Lovelysparring

Check out my appreciation video for Chloe and Dan's friendship as a divorced couple and Trixie's gracious acceptance of her parents' separation and support for their encounter of new love. 

I watched Lucifer at the beginning because I loved Tom’s previous show, but couldn’t get into it. That may change once it’s on Netflix because I can binge it (which sometimes aids in my enjoyment). I too felt dismayed when Danny (Chris Messina) was not featured as prominently, but I’m a completist, so I did end up finishing it on Hulu (even though it hurt a lot).

I started watching Lucifer earlier this year. Binge-watching the first season helped since it isn’t until episode 9 when the show’s potential and depth comes to light, although things start to get interesting in episode 4. 

I also binge-watched Mindy at first. As it was with Lucifer, it wasn’t until the 9th episode of Mindy’s first season - the first Christmas episode - when I had this gut feeling that it would be something special. I was right. 

What happened really sucks. As grateful as I am for the very beautiful series finale, it did little to assuage the pain when I think about what could have been.

Nevertheless, Dandy’s is still the most genuine romance I’ve seen ❤

Recently, Lucifans had felt both great sadness and great joy when their beloved show, Lucifer, was cancelled and saved by Netflix after a passionate, month-long, worldwide campaign. While this is a unique experience to some, I’ve been through it before since I loved The Mindy Project and was pained by its premature cancellation following a big cliffhanger, before Hulu came to the rescue. 

Just when I thought I wouldn’t love another show like I loved Mindy, along came the devil and Deckerstar.  

Like The Mindy Project, Lucifer is a show with the main character’s name on it - yet one’s enjoyment of it hinges deeply if not solely on the lead’s (romantic) relationship with another character. So a love interest’s exit can get in the way of enjoyable storytelling. Unfortunately, such was the demise of Mindy when it seemed poised to creatively thrive on Hulu.

Whether or not it’s true that there was behind the scenes drama, Mindy’s leading man left because he wanted to. Thus, the writers were burdened with having to justify undesirably ruining the love story they had so beautifully written as the main draw of the show for three seasons. 

To their credit, they were able to defend the uncoupling, calling it realistic and sensible - revolutionary even. But sensible and real aren’t always entertaining.  

I loved The Mindy Project for the same reasons I love Lucifer now - the humor, the heart. But Mindy’s story is too tainted now for me to think of it fondly, because of how contrived and heart-less it became after the departure of its leading man. I don’t wish the same misfortune on Lucifer, which can be the cause of greater heartache for the fans than having the show cancelled.     

What happened to Mindy makes me realize that having all the actors, especially the main ones, on board for future seasons, is a huge advantage because as is the case with both shows, sometimes, it’s the characters and relationships that mainly make the show. The story, only secondary 

All this to say, I’m excited for Lucifer on Netflix. Things have gone right for the once cancelled show - fans and the cast are rejoicing. I hope nothing will go wrong, especially not the character exit of Lucifer’s leading lady.  

My last tribute to my favorite TV couple. 

Aww that’s nice to hear. Glad you appreciate my insights. Thank you! ❤❤❤

To add to what you said, I’d like to share an insight of a friend of mine.

Not too long ago, she told me she was never hesitant to break up with her boyfriend, because she knew he would always come after her or at least she expected him to. Because she believed that’s what “guys’ do. That if a man doesn’t chase you, he doesn’t really love you.

Her boyfriend always did try to win her back in every break up, until one time, he stopped. Because he has feelings too. It’s not exactly a great feeling to have to beg to be in someone’s life. 

If you don’t feel wanted by someone, why would you chase them? 

When she realized this, eventually, she did her share of chasing.  

It’s safe to say Danny felt the same. He stopped chasing someone who made him feel like she didn’t care anymore. It doesn’t help that she got married to someone else. 

I guess even sinners want to feel loved and wanted still. To be forgiven unconditionally.

That’s like wondering why Kaling had her heroine be a selfish, self-centered, compulsive liar who also has a tendency to be rude.  

Those are Mindy’s flaws, yet we love her anyway. Danny likewise, has his own - brutal honesty and tactlessness.

Anon 2

I’m really interested in how you feel about the finally!! Give us your thoughts girl

Anon 3

What did you think of the finale? Are you happy with how Danny and Mindy reunited?

OMGGG!!!

The penultimate episode left such a bad taste in my mouth, but this episode was a sweet palate cleanser for the following reasonsFirstly, beginning the episode with dogs was a nice touch. I pressed play with a heavy heart, which was immediately replaced with a light feeling at the sight of Morgan’s dogs. They brought a smile to my face that just grew wider and wider as the episode progressed. 

