Sunday, March 22, 2015

'The Mindy Project' x 4 (Or: Pre-Gaming for the Finale) [Contributor: Ann]


I have been gone for four weeks now from writing reviews for Jenn here at Just About Write. My excuses are the same: I have been (insanely!) busy with school and with my sorority and it has been hard to carve time to construct a review that I think adds anything of value. While those are certainly true, here is a new excuse for you — not even an excuse, because it doesn’t “excuse” me of anything. An explanation, I guess.

I have watched all four episodes of The Mindy Project that have aired since “Lahiri Family Values.” They were the first four episodes since “Santa Fe” in 2013 that I did not watch live. When “What to Expect When You’re Expanding”  was expected to air, I reminded my roommates: “Mindy is going to be on.” They said, “We still watch that?”

And so the story unfortunately goes that one year after I was counting down the days—maybe even hours—to the April return of The Mindy Project, I am now apathetic to its departure this Tuesday. What a disappointment.

If you are a supporter of this third season, it is easy to read these reviews and put me in the role of “villain,” the turncoat who would giggle with glee at bad demo numbers. Like there are sides to watching television or, to be more specific, that it really matters whether or not someone likes a show the same that they used to. And I should be clear that I’m not someone who is angry at the show or in disbelief that anyone still watches it. As I have maintained, I owe so much to The Mindy Project: I owe it you guys, after all.

But here is my explanation of why it has taken me so long to write this review, which will be a review of the episodes I’ve missed and the season in whole in preparation for the finale. When I first began writing for Just About Write—an opportunity that thrilled me because I had loved to read Jenn’s New Girl recaps—I was primarily writing to channel my passion for Mindy. Now I don’t really care about Mindy. I care about Jenn, and writing, and all of you guys. I love talking about TV; I love TV as a way to tell stories.

But The Mindy Project has lost my interest. It has let me down. Read anything I wrote before September and know that admitting this isn’t something I expected at all. I worshiped this show (I used to count laps at the track by listing, in order, episodes of The Mindy Project). Now I don’t. Diagnosing this problem shouldn’t start with me, though. I am not wrong when I say this show has changed (and it is only my opinion that claims it’s for the worse). It is not that I am addicted to the will-they-won’t-they.* I’m addicted to the storytelling, the character development, the character consistency that I swore this show once had.

I’ll be pretty succinct in my episode reviews and then summarize this season:

Danny Castellano is My Nutritionist
Of the four episodes, this was my least favorite—and I love the other two “DCIM” episodes! This episode committed so many sins: the unnecessary inclusion of Vanessa Williams as the apparently required thirty-second celebrity cameo, Danny nagging Mindy, Danny being wrong because of a third party, Danny having to apologize, bad editing, vomit, Peter stalking Lauren, and Dr. “Unnecessary and Rude” Bergdahl, who truly does not fit into this show at all. Should I sympathize with the guy who introduces himself so rudely (not to mention so unoriginally—see Morgan and Peter’s hiring?). Parts of this episode were funny, but when the plot leaves such a sour taste in your mouth, there’s no desire to rewatch this.

Fertility Bites
A little better than “DCIMN,” this episode does a convincing job of giving Mindy depth and stakes. That she is starting a fertility clinic and having a baby all seems like a lot of plot points intersecting at once, and it’s nice to have an episode recognize that and have Mindy do something problematic (lie about Danny’s sperm) that is also worthy of sympathy. The B-plot is stupid, though Jeremy kills (as always) when he asserts that Tamra and Morgan can’t hire someone else. Kris Jenner does okay... but is she really necessary? Oh, another thing: the joke about Mindy rejecting a patient for being too old was so cringe-worthy in an ugly way, and really undermines her self-acceptance episode two weeks later.

Confessions of a Catho-holic
Tropey, but funny. So funny. I watched this at home so maybe that contributed to my enjoyment of the episode, and I also love Stephen Colbert so that didn’t hurt either. But I love episodes that have Mindy and Danny team up. I also really loved Mindy this episode (so many great lines, but one of my favorites was in the church when Stephen Colbert said something about how small sins are as quick a path to hell as murder or whatever and Mindy said, “I’m pretty sure it’s not, though.” Also her calling it a shame that he was a virgin, the nun selfie, and the rambling of Saints-turned-Beatles. Probably a million more. I also felt that the obligatory Danny-has-done-something-wrong-and-must-apologize moment was more earned than they often are and was sweet.

What to Expect When You’re Expanding
A lot of people liked this episode for the positive message it sent about body acceptance and self-love. Again, I couldn’t really get past who was delivering that message and would have rather just heard Mindy Kaling say it in an interview than Mindy Lahiri. The way Mindy treats Morgan in this episode is impossible to reconcile with her journey of self-acceptance. It’s reasonable to have a character who is both insecure and rude, but the tonal change in this episode was jarring to me. Not to mention that I didn’t find this episode very funny and was annoyed at the throwaway treatment of Jessica, which (I imagine—Jenn, back me up here) was as unexpected and ill-explained as Ryan Geauxinue’s departure from New Girl. [Jenn's note: I feel like even Ryan was more fleshed out than that. The Mindy Project has this thing they do when they introduce you to a character long enough for you to remember their name and sort-of start to like them and then rip them away from you. Also I "watched" this episode while making muffins so needless to say I forgot half the plot.]


THE GRINCH LIST, OR OPERATION: BUZZKILL, OR HOW MY HOPES AND DREAMS AND EXPECTATIONS WERE DASHED AGAINST THE ROCKS FACING THE ROUGH WATERS OF TV SUCKAGE

Why do I not like this season of The Mindy Project? I read a review once of this show—or maybe someone said this to me?—that conceded that Mindy was as funny as ever, but that the treatment of every other element of the show was so poor that it would just be better as stand-up. I so agree with this statement and here is why:

I don’t recognize my characters anymore. Yes, the rough picture is about the same: Mindy says “How dare you” and Danny has red glasses and Mindy and Danny love each other so, so much. But look closer and see that they have changed. Their characters are exaggerated; Danny gets crazy eyes and buys funeral plots instead of engagement rings, and Mindy … Mount Facemore, man. You can’t relate to them because … okay, imagine that Mindy and Danny are made out of Silly Putty, and with every outrageous joke that the writers create for these distinct voices they have to stretch a little bit to accommodate the absurdity of the statement. And imagine that the writers have done that so many times, and taken so many liberties with the character, that Danny—who hid his emotions but felt them regardless, who was so palpably traumatized by the desertion of his ex-wife and his father that ugly characteristics like arrogance and detachment were made manifest—has become an inexcusable jerk who needs a person to talk him out of every situation he’s ever been in. Or imagine Mindy, who oscillates wildly from the self-assured, realized, flawed character she was meant to be and the hot mess the writers toy with from time to time (think her misreading the flyer for the BASH). And maybe these two piles of amorphous putty can tell a good joke, but they can no longer sell me on emotional intimacy like they once did. I remember saying that what made Danny and Mindy’s relationship so great was that its flavor was so distinct and unique. I didn’t see in Mindy and Danny a relationship I wanted; I saw a relationship I wanted to root for. Now I don’t know what is even left.

Three seasons is more than enough to struggle with the supporting cast. Jeremy is my favorite supporting cast character, and a lot of that is thanks to the charisma of Ed Weeks. It can’t be because Jeremy’s character makes a lot of compelling sense or that his development throughout the series is particularly thought-provoking or interesting. Ed Weeks is a funny guy who is game to do whatever the writers ask of him, and he remains the best part of this season for me (I mean, God, remember his accent?!).

But Tamra and Morgan are pretty shapeless, as is their relationship with each other. Hearing updates on Tamra and Morgan is like having your hairdresser tell you their love story: it’s pleasant enough and helps pass the time, but when you come back six months later** there’s no way you’re going to remember any of it or even really care.

Bergdahl is nonsensical to me, if I haven’t pointed this out before. I agree with Mindy Lahiri that he doesn’t fit into Schulman and Associates, but that’s because I don’t think there’s any clear definition of what Schulman and Associates is that having another unknown variable is exhausting. I have no interest in learning anything about him.

What I do think this season has done well is utilize Beverly appropriately. I never want a Beverly B-plot and am so happy she is around for a reliable one-liner every episode.

