It seems that Nurse Ben may be sticking around for a while on The Mindy Project. Although things get a bit dodgy when Mindy is asked out by Leland Breakfast and she learns that Ben has a girlfriend. A lab technician named Lisa blurts out that Ben talks about Mindy all the time.
She also reveals that Ben in her boyfriend.
Jeremy invites Mindy to see his old school chum Leland Breakfast in “The Miracle Worker” and she reluctantly agrees. Initially she thinks it is a musical and when she learns it is just a play, Mindy wants to back out.
Finally she goes the show and gets a front row seat with Jeremy. Mindy stays glued to her smart phone throughout the performance. Leland notices, breaks the fourth wall and demands her phone.
Seeing that she has been texting about celebrity gossip, he throws the phone backstage. Later, Jeremy brings Mindy with him to meet his famous school chum. Breakfast is also starring in a Marvel film, called “Dr Universe” which is clearly a reference to Doctor Strange and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Breakfast is intrigued by Mindy’s shallowness and asks her out on a date. She refuses but this does not deter “Dr. Universe.” He has put his British mobile number in her phone. He tells Mindy that she can text him if she changes her mind.
He also reveals that it will call her $15 to send the text. (A clear dig at the outrageous phone charges for international texts or calls.) He finishes by pointing out that he is worth it.
Jeremy, who was called Princess Wanker in school, throws Leland a party. He the invites all the office after reminding some of the staff that they are meant to ignore the invitation.
Mindy decides to attend as payback to Ben for having a secret girlfriend. Jody has a “date” with a Jan Trang. Colette finds out and accosts the woman at her practice. After barging into a delivery room, Collette rips a strip off the the doctor.
Trang explains to Jody’s sister that it was not a date but an interview for a job at her practice. Jody is turned down for the position because of Collette’s outburst and Trang hires a Korean medical robot instead.
Dr. Trang actually gets one of the better lines of the episode. When Collette makes the accusation that the doctor is dating her brother Jody, her response is hilarious:
“Do I look like I want drug-resistant crabs?”
Later Collette confronts Jody about the job interview and leaving her alone at Clinic. Breakfast, after hearing that Jody has been rejected, sings “her” a song. Jody’s day just got worse.
The newest member of the medical team, ice princess Dr. Ziev, takes Jody into the toilet to tell him off. She kisses him, aggressively, and tells him to pull himself together. This was a very funny scene.
Mindy invites Ben to the party and when he arrives they talk and Ben explains why he held on to Lisa. Leland walks in on them and punches Ben in the face before storming out of the party.
Ben and Mindy both got some great lines in this episode before officially becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. Mindy’s best line in the episode was that gasped delivery about the poetry book that Ben gave her:
” I almost read it!”
Jack Davenport rocked it as the Brit star with an attitude and an even bigger ego. If viewers are wondering where they have seen Jack before, a younger thinner version of the actor played Keira Knightley’s fiancé in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.
By the end of the episode Ben and Mindy are now officially a couple. However, given the track record of poor Dr. Lahiri it will not last long.
The Mindy Project airs Tuesdays on Hulu. Tune in and see what the ob/gyn gets up to next.
Cast:
- Mindy Kaling – Mindy Lahiri
- Chris Messina – Danny Costellano
- Ed Weeks – Jeremy Reed
- Ike Barinholtz – Morgan Tookers
- Beth Grant – Beverly
- Osha Roquemore – Tamra
- Fortune Feimster – Colette Kimball-Kinney
- Garret Dillahunt – Jody Kimball-Kinney
- Bryan Greenberg as Ben.
- Rebecca Rittenhouse – Anna Ziev
Guest starring Jack Davenport as Leland Breakfast, VyVy Nguyen as Dr. Jen Trang and Chelsea Gonzalez as Lisa.
Mikes Film Talk 