FOX has a new “new girl” sitcom tonight. This one belongs to The Office’s Mindy Kaling. Is The Mindy Project worth your time or should it be cancelled instead?
The Mindy Project follows an OB/GYN (Mindy Kaling) who’s got a politically incorrect sense of humor. She’s also a hopeless romantic who’s successful in her career but her love life is lacking — despite the advice of some of her friends. Co-stars include Chris Messina, Ed Weeks, Ike Barinholtz, Stephen Tobolowsky, Zoe Jarman, Amanda Setton, and Anna Camp.
Is the sitcom worth watching? Here’s what the critics have to say:
NY Times: “The pilot of The Mindy Project isn’t quite as funny as Ms. Kaling is at her best, but it has some amusing moments and a lot of promise.”
Hollywood Reporter: “If, like most sitcoms, Mindy still is in a growth phase, it’s clear the writing and acting are there to be developed. Here’s to one of the few half-hours of merit this season, a beacon of hope among the bleak fall offerings.”
Chicago Tribune: “After all those years on The Office, it’s understandable someone would want to give Mindy Kaling her own vehicle. She’s smart, funny, has that pip-squeaky voice made for sitcoms, and despite her bravado, comes across as awkward and vulnerable. The Mindy Project certainly leverages those assets, though like New Girl, it’s an imperfect product, and given its familiar trappings needs to put even more effort into bolstering its support system. Still, there are enough winning moments here to come back for an encore.”
NY Daily News: “Mindy gets sufficiently quirky that no one will confuse her with previous thirtysomething sitcom women — like, say, Mary Tyler Moore. But she too could make it after all.”
TIME: “In all, it’s a polished pilot, but one that will have to ground its characters better to work as a series.
Salt Lake Tribune: “If you like Mindy Kaling (The Office), chances are you’re going to like her new sitcom The Mindy Project. She is the creator, executive producer and star. If you don’t like Mindy Kaling, well … I think a lot of people are going to like her… The Mindy Project is funny and charming in a New Girl kind of way, and should do well in the post-New Girl timeslot.”
Seattle PI: “But for any person – woman or man, lush or straight-edge – I believe The Mindy Project delivers something truly rare on television these days: a female protagonist who is both realistic and aspirational. Mindy isn’t perfect, nor does she pretend to be, but she does understand herself in a way so few women on prime-time do. Instead of allowing others to define her based on her gender, race or any single trivial aspect, Mindy embraces all dimensions of her personality, from her extreme girliness to her biting snark. Not since Buffy stalked the streets of Sunnydale have we seen a heroine as flawed, as feminine and as strong as Mindy. That alone is worth tuning in for each week. Soft hair, hard attitude – Mindy, you have it all!”
LA Times: “It is possible that I have a small crush on the creator and star — inspired in no small part by her writing, as published in various magazines and her comic-essays memoir, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) — so I may not be entirely reliable on this subject. But, to the degree I can be objective, I like this a lot.”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “There are laughs in The Mindy Project, something that can’t be said for every new fall comedy. I suspect, though, that Kaling and her character will be polarizing and that viewers will love them or hate them. Love the two Mindys and The Mindy Project may become your favorite new show.”
What do you think? Have you watched The Mindy Project series? Will you watch again? Would you recommend it?
I’ll give it another chance as I do all new ones I hear might be good. First epy I didn’t laugh once.