Unnecessary celebrity casting. God, there’s so many. Kris Jenner. Vanessa Williams. Shonda Rimes. Cristin Milioti and Laverne Cox, Lee Pace and Chrissy Teigen, John Cho, Allison Tolman. x100000, especially if you count characters with extended recurring roles (Anders Holm, etc). That’s not to say that these actors didn’t nail what they were supposed to do—but I almost feel like this show is so afraid to let me hang out with the people I already know that it insists on introducing a million more randos for a brief appearance and then departure. I mean, will we ever see Niecy Nash again on an episode? Does it matter?

Boring, boring plot structure. I’ve mentioned it before and I will mention it again (taking a page from one of my favorite TV shows): straight up, almost every episode of this season begins, progresses, and then ends the same way. I haven’t been precise and I am not going to check, but I am pretty sure there is only one episode this season that doesn’t end with Mindy and Danny on the couch/bed/whatever, post-reconciliation (and that’s when Mindy is in Stanford). Most episodes make Danny the villain who must apologize, and most have him consulting Peter (the SAGE) or any number of guest stars to teach him how to properly respect his girlfriend/not buy her a brimstone without asking first. It’s all the same, and it sucks to see Danny constantly wronging Mindy. “But that’s what makes him real!” you might argue—and sure, yeah, great, whatever. But when you consider that this is every episode that he must apologize to Mindy, you stop rooting for him and you stop rooting for them.

I am so tired and have been writing this review for some time, so while I could elaborate, I think this is where I think I’ve made my point as best as I ever could. All of the things I mention that make this season worse than last are things that detract from this show’s heart: the jokes overpower the characters, emotional development is nonexistent mostly to make a splash (”We’re not like other shows! Who gives a hoot when Mindy says she loves Danny? It’s, like, so real!”), and characters are often overshadowed by the bright and underdeveloped lines of a superficial comedy.  If you don’t see what I see, that is great—don’t let me stop you. But when you wonder where I have gone, now at least you understand.

Strays

  • * One of the things that pisses me off is when I am accused of disliking this season because I am an addict for the will-they-won’t-they, as if my shows must have a dramatic love story to be good. I do love romance, but the reason why I do is because romance gives characters focus and forces them to confront interesting questions, like: what attracts them? How do they handle jealousy? Whose needs do they prioritize? Does the other person make them better or worse? How do they react when they’re with them, given that they want to impress the person? Do they even want to impress them, or will they push them away? And so on. Making the case of “you need THIS” is so simple, as if I don’t know a million TV couples who I could watch on Youtube to get my fix! Like, have you ever seen Pride and Prejudice’s rain scene? SMH.
  • When a show sucks after the will-they-won’t-they is gone, it’s on the show and not on my preferences. It means that without that narrow focus, the show has nowhere to go. It doesn’t recognize the people grow past when they first get together with someone, and it doesn’t recognize that people can grow from others and also not stay with them forever. (THE WONDER YEARS!) The characters stagnate and go nowhere and that is when I start wanting to jump ship.

** Should I get my hair cut more frequently? 20 bucks for someone to put scissors to my hair in an orderly way seems like a lot for every six weeks. Also, should I get bangs? Short hair? Ahh, wrong time wrong place. I know when to leave, don’t worry

41 comments:

  1. You know, I appreciate that you don't like the show anymore. I've ditched shows I used to like too, Desperate Housewives, Glee, lots and lots of shows. What I didn't do was keep posting in a FANDOM about the show, to try to make everyone else feel stupid for still liking the show. Yes, the show has changed. Mindy and Danny are together, and that's not the same as when they were getting together. But I, for one, like the fact that they haven't stupidly broken them up over and over, to get them back together, like Friends did with Rachel and Ross, until you forget why you're supposed to be rooting for them. I always preferred Chandler and Monica. Honestly, if you can think that a dopey, trite, unsubtle show like Selfie is better than TMP, this just shows me that you're really only into the romance, which is fine. You're, like, 20. But don't pretend it's because you're smarter than everyone else, including Mindy Kaling -- "Ohhhh that joke was sooooo on the nose! I'm SUCH an intellectual!" It's a sit com! Most of the true intellectuals I know wouldn't watch it, and they certainly wouldn't watch anything called Selfie. A lot of them don't own TVs. It's okay to prefer romance novels to more slice-of-life stuff, but it would be nice if you recognize that that's what you're doing.

    P.S. Every 6 weeks seems like a lot unless you have short hair.
    P.P.S. I unfollowed you because I started getting too annoyed with your blog. You were one of the reasons I got on Tumblr. I hope the fact that I came here, and initially went to your blog to get here doesn't mean Firefox will start automatically directing me to your blog when I go to Tumblr. They'd finally stopped. Btw, I unfollowed you the day you ranted about the Malala joke. It just seemed like grasping for something to make yourself look smart.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 1) I'm writing reviews for Jenn at this point, and because there are some people who are interested in what I have to say. I can't pretend to have an opinion that I don't and I wrote this review because I was being neglectful of Jenn, not because I wanted to cause a splash or be controversial or whatever. I promised her I would write one this weekend and I followed through on that promise because I love her, not because TMP has been especially egregious.
      2) I am sorry you think I am trying to make anyone feel stupid, especially when I say things like "And I should be clear that I’m not someone who is angry at the show or in disbelief that anyone still watches it. As I have maintained, I owe so much to The Mindy Project: I owe it you guys, after all." If anything, more flack is being directed my way than visa versa for doing this. Can't really make an anonymous person feel stupid, you know?
      3) I also like that they haven't stupidly broken them up over and over (I also preferred Chandler and Monica).
      4) Selfie I loved because Selfie burnt bright. I don't think it would have been lasting based on how quickly it was going through its love story but I appreciate what it gave me. I also think that, IMO, Selfie (and it's easier for Selfie to be this way when it had, like, 13 episodes) remained consistent in tone throughout its run. Mindy has only grown broader and that's why it frustrates me to compare the beginning versus the end.
      5) "You're, like, 20" is one of the most irritating things someone can write to me on this website. How condescending.
      5b) Same with saying I'm only in it for the romance.
      6) I have never, ever pretended I was smarter than anyone else, it's just that when people disagree with me, they tend to say I'm, like, 20 than to try to have a reasonable discussion.
      7) I started on Tumblr as someone who was going to analyze television, and I'm not going to try to analyze Mad Men or other intellectual shows when I don't want to. Luckily I don't have to alter anything about my behavior.
      8) Again, I literally talk about how saying I'm in it for the romance is incorrect in my review.
      9) That's what the hairdresser always says, though! So weird.
      10) I'm happy I got you into Tumblr and I've heard that a lot from people and it seems like the best thing I have contributed by writing about this show in the first place, so thanks.

      I will say this. I think it's very easy to view writing on a computer screen and pretend there's not a person behind it. I am a person. I go to school for History, I run, and watching The Mindy Project is only such a small part of what I do. When I write I am trying very, very hard to convey that point, which is why I tend to say silly things in my reviews. I am a person worthy of an uncatty discussion and I am someone who appreciates talking about TV and I am kinda surprised you think I act pseudo-intellectual when my pseudo-intellectualism had to be when I used to use words like "motif" and "parallelism" when talking about The Mindy Project. I am still willing to have a discussion with you about why you disagree and why I feel the way I feel and why you feel the way you feel. I understand where you're coming from on everywhere except for your condescension of my age and my ~love of romance~, though I'm willing to put that aside because people less anonymous than you have said my opinion is less valid because I'm young.

      PS. I still really hate the Malala joke. "She thinks you're Malala!" is lazy. Agree to disagree.
      PSS. I can grasp at other, non Mindy Project related topics to make myself seem smart.

      Delete
    2. A few things, anon. 1) How old are you? Wait, no, never mind. Let's just say for all intents and purposes that you're 30. I'm going to have to kindly dock 5 years from your age for telling someone that they a) unfollowed them on a social media site and then b) proceeding to tell them WHY they unfollowed them. Like... really? If you want to talk the very definition of juvenile, this is it. 2) I'm docking another 5 years for... oh, right. This: Most of the true intellectuals I know wouldn't watch it, and they certainly wouldn't watch anything called Selfie. Because really? You're literally going to grasp at the cliche of judging a television show by its title? You're going to say that you're of a certain caliber because you don't watch a show with a title when you quite easily admitted you used to watch Desperate Housewives?

      And let's see, that would bring your age to right about... WELL FANCY THAT. TWENTY! Congratulations.

      See, when you feel the need to insult one of my writers, you ultimately insult me. When I brought Ann on, it was because I saw how intelligent she was. I saw how much she cared about television and how passionately she expressed it. The fact of the matter is that she loves The Mindy Project. If she hated it, she wouldn't write anything about it. She would stop watching. She would just drop away from it altogether. No, the fact that she can articulately express what is wrong with the show demonstrates to me that she is more intellectual than people who leave comments in reviews where they feel the need to bash someone's age and mock someone's level of intelligence.

