The Mindy Project | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Created by | Mindy Kaling |
Showrunner | Mindy Kaling |
Starring | |
Composer | Jesse Novak |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 6 |
No. of episodes | 117 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producers |
|
Editors |
|
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 22–31 minutes |
Production companies | |
Original release | |
Network | Fox |
Release | September 25, 2012 – March 24, 2015 |
Network | Hulu |
Release | September 15, 2015 – November 14, 2017 |
The Mindy Project is an American romantic comedy television series created by and starring Mindy Kaling that began airing on Fox in September 2012 and finished its six-season run on Hulu in November 2017. [2] [3] The series was co-produced by Universal Television and 3 Arts Entertainment.
The series follows obstetrician/gynecologist Mindy Lahiri as she tries to balance her personal and professional life, [4] surrounded by quirky co-workers in a small medical practice in New York City. The character was inspired by Kaling's own mother, an OB/GYN. Mindy explores life with the help of her co-workers: Danny Castellano, her best friend and love interest, whose religious sensibilities occasionally cause some tension; Jeremy Reed, an English physician who manages the practice; Peter Prentice, another physician who was a fraternity jock while attending Dartmouth; Morgan Tookers, a wacky, yet lovable registered nurse and an ex-con; Tamra Webb, a blunt nurse; and Beverley Janoszewski, the libidinous older office receptionist. [5]
Actor | Character | Seasons | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
Mindy Kaling | Dr. Mindy Kuhel Lahiri | Main | |||||
Chris Messina | Dr. Daniel Alan "Danny" Castellano | Main | Guest | Recurring | |||
Ed Weeks | Dr. Jeremiah "Jeremy" Reed | Main | |||||
Anna Camp | Gwendolyn "Gwen" Grandy | Main | |||||
Zoe Jarman | Betsy Putch | Main | |||||
Amanda Setton | Shauna Dicanio | Main | |||||
Stephen Tobolowsky | Dr. Marc Shulman | Main | Guest | ||||
Ike Barinholtz | Nurse Morgan Tookers | Main | |||||
Beth Grant | Beverly Janiszewski | Main | |||||
Xosha Roquemore | Nurse Tamra Webb | Recurring | Main | ||||
Adam Pally | Dr. Peter Prentice | Main | Recurring | Guest | |||
Garret Dillahunt | Dr. Jody Kimball-Kinney | Main | |||||
Fortune Feimster | Nurse Colette Kimball-Kinney | Main | |||||
Rebecca Rittenhouse | Dr. Anna Ziev | Main |
The series was initially commissioned by NBC, but the pilot with the working title It's Messy was released from NBC's projects on January 27, 2012. NBC then sent the script to Fox executives who read it over that following weekend. On January 30, 2012, Fox green-lit the pilot, with Mindy Kaling attached to star. [6]
On May 9, 2012, Fox placed a series order for the comedy. [7] Two days later, the title was changed from It's Messy to The Mindy Project. [8] On August 27, 2012, the pilot episode was made available to view online on various sites including Fox, in an attempt to garner interest in the series. On October 8, 2012, Fox ordered a full season of The Mindy Project. [9] On March 4, 2013, the series was renewed for a second season, [10] which began on September 17, 2013. On November 21, 2013, Fox announced that The Mindy Project would take a mid-season hiatus, before returning on April 1, 2014. [11] Fox announced the third season renewal of The Mindy Project on March 7, 2014. [12]
On May 6, 2015, Fox cancelled the series after three seasons. [13] On May 15, 2015, Hulu picked up the show, commissioning a 26 episode fourth season. [14] On May 4, 2016, Hulu announced it had picked up the series for a 16-episode season 5, [15] which was later reduced to 14. [16] On March 29, 2017, Kaling announced the series would return for a sixth and final season; the final episode of the series aired on November 14, 2017. [3]
Casting announcements for the remaining series regular roles began in February 2012, with Ed Weeks cast in the role of Dr. Jeremy Reed, a sexy, British doctor in the practice. [17] Zoe Jarman and Dana DeLorenzo then joined in series regular roles. Jarman signed on to play Betsy Putch, an upbeat receptionist at the practice; whilst Delorenzo joined as Shauna Dicanio, a young, party loving receptionist in the practice. [18] In mid-March, Chris Messina joined the cast as Dr. Danny Castellano, an arrogant doctor who works at the practice. [19] Shortly after, Anna Camp boarded the series as Gwen Grandy, a stay-at-home mom and Mindy's best friend. [20]
A few months later, Amanda Setton, Stephen Tobolowsky and Ike Barinholtz joined the series. Setton replaced Dana DeLorenzo in the role of Shauna; Tobolowsky joined in the series regular role of Dr. Marc Shulman, the senior partner of the practice; and Barinholtz signed onto the recurring role of Morgan Tookers, a quirky rehabilitated ex-con who joins the practice as a nurse. [21]
The first change occurred when Stephen Tobolowsky's role was eliminated after the second episode – following re-shoots that saw his character be re-written into a mere authoritarian figure in the office – when it was decided that "they didn't really want Mindy to have a boss in the office". [22] Tobolowsky returned, albeit in a voice-over only role, in the eighth episode to explain that his character had retired. The second change of the season, which was first reported on November 20, 2012, saw Amanda Setton's role also eliminated entirely and Anna Camp downgraded to a recurring cast member. They both departed after the twelfth episode. [23] Despite becoming a recurring cast member, Camp only made a single appearance in the seventeenth episode. [24] Neither Setton or Camp's characters had their absence referenced, nor were they mentioned again.
