Source: Hulu // The Mindy Project
After 30-something years spent as an Indian woman, Mindy finally realized that white men get to have all the fun (& privilege) so she wished to be one and boom – Ryan Handsome Hansen.
The hospital board is looking for a new head of OB (WHAT HAPPENED TO DOCTOR FISHMAN?! IS SHE OKAY?! IS DEB DEB OKAY?! I NEED ANSWERS!) and Mindy is up for the job, along with Jody, a bunch of other old white dudes, and Dr. Irene Lee.
Dr. Lee is a terrific surgeon who is just a little lame and Mindy ignores her at first in the interview waiting room because she doesn’t want the men to see “an Asian clique chit-chatting”
In the interview, she gets the questions all women have hear before, about keeping her emotions in check (she’s learned to eat those) and balancing work with raising her son. Even after she slays all that while Jody coasts through, he gets a second round interview but she doesn’t.
Source: Hulu // The Mindy Project
Min is convinced she’s more qualified for the position and starts to realize that male privilege played a role in her being dismissed so quickly. As she falls asleep, she wishes she were a white man and the next morning, homegirl has her wish!
Ryan Hansen plays the male Mindy Lahiri perfectly! Michael Lancaster is a handsome divorced baby-daddy (but the ex has the kids at her house, don’t worry), who lives in a stereotypical man-cave, who is trying to GAIN weight, who gets invited to lads night, and who gets everyone’s undivided attention when he makes announcements at work! All things Mindy never got.
After masturbating a ton (not as good for guys, but easier, and the finish has more flare) and hailing cabs for fun, Dr. L preps for his second round interview. To Mindy/Michael’s surprise, the guys at the hospital don’t ask about work/life balance, or his qualities as a leader, or even his qualifications! They basically hand him the job on the spot!
Source: Hulu // The Mindy Project
Michael then realizes that ZERO women got second round interviews! He makes it his personal mission to help Irene get the job, because after seeing her perform a delivery, Mindy/Michael realize that she’s the most qualified and the better doctor!
Michael recruits Tamara (who SHINES in this episode, and tbh every chance she gets) to help make Dr. Lee cool and give her the confidence needed to go in there and demand and slay the interview.
The other inevitable thing happens though, they give Irene an interview, but it feels “like a courtesy to avoid a lawsuit.” Michael is offended so he storms in there and tries to get everyone to see why Irene is the best fit and why two women of color in a row isn’t “too much” *eye roll at that whole board and at society smh*
Source: Entertainment Weekly
The white men do the other thing that White People do, which is to celebrate Michael for his commitment to diversity and give him the job, instead of promoting inclusion and giving it to the woman of color!
At the end of the episode, we get a glimpse into Mindy’s thoughts on how easy it is to be a white man and not use your privilege to help other people, to get caught up in the carelessness of your life and not realize POC, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and literally everyone else have it so much harder!
When Mindy wakes up as herself again, she sees Dr, Lee in the lounge and strikes up a conversation with her, she apologizes for being rude earlier and hopes they can be friends!
Source: Hulu // The Mindy Project
This may have been one of the best episodes of The Mindy Project, the jokes were on point, the concept was well executed, but mostly it was nice to see Kaling takes more of a stand on something and turn her platform into a teaching moment.
TMP doesn’t always do a perfect job, they have been racist or enabled racism in the past, especially with casting, but it’s a baby step in a good direction, I just hope there’s more of this Woke Mindy to come!