      Funny thing is... I don't remember Ann saying anything above to insult the people who still watch the show. So I find it kind of hilarious that you feel the need to insult her when she said nothing of the sort to you. Ann has never said that the people who watch TMP are dumb. She's never said that they're stupid for liking it. IN FACT, LET ME QUOTE WHAT SHE SAID ABOVE: And I should be clear that I’m not someone who is angry at the show or in disbelief that anyone still watches it. As I have maintained, I owe so much to The Mindy Project: I owe it you guys, after all.

      And can I just say that your comment about posting in the fandom? Like... really? Do you honestly believe everyone in TMP fandom feels exactly the way you do about a show? Would you prefer that no one ever posted anything critical or negative about a series anywhere on the Internet? Because if you can't be critical of something in the fandom you're in -- if you're going to be excommunicated because you watch the show differently or hate an episode everyone loves or hate a SEASON everyone loves (like I did with Community's fifth season) then... why be a part of fandom at all? To flail and squee? That's superficial crap. It's fun for a moment but then it fades away.

      Being a part of fandom means you have the opportunity to be in community with people who think and act and believe differently than you do. And if you have to maintain an air of "everything is perfect! this show is the best! everything is hilarious and wonderful!" all of the time... well, that's a fantasy world. And it's insulting because it waters down fandom and says: "You can only be in a fandom if you're happy with how things are on the series. The moment you're negative or complain, you're out." And when fandom is literally supposed to be a place of community and of inclusion, even YES WHEN PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU DO... then how is that exemplified in your response?

      Delete
    3. Furthermore, the reason Ann is so critical of Mindy is because she loves it. Again: if she hated the show, she wouldn't have enough energy to write 100 words about it. She's passionate about these characters and she loves them desperately. It's why it hurts so much more when a season disappoints her like this one did.

      So, in summary: don't act like a child -- if you have a comment and you think you can articulate it in a well-mannered way, by all means, post it! (Like our anon commenter two people down did). If you want to tell my writers why they're juvenile, why the things they like are asinine, or you want to tell someone why you unfollowed them on Tumblr... this isn't the place for you. Oh, and since this is MY site, when you step to one of my writers (and basically tell me that I hired someone who is juvenile and who doesn't know what she's talking about), you can bet that I'll step back.

      Cool?

      Delete
    4. I'm sorry, but why WOULDN'T I unfollow a blog that has totally changed its focus? I unfollowed the TMP blog that suddenly turned into a Gene Kelly fanpage too. I'm not interested in Gene Kelly, and I'm not interested in minutely analyzing why every joke on TMP is stupid. I watch TV for enjoyment. It's hardly like I blocked my sister on Facebook. I started following a Mindy Project fan blog, and it became something completely different. If the Huffington Post suddenly turned into Fox News, I'd stop reading it too -- it's not that I can't listen to differing opinions, just not UNRELENTING differing opinions where there is no commonality at all. Gwen Inhat, who reviews TMP for AV Club, for example, basically likes the show but also criticizes it where it needs to be criticized and gives episodes (sometimes episodes I've liked) B-minutes and Cs. But she doesn't use terms like, "suck." I actually can't think of one single Tumblr I follow that never has a single criticism of the show. But when the criticism outweighs the positive like 90-10, no sorry, I'm not interested. So, sorry, but I want my dashboard to be a happy place.

      Delete
    5. Oh, anon. I don't care if you follow Ann on Tumblr or not. I really don't. And honestly, your Tumblr dashboard and Twitter timeline should be places of happiness and joy for you. I totally get that.

      But, uh... it's kind of really juvenile to tell the person you unfollowed a) THAT you unfollowed them and b) WHY you did. Like... what is that meant to accomplish? What's the goal, there? To make Ann feel bad? To make her re-think her assessments of TMP? To make her start writing happy, feel-good reviews? I've unfollowed tons of people -- a lot of them REALLY close friends -- at one point in time on social media. But I can promise you that I never unfollowed them on Twitter, then tweeted directly at them: "So by the way, I unfollowed you because you're REALLY obnoxious and I just can't stand reading your drama anymore."

      Because that would make me kind of a tool.

      Just a heads up for the future: telling someone that just makes you sound REALLY childish. Hit the unfollow button on Tumblr or Twitter and live in your peaceful world and let them live in theirs. Really, let's just all at least pretend to be adults that way.

      Delete
  2. I think posting this at a time when everyone's in pins and needles about renewal is just tacky. I think your decision to stop posting about the show was a good one. Go with that. It was more respectful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wrote this for Jenn, so I disagree that it was more respectful to not do what I'd promised. I apologize for my disrespect in NOT posting, tbh--too busy.

      Also, follow the Cancellation Bear. 100% of shows over 66 episodes at the end of season 3 get renewed for a season 4. Alternatively, find something else to be in pins and needles about.

      Delete
    2. Since Fox isn't announcing it, I'll continue to worry. CB has only been doing this 7 years, and he's been wrong before, such as last year when he said TMP would be cancelled. I feel it is a different situation with TMP not being owned by Fox and them, therefore, being less motivated. So I'll keep worrying as will many others, all of whom are aware of the bear.

      Delete
    3. That is a good point re: TMP not being owned by FOX.

      I think that worry is justified if a New Girl announcement comes out and a Mindy one doesn't. I would be shocked if both of them weren't renewed; they go well together and have pretty similar ratings (remember when Mindy outrated NG?). I do think that what made CB wrong last year, besides the ~power of the people~, is Mindy Kaling's close relationship with Kevin Reilly and his respect of her and the show. No matter my feelings about this season, I do think that Mindy Kaling has a really important place in TV and is a brand by herself, so I am hoping/expecting its renewal.

      Also -- didn't MK say something about "we want to do something like X for season 4" somewhere? I may be making that up, though.

      PS - I don't know who to make this comment towards so I'm going to put it on this comment, but holy shit, I love the new "I'm not a robot" button

      Delete
    4. Well, that's just it. The bear doesn't consider all the factors. He didn't consider Kevin Riley, and he doesn't consider NBC Universal. Rather, he robotically consider statistics, sort of like the college football poll. Last week, somebody asked him whether Mindy might run on NBC instead of Fox next year. He said maybe, but that it was beyond the purview of his consideration. So the fandom is still suffering. I get that you promised to write for this. But it's like that woman who used to write the recaps of the newsroom when she clearly loathed the show. People suggested that, perhaps, she wasn't the right person to recap it. They were right. One bad review if the television critics job. After that, hey, we get it. It's not for you. Just sayin. A lot of us do you like the show, and we're in a bad place right now.

      Delete
    5. So... when WOULD be the best time to write about what doesn't work? When the series is cancelled? The job of a critic isn't to be sensitive to what everyone believes and thinks. I didn't hire Ann to write for me because I thought: "Here's a girl who will please everyone 24/7 and never step on toes." I'm sorry if TMP fandom is so fragile right now that they can't read anything that dares to talk about why the season is flawed but... no, wait, I'm not.

      And I say that because I was in the same place Ann was last year. I didn't like Community's fifth season. At all. I thought it was a mess and I thought that people who loved it must have been watching a different show than I was. And in my reviews, I didn't hesitate to express that fact. Did everyone agree with me? NOPE. Not at all. But man am I glad that no one looked at me and said: "I think you need to stop writing about this show because clearly you don't like it anymore."

      I said it above and I'll reiterate: the reason I was so critical of Community and the reason Ann is of TMP is because we loved our shows SO SO much. If you hate something, you write a nasty YouTube (or other website) comment and you move on. If you love something -- if you really and desperately do -- you want it to be the best it can be. And when it's not, you write about how you are disappointed because this thing you love and cherish has let you down. Because when you love characters, you want them to be better than they are.

      I didn't like season five of Community and people disagreed with me and I debated with people but that's what fandom is. That is what it is meant to be. So I'm sorry if by posting this, we somehow hurt your feelings but last year when I wrote criticism after criticism of Community, we were in the EXACT SAME PLACE: the show wasn't likely going to be renewed on NBC (and it was not). And the year before? I did the same thing. I made wish-lists of what the show would need to do in order to become better. So if you're looking for fandom to be the place that only people who believe everything is sunshine and rainbows and unicorns live in, you're going to be extremely disappointed with fandom life, I can tell you that much.

