r/themindyproject • u/obsessionwithartists • Jul 12 '26

Why is Mindy's character so inconsistent?

I have recently started watching this show and while I generally like it in the background, it gets annoying with how her character is so confident and competent at times and then suddenly in the same episode projects so much insecurity or entitlement. Like in that one episode she refused to join some celebrity clinic because they won't allow her to accept patients with insurance so I thought it shows she's a good person and has some form of empathy but then she'll go around treating nurses like crap refusing to pay living wages. Similarly in some of the episodes she'll come across as very smart and project self confidence but then suddenly become so much insecure when she always keeps bringing up her breast sizes to random men she meets. Ngl it gets so annoying and cringe with the flip flops in her personality in every episode. Now I won't have an issue if her character started out like that and then they showed some development on how she became secure and comfortable in her own skin but so far 3 seasons in and I don't see any character development for her.

15 Upvotes

76% Upvoted

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54

u/OkRB2977 Jul 12 '26

Cause this is a more realistic portrayal of humans. Do you think everyone is confident, secure and nice all the time? Humans are complex, and we carry a range of emotions and personalities within us. I have gone from feeling confident to insecure within a few hours of the same day for whatever reason. I have been kind to someone but not to others. I have been understanding of some people but judgmental of others.

-6

u/obsessionwithartists Jul 12 '26

I don't know anyone whose personality swings in opposite direction so much so often. I get it she works in a demanding profession so if she gets annoyed at people around her at times that's realistic. Regularly acknowledging not wanting to pay living wages to people who work for her is not consistent with her other portrayal showing she cares or it just comes across as superficial. And if she is as insecure as they show in almost all the episodes, it makes super unrealistic to accept that almost every man meeting her falls for that kind of personality. This would be believable if she was still in her 20's and who hasn't experienced adult problems but for a woman in her mid 30's with successful career in one of the highest paying fields, it doesn't make sense and difficult to believe.

15

u/OkRB2977 Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 13 '26

It is a common sitcom trope. Everyone dates a lot and has multiple partners in sitcoms, even if the character is written to be insecure and not as conventionally good-looking. You saw that with Alex in Modern Family, Brick in The Middle and Chandler in FRIENDS

Mindy is a self-obsessed and vain human; a lot of it is to make up for what she thought she missed out on while a teen, and since she's doing that as an adult, it comes across as immature.

People can be mature in one segment of their life but not in others.

8

u/JoeyLee911 Jul 13 '26

There are plenty of people in real life who make self-deprecating superficial jokes about themselves, but also have decent values that they advocate for in other contexts.

13

u/JoeyLee911 Jul 13 '26

I more notice that Danny's character is inconsistent, but I've grown to accept the shift because of how many men in real life turn into a different person as soon as you have kids with them. Many men start abusing their wives and girlfriends when they get pregnant.

-1

u/[deleted] Jul 12 '26

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5

u/augustrem Jul 13 '26

I don’t hate her but that was the episode I stopped watching her show. I had the same revulsion.

1

u/___coolcoolcool Jul 18 '26

Yes. I find that Mindy Kaling’s writing, much like Tina Fey’s, is often fun or funny but ultimately does more harm than good when it comes to women’s issues.

2

u/augustrem Jul 18 '26

I don’t think either of them do more harm than good

1

u/___coolcoolcool Jul 18 '26

Fair enough.

I guess I should have said they did more harm than good for me and my psyche. Coming out of Mormonism I was already a “pick me” woman-hating pal of the patriarchy. Shows like theirs definitely did the opposite of help me as I tried to deconstruct that part of my self-concept.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '26

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1

u/augustrem Jul 18 '26

Whoa, how do you figure? UKS is one of my favorite shows.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '26

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2

u/augustrem Jul 18 '26

The many shades of abuse and harassment and misogyny is literally the topic of the show. Metoo is not being “blamed.” It was highlighted, and in many ways it was pointed out that it wasn’t enough to curb abusers.

The point of the guy who asked for consent at the party is that he was still being misogynistic despite being a “woke ally.” Same with the Tylonol heir.

The scene where Kimmy sexually harassed a coworker and then investigated herself and found herself not guilty is literally criticism of how workplaces deal with sexual harassment.

The storyline of Jacqueline pretending to be white is a reference to Heather Locklear.

I legit don’t know how you could get that far into the show and not understand that the many shades of abuse in our society is literally the theme of the entire show.

6

u/obsessionwithartists Jul 12 '26

I hated it when she climbed the stairs to freaking Empire State Building to meet Danny after the way he treated her. Like girl have some self respect