'Mindy Project' finale: Mindy and Danny hook up, Jody's falling in love
Since The Mindy Project's spring premiere, we've been documenting the most Mindy Lahiri (Mindy Kaling) moments. This week, we also celebrate Kaling for writing such a Mindy script filled with laughs and romance.
In the season finale, "Homewrecker," Kaling takes a page out of Nora and Delia Ephron's You've Got Mail screenplay by trapping our title character and her former fiancé, Danny Castellano (Chris Messina), in an elevator.
Meanwhile, the burden of the grand gesture we've come to expect from a Mindy Project finale fell on shoulders of Jody Kimball-Kinney (Garret Dillahunt).
Here are our Mindy moments:
1. Her choice of nighttime literature for Leo
When "Dan the Man" couldn't work up the nerve to tell Mindy that he was engaged and give her a wedding invitation, he changed the subject by commenting on her untidy apartment. And, Mindy totally copped to it.
"Last night, at bedtime, I was looking for one of Leo's books — couldn't find it," she said. "So, I just read him the nutrition facts on the back of some Bagel Bites."
After assuaging Mindy's fears about being an "unfit mother," Danny left and dropped his wedding invitation in her apartment mail slot.
2. Her suspect for the fire at work
Since Mindy turned her closet into a nursery for Leo, she started stashing her clothes at work. When a garment rack got too close to a hot pipe, the fire alarm went off. Volunteer firefighter Colette Kimball-Kinney (Fortune Feimster) extinguished the emergency, and was in the middle of issuing a fire safety lesson when Dr. L burst in.
"Oh, God my beautiful clothes," she said upon seeing her fashions that had gone up in flames. "I was saving that dress for the funeral of an enemy. That's who did this — Kelly Ripa! Kelly Ripa did it."
After learning of Mindy's lack of storage, Jody decided to surprise her by building an apology walk-in closet.
3. Mindy's excuse for Leo biting someone
Mindy and Danny were called into Leo's Quaker school because he was suspended for biting a girl on the arm, which seemed reasonable to Mindy given her attire.
"She's wearing a cupcake onesie," Mindy said. "She looks delicious. I mean, I would've bitten her."
4. When she hyperventilated in the elevator
After leaving the principal's office, Mindy and Danny got stuck in the elevator, and Mindy began to panic.
"Oh, God this is my fault," she said. "I'm well over the weight limit. Every Saturday morning when I told you I was going to spin class, I was in line for Cronuts. They're just so cake-y. And now I weigh 4,000 pounds."
5. When she spent the day following Danny
While in the elevator, Mindy and Danny passed the time by swapping romantic stories. Mindy only had one — the time she followed Danny when she saw him on the street after getting a bikini wax. She saw him buy a toy for Leo, pick a wedgie, and help an elderly woman cross the street.
"It was so fun watching you when you didn't think anyone was looking," Mindy told him. "And, it made me remember why I loved you."
When Mindy asked if Danny ever got serious with any of the girls he dated, meeting his fiancée Sarah (Greta Gerwig) flashed before him. Instead of telling Mindy about his upcoming nuptials he kissed her as Zayn Malik's PILLOWTALK began to play. The two ended up having sex and when Mindy asked what it meant, he said he didn't know.
After, Danny walked Mindy home, Mindy told Danny she loved him. He said it back, but as he turned around his smile fell from his face.
We love that the finale brought Dr. L and Dr. C together, but we have so many questions. Will Danny break things off with Sarah? Will Mindy forgive him for sleeping with her while being engaged? That wedding invitation has been delivered to Mindy in case you were wondering.
And what about the grand gesture? Jody bought Mindy the apartment upstairs so he could turn it into a play palace for Leo. And then he told her "I've done (something like this) before for someone I might possibly, against my better judgment, be in love with."
Combing this episode for clues, we thought it was interesting that when Mindy imagined Leo's bedroom, in the pictures Leo illustrated only Mindy and Leo are included. Neither Danny or Jody were present. Perhaps our main character will decide The Mindy Project might be best handled solo?
Don't mind us, we'll just be stress eating until season 5 premieres on Hulu.