      I love and respect Ann because she vocalizes her opinions well and she always has reasons for disliking and liking things. And if you tell a person who dislikes a season or an episode to stop writing or talking because YOU don't agree... well, what kind of life is that really?

      Also: it's disrespectful for me to tell someone I brought on here what they should and should not do. THAT is completely disrespectful and it's insulting to ME, as the person who runs this site. So... please don't ever tell my writers what to do again. Mmkay?

      Delete
    6. Thank you so much, Jenn. You're great.

      I actually find merit in what you are saying, Anon. I mean, do you think I love writing these reviews? Of course not! Nobody wants to write something and get anonymous scorn for it. I know that when I write them I'm not likely to get praise anymore, and writing this one I *knew* people would hate it.

      But I really do write it for Jenn and for the obligation I made to this website. (And in general, I love writing as a hobby!) I also think that my criticisms are valid whether or not I should continue writing reviews, so while I might not be the best person for the job in that I am in a Mindy Project rut, I am not unqualified or saying nonsense, if that makes sense.

      Delete
    7. Jenn, when would be the best time to write about what doesn't work? Idk. Are you thinking that criticizing a show a few days before the season finale which might well be a series finale and which is already in the can is somehow going to HELP the show? If not, then I'd say that, if the show is cancelled, this criticism is irrelevent. If the show is renewed, I think people will be more amenable to intellectual discussion of what could be improved (and I'm certainly not saying nothing could be improved) the day AFTER the renewal is announced. Ann's comments above lead me to believe that she thinks renewal is certain due to the Cancellation Bear. I'm going to guess she's following Mindy Project blogs less carefully than she has in the past, both due to not liking the show as much and due to being busy with her sorority, etc., so I thought to let her know that the bloggers I follow (which I know are blogs she once followed) are by no means assuming renewal is a given. We're on pins and needles and just want to sing Kumbaya and reminisce about how cool it was last year, when Kevin Reilly gave us the renewal the FIRST WEEK OF MARCH. Since Ann was there for that and is a formerly rabid fan, I think she would understand that -- again, once it is pointed out to her that renewal is not considered a given by most. That's an important thing to know as a writer: Know your audience. And the audience that cares about TMP in a serious way is sh*tting bricks right now:)

      Delete
    8. I agree with you that it might not be the best thing to put out considering the circumstances, but as I said, my choice in putting this out right now is so, so unrelated to the chances of TMP's renewal and is so, so related to how irresponsible it is for me to have made this commitment and then to wait four weeks before saying anything. I also thought it would be nice to be able to air all my grievances out before the finale, so that what criticisms I did have would be fresh as I watched the finale.

      I do think renewal is certain. I do follow people who are anxious, especially about the tweets from the costuming department (I do not have time to write about TV as much as I used to, but I have unlimited time to read about it. I love reading about TV and ratings and all that nonsense hahahaha). You wouldn't be wrong that this year I know a lot less about TMP in general, though, but I still think that the water isn't going to be rough unless New Girl gets renewed and TMP stays silent.

      I'm sorry you're so on edge and I totally do remember when the show got renewed because it was the first day of my spring break :) And I'm sorry if what I'm saying is contributing to your anxiety in any way, and I didn't intend to be tacky or disrespectful or whatever. I do remember those feelings from last year and being just as defensive as you when it came to criticism of TMP, so I'm sorry for not being more sensitive to that. I really didn't intend to throw in a bag of sour grapes for the hell of it or to upset anyone; I am only wanting to be present on this site as much as I can and wanting to catch up in time for the finale. In this case, I wasn't really considerate of the audience, so I am sorry!

      Delete
    9. Thanks. Basically the Bear is the only source that thinks TMP will be renewed, including other sources within TVLine which have downgraded their predictions. Fox isn't promoting the finale at all, so different from last year. Also New Girl is essentially renewed. They're filming.

      Delete
    10. @ Anonymous I would go with Cancelation Bear….he uses just data the rest are using PR, I mean Vulture said Mindy was less likely then Bad Judge which was OFFICIALLY CANCELLED by NBC.

      The bear doesn't watch any of the shows he is literally going off of history, statistics and the fact of the matter is none of Fox's comedies are doing that much better. Brooklyn 99 (one of my favorites) only has a couple hundred thousand more viewers then Mindy and it is sandwiched between two of the biggest shows fox has ever had. Last Man on Earth declines weekly and frankly the actors want it limited. New Girl is equal to Mindy and syndication pretty much does guarantee the renewal.

      Delete
    11. As I said above, he is basing it not on statistics (ie ratings) but on the syndication numbers. And while I am 75% sure that's right, the fact that Fox doesn't produce Mindy keeps me (and everyone else in the fandom) from seeing it as a sure thing. That and no announcement. Probably they're negotiating with NBCU but it's not a do e deal. I do try to remain positive though.

      Delete
  3. Ok I agree with the guest star thing to a point. I think Vanessa Williams and Kris Jenner made no sense and was a waste of time. I really like the actor who plays the new doctor but I would rather they keep it just the three. Which I imagine will be what happens in season 4 (assuming they get one). I also feel like Laverne Cox, John Cho, Steven Colbert moved character development and plot forward. The helped show various sides to the characters. Now could they have gotten no name actors for the same affect sure but can you honestly say anyone would have been funnier then Colbert? Now if I had my way Ma would move to Florida or get hit by a bus, way over used but it did give character development.

    Now I do disagree with a lot of the other stuff you said. I don't think the show has gotten broader or changed that much. I think its actually tighter then it has been because of the pairing of Mindy and Danny. I also completely recognize the characters, I think Mindy's mount face more was more showing her lack of caring, because it multiple other episodes they show her to be incredibly intelligent. This is something they have done throughout the show's run. I also recognize Danny- he is a little different but he isn't pining he got the girl and he is feeling comfortable and safe. Which is new for the character so he sometimes reacts badly. I also think the constant little things Danny does that they work out and move forward has been building towards the end. It is obvious all the little comments and nervousness has made Mindy less sure of Danny then when the season started and the show has subtly showed that. She doesn't mention marriage anymore, she took the fellowship in Stanford, she made plans to move to California, she told Danny she'd be a single mom it was fine. All these things show me that the little no big nervousness has been building. This show has shown a realistic adult relationship of people who are in their mid 30s and early 40s with broken engagements and divorces. That sadly doesn't equal fairytales or cheesey romance. However, IMO this has been the most romantic season to date.

    What I find romantic and great about this season and prefer it to season 2 is that show what romance truly is. Its not hearts and flowers, its the being there it is the switching sides of the bed, it is supporting career goals even when it is hard. It is respecting the fact your partner likes things private and so even though you like to talk about everything, you keep your relationship yours.

    Again, I can see people thinking the show is more comedy for comedy's sake but I do disagree because I see them showing the issues and how when you're in a committed relationship those little things can build and how you have to get over your insecurities and past to move forward.

    I apologize if this is rambling. I just think that because they moved from the obvious romance and pining you've missed the subtle growth the show has demonstrated in these characters.

    I also and I know some disagree but I fell this has been the best season for B-plots. I loved the love triangle with Jeremy and Peter (although both could do better then Lauren). I have been enjoying Tamara more then I can say and frankly the reduced Morgan has been a blessing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I talked to U a lot on Twitter so a lot of this will be rambling/repetition (I also only have like 5 minutes AHHH!)

      A) I don't get why he's there if they're not going to flesh him out though, you know? And I just don't want to see any B plots with him haha
      B) Mentioned this on Twitter but mostly it's about how they're not allotting their time to their main cast
      C) I also am not that big of a fan of Ma, though she's grown on me with Dinner at the Castellanos
      D) It is tighter in a lot of ways--all A plots are M/D and there is definitely some structure to the B plots--but I think it's been hard to define the "point" of this season. I think it's starting to come together (career and unexpected pregnancy) but I wish Stanford would have been more developed, for example.
      E) I think that a lot of times with Mindy and geography -- like her thinking Danny is however many miles away -- but for that one her tone is, "Mount Facemore???" and the joke is meant to be on her, not necessarily her making a joke. I could think of more examples, but that one is planted in my face. I mean mind.
      E) So you think Mindy has less trust in Danny now than before? I agree, but that is really interesting especially in that I'm not sure where that will take the season finale.
      F) I totally agree with that statement and I think it is true! I really do think that is what romance is and that's what I want to see more of (Ross and Rachel, for example, were so dramatic in their love story that it was not fun to watch). I just think Danny's behavior time and time again is such a disappointment.
      G) Do you think they're moving forward though? Do you think that Danny has become a better partner for Mindy this season? I think this show has become less serialized and I love serialization and I think that the less serialized a show is the more "Comedy for comedy's sake" it is. KIND of like It's Always Sunny, although that show has done a really great job developing the characters and detailing their descent into insanity, hahaha
      H?) I might have missed the subtle growth but I actually think the first season wasn't very obvious, either. I think there was an obvious end point but I think there was a lot of depth there in that development. I guess I just see here that most of the arguments are superficial and aren't in any particular order.
      I?) I agree with you on that! I agree with you on Lauren and I agree with you on Tamra (though where is TJ?! I wanted to see them together!) and I agree with you on reduced Morgan and the use of Beverly. I loved the "Devil Wears Lands End" episode's B plot more than the A plot, the first time that has ever happened for me, and I love Jeremy of course. I just wish these people would be able to interact more with Mindy and Danny!

