The Mindy Project

:

Season 1
  • Network: FOX , HULU
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 25, 2012
Season #: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 156 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 117 out of 156
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 156
  3. Negative: 21 out of 156
Watch Now

Where To Watch

Stream On
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Review this tv show

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling

User Reviews

view
per page
  1. AweQ
    Oct 6, 2013
    5
    A frivolous comedy is the best way I can describe this show. Not a classic, and most definitely not an all round-winner, though. It needs a bit more reality and I feel like the relationships need to be further developed and much, much slower.
  2. booradley
    Jan 17, 2013
    5
    I'm torn about 'The Mindy Project.' It has its moments. It can be fun, it can be witty. On the other hand, it's cliched and unrealistic with an unsympathetic lead. Kaling's character, 'Mindy Lahiri' is a 31 year old practising gynaecologist who talks like a 16 year old valley girl. While her teenage neighbour reads Jonathan Franzen, Mindy reads a novelization of the film Iron Man. LikeI'm torn about 'The Mindy Project.' It has its moments. It can be fun, it can be witty. On the other hand, it's cliched and unrealistic with an unsympathetic lead. Kaling's character, 'Mindy Lahiri' is a 31 year old practising gynaecologist who talks like a 16 year old valley girl. While her teenage neighbour reads Jonathan Franzen, Mindy reads a novelization of the film Iron Man. Like most thirty-something women on TV, she's obsessed with finding Mr Right, and yet she's inexplicably nasty to all the guys she meets, including those she works with. At work, she and her two fellow doctors, both male, talk mostly about sex and Mindy's messed-up personal life. She takes time off work for "best friend's day" (lunch and shopping) and has no hesitation in hastily rearranging her schedule to visit her teenage friend at her high school to grill the girl's boyfriend about their sex life. She seems to spend the better part of an afternoon at work choosing a Halloween costume. It bothers me that Mindy is so shallow, that she talks in a high-pitched, dumbed-down baby-girl voice, that she's astonishingly self-absorbed and at times cruel. She says things to Dr Danny Castellano, her divorced co-worker and obvious potential love interest, like "no wonder your wife left you," comments that are followed by dead silence in which I'm waiting for him to break down in tears. When handing out condoms at the high school she gives one to everyone, two to an especially pretty girl and none at all to a plain girl with braces, saying "you I'm not worried about." It was a shocking moment, and unnecessarily unpleasant, especially as Mindy Lahiri was supposedly plain and single until her early twenties. There are numerous dissonant moments like these in the show that make me dislike Mindy Lahiri. She is carrying on a casual sexual relationship with her other coworker, Dr Jeremy Reed, and while the fact is accepted, it's rarely actually addressed. It's not clear why Reed, supposedly a ladies man, would need to carry on this relationship with Mindy, or why she thinks it's okay to casually sleep with someone she works with. In fact, it's not clear why anyone of the men she dates are drawn to Mindy. When Dr Castellano gives her a gynaecological check-up at work, the scene is alternately funny, cringeworthy and appalling. She teases him endlessly throughout and moans sensually when he tries to give her a breast exam. Frankly, it's offensive. She clearly doesn't take her work seriously. No decent gynaecologist would think of an exam as a sexual thing, and the way she talks incessantly about sex and her love life at work invites the kind of banter that would qualify as sexual harassment in most workplaces. I… Expand
  3. Briancl25
    Sep 27, 2012
    5
    The whole idea of this show seems like a better premise for a movie, than a show. Most of the show was trying too hard to be funny with "ridiculous" situations that would never happen. The upside is that they don't try and bombard you with lazy humor like Two Broke Girls where they constantly say vagina or something or other. Time will tell.
  4. MelLacey
    Nov 19, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Originally, The Mindy Project was about a woman obsessed with finding love because of all the romantic movies she watches. Now, Mindy is high-maintenance and difficult. This "new" Mindy is getting old. The current season has me wondering "where is this show going?"… Expand
  5. laylamc
    May 20, 2018
    5
    I’m not sure I’ve ever watched such an uneven show all the way through to the end before. In the beginning, the genuinely laugh out loud funny kept me tuning in. But the more out of touch Mindy got, the more difficult this show was to watch. The last two seasons in particular were downright painful to watch some episodes. Then there would be others that were so smart and funny. Just zeroI’m not sure I’ve ever watched such an uneven show all the way through to the end before. In the beginning, the genuinely laugh out loud funny kept me tuning in. But the more out of touch Mindy got, the more difficult this show was to watch. The last two seasons in particular were downright painful to watch some episodes. Then there would be others that were so smart and funny. Just zero consistency at all. Poignant and moving to cliche in 60 seconds or less.… Expand
  6. duckie523
    Jul 8, 2014
    5
    I really wanted to like this show. I admire Mindy Kaling's quick wit and comedic skill. She's written some of my favorite Office episodes. Granted, she played an utterly shallow, unlikable character there, but the Ryan/Kelly tension provided great comedic fodder. Unfortunately, it seems like Mindy Kaling hasn't been able to write a better character for herself on her new show. Mindy LahiriI really wanted to like this show. I admire Mindy Kaling's quick wit and comedic skill. She's written some of my favorite Office episodes. Granted, she played an utterly shallow, unlikable character there, but the Ryan/Kelly tension provided great comedic fodder. Unfortunately, it seems like Mindy Kaling hasn't been able to write a better character for herself on her new show. Mindy Lahiri is shallow, selfish, indecisive, fickle, and even cruel at times. I get the whole Bridget Jones trope--the romantically obsessed/ hopeless, messy love life, clumsy, etc. I really get it--we all do. But Mindy takes that into the stratosphere of unbelievable scenarios. She's dated and/or hooked up with more than 10 guys in 2 seasons. That's gotta be a new record. Sure, real life is messy, we make mistakes, we're indecisive. She talks, acts, and thinks like a high schooler, yet somehow she's a successful OB/GYN. But the Mindy Project takes it to a new place that makes it really hard to sympathize with her. Just for one of many examples: Not only does she fall out of the airplane bathroom door when making out with Danny, but they keep bumping into the Occupied button, AND Danny's arm gets stuck, AND they hit the flush button, while somehow of course Mindy has fallen and her hair just so happens to be stuck in the toilet and "spontaneous" "hilarity" ensues. Give me a break. The Mindy Project would really benefit from the mantra "less is more." It tries to do and be too much and ends up being unbelievable and unlikable in the process. I think it's possible for her to be successful, intelligent, and have a messy love life but you need to have balance for a character to be well-rounded and likable. She hasn't quite struck that balance yet.