The first change for the second season, which occurred before production of the season began, saw Xosha Roquemore upgraded to a series regular role after recurring in the final three episodes of the previous season. [25] The second change, which occurred just prior to the production of the season's fifth episode, resulted in Adam Pally also being upgraded to a series regular role. He had previously signed onto the series in a recurring role but had filmed only two episodes prior to being promoted. [26]
The first change of the third season occurred prior to the start of production and saw Zoe Jarman's role eliminated from the show. [27] Like Setton and Camp's departures in the first season, the absence of her character was never addressed. The second cast change of the season was announced on November 21, 2014, and saw Adam Pally leave the series after the season's thirteenth episode. His departure after the thirteenth episode of the season was a condition of his upgrade to a series regular that had occurred the previous year. It was reported that Pally is "expected to make occasional guest appearances". [28] Pally made multiple guest appearances after his departure, where he was still credited amongst the regular cast in episodes he appeared, making his final appearance as a part of the main cast in the third-season finale.
In December 2015 it was reported that Fortune Feimster had been upgraded to a series regular role beginning with the fourteenth episode of the fourth season, after appearing in seven of the first thirteen episodes. [29] Garret Dillahunt joined the show in a major recurring role as Dr. Jody Kimball-Kinney. [30]
In June 2016, it was announced that Chris Messina would not be returning as a series regular for season five, but would instead appear as a guest star. [31]
The Mindy Project received positive reviews from critics, with many highlighting Kaling's performance and her unique character, as well as the writing and directing. [32] On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 81% based on 48 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Mindy Project is such a charming comedy, led by Mindy Kaling's impressive talent, that its faults are easy to forgive." [33] Review aggregation website Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean based on reviews from mainstream critics, the season received a score of 69 out of 100 based on 32 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [32] It was the number-six best-reviewed show according to the site's fall 2012 season. [32]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season has an approval rating of 89% based on 18 reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Mindy Kaling earns consistent laughs with wit, charm and physical comedy, as she and her cast grow into well-rounded and familiar, albeit peculiar, characters." [34] On Metacritic, the second season has a score of 55 out of 100, based on four critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [35] Season 3 of the show holds an approval rating of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes with the critical consensus reading, "The Mindy Project, while still wildly funny, travels further into rom-com country this season." [36]
Season 4 of the show holds an approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes with the critical consensus reading, "The Mindy Project begins its online migration with some of the show's best-ever episodes, further refining the balance between heart and humor struck during the first three seasons." [37] On Metacritic the season has a score of 81 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [38]
The Mindy Project has been the object of scrutiny not only from traditional media forms but also from feminists and people of color, who often weigh in on the show's decisions in casting and writing. At the end of the first season, Jezebel posted an article called "Mindy Kaling Only Makes Out with White Guys", [39] a critique of the casting of romantic leads on the show. The same article contains a response from Nisha Chittal, who has defended Kaling's success in the past, [40] who applauded the show for not making Kaling's race central to her character, and for showing that an Indian woman could date non-Indian men.