      Delete
    2. ok I am going to try to answer all your comments, but I apologize in advance if I miss something. BTW I enjoyed our discussion on Twitter.

      a) This is valid, and I think it was more about just establishing the practices success. I don't think they needed to, I honestly don't. What I liked about it was that it showed Mindy, Jeremy and Danny working together as a team and a lot of bantering. Reminded me of the season 1 episode when Schulman retired. Again I could do without him but since I enjoy the actor I kind of just go with it.

      B) See I have seen this complaint and I get what you were saying on twitter but I feel like this season the guest stars (with the exception of Vanessa Williams and Kris Jenner) really added to the main cast as characters. I also feel like we are seeing so much more of them. Now this could be not true but we had several episodes that deal with Tamara's feelings in the B plot, and Jeremy vs Peter was golden. They just needed a better character for them to fight over then Lauren but the plot was amazing and gave us insight into Peter and Jeremy.

      C) I liked Ma at first, and I appreciate they don't play the mother in law daughter in law hate each other arc. But I am really over her. I also have issues with how close her and danny are. I don't find it sweet I find it troubling and a big red flag for Mindy to run (I admit to bringing in personal experience with Mama's boys)

      D) See to me I see the point very clear, and again I think I relate a lot more to this season because it feels like my life. This season for me has been about now being a true adult and making those choices about what you really want. Peter wanting the family, Jeremey realizing he doesn't children and isn't ready to settle down. Mindy and Danny finally finding "the one" but now they have to figure out what that means and how to take two independent people come together, how do you make it work. They also have played up the what do we really want out of life with those two. Mindy realizing she loves Danny but she can't stand still and Danny realizing that he can't either, but not always on the same page. I agree I wish they had developed Stanford more, I would have enjoyed seeing her struggle and deal with long distance. Like I could have done without Lee Pace and focused on her really working and struggling with her fellowship and everything that goes with it. But I can see why the writers wouldn't have thought people would like that.

      E) For me the Mt Facemore wasn't the best joke but I still viewed it not as Mindy not being smart but just not caring i.e. Monticello

      Delete
    3. E) I do think she is less sure, which is funny because during the stanford arc it was very clear he was all in, he bought her a house, supported her career ambition and trusted her completely. But yeah I think she is less confident in where it is going then say episode 2 or 3. I think it will come up in the finale, but I don't think they will break up. I think they will just address it.

      F) Yeah the constant back and forth of Ross and Rachel made it unbelievable. The last episode when the got together I didn't buy they loved each other. I figured they just settled cause it was easy. One of the things I love about Mindy and Danny and the show is they aren't playing the "other shoe dropping" but they are still giving them issues, the stuff they deal with are real vs. "we were on a break" ok yes Danny has disappointed me a little this season, really the only thing that has bugged me is the mom. The other stuff was annoying but I could see the way they were playing it based on character history. I think the thing that has made Danny the most frustrating is that they don't let Mindy get truly mad. I was really hoping we'd see an episode where she found out about the letter and they had a big fight. Like one that was scary big. I get why the didn't go that way but I would have much preferred to the Stanford episode that didn't work for me at all, I actually disliked the episode if I am being honest.

      G) I genuinely do think they have moved forward this season. I think we have seen Danny really understand what he wants, and I think he is starting to get what Mindy needs from him. But she also isn't telling him as much. She holds back, which considering her history I get, so I think we are seeing Mindy express what is happening in her life isn't enough through her new practice and fellowships. I also think these things have made Danny realize that he isn't giving her what she wants, he just doesn't get how to make it all ok. I think it is still very serialized, but it is more those subtle moments you go through in your 30s as you start to realize you need to move forward and aren't sure what it looks like. Like I said I relate more to this season then previous- where try as I might I am not having great meet cutes on the subway, haha.
      H) Now see I loved the first season, but I think they told us what the development was going to be in the pilot so it wasn't as subtle. This season I think we are seeing a continuation of that pilot goal. I think it has very much been about moving forward and deciding what they want and how do they go about getting it.

      I) Not going to lie but I hope if we get a season 4 they pair Rishi and Tamara. I didn't love TJ, I thought the character was good but they needed a better actor. But I will say the only part of Stanford that I liked was the basketball game b-plot. One of the reasons I like the idea of Rishi with Tamara is it sticks her right in the middle of Mindy and Danny and I really love what her character does to those two.

      Delete
    4. Yes, I enjoyed it too! I am tired (like look at how many words I've written on this page hahahaha) so I will not be as sharp as I probably should but here we go!!!

      A) I agree with all that. (If I haven't made it clear) I LOVE Jeremy and I love his dynamic with Danny and Mindy, so any excuse for them to do anything is worth it? I guess we'll see what Bergdahl is up to.
      B) I agree with the Lauren/Peter/Jeremy thing and I do think a lot of B plots are doing good work, but I really just want to see M/D interact with their coworkers in an A plot! Like "Mindy has to help Morgan buy the appropriate gift for Tamra; meanwhile, Danny and Tamra are on call together." Splitting up M/D could allow them to reach separate conclusions about their relationships, and they could have something to gain from the insights of those that know them best. And hey, maybe it would go both ways-- when you have a guest star it doesn't really matter if they grow or not because you know they ain't coming back.
      C) I've already said pretty much everything about Ma, but I will say I do agree that it's nice that Ma doesn't just straight up hate Mindy and I like that Mindy challenges Ma.
      D) Did you like what they ended up doing with Peter and Lauren? Didn't it seem kinda weird? Also, YES. Danny also visited her so much that it didn't even matter, and I hated that there was a voiceover that was basically, "Hey I'm KILLING it at Stanford!" Oh really? Since when?!
      E) Maybe in that lowering of her expectations when they do get married she will be surprised by it? I'm not sure though!
      Also - we are at an impasse on Facemore. I will try to think of more examples though re: that point!
      F) I love conflict so I agree with you. I don't want M/D to break up but I want them to fight! Originally M was going to have discovered that D read her diary. I wish that had happened to put a little bit of long-standing tension in this season. As for disliking episodes, I think my least favorite this season was "How to Lose a Mom in Ten Days."
      G) I really like your ideas but I just wish that the show addressed them more! I think this ties back into the previous point about wanting a big fight. I also do like this season that Mindy is so much more about her career, too.
      H) I think for Danny it wasn't subtle as much as it was crafty? I loved it.
      I) I like both Rishi and Tamra and TJ and totally agree about Rishi and Tamra. I love Rishi and would love for him to be as involved in the show as Danny's ma!

      Delete
    5. I would love for them to mix Mindy and Danny up with the other cast more. Don't get me wrong i love Mindy and Danny but I think the cast has great chemistry so they are fun to see interacting with others. I will be honest I am not a big Morgan fan so the little they have used him this year has been perfect for me.

      No I didn't love the ending with Peter and lauren. I am glad Peter is getting a "happy ending" because I love Peter, but I do sort of wish he'd have met someone knew that made him happy. I do get though why they made it Lauren because it opened up story for Jeremy too. But since I don't like Lauren I am not thrilled my beloved Peter is stuck with her.

      I will say that I don't think they were planning on the additional 6 episodes so the Stanford plot actually felt a little less planned then the rest of the season so they had to look at the overall theme of the season of growing, moving forward and deciding what you really want and see how to make it work. I will admit I didn't love the Stanford episodes but I loved the idea of Mindy doing the fellowship. I think we are now back to the original ending plan and that is why they are stronger better episodes. I enjoyed aspects of Stanford through Dinner with the Castellanos but I didn't love the episodes. Once Lahiri Family values aired I started to love the episodes again. Although if i had my way they wouldn't' have done the Danny is my…and instead would have shown Mindy graduating the fellowship (I don't think you do this) and meeting her parents then that episode. I do however, respect why Mindy's parents is hard for MK, though i want to meet them.

