The Mindy Project has been struggling in the ratings but in the last few weeks the numbers have been inching upward. It seemed that FOX wasn’t giving up on the show, especially after they scheduled special airings of Mindy and New Girl to follow a Thursday edition of American Idol on April 4th.

The Mindy Project will return for its second season. Ben and Kate, the network’s other newbie sitcom, has already been cancelled.

Here are some additional details about the renewals:

HOT FROM FOX…

FOX COMEDIES “NEW GIRL,” “THE MINDY PROJECT” AND “RAISING HOPE” PICKED UP FOR 2013-2014 SEASON

All-New NEW GIRL and THE MINDY PROJECT Air Tuesday, March 12; One-Hour RAISING HOPE Season Finale Airs Thursday, March 28

FOX has picked up comedy series NEW GIRL, THE MINDY PROJECT and RAISING HOPE for the 2013-14 season, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, Chairman of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. NEW GIRL was picked up for a third season, THE MINDY PROJECT received a second season order and RAISING HOPE was renewed for a fourth season.

“We love working with these talented producers and casts who, week after week, create some of the funniest work on television,” said Reilly. “These shows are creatively vibrant, they have established a loyal and passionate audience and they will continue to define and grow the FOX comedy brand next season and beyond.”

Season to date, NEW GIRL ranks No. 1 among comedies in its core Women 18-34 demographic and is a Top 10 comedy among Adults 18-49. THE MINDY PROJECT has emerged as the No. 1 new comedy of the season among Women 18-34, while RAISING HOPE, which has anchored FOX’s Tuesday nights this season, is a Top 20 sitcom among Adults 18-34 and Teens.

In “Guys Night,” the next all-new episode of NEW GIRL, airing Tuesday, March 12 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT), Jess (Zooey Deschanel) comes to a conclusion about her romantic feelings for Nick (Jake Johnson), and she struggles to tell him – until she’s hopped up on pain medication. But after admitting her feelings, she finds out he may have been keeping something from her. Meanwhile, Schmidt (Max Greenfield) becomes obsessed with buying a fish, which Winston (Lamorne Morris) sees as a metaphor for Schmidt’s unresolved feelings toward Cece (Hannah Simone), and Nick plans a bar promotion to impress the bar owner (guest star Odette Annable).

In the all-new “Mindy’s Birthday” episode of THE MINDY PROJECT airing Tuesday, March 12 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT), Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) throws Mindy (Mindy Kaling) a surprise birthday party, but when her two worlds collide – personal and professional- it’s nothing to celebrate. Meanwhile, Jeremy (Ed Weeks) and Danny (Chris Messina) fight over the same girl (guest star Kelen Coleman, “Newsroom”).

The hour-long season finale of back-to-back RAISING HOPE episodes, “Burt-Mitzvah/Mom’s Day”, airs on a special night and time, Thursday, March 28 (9:00-9:30/9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) after AMERICAN IDOL (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed). In “Burt-Mitzvah,” Burt’s (Garret Dillahunt) parents (guest stars Shirley Jones and Lee Majors) come to town with the surprising news that their son actually is Jewish. So Burt takes a musical crash course in his newfound heritage, to prepare for the Bar Mitzvah he never had. Then, in “Mom’s Day,” it’s a Mother’s Day to remember as Burt and Barney (Gregg Binkley) take a road trip to Maw Maw’s (Cloris Leachman) childhood home and discover that her mother may still be alive. Needless to say, multiple generations of crazy gather under one roof.

NEW GIRL stars Emmy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated actress Zooey Deschanel as a smart, spirited and single young woman who navigates her way through the highs and lows of modern friendship and romance, alongside her three male roommates (Jake Johnson, Emmy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated Max Greenfield, Lamorne Morris) and her beautiful best friend (Hannah Simone). Created by Liz Meriwether (“No Strings Attached”), NEW GIRL is produced by Chernin Entertainment in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Meriwether, Dave Finkel, Brett Baer, Jake Kasdan, Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope are executive producers. “Like” NEW GIRL on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NewGirlonFOX. Follow the series on Twitter @NewGirlOnFOX and join the discussion at #newgirl.

Created and written by Mindy Kaling (“The Office”), THE MINDY PROJECT stars Kaling as a skilled OB/GYN trying to balance both her personal and professional life. THE MINDY PROJECT is produced by 3 Arts Entertainment in association with Universal Television. The series is created and written by Mindy Kaling. Kaling, Howard Klein (“The Office,” “Parks and Recreation”), Matt Warburton (THE SIMPSONS) and Michael Spiller (“Modern Family”) are executive producers. “Like” THE MINDY PROJECT on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TheMindyProject. Follow the series on Twitter @MindyProjectFOX and join the discussion at #themindyproject.

Created by Emmy Award winner Greg Garcia, RAISING HOPE follows the Chance family as the unplanned addition to their family becomes a toddler. The show stars Lucas Neff, Emmy Award winner Martha Plimpton, Garret Dillahunt, Shannon Woodward, Emmy Award winner Cloris Leachman and Gregg Binkley. RAISING HOPE is produced by Amigos de Garcia Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television. “Like” RAISING HOPE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RaisingHope. Follow the series on Twitter @RaisingHopeFOX and join the discussion at #raisinghope.

What do you think? Are you glad to hear that these sitcoms will be back next season? Which one(s) do you like the best?