Schema Magazine

An outspoken, smart, brown girl who is incredibly hilarious keeps getting undermined by her white male co-worker. What else is new?

In "Hiring and Firing", Episode 2 of The Mindy Project, Mindy calls a meeting (that includes snacks) with her male co-workers and Danny says, "So anyone can just call meetings now?" But you know, if he called a meeting and put out cheese and crackers, he would get extra credit and a gigantic gold star for being the most thoughtful man on earth. Am I right or am I right?

Mindy wants to fire their incompetent nurse Beverly and take on the responsibility of hiring a new nurse. Again she gets undermined by Danny who exclaims,"So now we're giving power to the person with a chocolate fountain in their office?" Yes, Danny. It is amazing. People love it, unlike that piano in your office on which you play your soulful depressed tunes.

In Episode 2 we learn that Danny is a misogynistic prick. He is convinced that Mindy will hire another Mindy, and then that Mindy will hire two more Mindys, and before they know it, they'll yap away and talk about movies and celebrity breakups. In Danny's demented imagination women who like Sleepless in Seattle are not to be trusted with surgical equipment and treating patients, okay?! Because (according to Danny) liking chick flicks equals stupidity. Obviously.

But there is a happy ending! Mindy's nose gets obliterated by the psycho nurse when she is the only one with balls to fire her. The creepy ex-convict interviewee ends up saving her nose. Mindy hires him on the spot and her boss decides that she has earned the right to hire him! It's nice to know that minority women are just one broken nose away from being able to make major decisions at work.

Smart women: 1. Patriarchy: 1 million and 5.

My favourite part is when Mindy remarks, "Unfortunately, we live in a society that puts a premium on white women with perfect noses. I'm 0 for 2."

My flat little Chinese nose and I love her. Team Mindy FTW!

Watch Episode 2 of The Mindy Project over and over at CityTV.com

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Vinnie Yuen writes about sex and relationships, and all that fun stuff in between. Follow her at @vinnieyuen