TV Review: The Mindy Project Season 3 Episode 18 “Fertility Bites” (USA, 2015)

mindy project

Mindy is, professionally, breaking out on her own. Her fertility clinic is up and running and all she needs now are the patients. Unfortunately for her, no one wants to go to a clinic that doesn’t have an established client base and excellent track record.

The staff of Shulman and Associates are trying to help her by recommending her to their patients, but Mindy’s having little success. It’s only when Morgan brings his cousin Lou (guest star Rob McElhenney) in that Mindy snags her first patient – but she has to tell a massive lie to do it. She uses her own pregnancy as a way to get the clients in by telling everyone that Danny is infertile, and that she helped herself get pregnant. Danny, naturally, is oblivious to her lie, and when it’s revealed at a Mindy’s opening gala, he’s understandably angry. Mindy comes clean about her lie, but Dr Burgdahl comes to the rescue, agreeing to refer every one of his patients to her new clinic. Mindy and Danny also make up, with Mindy agreeing to finally move into his apartment.

Meanwhile, Tamra, Morgan and Beverly are angry with Dr Burgdahl’s treatment of them, and demand that Jeremy speak to him. Dr Burgdahl seems to be rubbing a lot of people up the wrong way, with not only his sexist attitude but his personal hygiene. After a few incidents, the support staff ask Jeremy to fire him, only to discover that the reason for his awful behaviour is that his marriage was over and he was living out of his car. Tamra, Morgan and Beverly rehire him, and Mindy lets him stay in her apartment, and use her shower.

Seeing professional Mindy in action has always been a highlight for me. Mindy’s personal life and cultural tastes make her fantastic, but seeing her professionally confident and seeing her actually do some work is better. The first two season of The Mindy Project have been about Mindy getting her personal life together, so it’s great that the writers are shining the spotlight on her professional endeavours too. It’s what makes Mindy Lahiri actually a great role model: she cares just as much about the professional aspects of her life as the personal. She takes pride in her work and strives to be a smart, independent and successful woman. It may have taken us two and a half seasons to get here, but Mindy Lahiri is a truly successful professional woman, and I’m now starting to buy her as a doctor.

The show seems to have found a nice balance between its supporting players, too, and that’s great to see because that’s always been something that The Mindy Project has struggled with. The departure of the always awesome Adam Pally has left room for Ed Weeks, Xosha Roquemore and Beth Grant to move, and I’m loving their increased screen time. It seems as though everything’s running smoothly for Mindy and the gang, but with at least five episodes left in the season, there’s bound to be something big around the corner.

 

Review Score: THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)

The Mindy Project screens in Australia on Channel 7

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