STARS: 3.5/5
Both Mindy Kaling and her character Mindy Lahiri have something in common besides a first name: they both grew up loving romantic comedies. The influence of this genre has been pervasive since season one of “The Mindy Project,” but in its sixth and final season, the show has taken a darker turn.
In the show’s earliest seasons, Lahiri bounces from one relationship to the next — an unsustainable plot line if it weren’t for the growing romantic tension between her and her grouch of a coworker, Danny Castellano. After nearly three seasons of dragging out the inevitable, Lahiri and Castellano were officially an item.
While their relationship was far from paradise — their bickering never ceased — it was clear to viewers they both genuinely loved each other. Despite both being problematic in their own ways, Lahiri’s fun-loving, impulsive personality seemed to balance out Castellano’s serious practicality.
It seemed the two were meant to be, but the show took a surprising, darker turn in season four. Castellano’s flaws reached new, unexpected magnitudes when he selfishly tried to fit Lahiri into his own maternal stereotype. After a season full of his antics — shaming her for her decision to keep working after the birth of their son and trying to manipulate her into having another baby — viewers breathed a sigh of relief once they separated.
Fast forward to the show’s current season where Lahiri is married to her latest beau Ben — your classic adorably nerdy, good guy. At the end of the last season, she struggled with uncertainties about marriage but caved in the finale with a spontaneous, grand gesture.
Lahiri continues this inner struggle in last week’s season premiere, avoiding spending time with Ben in lieu of getting involved in her coworkers’ drama despite his multiple attempts at a date night.
Lahiri’s repeated failure to get her “happily-ever-after” may be an intentional stab at the genre. Life is not a rom-com. Best friends should not always fall in love. A relationship does not end with a wedding. And a grumpy coworker should sometimes just stay a grumpy coworker.
The last season of “The Mindy Project” presents an interesting question: if there’s not a happy ending, is it still a rom-com? We will have to stay tuned to find out.