Morgan’s dance! OMG! I never found him attractive, but he looked fine in that tux! As contrived as Tamra and Morgan’s last minute coupling seemed, they do have chemistry. That dance brought me to tears! (wish Peter was there) It beats Anna and Jeremy’s karaoke duet for me, for which I’ve murdered the replay button lol. 

And they served a purpose - to have a wedding that would allow for callbacks to the pilot.

As for how Dandy reunited, it was simply beautifully sincere. Genuine love between two people is always beautiful to watch - the lack of which between Bindy and every other fling Mindy had made for a lackluster - mostly unbearable - show. 

This episode answered my question last week: Why hasn’t Danny made a move? 

Because he wasn’t sure if she still loved him. He could’ve simply apologized even without reassurance of her lingering love for him. But maybe he needed it, realistically so. 

This is why I said previously that I wouldn’t mind Mindy making the romantic gesture. I love how Mindy was the most active in the reunion, while Danny was mostly nonchalant (hilariously so). 

When she called him, he was like yeah you’re welcome. I gotta go now, I gotta watch TV. Lol He wasn’t sappy about it - nor when she came in all sweaty and out of breath. This was another refreshing subversion of rom-com cliches.

While I would’ve loved to have heard a “sorry” from Danny, actions do speak louder than words.

This episode makes everything worth it. If only we had at least one more! But with how they did it, I can live without ever seeing a wedding episode. Now I can happily watch the first three seasons again. Thank you MK! 

I don’t know. I’m hopeful tho.

Funny that one critic described While I Was Sleeping as proof that the show deserved to be saved. 

Then later on, the narrative direction resulted in a TVline article, which begins with “What Happened to This Once Great Show?” (I’m too lazy to look for the links lol) 

As a fan of the show, that article should upset me. Like how dare you badmouth my show?!!! 

But no, I’m glad it exists as it speaks for every disappointed fan, giving our feelings and criticisms validation.  

It mostly left me wondering why despite Danny’s change of heart and their lingering friendship, he still hasn’t made a move towards reconciliation.

When Danny told Mindy off for being there for Ma when she had no reason to, it was evident he still harbors negative feelings against her for whatever reason. For leaving in the first place? For not taking his call?

While it’s fair to say he shouldn’t resent her for those justifiable things, we can’t really dictate how people should or should not feel. I’m not sure if we can expect a romantic gesture from him.

As for my feelings about the episode, it left me more disappointed than satisfied, mainly because his screen time was compromised in favor of supporting characters’ rather insignificant, forced storylines, especially Jody’s.

The contrast between the rushed, contrived coupling of the supporting characters and Dandy’s painfully slow move to a reunion is haunting.  

What’s more, the episode left me wanting more when there’s just one left. 😭Makes it more apparent that the show didn’t make the best of the second life it was given. How could they, though, without Danny?

I hope the finale makes me begrudge that less.  

On the other hand, Mindy’s dilemma with her fertility practice made me smile when it shouldn’t. To be honest, as a Dandy fan - someone  who’d feel shortchanged and cheated if Mindy had a better life without Danny - I’ve come to wish Mindy bad fortune rather than happiness since the break up. #sorrynotsorry This - her practice in peril - takes the cake for me.

Said so perfectly. I am so over Mindy being on her own is a good thing. If I wanted to watch a show about a woman choosing to be single and making a statement about how you don’t need a man to be happy.... I would never have started watching The Mindy Project. I fell in love with the fun romanticism of it and I have no interest in getting some kind of amazing life lesson out of it. I just want to be swept up in it for a while. When did that become a bad thing? Danny and Mindy have to happen.

Okay :) 

But let me rephrase what I said about the majority. 

Regardless of how many will be dissatisfied with a non-romantic ending and how many won’t, the point is, there will be those who will be. 

Why? Because even though the show isn’t technically about Dandy, they’ve been written to be an integral part of the show, so much so that many most of the show’s memorable and best episodes are about them. 

I did acknowledge that there is an alternative to the endgame. While yes, it isn’t the only option, the question remains. Again, which is the lesser of two evils? 

Which option won’t make rewatching and remembering moments from this show hurtful? 

Which option won’t make it hurt to rewatch the first four finales, which in case anyone’s forgotten, centers on the Dandy relationship? 

And don’t get me started on While I was Sleeping!  lol