"The Mindy Project" capped its fifth season with some unexpected twists when it comes to relationships. Had this been the series finale, would I be happy with it? Not really. I would've been satisfied because Mindy Lahiri did get her happy-ish ending. Luckily for us, we get to see how this ending will play out for one last time because Hulu renewed the show for a sixth and final season, to premiere this fall! Yay for that.
Now, onto "A Decent Proposal," which picked up where we left off with Mindy and Ben. She tells him she doesn't want to get married. He doesn't tell her he's bought a ring. It's a tough place to be in.
Colette proposes to her girlfriend of five months, Karen, wearing an adorable pink suit and saying all the right things. "It would rule if you'd be my wife." Aw. Jody's surprise reactions at his sister's big gesture along with the stunned looks at the acapella group she brought in were totally on-point.
Morgan excitedly recaps the whole thing for Ben, who mostly replies to it all with sad sighs, ultimately revealing to Morgan he was planning to pop the question himself before Min said she wasn't interested in the prospect of marriage. Feeling guilty about this, because in the last episode Morgan basically tells Mindy she's independent and doesn't really need marriage, he tries to sweet talk her into the concept with bridal magazines and his own wedding plans (BYOB, BYO food, BYO chairs...you get the gist). She still doesn't seem interested.
In fact, with Jody in agreement, she tells Colette just how good it is to be alone but still with someone without losing herself to the commitment. After a long list of why it's good to be single, the two congratulate Colette for taking the plunge. Naturally, all this talk begins to creep up in her mind, scaring her.
She finds out the truth about the ring not from Morgan, like we would expect, but when his daughter Lindsay accidentally blurts it out to Mindy at their girl's night. She later talks to Ben and lies about her belief in marriage...that she doesn't have one. Our marriage-loving Dr. L, who wants a love she can show on Instagram, tells him she doesn't believe in the institution of marriage and he buys it.
I think there's two reasons Mindy did this. One is, of course, the conversation she has with Morgan in the last episode. She's confident, independent and has everything she would want from life right now. A great son, a great boyfriend, a great job. Will marriage really make that big of a difference. Two, the last time she was about to get married, with Danny, all of it went up in flames. She may be scared to go through that again.
Anna's marriage is still on the rocks with her estranged, cheating husband Tim trying to win her back. Jeremy tries to stop her, obviously, when he invites her to the Museum of Geometry. She's influenced easily by Tim's charms, though, and even brings him along to the engagement party Jody throws for Colette and Karen, clearly breaking Jeremy's heart. He confronts her about this, giving her courage to finally tell Tim she still wans a divorce. Cue a punch for Jeremy from Tim. Who cares, though, because this means Jer finally has a great woman who seems to like him! About time.
For more drama at this engagement party, Colette has officially developed cold feet. So much so that while Karen is recapping their meet-cute via song, she ducks out and runs straight to Morgan, whom she and her fiance had kicked out of their apartment earlier. These two are alike in so many ways and have developed a really strong bond. I was as bummed as Colette was when Karen made her throw Morgan out. She tells him to break up with Karen for her if he wants back in.
Meanwhile, after learning from Mindy's colleagues about her several marriage Pinterest boards and podcasts, he confronts her about the lie. "You want to get married then, just not to me," he tells her before walking out. She returns home to Lindsay and wonders out loud what the point is. It's not like not marrying Ben will reduce the love she has for him. Lindsay smartly points out what it'll mean to her if Min was her step-mom, "it means you'll never leave."
Ben's at the subway station when Mindy gets there with Lindsay and a dapper Leo in tow. As a whole family, she proposes to Ben! "I don't need to get married, I want to get married." Her offering isn't a ring but it's the vintage comic Ben sold to buy her a ring. It was really sweet, he said yes, and they all shared a nice big hug.
The season ended with a nice montage: Jeremy and Anna admiring a blank square at Museum of Geometry, sharing a sweet smile. Morgan and Karen fighting over the breakup. The Kimball-Kinney siblings playing catch. As for Min and Ben and family, they're in the train with RINGS ON THEIR FINGERS!
It's true: Mindy Lahiri is married! But is she happy? You would think so but the closing moments show Dr. L staring out of the window looking perplexed. Now that's an emotional cliffhanger of sorts.
I want to say I'm surprised they got married but on the other hand, they probably did it as a safe option in case the show wasn't coming back. Now that it is, I'm curious to see what a married Dr. L is like.
What are your hopes for the final season? Did the season finale satisfy you or are you hoping for a big Chris Messina sized return? Let us know!
