The Mindy Project Season 4 Episode 3 ‘Leo Castellano is My Son’
He’s here, he’s finally here! Little baby Leo Castellano has arrived and is welcomed home in this week’s episode. We get to see the family dynamic, some predictable hiccups and meet Danny and Mindy’s neighbour in this episode.
Cue the adorable coming home moment, Leo is in his carrier set down on the counter only for Mindy to discover that they’ve been ‘robbed’- the TV, her laptop and the alcohol have gone missing. But of course, Danny has just ‘baby proofed’ the apartment. Predictably, Mindy loses it. She has the attention span of a goldfish and can’t even last the explanation before she checks her phone (only to realise he’s disabled the WiFi as well).
Later on, while they’re in bed, their rowdy neighbour is starting up again and of course they march over to her door to confront her. Being new parents, they try and explain to their neighbour Chelsea (played amazingly by Eliza Coupe) to keep it down. One witty argument and a door shut in their face later, Mindy and Danny trudge back to their apartment.
Mindy is now on maternity leave and in Danny’s mind, that means not leaving the apartment or having any junk food or TV screens. So basically Mindy’s version of hell. Danny goes all ‘Italian’ while Mindy and Leo (in matching pajamas and baby cap, cute!) tell him to go to work to “earn some money, I have very expensive habits”.
Meanwhile at Schulman and Associates, Jeremy is revelling in his new relationship with Whitney (Cristin Milioti) and is so happy that he is basically being the wish fairy, letting everyone do what they want. This includes Tamra, resident sassy nurse (played by Xosha Roquemore) requesting ‘TLC Tuesday’s’ or no scrubs day. Of course Jeremy in his elated state says why not, it’ll be fun! And there goes Tamra for two hours to coordinate her outfit. Also at work, Morgan is feeling down and lonely now that he’s the only single guy in the practice.
So back at the apartment, Mindy has clearly gone stir crazy after not even one day. She calls Danny with an ‘emergency’, she is BORED! Danny being the planner that he is has a care package for them in the closet- a box full of books… Mindy is having none of it, and of course disregards Danny’s instructions to stay in the apartment until Leo has had his vaccinations. She checks the newspaper and decides to head out to a book signing (a hilarious unfortunately not real book by Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ‘Grillin’ Haul’) with Leo in tow. Mindy and Leo come back, nothing crazy or bad happened and of course Mindy thinks the day has been a success. It wouldn’t be Mindy though if some shenanigans hadn’t ensued, and of course, they do. She accidentally locks Leo in the apartment and herself out. Banging on Chelsea’s door, she bursts in to climb across their balconies and get into the apartment. Hilariously and again, predictably, Mindy falls and Chelsea comes over to help her. Danny comes home to check up on ‘la famiglia’ and notices nothing. Chelsea has been hiding in Leo’s crib the whole time and after Danny leaves, they have a heart to heart. They’re not so different after all and she even sets her up with Morgan.
Suffice to say, this season so far has been both hilarious and real. We see the daily struggle of a new mother and father, how they cope with everyday life and balance work and friends. In true Mindy fashion, this isn’t done without crazy hijinks. If you’re anything like this reviewer, you relish every week’s new episode, as it highlights a different part of everyday life but makes you laugh just as much as it makes you think. I for one can’t wait to see what else life has in store for Mindy!
Sophie Kempe
