Warning: The below contains spoilers about The Mindy Project series finale.
Romantic comedies are a staple of life—just like oxygen and (good) food. While the romantic comedy genre has become less prevalent in film in recent years, one TV show has carried the mantle proudly.
When The Mindy Project began, Mindy Lahiri was a hopeless romantic who, from that moment forward, was involved in a long series of dating snafus. She dated every hot B-list guest star the show could get, she tried her hand at a long-term relationship with the father of her kid, and she even got married (and divorced).
Mindy’s love life, while rom-com worthy, wasn’t always realistic—especially when it came to her relationship with Danny. They had that push-and-pull thing we all dream about. They weren’t a perfect match personality-wise, but that’s what made them perfect for each other. They argued, Danny swept Mindy off her feet at the Empire State Building, they argued, they got engaged, they argued, they had a kid together, they argued…and then they broke up. And it was messy AF.
Danny wanted Mindy to be a stay-at-home mom to their son, but Mindy was determined to not only return to but also grow her career by starting her own business. This obstacle seemed insurmountable, and for the time being, it was. Mindy moved on, with Danny gradually fading out of the picture.
So when the show started hinting at a reconciliation in Season 6 (laying the groundwork by having Danny finally accept Mindy as a working mom), I was skeptical they could get there in an organic and believable way. The series finale proved me wrong.
Mindy raced from Morgan’s wedding to tell Danny how she felt about him—that she’d never stopped loving him and never would—but when she arrived, Danny totally misread the situation. The romance was suddenly sucked out of the room and replaced with so much awkward. After his ma and brother filled him in on Mindy’s intentions, Danny ran to find Mindy, but the time for big romantic gestures was over. The rom-com moment had passed.
Instead, Mindy and Danny had a short but sweet talk about their feelings for each other and made out a little. They instantly disagreed on the life they’d lead, but they decided to table their ever-present issues to watch TV. It didn’t feel like the ending of a movie; it felt more like the beginning of Mindy and Danny’s very real life together.
I’ve always loved that Mindy was a romantic, but after all she’s been through with and without Danny, it makes sense that her love story would end like this. She’s over sweeping romantic declarations and visions of a perfect happily ever after. She’s more interested in living a life in love that’s grounded in reality. For Mindy—and me—that’s progress.