tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post84074499908501001..comments2024-03-24T03:19:39.745-04:00Comments on Just About Write: The Mindy Project 3x02 "Annette Castellano Is My Nemesis" [Contributor: Ann]Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-53352757356975430162014-09-25T10:50:57.355-04:002014-09-25T10:50:57.355-04:00Ann, as always I absolutely love your input. And I...Ann, as always I absolutely love your input. And I love that the readers here see what I see -- an intelligent person who really loves The Mindy Project but who is also able to talk about it in a critical way. It's one thing to flail over GIFs and reblog cute moments with squeals of joy, but it's another to really be able to discuss characters and plot direction, and even - sometimes - flaws. TMP isn't a perfect show and no show that any of us watch IS. What's great is that you understand the series better than anyone else I know and love it so much that you are the BEST qualified person to discuss its shortcomings because you know the reason WHY certain things don't work. It's one thing to criticize a show for doing something you don't like -- it's another to be able to articulate WHY.<br /><br />Ryan McGee tweeted that this week: "Pro tip: knowing why a TV show is your favorite is far more important than knowing which TV show is the 'best.'" And I think this quote is so intricate and BRILLIANT. It's easy for critics and bloggers to say that a television show is the 'best.' It's more important to be able to articulate why a television show is your favorite. If you cannot -- if you can't put into words why something is great or, conversely, why something is flawed beyond 'it just IS,' then you're doing a poor job as a writer.<br /><br />That diatribe was all to say that the whole reason I brought Ann here was because I admired how in-depth she thought about television. It wasn't JUST a fan on Tumblr talking about TMP -- it was someone who saw the characters for the complex, layered people they are and saw the show as such, too. And seeing a show like that rather than just seeing it as 'the best,' is what makes her a great writer. And I'm glad she's around. :)<br /><br />I obviously am the New Girl savant at this place and don't watch TMP with the same level of depth, but I agree with most of what Ann says. For me, the B-plot was HORRID. It served little to no purpose and though I love Adam Pally and his face and his face when he's holding a dog, the whole Morgan/Tamra thing doesn't seem solid enough yet to arc anything more than a C-plot, IMO. I like both characters separately and when they're integrated into A and B-stories, and Peter can obviously hold his own in a B-story but the combination of the three made for one of the weakest plots. Plus it was confusing, as the anons above have said -- were were supposed to believe Tamra was faking her allergy? We were supposed to and then when she wasn't (... she wasn't?), I was just really confused as to what the whole moral of the story was.<br /><br />Anyway, thank you all who have been reading and commenting so thoughtfully and wonderfully on Ann's work even if you don't agree!Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-36361225807607757942014-09-24T21:38:41.306-04:002014-09-24T21:38:41.306-04:00I thought this episode was pretty solid. Danny wri...I thought this episode was pretty solid. Danny writing a poem called "brown orchid" was truly a pleasant surprise. Mindy was adorable. Morgan was adorable. I'm a huge Morgan fan and appreciate his character. Adam Pally does look really hot. Sometimes it's hard to watch Mindy be so cheerful when Danny is such a grump but I still love them so much. I did feel slightly unfulfilled by the episode.... maybe a feeling of dread that the honeymoon is almost over? Don't know. Those were big shoes to follow after that premiere.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-83942205872866347762014-09-24T19:43:02.723-04:002014-09-24T19:43:02.723-04:00(Part 2!)
