The Mindy Project recap: Princeton Charming

Mindy’s back from Texas, but she’s not staying in New York for long: Her alma mater, Princeton University, just invited them to do a Laterbaby presentation on campus. And she’s making Jody go with her, even though he acquired a new girlfriend — the highly allergic Courtney, who sneezes more than she speaks — and had plans to go on a romantic getaway that he won’t stop talking about.

What this means is Mindy, Jody, Courtney, and Morgan are all going on a road trip together — a questionable idea, especially given Mindy and Jody’s unacknowledged chemistry. Because of this, he’s overcompensating with Courtney, and Mindy’s being rude to Courtney (her sneezing doesn’t help). It doesn’t get any better once they start setting up at the auditorium and realize that Mindy accidentally booked the room for May 2, 2017. On May 2, 2016 — the current date — the room belongs to the football team for a recruitment session.

Mindy tries to win the auditorium by attempting to win over the coach, Drew, played by Mad Men alum Jay R. Ferguson. Turns out they know each other from their college days, and right as her crew is giving up and packing up, he comes outside to their car to tell them he’s changed his mind. It’s a nice day out, so they’re going to hold their recruiting session outside. The auditorium is all Laterbaby’s. Check out this jock with a heart of gold! (Or this jock who is still thinking about those few seconds Mindy let him touch her boob in hopes that it would change his mind.)

Then another problem arises: Because Mindy booked the wrong date, no one knows that the Laterbaby presentation is going on. It’s in her hands to spread the word around campus. So she grabs Drew’s hand, and off they go to the library, where she offensively calls out names in an attempt to target Korean women, then Indian women, then Jewish women. Amazingly, it works. The cringing Drew is just as shocked as we are.

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The presentation ends up being packed and successful, so afterward, they all go out to a college bar to celebrate. There, Drew joins them, which causes enough tension for him to eventually leave… and then Courtney to eventually leave (she’s too cold sitting under the AC and needs the bartender to heat up her white wine — these are some intense allergies!)… and then Jody’s gone, too. Mindy’s scared everyone away. Except for the eternally loyal Morgan, who goes back to Mindy’s room with her and later tries to make her inspect his messed-up toe.

NEXT: Jody discovers a present from Mindy

Before he does that, though, Courtney gives Jody a belt buckle with his name on it that she found in the car. She thinks it’s his, and it is, but he didn’t buy it for himself: Apparently Mindy got him a special present from Austin, even though she acted like the only presents she brought back for her co-workers were in-flight magazines and cheap neck pillows from Hudson News. Mindy cares! And Mindy probably doesn’t have the heat cranked up to 90 in her hotel room, unlike Courtney, who is still freezing. Maybe this girl needs more than just an allergist?

Earlier in the episode, Morgan tells Jody that Mindy was awake when he brushed her hair while she was “sleeping” and thought it meant something. This combined with the belt buckle send Jody to her room, and the two have a talk outside her (probably enjoyably) chilly quarters. There, she agrees to give Courtney a chance. That’s when Jody prepares to take out the belt buckle and ask about it, but then… Morgan interrupts. The belt buckle will have to wait.

And so will Morgan. As he’s grossing Mindy out with his toe, she gets a text from Drew. They meet up at a dining hall to devour cheesesteaks — ah, college living! — and then head back to his room to have sex. Jody is visibly uncomfortable when Mindy later admits where she spent the night in the car ride back to Manhattan, although she’s on top of the world. In the beginning of the episode, Mindy comments how long it takes Jody to tell stories. If only he had been a bit quicker in getting to his point about the belt buckle, maybe he would have been the one spending the night with Mindy. You snooze you lose, Jody.

Best lines:

“I’m excited to present alone. This way you can’t stop me from doing my parody song, ‘Ain’t Too Proud to Egg.'” —Mindy

“I always knew I’d end up in the Ivies. I thought it would be as some kind of study cadaver, but this is good, too.” —Morgan

“I can’t stay here for a year. I only brought enough clothes for six months.” —Morgan

“This was the most embarrassing thing to happen to me on this campus, and my underwear fell off at commencement.” —Mindy

By the numbers:

Outfits: 7

Pee breaks Mindy takes during any story Jody tells: 5

Year Mindy meant to book the Princeton auditorium for: 2016

Year Mindy actually booked the Princeton auditorium for: 2017

Number of seconds Mindy will let the football coach touch her boobs: 5

Years Mindy was a nerd in college before discovering vodka-crans: 3