Two Takes: The Mindy Project “Is That All There Is?” 

Here we are. The final season of Hulu’s The Mindy Project.

We’ve watched this Mindy Kaling comedy since the beginning when it aired on FOX. It’s a show we knew we’d stick with until the end. We knew we’d be there to witness all of Mindy Lahiri’s highs and lows of dating. And, you know, there have been WAY more lows than highs.

This show has a knack for making us fall in love with almost everyone of her suitors. Which means every time her relationship ended we were almost as crushed as she was. Who are we kidding? We were more crushed than she was.

And now it’s time for Mindy to experience married life for the very first time. She’s come close before, but Mindy’s marriage to Ben Miller (Bryan Greenberg) is the real deal.

Unfortunately, we can’t shake that image of Mindy in the season five finale. She and Ben were on the subway and as it pulled away she had this look of dread on her face. Let’s just say it had us nervous. For good reason.

Tina: Cortney, I have liked Ben since he first came on the scene, but not as much as I’ve liked some of Mindy’s other boyfriends. Having said that, watching Mindy be about as uninterested in domesticity with him as possible hit me kind of hard.

I admit to liking Ben’s test. He knew he could trick Mindy into thinking he was in bed every night. All he had to do is fluff up some pillows and blankets and shape them into a lump right beside her and she’d be none the wiser. And she didn’t notice for two days. TWO DAYS. I mean, before he did this she even resorted to going to spin class. She chose to exercise instead of spend time with him. That’s just wrong.

Cortney: I agree, this kind of broke my heart. Sure, Mindy isn’t exactly a rockstar when it comes to being in a relationship, but this was above and beyond anything we’ve seen before. And because Ben really is SUCH a good guy (unlike some…okay, many…of the other guys she’s dated), that makes it even worse. He makes her breakfast, he waits up for her, he puts forth an effort and her, nothing. Not only does she not put forth any effort, but as you mentioned, she actively TRIES to avoid spending time with him.

Exercise for god’s sake — who would’ve thought we’d ever see Mindy exercise?! Unless you count walking to the fridge exercise.

Tina: To be fair, we didn’t really SEE her exercise. She was dressed up in the clothes. I’m not going to believe it until I see it.

Cortney: Ha, valid point, but the fact that she knows what spin class is, that’s a start! Anyways, like I said, this was hard to watch. Sure, I get that she isn’t happy in the mundane in-and-out of daily domesticity but it’s not fair for her to punish Ben as a result. After all, she is the one who proposed.

Honestly, I love that Ben tricked her. And I agreed with everything he said — why should she want to hang out with coworkers more than her own husband? I appreciate she recognized that she is used to it just being her and Leo (which if we’re being honest, it isn’t really — I mean, how many times in the last 2 seasons have we even SEEN that kid?!)….but it’s clearly more than that. It’s Ben. And to string him along, claiming she’s excited to see him then promptly falling asleep on the staff couch, not cool. She wants her Princess Bride moment and now that she has it, she’s not happy. So, what’s a girl to do?

Tina: I think Mindy talked herself into thinking this was the life she wanted. And maybe she does want it, but not with Ben. I never ever thought these two would get married. I just never thought of them as end game. The way this is going, I think I’m right. They’re not end game.

But even though this storyline made me kind of sad, I think I laughed a lot in this episode. Some really good one liners. The ensemble cast has become so strong. Also, I like that there’s stuff going on with almost all of them. I mean, Tamra is trying to have a baby. I’m so happy she’s getting some real story this season. I like how she had trouble giving herself the hormone injections. I love how Morgan teaches a class of women on the art of giving themselves those injections. I love Tamra’s getting something real to talk about.

Cortney: I agree, with this being the final season, each character deserves a storyline! As far as Tamra, I’d like a little more backstory on her before we get into the baby stuff. I mean, so far, she’s been super shallow, which seriously concerns me when it comes to her raising a kid. But maybe if I knew why she wanted a kid, I’d be more supportive? Maybe?

Either way, I love that Morgan was her hormone injection coach and I have no doubt he’ll be supporting her through this process and getting as physically involved as possible (and then some, if he can get away with it!). It gives Tamra some great material and no doubt, will give Morgan some great content as well.

Speaking of Morgan, can we discuss his neck injury, please? As I’m sure you know, this is Ike’s real-life injury that was written into the show…and what’s more fitting than having Morgan fall out of a bunk bed?? And not even the top bunk, no less!

