Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 1, Episode 6 of Fox's "The Mindy Project," titled "Thanksgiving."
It's Turkey Day, and the Mindy Project gang is in great spirits. Or are they?
In "Thanksgiving," Mindy is feeling just a tiny bit insecure. Not only does her pseudo-boyfriend Josh tell her he's not ready for exclusivity after making her dinner bathed in Red Bull sauce, but she's spending Thanksgiving with her overly perfect BFF Gwen and Gwen's rich husband who looks like Mitt Romney.
To make matters worse, Dennis -- who Mindy went on an unsuccessful date with in the show's pilot episode -- has reappeared, and he has a new girlfriend. She's young, she'd Indian and she's .... well, skinny.
Meanwhile, Jeremy and Betsy are hanging with Betsy's "unsophisticated" family. Betsy tells her family to stop treating her like a child -- she has a point, they give her a strawberry milkshake instead of beer -- and Betsy's family is disgusted with the fancy chocolate Jeremy brought as a gift.
The saddest case, as usual, is Danny. Choosing to spend Thanksgiving alone, he finds himself playing the piano, eating fast food and feeling a little sorry for himself.
Meanwhile, Mindy goes on a mission to seduce Dennis only to be caught by Gwen, who introduced Dennis to his new girlfriend. The two engage in a sorry excuse for a brawl before Mindy gets a call from Josh.
As they say, all's well that ends well. Josh tells Mindy he wants to be exclusive, Gwen and Mindy become BFFs again and Mindy decides she never made out with Dennis. Jeremy ends up decked out in one of Betsy's dad's Hawaiian shirts, and the separate holiday camps send a few happy photos to each other via their smartphones.
As for Danny, it turns out he doesn't want to spend Thanksgiving alone after all. The closing scene ends with him rushing out the door after getting a text from Mindy. Someone was aching for a little time with friends and family.
And now, a few dialogue highlights from Tuesday's episode.
Cringe-inducing lines:
Mindy, when Morgan asks her what's wrong while eating a platter of shrimp: "I try not to eat shrimps before 8 a.m. on the Subway usually, but it's not that."
Dennis to Mindy, with black olives on his fingers: "I just got back from Greece, and i think I may have contracted Olive Fingers."
Gwen, to Mindy: "I'm not saying you're a mess, but I'm not saying you're not."
Mindy, to Dennis: "You know, I've always thought Thanksgiving was kind of a romantic holiday actually. Just the cozy fires, the crisp autumn air. Potatoes." (Whispering): "Dennis, potatoes."
Arguably offensive lines:
Betsy to Jeremy, while driving to her family's house for Thanksgiving: "My family isn't sophisticated like you and me. I come from a long line of lame people. My ancestors got beat up on the Mayflower."
Mindy to Dennis, after he falls down a flight of stairs: "Speaking as a doctor, you should be dead, but as a person, that was hilarious."
Betsy's dad to Jeremy, after he eats what he thinks is bad chocolate: "In this country we have something called the FDA. They make sure this doesn't happen."
Dennis' new girlfriend, to Mindy: "If you don't mind me asking, are you Indian? ... I love to see other brown girls."
Mindy, while spinning a globe and hoping to come off as carefree and adventurous: "Ah, here. Where should I live next? India? Oh God."
Out of context and amazing one-liners:
"Hey babe, this is disgusting. I know it sounds like I'm angry because it was disgusting in my mouth, but I'm actually worried."
"The only other English person they know is my GPS lady."
"Remember that time we went to karaoke and everyone was like 'Mindy, you're a really good singer. You should do this professionally,' and I was like 'No, I'm a doctor?'"
"Jeremy, would you happen to know a song called the Gobble Wobble?"
"i'm gonna hook up with your Indian friend's boyfriend tonight. Probably like right here in your husband's weird den."
"I'm sorry, is this Wayne Manor? Your husband is such a dork!"
"The Mindy Project" airs Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on Fox.
