help her to
grow. An element that takes a back seat in the first episode is that
Mindy is a doctor, and Danny is her competition. He is driven at work,
and if she’d stop seeing Danny as an obstacle, but rather, someone she
can have a friendly game with, things would change for her. This will
probably happen. Eventually.
No one else really stands out in the
“Pilot.” The cast is full of wonderful performers like Anna Camp (True
Blood, The Good Wife), Stephen Tobolowsky (Californication, Glee),
Richard Schiff (The West Wing), and Amanda Setton (Gossip Girl). But
none of them are given much to work with, and if one wasn’t familiar
with their other work, one probably wouldn’t notice them here. THE MINDY
PROJECT is the type of show that screams for an ensemble, and has a
very capable one. It just needs to figure out how to use it.
THE MINDY PROJECT premieres Tuesday, September 25th at 9:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
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