Tina: Yeah, I wrote in my preview for season six of The Mindy Project that this is a real-life injury that happened to Ike Barinholtz on the set of a movie. At this year’s Summer Press Tour for the Television Critics Association, he even talked about how emotional he got when he told Mindy Kaling about what happened and she said they should write the injury into the show. That whatever he needs they’ll be there for him. It made me appreciate this show — and these actors — even more.

Anyway, Morgan, I don’t know. I’m already liking him more this season. And I’m laughing at his stuff even more. I don’t know why. I feel bad for him because no one will sign his cast. It’s so empty. There’s only one name signed on that cast. His! I’m wondering if he and Tamra will find their way back to each other this season. I mean, I feel like they were together so long ago and then nothing with these two. Last season Morgan dated Casey Wilson a bit. But I’d like to see Morgan and Tamra reunite all grow’d up and a tiny bit more mature (which is where their characters seem to be evolving). Call me crazy.

Meanwhile, what are we going to do about Jeremy? I like that he had something going on with Anna but he moved too fast. She just split up with her husband (and I know there’s been a healthy time jump from last season but still). She’s not ready for anything serious. They’re in two different places. Or at least they are for now. Who knows. Maybe she’ll get her mistake-making out of the way quickly.

Cortney: I don’t know how I feel about these two. She’s just so cold. And he’s so desperate. I feel he deserves better. Someone who cares for him and loves him. But then again, he does tend to go for the HARSH women and these two have similar interests, so maybe they have a shot? I don’t know, I see a lot more heartache in his future. Oddly enough, I actually see her more with Jody…those two have the same stiff upper-lip, even if she did reject his advances multiple times (which he made WHILE she was dating Jeremy, nonetheless, shameless) and he is just interested in her “sexually.”

Speaking of the Kimball-Kinneys, what did you think of the whole Karen/Colette situation? Personally, I find Karen SUPER annoying, so I was fine with her being temporarily kicked to the curb.

Tina: It’s a good thing it was only temporary because the way Jody just up and fired her was nine kinds of wrong. I am not attached to these two but I did like seeing Fortune Feimster’s Colette in a different situation than we’d ever seen her before. Who knows. These two could salvage something. But after Colette basically jumped off a building to escape marrying Karen. And Karen went all mildly fatal attraction on her, I don’t know. Weirder things have happened on this show. Did I mention Morgan went out with Casey Wilson at all?

I am hoping Jody will get some sort of story, though. I admit to not liking the character in the beginning, but now I love him lots. I want something meaningful for him this season.

Who else haven’t we talked about? I mean, Beverly had some really hilarious lines. Her subbing for Karen was NOT a good move and Beverly knew it.

Oh, back to Mindy and Ben. One of my favorite lines was when they made up — sorta — after she figured out she’d been sleeping with a lump of pillows. She apologized to Ben and said she didn’t realize it wasn’t him when she made love to the lump of pillows. He’s like, “Please tell me I’m better at sex than those pillows?” And she’s like, “The lumbar one has some good moves.” I laughed so hard. What joke or jokes stood out for you?

Cortney: That was definitely one of my favorites, especially since Ben agreed with her!

Here are a few other good ones:

– When Tamra came in wanting another “her” and Mindy responded: :I don’t do cloning. If I did, there would be like eight Chris Pines up in here.”

– When Morgan tried to invite himself to Mindy & Jeremy’s night out to discuss relationships:

Morgan: Can you tell Dr Reed I’ll be joining you guys tonight?
Mindy: Oh I think this is for people who’ve been in committed relationships.
Morgan: I dated a girl who was literally committed! Renee!

– When Mindy confronted Jody about firing Karen after Beverly gave her one of her antipsychotics:

Mindy: Hey, man, I just took one of Beverly’s crazy pills and yes, I am thinking more clearly than I have in a long long time, but this has got to stop, you’ve got to hire Karen back.

Yeah, I love this show. It makes me laugh and when it’s over for good, I may even cry. But lucky for us, we still have 9 more episodes until then, so in the meantime, I’m going to go pick myself up a lumbar pillow, some antipsychotics and maybe even join a spin class. Ok, unlikely, but if Mindy is open to the idea, I just may get on board.

New episodes of The Mindy Project drop Tuesdays on Hulu.