During the second season, the episode "Mindy Lahiri Is a Racist," which addresses white supremacy, provoked discussion as to whether or not Kaling had made "reparations" for showing a predominantly white cast. [41]
Before the third season began airing, Kaling received criticism for a comment in a Flare article entitled "She's the Boss", [42] in which she stated that the show would not address abortion, as "it would be demeaning to the topic to talk about it in a half-hour sitcom." In an appearance on The Colbert Report two weeks later, she clarified:
A lot of women look to me and look to the show, and they want me to be a spokesperson for a lot of issues, and I actually think that's a responsibility that's cool, I want to live up to that ... I want to be able to talk plainly on things but I also want to create an entertaining show. We haven't found a hilarious take on abortion that has not been done yet—but we might. I have faith in us. [43]
Contrasting with the above criticism, a 2021 Feminist Media Studies' article titled "Un/accented: the politics of difference in US popular culture" argues that some of the criticism that The Mindy Project received, regarding the predominately white love interests or absence of Indian cultural reference, is not necessarily an issue for Kaling to address but rather indicative of how critics and journalists only see Kaling's work through surface level analysis and how many non-white bodies are present instead of what the work is actually critiquing through dialogue or plot. [44]
Season | Timeslot (ET) | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | TV season | Viewership rank | Avg. viewers (millions) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Viewers (millions) | Date | Viewers (millions) | ||||||
1 | Tuesday 9:30 pm (1–19, 21–24) Thursday 9:30 pm (20) | 24 | September 25, 2012 | 4.67 [45] | May 14, 2013 | 2.57 [46] | 2012–13 | 118 | 3.71 [47] |
2 | Tuesday 9:30 pm (1–14, 16, 18–22) Thursday 9:30 pm (15, 17) | 22 | September 17, 2013 | 3.83 [48] | May 6, 2014 | 2.48 [49] | 2013–14 | 125 | 3.40 [50] |
3 | Tuesday 9:30 pm | 21 | September 16, 2014 | 2.68 [51] | March 24, 2015 | 2.05 [52] | 2014–15 | 151 | 2.95 [53] |
"Hot Girl" is the sixth episode and season finale of the first season of the American comedy television series The Office. The episode aired on NBC in the United States on April 26, 2005. The episode was written by consulting producer Mindy Kaling, marking her first writing credit for the series. The episode was directed by Amy Heckerling, her only directing credit for the series.
Vera Mindy Chokalingam, known professionally as Mindy Kaling, is an American actress, screenwriter, and producer. Known for her work on television, she has received numerous accolades including two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Tony Award, and six nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
"Branch Wars" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's sixty-third episode overall. Written by Mindy Kaling and directed by Joss Whedon, the episode originally aired in the United States on November 1, 2007, on NBC. The episode marks the return of season three recurring actor Rashida Jones, who plays Jim's former girlfriend Karen Filippelli, now Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Utica.
NCIS: Los Angeles is an American action crime drama television series combining elements of the military drama and police procedural genres, which premiered on CBS on September 22, 2009. The series follows the exploits of the Los Angeles–based Office of Special Projects (OSP), an elite division of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service that specializes in undercover assignments. NCIS: Los Angeles is the first spin-off of the successful series NCIS and the second series in the NCIS franchise. The series concluded on May 21, 2023, making it the second series in the NCIS franchise to end.
Hawaii Five-0 is an American police procedural television series that centers around a fictional special police major crimes task force operating at the behest of the governor of Hawaii. It is a reboot of the 1968–1980 series Hawaii Five-O, which also aired on CBS. The series was produced by K/O Paper Products and 101st Street Television, initially in association with CBS Television Studios. The show received praise for its modern take on the original series.
Happy Endings is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from April 13, 2011, to May 3, 2013. The single-camera ensemble comedy originally aired as a mid-season replacement. The show was created by David Caspe. Caspe and Jonathan Groff served as the show's executive producers and showrunners.
"The Sting" is the fifth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy television series The Office and the shows 131st episode overall. It originally aired on NBC on October 21, 2010. The episode was written by co-executive producer Mindy Kaling and directed by Randall Einhorn. "The Sting" guest stars Timothy Olyphant as Danny Cordray.
Adam Saul Pally is an American comedian and actor. He first earned recognition for starring as Max Blum in Happy Endings, as Dr. Peter Prentice in The Mindy Project, and as Wade Whipple in Sonic the Hedgehog, its sequels, and the spin-off series Knuckles. He also starred in Making History and was an executive producer of The President Show.