      I am not sure what is next, but I think Mindy this year learned that romantic comedies aren't' real and as much as she always said she wanted something real she didn't know what that meant until now and she loves it and is scared by it.

      Yeah they should have had them have a huge fight, I get wanting to avoid the will they break up trope but I would have loved the fight.

      Thanks I think in the beginning of the season they really were and I am seeing them do it now. I hope they give Rishi a bigger part then Ma… again Ma can go live with Rishi.

      Delete
  4. First anon here. I agree with most of what the poster above me has said (most because I didn't like the Lauren subplot -- I'm actually really happy Peter is gone and hope they DON'T replace him with the new doctor on any kind of permanent basis, assuming the show is renewed because I much prefer the smaller cast and more Morgan and Tamra). I realize you said it wasn't that you didn't just like the romance angle. I choose to think you're kidding yourself on that, again, because you rhapsodized so much about Selfie and, honestly, because you have actually SAID that you just really like the will they/won't they in the past. I think this has been a great season for character development on TMP. I think the reason you don't recognize the characters is because they've actually GROWN so much. I think part of that growth started in season 2, when Mindy realized she COULD get over Danny and live without him, and this has given her the strength to assert herself in her relationship with him. This, in turn, has given him the chance to realize how much this relationship really means to him. I was entertained by the end of last season, but I also thought Danny was kind of a dick in a lot of the later episodes. This season, starting with episode 1, where he revealed himself to Mindy and also, I think, really understood how she felt about the relationship when she said she wanted it to be real, he has become a better person. I think he was scared when he read her (undelivered) ultimatum in her diary, because he felt she could still take or leave him, and I think he continued to be scared when he realized she could move to Stanford without him, could even live there with their baby. But I think they've finally come to a place of mutual respect which is just so, so much more than romance. Honestly, watching them this season has made me think more on my own relationship and has improved it. I know you don't like people referring to your age but I do think there are things you get better when you're older. Like I never liked It's a Wonderful Life until I'd given something up.

    So your hairdresser says you need to get a haircut every 6 weeks. Also, mattress companies say you need to replace the mattress every 8 years. Do people actually DO THAT? I think it's a little self-serving. I think MEN need to get their hair cut every 6 weeks, but men's haircuts are cheap. Get it done every 3 months, but get a good cut.

    Anon because I don't have any of those profiles not for any sinister reason.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm going to respond to the anon you're referring to after you, but thank you for coming back and saying you agreed with them, because that is what I am really after. I know that my opinion of this season is sour--more sour than most people for sure--but I want to know why people don't feel the same way I do so that I can see if I'm right in thinking what I'm thinking or not! I really do love the discussion. Ask my other obligations ha ha HA

      A) I think it is so interesting that everyone hates the Lauren subplot, too. I didn't think Tracey Wigfield brought that much to the role, but I liked the idea of having Peter and Jeremy fight over someone because it a) brought Jeremy to a plot with some backbone and b) helped Peter develop. (I am so sad Becca never showed up, though!) I am also happy Peter is gone because I thought he was kind of a waste of space, and I do agree that I like the smaller cast, though for me the draw is Jeremy and Tamra.

      B) Let me try to clarify my feelings on Selfie and on my love of romance in general. (This will be long!) I do love, love, love romance, and I do love, love, love the will-they-won't-they. Depending on the quality of the show, I love absurd tropes and I love subtle growth.

      What I loved about Selfie was that it was fearless in how it approached romance. It excited me that they were moving so fast (I mean, Eliza said she loved Henry in episode 9!) because it meant that I had no idea where the show would go, kind of like why I'm attracted to Last Man on Earth and Kimmy Schmidt. It was really telling of -- aw, "Drive" just came on -- how TV lately is so fast-paced and the slow burn of romance doesn't really exist anymore, but I like that they really got to the point so damn quickly. I thought that was fascinating and new.

      I also loved Eliza Dooley as a character. She resembles Mindy Lahiri in a lot of ways--successful but terrible with money, a bit of a party animal but also a really hard worker, and riddled with insecurity. I loved loved loved that what Selfie aspired to do--and was able to do in its short run--was legitimize Eliza as a character, especially from where she was in the pilot. She was so real to me and her dynamic with Henry (by the way--such a weird dynamic--the mentor-mentee thing never totally went away which was so weird b/c Henry seemed like he learned a lot more from Eliza than visa versa) actually made her a better person outside of the relationship, too.

      I hope you've watched parts of Selfie or else none of that will make sense, haha, but I think it comes back to more than just liking romance for the sake of chemistry. Some romantic couples I disliked in the past included Ross and Rachel, Ted and Robin, and Barney and Robin. It is true that sometimes romance for the sake of romance is just straight up fun, but while watching Mindy, I loved the romance because it revealed so much more about the characters. I've said this before (I must have written a novel's worth of words on this show) but Mindy and Danny make each other better people, not just better in a relationship).

      Delete
    2. I don't edit a lot when I write and this box is so frickin' tiny so I don't remember totally all of what I said, but I think I made my point or hopefully you see where I'm coming from and why I get bristled when someone says I'm in it for the will-they-won't-they. I say this in my review but let me try to reword it just cuz: will-they-won't-they worked for this couple because it was such a narrow focus, such an obvious end-goal, that what developed between them was so organic and subtle (especially in s1). I mean, that's why I started "overanalyzing TV"! I saw looks that were significant when the dialogue wasn't necessarily, I saw subtext in the dialogue, I saw certain camera angles. (You know, as I write this, you're right that I am sounding kinda pseudo-intellectual, but that's only because I'm writing with capital letters and stuff, unlike my text messages, which are mostly incoherent. I also write a lot as a history major/religious studies minor so I think I write a lot as if I am writing a paper, which looooves that sort of mumbo jumbo).

      And unlike you and previous anon, I don't see that characterization, though I'm willing to look harder to find it. I see a lot of the times the characters bending for the sake of the plot... like Danny in "Christmas" thinking it would be a good idea to a) botch Mindy's career thing and b) decide a half-assed proposal would be a good idea. (TBH 95% of my criticism is for Danny. Danny is always the one in the wrong! I actually think MK is doing some of her best work this year and has been asked to do so much more on a dramatic level, but Danny has just become so disappointing in identifying what Mindy expects in a relationship. I mean, comparing her to an old shoe?) I also think there's some problematic moments, like when Mindy says she was considering raising the baby by herself in "Dinner with the Castellanos" or when she feels like she has to roofie herself to make Danny happy. How is he not communicating to her enough that he loves her and she doesn't need to even think of those things for a moment?

      On a half-related note: I love Mindy in "What About Peter?" when she asks Danny about if they're going to talk about us. I actually think that was one of the better things I wrote about when talking about this season, that the statement "Do you want to talk about yogurt or do you want to talk about us?" is kind of, to me anyway, a statement about jokes vs. emotional substance.

      Delete
    3. I clearly lost the alphabetizing thing I was going to do, so let me just pick up where I left off:

      C) Danny was a huge dick in the end of last season! I had a lot of questions about that and at the time I tried to legitimize what he was going through because of cognitive dissonance, although I will always side-eye the decision to not have him at the Empire State Building and eating pizza instead (the beginning of someone telling Danny how to fix his relationship with Mindy -- at least this was pointed out in No More Mr. Noishe Guy!). I remember being so confused by how he was portrayed in "Girl Next Door" too.

      I loved the first episode of the third season. I loved their banter and I loved how the fight was brought back to something we know about Danny's character (trust issues, etc). I loved that he brought a purse to school. And I did love that talk on the fire escape. That has to be one of the best moments of this season.

      D) I like all of the points you're making a lot and can certainly see where you're coming from. I just wish Danny's fears weren't so muddled by his poor choices, hahaha.

      E) I think there is some truth to age = experience, but what is ...hurtful is too strong a word, but "worth making a scene over" about that comment (and you wouldn't be the first) is that it invalidates my opinions by assuming that I haven't had a wide enough breadth of experience. There is something enriching in having experienced something that you see on TV, just like there's something enriching in hearing your city mentioned or seeing someone that looks like you on TV. Being able to relate to something makes it more likely you will enjoy it... but at the same time, the criticisms I'm making about the show this season shouldn't be too effected by my age. Let's see if this is sensible: having the age or the experience is a garnish or a sweetener to what is being presented to you, but my lack of age or experience doesn't necessarily take away from what I have, it just detracts from some of the richness. Now I am hungry, ughhhh

      Also, running shoe companies say you should replace your shoes, like, every five months. It is all very absurd. I can admit that I have no experience replacing a mattress, because never once in my life have I consciously witnessed a mattress being replaced. That seems like not that long, though. I have also never replaced my pillow.