    Speaking of Danny, I find myself wondering why they're drawn to each other. They truly don't seem to have much compatibility. Why Danny puts up with her immaturity is beyond me. The only time it made sense was in The Desert--in that episode, it was clear the role Mindy has in Danny's life, for advice and emotional support (and more, I'm sure). I think the show could really benefit from more moments like that.

    That being said, Mindy and Peter actually seemed to have a connection and some real potential. Their relationship developed organically and it made so much sense, especially when he was her date for Josh's wedding (save for his blunder). There were some genuinely touching moments in that episode, and Peter has proven himself a fiercely loyal and fun companion. Yet she has never really considered Peter as anything beyond a friend. It makes no sense.

    You do see glimpses of the show's potential here and there, but overall it still has to come into its own.

    Saving graces: Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) and Danny (Chris Messina). Such great writing, character development/ complexity,and comedy from those two. I'll keep watching because the show has definitely matured, but I'd really like to see it continue doing so. I still have hope for the show!    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

52
#52 Best TV Season of 2012
26
#26 Most Discussed TV Season of 2012
25
#25 Most Shared TV Season of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 32
  3. Negative: 2 out of 32
  1. Time
    Reviewed by: James Poniewozik
    Sep 25, 2012
    70
    In all, it's a polished pilot, but one that will have to ground its characters better to work as a series.
    Read full review
  2. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Sep 25, 2012
    80
    Kaling makes for an unconventional sitcom heroine, to put it mildly.
    Read full review
  3. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Glenn Garvin
    Sep 25, 2012
    10
    Think Gray's Anatomy with unpretty people; then think of something else to watch.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »