What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 2, Episode 3 “Music Festival” (C-)

I can’t comprehend why this show went some of the ways it did in this episode. It was hard enough to believe that Casey would actually be real, and that his relationship with Mindy would actually work given all of her superficial traits. After they went to Haiti together, for him to all of a sudden decide, and announce publicly, that he wants to be a DJ is completely ridiculous. That it didn’t even pay off and he abruptly shifted to an event planning dream was even less convincing, and to use this purely as a device to get rid of Casey is pointless since he and Mindy could have avoided the entirely implausible trip to Haiti altogether. With him gone, it will be back to the dating drawing board for Mindy, who can now try to meet men while her almost-romance with Danny continues to progress. Morgan faking a proposal to Danny in order to get the National to come perform for him was silly, and treating someone unknowingly eating pot brownies as an original plotline is naïve. Jeremy is a fully different character now, no longer nonchalant and the only serious member of his practice, a title formerly held by Danny. I understand the need to infuse new blood into this show to keep it fresh, and I do like Adam Pally, who was entertaining on “Happy Endings,” but he came from out of nowhere. This show demands a suspension of disbelief that’s too much to bear, and it’s very irritating.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 2, Episode 2 “The Other Dr. L” (C+)

I can tell that parting from this show is going to be an unlikely event, even though I’m no longer impressed with the direction the show is headed and have little faith that it will be changed anytime soon. In addition to Beth Grant, who became a series regular midway through the show’s first season as the nutty and completely counterproductive character Beverly, Xosha Roquemore, who plays Tamra, has also been promoted to series regular status for this season. Turning Morgan into something other than a one-shot plotline and succeeding to some degree was a large enough victory, and showcasing those two, who are infinitely more grating than the original receptionist character, Shauna, indicates that this show is never going to get away from its medical office setting. The removal of James Franco’s other Dr. L was done in a semi-clever way, though he was so obnoxious for most of it that it just wasn’t really worth it. Losing in a shot-off with Mindy was no surprise, but sleeping with Christina was a considerably bolder and more reckless move. I’m so unimpressed with how Jeremy has completely lost his backbone and composure, and now he’s nothing but the practice’s most serious member, a far cry from his casual and eternally detached doctor in season one. Danny’s basketball league, while slightly funny, was the kind of storyline that likely worked a lot better on paper than it did practically as it played out in this episode. No matter what his plotline is, however, Chris Messina always and dependably commits.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project (Season Premiere)

The Mindy Project: Season 2, Episode 1 “All My Problems Solved Forever…” (C)

I really want to like this show, but I also haven’t reached the point at which I can no longer stand it, though I’m sure it’s not far off at this rate. The whole idea of Mindy actually going to Haiti is preposterous, and for her to be airlifted back to New York, rather than somewhere a bit closer, like, say, Miami, is equally ridiculous. The fact that she would ever agree to a casual wedding planned in less than a week is utterly unbelievable, and it does this show a disservice to have Mindy consider such thoughts for even a moment. I’ve read many times that this show would do well to ditch its medical office setting entirely, and I think that adding James Franco as a workplace nemesis for Mindy is an unnecessary stunt that will likely last just one episode and add nothing to the overall storyline of the show. Jeremy getting fat is another instance of the show being lazy and uncreative, and it’s disappointing to see it featured so prominently. I’m more impressed with Danny’s plotline, which was funny and embarrassing, and put him in a position where he couldn’t possibly defend himself. I’m sure it’s going nowhere fast, but I do love that the awkward flirtation between Mindy and Danny continues, and that he seemed devastated to hear that she was marrying Casey but then talked her into going through with the wedding if she thought it was what she really wanted. I’ll give this show a few more weeks, but my confidence is waning.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project (Season Finale)

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 24 “Take Me with You” (C+)

This finale is representative of the entire first season of this show – entertaining and appealing but ultimately inconsistent and unsatisfying. The thought of Mindy going to Haiti to be with Casey at any point never made sense, and that’s also because she doesn’t ever act much like an intelligent doctor. Cutting her hair is something she would never do, and I find it very hard to believe that she was compelled to action after, much more believably, trying to get out of going with Casey by saying that she wouldn’t do it unless they were going to get married. Her little moment with Danny at the end of the episode, however long we’ve been waiting for it, also felt forced, and too easily avoided by Mindy’s confirmation that she and Casey were back together. This show would do better to dwell on its funnier little moments, like Mindy practicing Skyping with Casey. Chloe Sevigny’s Christina is proving to be entirely uninteresting, and it would be good if she could get some personality akin to the admittedly excitable if not fully realistic person that is Casey, whose career as a minister doesn’t quite jive with the way he acts when he’s with Mindy, especially in their more intimate moments. I want to like this show as it goes into its second season, but I’m still not feeling convinced that it has a strong sense of where it’s going. I would be gratified to see that problem resolved at least somewhat when season two premieres.

Season grade: B-
Season MVP: Mindy Kaling

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 23 “Frat Party” (B-)

Sometimes I think this show doesn’t have a clear understanding of its characters, purporting that people like Danny and Jeremy might be turned away from a club and mocked because of their age and assuming that these relatively young characters are perceived by the world as close to death and hopelessly uncool. Mindy’s extended battle with the stripper pole was a bit much, and I didn’t see much of a value in her intern Katie being in the episode. Casey showing up drunk to the club and fighting with Tom, on the other hand, was considerably more entertaining, and I liked seeing Danny step in to defend Morgan when tensions were high and everyone was about to get punched. Despite Casey’s sentimental confirmation of Mindy’s hopes and dreams, I have serious doubts about the sustainability of their relationship unrelated to his casual plans to go to Haiti for a year. The fight to win Morgan back from the Deslaurier brothers at least had sound reasoning behind it, which was to write the show of a character more grating than Beverly and Maggie combined, the impossibly irritating Tamara. I can’t understand why the supporting personalities on this show have to be so loud and grating, and I think it’s detrimental to have such obnoxious characters around to distract form the much more enticing leads, namely Mindy and Danny. As this show finishes its first season next week, I hope it will look towards the development of that inevitable relationship and also towards reframing the show in a more productive manner for next year.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 22 “Triathlon” (C+)

It’s a rare episode of this show that doesn’t start with Mindy narrating about how New York is like a romantic comedy, and this installment definitely took a different approach. Chloe Sevigny’s Christina is hardly a monster, though she is rather manipulative, as evidenced by the way she spoke to Danny about her breasts. Danny firing Morgan on the spot was harsh but not undeserved, and of course Morgan didn’t have any trouble asking his old pal Duncan for a job with the rival midwives. The notion of the triathlon made sense since Danny likes working out and getting others to be in shape, and Brendan’s repeated statements about winning just by signing up tracked perfectly with his character. His outburst following Morgan’s act of selflessness did not, and I was disappointed to see his character become so inconsistent. I didn’t realize that Casey was still in the picture, and he needs to learn that Mindy won’t take a cue and opt not to say something controversial in front of a group of young children. Mindy’s bible study is probably best forgotten, and I think Casey’s going to stick around for a while now because he had the courage to kiss Mindy while she still had vomit on her mouth. I’m eager to see whether Danny’s renewed relationship with Christina turns him into a happier person or if the resentment we know is eventually coming will just make him angry again. It seems that he doesn’t mind not being angry, but I’m not sure how long we could tolerate Danny’s softer side.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 21 “Santa Fe” (B-)

This show never seems to be able to deliver on its promising episodic premises. I was waiting for the follow-up scene to the hilarious sight of Mindy announcing her plans to take a full-size suitcase as a carry-on and a garment bag as her purse on the plane where she gets told by the TSA that she can’t do it, only to sweet-talk them into letting her do it, much to Danny’s horror, or something of the sort. Instead, we get the remarkable irreverence of Morgan and Jeremy steaming for too long and Josh being in rehab, addicted to cocaine. Josh was one character that used to be a positive aspect of the show, and seeing an athlete utilized to such inconsequential effect was disappointing since his presence was purely unnecessary. Danny’s grumpiness is getting old, but it was entertaining to hear him talk to all of the patients in rehab about how their addictions shouldn’t actually be categorized as such. I suppose Josh guessing that Mindy was now dating Mindy was the most productive part of the episode, mainly because it finally indicates that their romantic entanglement might be in the near future. Seeing them hold hands for a moment of turbulence on the plane and quickly pretend it didn’t happen is hardly satisfying after a whole season of buildup, however, and I do hope that this show overhauls some of its less successful elements in preparation for what could be a much more even and coherent second season.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 20 “Pretty Man” (B+)

After a handful of iffy installments, it’s refreshing to see an admittedly over-the-top episode that’s actually quite funny. Mindy’s encounter at the bar with Adam was staged in such a manner that it was hard not to find it entrancing and also not surprising when it was revealed that he was in fact a prostitute. Adam was played by Josh Meyers, who is Seth Meyers’ brother, and will be familiar to audiences from his role as Randy in the final season of “That 70s Show” and also from his sketch work on “MadTV” alongside Morgan portrayer Ike Barinholtz. Adam’s invented railroad money story was terrific, and his parting kiss at the party was impressive. Mostly, however, this episode worked because it embellished the relationship between Danny and Mindy, with the latter being so offended to have not been invited to his dinner party that she turned it into something else altogether by spitefully inviting the entire office. Mindy accidentally revealing to Alex that Danny had an ex-wife ended what was an incredibly short relationship, but it’s probably for the best so that Mindy and Danny can get together sooner. I enjoyed Brendan’s guest appearance, and I do hope he continues to recur, even if he and Mindy don’t end up being fated to be together romantically. I think this was also the most productive use of Maggie yet, allowing her to make Jeremy jealous with an Australian date after he thought that he was going to have to let her down easy.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 19 “My Cool Christian Boyfriend” (C-)

This show is going downhill fast, delivering a second consecutive episode demonstrating the banality of its storylines and the uncreative nature of its guest characters. Mindy’s inability to get off the subway because she can’t stop having a conversation led to an unexpected meeting, but you’d think that her new Christian boyfriend would have mentioned his occupation in a more straightforward way than a casual mention after Mindy noticed him saying grace before eating during their date. His arrogance after church made him seem like an entirely different character, and it also didn’t track with his extremely unusual method of preaching, displaying traits and spouting references that were right up Mindy’s alley. I suppose that, by now, we shouldn’t be surprised that Mindy would have a conveniently-timed visit to prison that she could hop on after being made to feel like a bad person. The fact that it gave Morgan an opportunity to define prison stereotypes before unleashing one of the worst and most basic cinematic representations of a prison riot was highly regrettable, and I’d like to forget that the entire plotline ever happened. Shauna has now mysteriously disappeared and, instead, Beverly seems to have taken her place, which, accent aside, is hardly a productive switch. This show is not making good use of its better characters, and it’s headed in a downward spiral from which I don’t think it will be able to recover. It’s always been irreverent, but now it’s bordering on being absolutely terrible and unwatchable.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 18 “Danny’s Friend” (C)

To me, this episode exemplifies everything that is wrong with this show. With such a funny creative like Mindy Kaling behind the scenes, you’d think that Danny, almost inarguably the show’s most engaging character, would have more substantial friends than a one-note walking stereotype like the excessively Italian Stevie. The fact that Mindy fell for his act and made out with him before discovering the horrible truth that he was in fact from Staten Island is even more unbelievable, and their midday trip to Staten Island was horrifically embarrassing for all parties involved. There is also so little intelligence on this show, present mainly in the intervention staged at the office, executed based purely on erroneous assumptions made by Jeremy and Mindy, which could easily have been assessed more closely and accurately. Ellie Kemper’s return as Heather was underwhelming as well, mainly because there was no reason that Mindy should have given in to Danny’s push for her to be honest and then convinced her landlord to allow a certifiably crazy woman she didn’t like to be able to rent an apartment in her building. I understand that Anna Camp’s Gwen is no longer meant to be a series regular, and I’m not sure where Kelen Coleman’s Alex was in this episode, but why do we continually have to be stuck with Mary Grill’s Maggie as Mindy’s best friend? She even managed to contradict her usual nature this time around, easily seduced by Heather’s offer of food and friendship when she’s much colder and more staunchly loyal to her friend Mindy most of the time.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 17 “Mindy’s Birthday” (B)

As with pretty much every other episode of this show, there are some appealing elements but just as many peculiar and inexplicable insertions of inanity. Mindy’s friends should know better than to trick her into showing up for a surprise party by making her think that she was actually meeting a guy for a blind date. The gift of the “cooking for one” book was particularly thoughtless, to the point that it truly wasn’t believable. I’m continually annoyed by the presence of Maggie, who I think adds nothing positive to the show, as opposed to Alex, who has a bit of a backbone despite being nothing more than a romantic object in this episode, and Gwen, who continues to lack personality but still possesses some charm. Jeremy and Danny warring over seducing Alex was decently amusing, though it wasn’t quite as hilarious as it could have been. Mindy treating herself to a solo sundae for her birthday was fun, and joining in with a group of friends who were similar on the surface led to an expected explosive incident and the impossibly random return of Beverly, a character this show seems destined to include, no matter how little she contributes to the show. Brendan arriving at the hospital produced an entertaining immature reaction from Mindy’s friends, yet another first meeting between characters, and it was sweet that he named a constellation for Mindy. Maybe that romance isn’t dead after all, but let’s hope that Danny realizes his affection for Mindy and does something about it sooner rather than later. He’ll have plenty of time, of course, since this show has been renewed for a second season and will now officially be around for a while.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 16 “The One That Got Away” (B+)

It’s nice to know that Mindy Kaling is all about having her comedy friends stop by for a visit. It’s also interesting to see Seth Rogen utilized in a less explicitly funny context, somewhat similar to his role in last year’s “Take This Waltz.” He was pretty good, however, and I liked his semi-chemistry with Mindy, which wasn’t overly romantic but still relatively charming. I heartily enjoyed the opening flashback scene which detailed their first meeting and where he made a quick joke about Mindy being Sephardic, which he declined to explain to Mindy, congratulating himself on its effectiveness instead. It’s understandable that Mindy would get quickly attached to the notion of being able to be with a person so similar to her, but it makes sense that she shouldn’t end up with him right now since it would drastically change the framework of the show. Danny considering donating sperm as a way of having kids at the request of his patients was an intriguing situation, and I liked how Mindy reacted to hearing that he was contemplating it. That’s always been the strongest, most consistent aspect of this show, and it’s probably better that Mindy and Danny don’t get together just yet. Having Danny hold the letter for Mindy and then console her in the halfhearted way that he knows how was fitting, however, and it’s good to see their friendship continuing to blossom and progress in a positive way. If only the rest of the team had better things to do.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 15 “Mindy’s Minute” (B-)

Mindy Kaling is clearly funny, and it’s just a shame that this show can’t come out completely right. The concept of Mindy recording a commercial to put in taxi cabs makes some sense, but having it turn into something as exaggerated as her being asked to go on TV because of her pity factory is just unnecessary. It also doesn’t track that Mindy, who is rarely seen addressing or caring even remotely about her patients, would become so concerned with the cruel but paranoid Drea De Matteo enough to miss her moment to shine, prompting Danny to have to go on TV to do her segment for her. To his credit, Chris Messina always performs well despite sometimes mediocre material, and watching his surprisingly strong talk go south when he accidentally said the word “vagina” was admittedly amusing. After hooking up for a short time, it seems that Mindy’s entertaining relationship with Brendan is now done with, and he’s back to a midwife nemesis for Mindy and Danny. Maria Menounos appearing as herself was a bit random, and it’s always interesting to see celebrities portray themselves in guest spots like this. Beth Grant is a talented actress perfect for distinctive parts, and I don’t think that Beverly is a character she or this show needed to revisit. Devoting anyone else’s time in the office to training her on how to use a computer is a waste, especially since, overall, it’s just not terribly original or funny. This show is hardly achieving its full potential.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 14 “Harry and Mindy” (B)

This episode aired just one week before Valentine’s Day, probably because this show will be preempted this coming week due to the State of the Union address, but somehow, it still felt odd to me, before I realized that the romantic holiday is in fact just around the corner. Like any other episode of this show, there were some very funny parts, but something about the construction just didn’t do it for me. Though the plotline was too over-the-top to be believed, it was fun to see Common, who is so terrific on AMC’s “Hell on Wheels,” as an Empire State Building security officer who thought Mindy was a terrorist. After I cracked up when Mindy tore up what she thought was Danny’s suicide note and instead ended up being the jaywalking ticket he was fighting, I’m glad that Mindy brought Danny along on her date to try to distract Lucy from taking all of the attention from her date. They actually were a great pair, and while I suppose it’s endearing that Mindy got to play matchmaker in a way other than she had expected, it’s a shame that we couldn’t have seen Danny and Lucy together a bit more first. I’m gradually becoming more and more annoyed with Morgan, something that should have happened the moment he first appeared, but I suppose it’s at least giving Jeremy something to do, which is probably a good thing since he’s actually among the show’s most easily entertaining characters, provided he’s given the appropriate plotline.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 13 “Harry and Sally” (B)

This show has so much potential, and I just can’t comprehend what it is about it that doesn’t quite work. Perhaps it was the fact that Brendan and Mindy were already in bed together at the start of the episode despite the fact that their relationship certainly hasn’t progressed that far, and while Brendan does continue to possess some of the qualities that make him a terrific midwife, he seems to be a bit less consistent that would be expected. It’s great to see B.J. Novak, whose character on “The Office” had a long-running relationship with Kaling’s, as the second actor from that show to appear as one of Mindy’s dates. It’s not the best use of Eva Amurri, who was so fantastic in the third season of “Californication,” and here is relegated to the part of Lucy, Jamie’s best friend and (apparently) not his girlfriend. We’ll see how much she gets in the way now that Mindiana Jones has made an impression. Danny’s grand gesture didn’t go so well, and the fact that he tried it in the first place doesn’t quite make sense. I really didn’t like Mindy’s new friend Maggie, and I hope we don’t see her again. As usual, the episode was full of terrific little moments that didn’t add up to a productive whole, like Mindy describing “best friend” as a tier and referring “Goodfellas” rather than romantic comedies to get Danny to understand what she was saying, and Mindy exclaiming to Jillian, “Eye patch! You have two eyes!” Mindy confusing Jamie for a waiter and taking food off his plate was also hilarious.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 12 “Hooking Up is Hard” (B)

This episode could have been so good, and had some great elements, but boy was it messy. Mindy deciding that Brendan would be the perfect person for her to have a one night stand with made some sense but also went completely against her worldview, which was that she didn’t respect his profession or his attitude at all. I enjoyed her initial selection, Draco Malfoy, and her revelation that she always wears underwear, even under her bathing suits. Brendan not believing in snacking or corn starch was much funnier than Mindy’s mishap in his shower and their different approaches to handling Morgan’s asthma attack. Brendan telling Mindy in the elevator that they are going to have sex, but not now, was, like many of the elements of this show, intriguing but awkward and inconclusive. I did like that Morgan and Duncan’s friendship was revisited, best seen in their ineffective attempt at subtle communication in the office. It makes sense to me that Danny wouldn’t be on board with Eye-Patch Girl’s plans to go to an innovative show with nudity and an 11pm dinner reservation, but that has much more to do with him being Danny than him being old. I’d like to think that maybe they could work things out, since Danny could use a distraction from his boring work life. Mindy sleeping in a murderer mask to avoid being murdered was rather entertaining, and I most enjoyed Danny’s reaction to his startled question about why she was wearing it.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 11 “Bunk Bed” (C+)

I’m a bit worried that I’m letting what I hear and read other people think about this show affect my perception of it. Yet that’s not entirely the case, since I am concerned and unimpressed with the direction that some of these plotlines are going. Most annoying and problematic are the antics around the office. To the show’s enormous credit, Morgan works as a character. When he’s the only bearable one in the office, that’s saying something. I’ve read that Shauna will be written out, which is fine, but Betsy is pretty bad too, and having them sneak around all day while they’re at the office – when Danny, who mandated Saturday hours, isn’t even around – to find a People magazine because he verbally banned Facebook is a waste of time. The fact that Morgan got called by Mindy to come to her apartment and build a bunk bed, and that Danny had time to leave and come find him, was just ridiculous. I wish that there would have been more to Danny and Gwen’s meeting than painkillers and a comment about being a handsome jerk, and I also find Mindy’s attitude towards Gwen’s daughter to be too childish, even for her. What was positive about this episode, however, was the very welcome appearance of Allison Williams, star of “Girls,” as the woman with the eye-patch who wasn’t going to let Danny get away with whatever he wanted. I sincerely hope that she’ll be sticking around and that we can forget all this letter business and just move on to him making Mindy jealous by dating Eye-Patch Girl.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 10 “Mindy’s Brother” (B)

This episode definitely had its funny moments, but it also had an air of randomness to it that took away from its effectiveness. It makes some sense that Mindy would support her brother financially and push him towards a productive, successful career instead of indulging his rap interests. The fact that he got along so well with Morgan was a lot of fun, and it’s nice to see the entire office warm to him as well. He did turn out to be quite a good rapper, and I enjoyed his final set with an uncomfortable Mindy saying things that she definitely didn’t want to be saying to her brother. As usual, Mindy’s introduction to the episode was among its most entertaining moments, acknowledging the start of a new year and an effort to correct past mistakes, complete with a friendly interaction with a man wearing a knife on his belt on the subway. It would be nice to see more of Gwen and Alex interacting with Mindy in person rather than just hanging out without her and then talking to her on the phone, since they’re both good characters and could be put to much better use. I love when Jeremy and Danny band together to try to get something accomplished, and seeking out the retired father of their new tyrannical landlord was a wholly fantastic mission. Realizing that he wanted to seduce the wife of another man was quite a shock, and this show sometimes knows exactly how far to go, exemplified by the husband brandishing his sword from within his cane and then ending the scene there.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 9 “Josh and Mindy’s Christmas Party” (B+)

The nice thing about having Mindy Kaling as the creative force behind this show is that she’s able to call upon former costars for guest spots. Ed Helms appeared in the pilot, and now Ellie Kemper, who plays the dim-witted but sweet Erin on “The Office,” was here in a fun role as Heather, the woman that Mindy thought Josh was cheating on her with, when in fact it was the other way around. I’m not sure if we’ll see more of Josh in the future, but it was odd to have his other girlfriend burst onto the scene without him even really trying to deny that he was a cheater. Watching Kemper and Kaling square off was a blast, and I’m glad to see a positive reunion, at least for the audience, of the two comediennes. Having Danny be there when Mindy overheard and then replayed the message from Heather was terrific, and I like that he later tried to comfort her when she was sad by hitting her. Their pact to both kill each other if they’re still single in five years was terrific, and I do hope their love-hate relationship blossoms into something romantic long before then. Danny bringing a carefully-sculpted gingerbread house to the party was pretty cool, and I enjoyed seeing Jeremy spring into action to do surgery to save the house after Heather thought of another house she could destroy. Where, may I ask, were Gwen and Alex at Mindy’s holiday party? It would have been nice to see them too.

What I’m Watching: The Mindy Project

The Mindy Project: Season 1, Episode 8 “Two To One” (B+)

This show may never be truly spectacular, but it’s hard to deny that it knows how to be funny. Dr. Shulman’s retirement, while it means the unfortunate departure of the always terrific Stephen Tobolowsky, provides a fantastic opportunity to Mindy, Danny, and Jeremy do their best to work together to run the place. Danny and Jeremy teaming up and outvoting Mindy on everything was truly infantile but hardly surprising, and it led to an impressive show of force by Mindy in the lobby of the holistic center. Having Danny give her ten dollars following her analogy was great, and her classification of water as not a refreshment was funny. I was excited to see Mark Duplass, who was superb in two movies from earlier this year, “Your Sister’s Sister” and “Safety Not Guaranteed,” as midwife Brendan, who managed to charm Shauna before she realized what was happening. I like that Morgan was fond of Duncan, and it could be fun to see their odd friendship blossom in the future. I was excited to recognize Kelen Coleman, who played Maggie’s roommate Lisa on “The Newsroom” this summer, as Mindy’s more aggressive friend Alex, definitely a good counterpoint to the once-again passive Gwen. I’m eager for Alex and Gwen to do more than just see a picture of Josh sleeping, since I think their interactions would be well worth watching. Josh showing up at Mindy’s work to show her how he’s able to balance work and play was nice, and it’s looking like this thing really could work.