      And I agree, though I am really pushing that limit. I also only go to SuperCuts if I need a haircut which doesn't do me any favors either!

      And as for anon -- because I know Jenn has made comments on it and I don't disagree with her -- I don't think it applies in this comment here because I am almost as anonymous as you are here! But certainly there have been times in the past where comments are highly incendiary and "anonymous," which kind of sucks, because the thing about the internet (and social media in general, but that's a REALLY heavy topic to get into hahaha) is how easy it is to write something and then walk away. I do it all the time writing these reviews, but it becomes hard to handle when someone says something hurtful without any identifier attached to them!

      Delete
    4. First anon again: I actually think they have, in some ways, addressed Danny leaving the ESB this season. First, in Caramel Princess Time, it was addressed in-depth how hard it was for Danny to wait for Mindy AT ALL, even when they were together and in love, because of all the times he waited for his dad. Okay, it is schmaltzy to say it all goes back to his childhood daddy issues but really, this is something that they've found even in batterers, that the reason for their anger in situations like this is a deep-seated fear that the woman isn't going to show up. Danny isn't abusive, of course, but just picture him in a situation where he is sure she isn't going to come and then having to wait for hours, just sitting there when it's just like these childhood memories of his dad.

      I know you get that but then, in one of the recent episodes, Fertility Bites, there was a throwaway line, when Danny was really mad at Mindy about lying to him, where he says, "I need a slice." He was really hurt and angry, and he was going to get pizza. Remember Danny was a fat kid. Of course, it's easy to forget because he's such a health nut now (and that he is so completely OBSESSED with not putting one wrong thing into his body in many ways shows his fears too), but in those years when Danny was sitting around waiting for his dad to show up and want to be with him, he was also drowning his sorrows in food. And this was his instinct when he had a fight with Mindy, and it was also his instinct when she didn't show up and he knew he'd ruined everything with her. At the time the finale aired, I remember thinking it would have made more sense if he'd been at a bar (because we've certainly seen Danny drunk over some girl in the past), but when he said that, it all made perfect sense. Heartbreak = pizza for Danny (and he took Mindy to a pizza place on that miserable Valentine's day and reflected on his own misery too). So that is a lot of what I liked about the show -- these little throw-aways for those of us who've seen all of it. This is what, to me, makes the show brilliant.

      I like LMOE but I really don't think it will hold up as a full series. I think if it gets renewed, Will Forte has already said that he'd only want 13 more episodes, but the ratings fall every week, so we'll see.

      I really think Tracy Wigfield is not a great actress.

      Delete
    5. Oh, and re: Selfie, I watched about half the episodes. I watched until I knew it wasn't going to make it, pretty much. It was okay, but I felt it was sort of a pale copy of Mindy. And I didn't mean "pale copy" as a pun, but honestly, I could sort of picture execs going, "If Mindy Project can have X number of affluent female viewers, could we get more if we did the exact same thing, but with a pretty white girl?" I just felt like the pilot pretty much paralleled the Mindy pilot and a lot of other elements of the characters in common. Anyway, as I said, it was OKAY, but I just didn't see it as being in the same category, either humor-wise or character development-wise. I may watch the remaining episodes at some point, though.

      Delete
    6. Finally, considering that pretty much ALL the comments here are anonymous, it does make it easy to say that absolutely no one's opinion is valid. Most of the options offered, however, also sort of require putting one's full, real name which would then be searchable, and while I personally wouldn't have much problem revealing my name in a more ephemeral way, there are those who might think it's silly to be that involved in a TV show. So it's not so much wanting to hide behind anonymity to criticize as not necessarily wanting to have one's potential BOSS know how obsessed one is with The Mindy Project. That is actually one of the advantages of being 20.

      Delete
    7. I am so sleepy. Why am I so sleepy? I haven't done anything today.

      A) Yeah, I loved CPT, although I pointed out in my review (as you mentioned) the same thing about it being a little shmaltzy. That is the sort of thing that I LOVE, when something small (being late for a movie) becomes about deep-seated trauma. I wish they would have tied it back to the ESB more though! (I agree they've skirted around the issue, but, like with the office realizing M/D are a couple, they haven't really grabbed it by the horns and addressed it as I would like them to. I know they are all about passing over things on TMP--like the first time having sex or Mindy's first I love you or the office's initial reaction to M/D--but I wish they hadn't passed over that one!

      I didn't even notice the slice thing and I think that's so awesome, so thank you for pointing that out! And what you said about what makes the show brilliant I 100% agree with as well. That was why I started writing about it (the first thing I posted on Tumblr was exactly along those lines, about how the throwaways are so cool for me to pick up on)

      LMOE isn't as good as I wanted it to be. I don't love Will Forte or Kristin Schaal so it was always gonna be a hard sell, but I liked the creativity behind it. (I haven't watched since the two-parter premiere, but I do want to see how January Jones does with material that is so different). I also like the short-lived life of LMOE because it means the show has some direction and is very cognizant of its end, you know?

      She's not a great actress especially considering she's really not an actress at all. I love her writing, though (she did XPST) so I was never toooooo sour on her.

      Delete
    8. OK, Selfie -- I totally agree about the pilot being very similar to TMP's (I'm a mess, bla bla bla). What I love about Selfie is that a) it's very stylistically beautiful (the internet effects become so cool), b) the surrounding cast is really well utilized and to me felt like a warm family quicker than most ensemble workplace comedies do, and c) it is more than it appears. On Hulu you should be able to watch an episode called "Imperfect Harmony" which is such a great episode for John Cho and Karen Gillan. You won't find me saying anywhere that what Selfie was doing, romantic wise, was subtle, but I also have to give praise to Eliza Dooley, who definitely grew on me past the pilot and became fully realized. (Henry was always filling a trope--a trope I love, but a trope even still. Eliza was so much more than that!) Anyway, that episode encapsulates everything I love(d) about Selfie. If romance were sugar it'd give you diabetes, but it is no Manhattan Love Story (ICK)

      And as for anonymity, I made a similar point to another anon (I think? Maybe it was you? See, I just don't know). I am pretty much as anonymous as you are. But I think it's the treatment of the internet as a place to put something on and slink away that is so problematic a lot of the time, because people feel like they can be hurtful and not face any consequences. I won't know much from you if you told me your name, and visa versa, but I should still act like I would if you were someone I knew outside of the internet. Or let's say that you (the general you, not the YOU you) attached your Tumblr username to a nasty comment. It would stick with you and define you. Being anonymous makes that impossible.

      Delete
    9. I remember your writing that about wishing they'd made the connection to the Empire State Building in Caramel Princess Time, and while I see your point, I actually think that THAT would have been too on-the-nose, I mean, if Danny had said/thought/had a flashback to the ESB where he realized that -- head-slap THAT'S why he couldn't wait for Mindy, I think that would have been too much spoon-feeding, and I don't think most people (and certainly not Danny) have that level of self-realization. Also, it is a 22-minute show, and people who saw the episode (the season finale) would get it anyway, whereas for new viewers, the connecting-the-dots would be pointless. So I think it was nice that they let the viewer make the connection, and yeah, the pizza thing was a nice bonus.

      Manhattan Love Story = pretty awful. AtoZ = unwatchable for me Marry Me = Okay, but I haven't taken to it that much, though I think it's interesting how they changed the supporting cast so much. You think if it makes it, people will be going, "What ever happened to their friends?" the way they say that about Anna Camp on Mindy? I think it's funny that, unpopular as Mindy and NG are, they generated basically four clone shows this season. I've been thinking maybe there is something I don't know about Mindy's audience. I know her ad space was actually pretty high priced, among the highest, at the beginning of this season.

      mysudsyboyflyf.tumblr.com I have no problem owning my opinions and don't consider any of my comments to be "nasty," just my honest thoughts. I just joined in January, after you were already sort of "off" the show.

      Delete
    10. What if he said things that alluded to ESB but they didn't mention ESB outright? Because I agree with you, but I think the diagnosis of "Oh, it's daddy issues from Ghostbusters one time!" was pretty on the nose in terms of "Danny has movie theater abandonment issues because someone abandoned him for a movie once." I think that an allusion would have been the best (like if he had stopped at the ... I don't remember what exactly he said to Brendan when he got very agitated, but I loved the beginning of that moment so much more than the payoff, I think-- also miss mentions of Christina as another source of abandonment!)