Anywho. :) I do agree with you about t...(Part 2!) <br /><br />Anywho. :) I do agree with you about the abundance of jokes that felt forced and over the top, like the "make ends meet" joke. I was very confused by the B-Plot... how we were made to believe Tamra was manipulative, how Morgan went from peeing sitting down, to then being allowed to pee standing again, then needing to sell his dogs, then being allowed to keep them.... why the whole "She only likes expensive jewelry and lobster" bit if she was actually allergic to the dog and NOT being manipulative? It just felt all over the place. I also feel like there's a missing piece between the kitchen and the bedroom scene. But that said, it's not uncommon for TMP to skip the middle part of a party or gathering, focusing instead on the interactions in the beginning and end (to me kind of like how Be Cool when from the party with everyone to just the staff sitting in the living room post party - there's obviously the whole middle part when the party ended, the guests left, someone called everyone to sit down, etc. Similarly, there's the part in this episode where they ate dinner, Richie arrived, dinner ended, and danny took mindy upstairs). I actually loved the mom/mindy/danny interaction at the end, showing how overbearing Annette is, how she lacks social skills, how Danny still feels super embarrassed around his mom, and the "you're so old" moment to me was so perfect!<br /><br />But what stands out in the episode is Annette fantastic personality and presence, how she continues to piece together Danny's complicated history, and Danny and Mindy's relationship. It's real, domestic, awkward at times, messy, sweet, romantic... I just love it. I love the cheek kisses and the love glances and the little interactions contorted against last week's super sexy episode. It shows the reality of a multi-faceted domestic relationship, and it shows the characters staying true to themselves while still growing as a couple. They really do shine together! <br /><br />Definitely not the best episode, though I think I probably found less to critique than you did. That said, I enjoyed reading your review, and I really do applaud your ability to be objective and to give an intelligent review as opposed to the "Uh Oh is this another will they or won't they?" biased garbage from, uh, certain other reviewers. <br /><br />Look forward to reading more!<br /><br />-Soph<br /><br />P.S. Peter did look super hot, as did Tamra and Morgan. And even Beverly! Secondary characters are stepping it up this year! I love Beverly's increased presence and am so sad to say that I didn't miss Jeremy or Betsy's absence. Like at all. :/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-53173637318906342582014-09-24T19:42:32.367-04:002014-09-24T19:42:32.367-04:00Ann, I think your ability to see TMP objectively e...Ann, I think your ability to see TMP objectively even as such a huge fan of the show speaks to your authenticity and your credibility as someone who reviews and appreciates good tv. I agree with some of your points, and disagree with others, which I think is just to be expected. A few things - if I may :) I didn't mind the continuation of the cold open into the opening scene, since it cut from the interaction with Annette to the interaction between Danny and Mindy. It doesn't reflect the tendency of the show which is to jump to a completely different scene after the opening credits, but it worked for me, because it went from one conversation/interaction to a completely different one, with a different tone. <br /><br />Also - in reference to the "show don't tell" rule, I think some of your examples might be a bit of a stretch... to me anyways. I think when cited out of context they can be stacked up to make a point, but in context, I think a lot of them worked. The Morgan/Beverly/Peter interaction for example... To me it felt like Peter clarified Beverly's intentions to point out to Morgan what he was missing out on - I actually thought it was a really funny moment when he told Morgan. He wasn't saying it to tell the audience, but to tell Morgan, who clearly didn't get it (that was the joke), because this fact was to be revisited later in the episode (with Morgan not wanting to leave Beverly alone with the dogs). The continuation of that joke wouldn't have worked with the scene ending with Morgan not understanding Beverly's intentions. So that to me was just a character pointing something out to another oblivious character. Not a character blatantly telling the audience what's going on (in contrast, for example, to Jess telling Schmidt "I'm so gullible").<br /><br />Similarly, Annette's "I do not like you" was more to contrast her earlier declaration of "I like this one!" than it was to tell the audience anything, and I LOVED Dot's obvious "it made everything awkward" because that, to me, just speaks to how loud and "say-what-you-see-even-if-it's-rude/obvious" personality she has. I've known a few older women with that same personality, who would have totally made that obvious comment, only making things MORE awkward... Anyways, to me that was more of a comment to expand on Dot's personality than it was to tell the audience it was awkward instead of showing the audience. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-22434866429033192812014-09-24T18:24:09.110-04:002014-09-24T18:24:09.110-04:00Hey Ann, I think it's great that you objective...Hey Ann, I think it's great that you objectively write about a show you clearly love; you're not going to adore every episode. For me, there are certainly episodes in seasons one and two that fall short. I actually enjoyed this episode and I'll tell you why: Mindy and Danny's chemistry and domesticity as a couple. I agree with a lot of your points about the pacing and the exposition, telling instead of showing, but I felt Wigfield did a good job writing this episode. Rhea Pearlman is a gem and I loved the dynamic between Annette and Danny. It gives Danny/Messina a chance to show more layers. How great is he and how much does he reveal in his face when Annetta insults his gift/stove and then later compliments the fan? That Mindy is a part of helping Danny's mom to show some appreciation for her son, was moving to me. I also loved watching the three of them together in the kitchen and I loved that Danny and Mindy could talk on his bed, be realistically sexual with one another, and then be interrupted by his mom, which is a classic trope, but works in my opinion, Annette and Danny giving Mindy guff for not knowing the sport's player just makes her more a member of the family. Danny and Mindy's relationship feels lived-in for me, which is the highest compliment I can give since even domesticated, they are very interesting; I could watch the pair talk nonsense and I would still enjoy their banter. Hope you enjoy the next episode more! Fondly, JessicaJessica S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13058718647561208802noreply@blogger.com