“The Mindy Project” proves Fox’s axe might be mightier than Mindy Kaling’s pen.

As ratings show, few people may know (or perhaps care) about “The Mindy Project” being one of the best shows on television. The underrated series follows gynecologist Mindy Lahiri as she searches for love in New York City frocked in ensembles as sunny as her optimism.

While one might assume the brainchild of Mindy Kaling, a former writer, producer and girl-genius from “The Office,” would be a smashing success, ratings have been consistently low. According to TV by the Numbers, the Jan. 14 episode of “The Mindy Project” received a rating of 1.1, meaning less than 1.4 million adults ages 18-49 watched the show.

On Jan. 28, Fox aired the winter finale and put the show on hiatus until April 1. Such a move has some wondering — even E! Network, which included the series in its annual “Save One Show” campaign — if it will be canceled. Currently, E!’s website lists the show’s future as “TBD.” Still, such a decision would be a disservice to the public.

One of “The Mindy Project’s” most endearing qualities is its resemblance to real life. What more can you expect from Kaling, a New York Times best-selling author, whose book “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?” offered up such truisms for women including “I want a schedule-keeping, waking-up-early, wallet-carrying, non-Velcro-shoe-wearing man.”

In the show’s debut episode, Lahiri got rip-roaring drunk at an ex’s wedding and proceeded to give a toasted speech, which included the lines, “Or the time Tom told me — when we were having sex — that he wanted to marry me and make me pregnant with six babies.”

“The Mindy Project” acts out every fantasy that crosses your mind. Lahiri is you in 10 years, perhaps 20 pounds heavier depending on your gym habits. She knows when someone calls you out on identifying an eighth person as your best friend, your reply is, “Best friend isn’t a person…it’s a tier.” And she knows sometimes you do your best thinking after drinking, proclaiming, “after four vodka sodas I realized, I had something to say.”

In addition to a dose of reality, “The Mindy Project,” boasts several guest-star appearances. Seth Rogen played Mindy’s love from Jewish camp. In season two, the ubiquitous James Franco starred as a doctor looking to give Mindy a run for her cutest-doc-in-the-office crown.

Lastly, audiences should be tuning in because “The Mindy Project” is a valiant effort to overcome Hollywood’s gender bias.

According to The Writers Guild of America West 2013 Staffing brief, out of 1722 writers in the 2011-2012 season, there were 637 guild members working on comedies — only 185 were women.

Cutting “The Mindy Project” — and Kaling’s writing credit — only further reinforces “Girls” creator Lena Dunham’s theory, which she expressed recently in an interview with Grantland on Feb. 20.

“Networks and studios still seem to be almost pathologically incapable of understanding that women make up 52 percent of the planet and therefore programming that has women at its center is not a fad or a trend, it’s a necessary expression,” Dunham said in the interview.

“The Mindy Project” is an expression that should be viewed by the masses. Do it because Kaling gives a voice to your so-called put together life. Do it to see your favorite celebrities making an appearance. And lastly, do it for the sisterhood so that more networks will recognize the wonder of women.

Erin Jensen is a graduate student in broadcast and digital journalism. Her column appears weekly. You can reach her at ejense01@syr.edu or on Twitter at @erinrjensen.

 

 

 

Published on February 27, 2014 at 1:00 am