      MLS = atrocious, the guy was a huge asshole and the girl was the worst kind of boring. A to Z also too trite for me although I want the best for Cristin Milioti and Ben Feldman. Marry Me has Ken Marino, who I love, but also has Casey Wilson, who I don't love, so I've only seen one episode. (Do you like Happy Endings? I never got into it and I feel like it is one of my biggest oversights) Did they get off the schlub? They had a "schlub" character on A to Z who was also a pretty big dirtbag so I think the Marry Me one is better, but I don't remember.

      I do too, although it is disheartening that none of them made it, because I do think there's a market for that kind of TV. Manhattan Love Story didn't try hard enough, A to Z tried way too hard (the self-aware voiceovers were obnoxious to me), Marry Me I think didn't stick because it brought out the worst in Ken Marino and Casey Wilson, and Selfie didn't stick (ha, selfie stick!) because the title turned off most anyone who could enjoy it. It's a shame because I do think there's a right way to do romance on TV--I mean, HIMYM did (mostly) a perfect job centered around romance--but it also is so susceptible to the showrunners screwing it up.

      Gotcha and will follow U. Sorry you missed my hot streak--I used to be, like, very very enthusiastic on this show (during the hiatus before FMYI I made a "Mindy Stats" chart of how many times pizza was mentioned, or how many times Danny said "Oh boy," etc) and it really does suck that I don't have that same sort of passion anymore, though I love to talk to people who do and try to see what they are seeing. It isn't fun to write reviews like these--I'd rather wax poetic on "This look means this because he's vulnerable because of this, which was evident when he turned his head this way when so and so made a comment about flowers, which reminded him of his ex"! That is always goofy and fun. Being a ~buzzkill~ ain't!!

      Delete
    11. I guess, since she was late to several things (e.g, the comedy club) in the show, I didn't see his anger as being specific to movie lateness. Agreed it might have been nice if he'd remembered his dad being late to pick him up for a baseball game, but the Ghostbusters/Amadeus thing was very funny. Again, I'm going to fall back on "It's a 22-minute sit-com." I tend to find that I like the show better the second time I watch it. I watch it first with a very critical eye, then a second time (the same night) more leisurely, the way I feel most people would watch it. I think something can be overanalyzed too much. This may be because I was a music major in college, and one of the things that made me HATE being a music major was that I couldn't simply attend a performance and enjoy it without thinking of all the reasons why I was supposed to hate it ("Wait! Wait! The tenor had a wobble. Why are you people giving him a standing O?"), and now, I'm a writer who sees book reviewers do the same thing (I've often thought that most CLASSICS wouldn't stand up to that kind of scrutiny -- like what are the odds that Jane Eyre or Oliver Twist would happen to run into long-lost relatives -- but it is super-satisfying that those things happened in those books, and it would be way less satisfying if it hadn't, particularly with Oliver) so I am a big fan of just WATCHING the show and attempting to enjoy it. Btw, I do think most professional TV, movie, and music critics do sort of try to see the thing as the audience would see it, to some degree (like if the tenor is standing O worthy, they will tell people that and not about the wobble that only the opera singer heard).

      I watched Happy Endings about as much as I watch New Girl, which is to say I have never been a huge fan of either, but will watch if nothing else is on.

      I do think the title hurt Selfie much the way the title, Trophy Wife, hurt that show last year. The latter was a cute, family show in the vein of ABC's comedies, The Middle, The Goldbergs, FOTB, etc., but the Cougar Town-esque title made it hard for it to attract that audience. It's amazing to me that a network can spend so much time and money marketing a show and send it out into the world with a really bad title. Cougar Town cleared the hurtle (likely because of Courteney Cox alone) and then campaigned to get a new title that was less stupid. For a while, there were in-jokes about that in the credits.

      I was there for last year's hiatus, just didn't have a Tumblr. I found your blog and Tumblr in general, when looking for Mindy spoilers during that time. I think it is hard to sustain that kind of enthusiasm forever. I doubt I'll love the show this much forever (I tend to change my obsessions, and I mention GoT in my profile for my tumblr because that was my previous obsession), and maybe I'm already a little less crazy than I once was (which will serve me well if it gets cancelled, which I think it definitely will after season 4 unless it moves to another network). However, I do think it is good to realize that part of the issue is with oneself, not the show. That said, I do agree that I was even more excited about the show in the post-hiatus episodes of season 2, but I still think the show is the best sit-com by far on television right now, and I want to do whatever it takes to keep it on the air, since we've already lost The Office, Parks and Rec, 30 Rock, HIMYM, and pretty much every other sit-com I didn't hate. To be clear, I want to promote Mindy so we aren't stuck with only Chuck Lorre shows.

      Thanks for the follow.

      Delete
    12. Btw, the "I am not a robot" thing fascinates me because, sometimes, it just asks me to check the box, sometimes enter numbers, and once, it asked me to identify all the photographs of BREAD.

      Delete
  5. Thank you for taking the time to write this, I always enjoy reading your analysis Ann

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much for saying that! My paper on the Library of Alexandria is not pleased with my spending time on this, so it's a good thing that you are :)

      Delete
  6. Um hi,
    Reading the comments are interesting.... Anyways... I don't think it's your age ....it's kinda common for some people to get bored after a couple get together. They love the chase. However for me the couple is still interesting to me in s3 and that I see arcs in the season.

    Of course you can write whatever you want on your opinion of the show. But sometimes I feel like you're holding back. I don't know.. I get confused why you said some of the things of the show..like just say what what really think and pinpoint the problem of the show. Also it would be nice if you provide example or reasons why. Maybe add like examples like if you were to write the ep in this way. Because, saying "remembering when?" Confuses me. Maybe you're in the place I'm at with new girl. It's like with me .. I don't like New Girl s4 no matter what because nick and jess aren't together and I feel there's a huge plot hole and the characters acting ooc. Also don't understand the big deal of stars. Some guests are just to be part of a joke, so. Well, I just think you are being too harsh on some things on the show. Like comparing NG Ryan to Morgan's gf.

    I hope u can still enjoy the s3 finale. Write whatever you want.
    -b

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey b,

      Isn't it?? The comments are so long on this website and I think my girl Jenn does such a good job providing a place where people can write at max 4096 characters (why that number? I have no idea hahaha) and they DO! I'm happy things are stabilizing a lot now and that I can get into some good conversations about this season with people.

      I think in the past I was actually holding back a lot of what I thought, and sometimes that's because what I'm thinking isn't appropriate to put in a review. Not like I want to say "F this show," but like... there are times when I don't like some things "just cuz," and to the people that do read this review, that's not fair. Sometimes I go to Twitter to post more dramatic declarations.

      I think this review pinpointed my problems with this season. It's boring to me and actually I am so thrilled that you guys disagree and see the arcs and stuff, because now I'm going to go back and see if I can get where you're coming from. It's so weird because if this were any other show, I would just mark my observations about this season as "good binge-watching show," but because it's this show, which I love and have written so much about, things that would be good in other places have become disappointments.

      Oh, you're saying that when I criticize something I should instead suggest what it could do instead? I will try to do that more. I think my pregame of the season, which I wrote either the night before or the morning before the season premiere, points out what I would have done instead. I don't remember it well but I think I wanted to see different dynamics explored and really wanted to see that M/D's love deepened from being together. (I think the pregnancy has done this job better than it had been done with the whole proposal-y thing ... but again, this season has been going on since September, so my fully-fleshed opinions are hard for me to remember!).

      I don't watch New Girl (I watched the first ... 2 1/2 seasons?) See, New Girl IS a good example of a binge-watching show for me. I never got behind Nick/Jess (JESS AND SAM ALLLLLL THE WAY HA HA HA) and I was able to watch them getting more OOC and not be that bothered about it, but for someone that was really into Nick/Jess to see that, it's understandable that they would be disappointed. I think there is similarity in how we feel for our respective shows.

      I have loved the stars on the show, but when you only have 22 minutes to spend, it sucks that even any time is for Vanessa Williams when it's just not necessary for anything other than publicity.

      I loved Ryan :( Though I'm confused. Am I being harsh on Ryan or Jessica? I heard Ryan got axed over like one text message, which is why I drew the comparison--that his leaving Jess came out of nowhere like Jessica's leaving Morgan came out of nowhere.

      I hope I can too! I think it will be good because I love Mindy's exes and I love when Mindy writes episodes.

      Delete