Boss is an American political drama television series created by Farhad Safinia. The series stars Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago, who has recently been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a degenerative neurological disorder.
The eighth season of the American television comedy The Office commenced airing on NBC in the United States on September 22, 2011, and concluded on May 10, 2012, consisting of 24 episodes. The series is an American adaptation of the British comedy series, and is presented in a mockumentary format, portraying the daily lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictitious Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The eighth season of The Office aired on Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. (Eastern) in the United States as part of the "Comedy Night Done Right" television block. It stars Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B. J. Novak, Ed Helms, and James Spader, with supporting performances from Catherine Tate, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Creed Bratton, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper, Angela Kinsey, Paul Lieberstein, Oscar Nunez, Craig Robinson, Phyllis Smith, and Zach Woods. This was the first season without Steve Carell as Michael Scott in the lead role and the only one to not feature the character in any onscreen capacity, although he is occasionally mentioned.
"Christmas Wishes" is the tenth episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 162nd episode overall. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on December 8, 2011. It was written by executive producer Mindy Kaling and was directed by Ed Helms in his directorial debut. The episode guest starred Lindsey Broad, Ameenah Kaplan, and Eleanor Seigler.
Saving Hope is a Canadian supernatural medical drama television series set in Toronto in the fictional hospital Hope Zion. The series stars Erica Durance and Michael Shanks. The show's premise originated with Malcolm MacRury and Morwyn Brebner, who are both credited as creators and executive producers. Saving Hope aired on CTV for five seasons from June 7, 2012, to August 3, 2017, with the first season airing on NBC.
The second season of the American television sitcom New Girl premiered on Fox on September 25, 2012, and concluded on May 14, 2013, consisting of 25 episodes. Developed by Elizabeth Meriwether under the working title Chicks & Dicks, the series revolves around offbeat teacher Jess after her moving into a Los Angeles loft with three men, Nick, Schmidt, and Winston ; Jess's best friend Cece also appears regularly. The show combines comedy and drama elements as the characters, who are in their early thirties, deal with maturing relationships and career choices.
Dads is an American television sitcom created by Wellesley Wild and Alec Sulkin for Fox. The series follows Warner and Eli, two successful video game developers whose lives are unexpectedly changed when their respective fathers move in with them. Sulkin and Wild are also executive producers. The show was recorded in front of a live studio audience. Dads was a joint production by Fuzzy Door Productions and 20th Century Fox Television and was syndicated by 20th Television. The series ran from September 17, 2013 to July 16, 2014.
Undateable is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from May 29, 2014, to January 29, 2016, and originally premiered as a mid-season replacement. The series was created by Adam Sztykiel, based on the book Undateable: 311 Things Guys Do That Guarantee They Won't Be Dating or Having Sex by Ellen Rakieten and Anne Coyle. In the show, bachelor Danny Burton has trouble getting into a relationship with various women he meets. On May 8, 2015, NBC renewed Undateable for a third season that consisted entirely of live episodes, which premiered on October 9, 2015. On May 13, 2016, NBC canceled the series after three seasons.
The third season of the American television sitcom New Girl premiered on Fox on September 17, 2013, and concluded on May 6, 2014. Season three consists of 23 episodes. Developed by Elizabeth Meriwether under the working title Chicks & Dicks, the series revolves around offbeat teacher Jess after her moving into a Los Angeles loft with three men, Nick, Schmidt, and Winston ; Jess's best friend Cece also appears regularly. The show combines comedy and drama elements as the characters, who are in their early thirties, deal with maturing relationships and career choices.
Edward Charles Egerton Weeks is an English actor. He is best known for starring as Dr. Jeremy Reed in the Fox/Hulu comedy series The Mindy Project (2012–2017). He also starred as Colin in the Fox comedy series LA to Vegas (2018).
Animals is an American adult animated comedy television series created by Phil Matarese and Mike Luciano. The first two episodes were independently produced and presented at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2015. In May 2015, HBO picked the series up with a two-season order, which premiered on February 5, 2016. The series was renewed for a third season on May 19, 2017. Season 3 premiered on August 3, 2018. In October 2018, it was announced that HBO had canceled the series.
Lang Fisher is an American comedy writer and director. She co-created and executive produced the Netflix coming-of-age comedy-drama series, Never Have I Ever.