A Week in TV Shows: The Mindy Project

The reason I think I liked the Mindy Project so much, is I felt like I finally found a show I could relate to.  I feel like Mindy is every woman, really.

When New Girl came out a couple years ago, I started DVR-ing it from the beginning.  I was excited to have a show that featured a young, single woman navigating life's ups and downs.  I really wanted to like it.  I watched it for awhile, and I always felt really uncomfortable while watching it.  Now, I love the idea of an awkward, silly woman who doesn't care what others think of her.  It kind of describes me.  But I always found her brand of awkward to be... far fetched.  Exaggerated.  Every "adorkable" thing she said or did always came across to me like nails on a chalkboard.  If you like New Girl, that's totally awesome and fine and I'm not judging you.  Ok, maybe a little.  ;)

I already loved Mindy Kaling from the Office.  So when I saw that she was coming out with a show where she was the start, I was even more excited.  I had read her book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?  And the whole time, couldn't believe how exactly like me she as in almost every way.  Except I'm not that funny, though I like to think I am.  So a show that features a single woman who is independent, "chubby" (by Hollywood standards, mind you-- not mine), quirky but believable, a romantic yet still skeptical?  Totally on board.

Mindy is a thirty-something year old ob-GYN, working in a practice with two other doctors- Danny and Jeremy.  The premise of the show starts off that Mindy was a nerdy teen who didn't have a boyfriend for years-- but merely thrived off of romantic comedies.  Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are her idols.  Until she finally met The One, or so she thought, after becoming a doctor.  He leaves her for a younger, thinner, prettier girl.  And so we watch as Mindy at times makes a mess of her life, but her friends are always there to pick her up.  The show revolves very much around the practice, as it does Mindy's personal life.  Though she's silly and child-like at times, we see her professional side as well.

I feel like the Mindy Project is the smart, level-headed feminist woman's New Girl.  A lot of people would get angry to hear that, but it's my opinion so there.  It definitely goes along with the popular theme of lame and awkward being the new cool, but in a much more believable, hilarious way.  At least in my opinion.