The gang goes on another wacky group outing on this week’s “The Mindy Project,” this time to a photography exhibit featuring their own Dr. Daniel Castellano.
But first, after a very funny cameo from Kevin Smith playing himself, Mindy has another meet-cute with another cute guy, this time played by the adorable Ben Feldman (of “Mad Men” and “Drop Dead Diva”). As if Mindy weren’t surrounded by enough cute single men, she meets another, on a plane. How convenient. That doesn’t happen in real life. Hell, knowing that many hot, eligible, gainfully employed bachelors in one place/time doesn’t happen in real life.
Turns out Feldman’s Jason Richman is the arts and culture editor for the fictional New York Independent newspaper—yet he is so involved in Arts and Culture that he has to look up James Spader and “Pretty in Pink” on his phone. Really? He knows Kevin Smith and “Chasing Amy” but not “Pretty in Pink”?
Jeremy tells Mindy that Jason is very particular and probably too highbrow for her. She realizes this herself while on their date, when they discuss their thoughts on the movie they saw and she confesses that she hasn’t yet “tired of seeing hot people fall in love.” She’s still surprised when Jason says flat out that their relationship probably won’t go anywhere because they have nothing in common.
You’d think Mindy would be annoyed enough with him to just let it go and move on with her life, but since it’s only half way through the episode, she clearly can’t be done with him yet. In an effort to impress him, she invites him to a super artsy fartsy event: a photography exhibit.
Not just any photography exhibit: Danny’s ex-wife Christina’s exhibit, featuring photos of Danny—nekkid. And just when I was wondering where Lawyer Cliff from last week was, Danny brings him in to the episode. He’s asking Cliff’s help in shutting down the exhibit or maybe suing Christina, but since he agreed to the photos and signed a release form, he really doesn’t have a case. Cliff goes to the exhibit anyway to check it out—but probably mostly because he finds it amusing.
Of course, the rest of the staff goes to the exhibit as well, including new doctor Peter, and their midwife nemesis from last season, Dr. Brendan Deslaurier (Mark Duplass). Jeremy continues to embarrass himself, this time in front of Jason, for whom he has a fanboy-like respect; we learn a little about Tamra, who is apparently a shampoo model in Asia; and Betsy gets the hots for Danny after seeing all the artful photos of him (I hope they string that out for more than one episode).
After trying in vain (huh, that’s ironic) to convince Jason, Brendan, and the others that she’s more cultured than they think, and after the exhibit tries to make Danny out as the devil, Mindy eventually stands up for Danny, and for herself, calling out the exhibit for its stupidity, and admitting that there’s nothing wrong with liking pop culture. Of course, she does this in her typically embarrassing way, accidentally instagraming a photo of her bosom while trying to make her point.
She and Danny have a moment on the stoop outside the gallery, where she acknowledges that he has a hot body, but he eventually leaves with another woman. They also both share admiration for Lawyer Cliff, to the point where they’re almost fighting over him. Perhaps Danny and Mindy will stay just friends after all … but I suspect that will change once we get closer to the middle or end of the season. At least, I can hope.
In the meantime, she eventually has to hook up with Lawyer Cliff. But first, her speech apparently worked on Jason, who is waiting at her door. He woos her by referencing “Pretty in Pink” and singing Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” on the ukulele (we heard very little of it, but he has a great voice!). We’ll see how long this relationship lasts.
Some of my favorite lines tonight:
Mindy: “I’m a petit Asian woman.”
Kevin Smith: “So am I.”
“So you’re one of those snobs who only watch highbrow stuff, like ‘Celebrity Rehab.’—Mindy
“I’m deeply cultured. I’ve been to London. I saw ‘Mamma Mia’ on the West End, before it transferred to Broadway, where I saw it again.”—Mindy
“Good, I’m glad this can all be worked out over photos of my genitals.”—Danny
Tamra: “You look good for an old-ass man.”
Danny: “I’m in my 30s.”
Tamra: “Late 30s.”
Mindy: “You are getting a lot of business from us.”
Cliff: “And yet none of you pay me. Nor do you seem to care that I’m a divorce lawyer.”
“The way that there’s a certain sadness to his … thigh meat. The light, how it’s refracting off of um … the nads.”—Mindy, trying to sound intelligent about art
“Nip City is trending.”—Morgan
“Why don’t we call it pro bono for under privileged Manhattan doctors?”—Cliff
“Can I have a puff?” (Mindy takes Danny’s cigarette and throws it away.) “That’s stupid. You shouldn’t smoke.”—Mindy
“I’m actually busy watching a video online of a baby who’s startled by its own fart.”—Mindy
So what did you think of the episode, “Mindy” fans? How long do you think Jason will stick around? Are you glad to see Brendan back? Will they eventually play up the Mindy-Danny romance again, or will they stay just friends? Are you glad Mindy has finally outgrown that awful pixie haircut?
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