By now you should know how I feel about romance novels. In fact, you should even know how I feel about television shows that resemble romance novels. If you don’t, today, you’ll discover that love – if the weird title of this blog didn’t already inform you. Why? Because I’m dedicating an entire blog post to one episode of television that reminds me so much of a romance novel, I’ve rewatched it about ten times.
The show? The Mindy Project.
The episode? Season two, episode twelve.
The title? Danny Castellano Is My Personal Trainer
(Didn’t know this gif existed? YOU’RE WELCOME.)
I am well aware that I’ve ranted about this show before. But I love it too much to let silly things like character development (and regression) and a few seasons (two and a half) ruin it for me (*loud sobs at what this show did to my favourite couple*). Hence the fact that it’s the source of my favourite romance-novel-like television episode ever. Mindy, the heroine, enlists her colleague and the person she has the most sexual tension with ever (also our hero), Danny, to help her get into shape before going away with her boyfriend.
This should already have alarms going off in your head, romance lover.
You know by now what happens when our main characters enlist the help of another main character: sexual tension galore! Usually this comes in the form of a fake relationship. Here though, we have a different form of close proximity. Our (reluctant) hero is forced to work with our heroine.
The stage is set. And because The Mindy Project is a comedy, hilarity ensues.
The chemistry in this episode is perfection. (In fact, the chemistry in this series is the best I’ve seen – I mean, that gif?? Which makes me wonder about its equivalent in a romance novel… I think the best chemistry I’ve read recently is in Naima Simone’s Scoring with the Wrong Twin? My Kindle neared burned to ashes. But I digress.) We see Danny encourages Mindy, and Mindy becoming stronger for it (physically, yes, but it’s totally a symbol of the emotional strength he encourages in her. Fight me if you don’t believe me.). Things heat up when Mindy arrives at the gym sauna naked, not realising it’s a co-ed sauna and that Danny’s already there. They see one another naked, and after a few hilarious minutes, Danny informs Mindy she’s beautiful as is; she doesn’t need to get into shape for a boyfriend. She just needs to embrace who she is.
*Swoon*
This probably didn’t do a very good job of explaining things, but I enjoyed sharing it with you. If you haven’t seen The Mindy Project yet, the first three seasons are definitely worth your time 😉
(This gif isn’t relevant. I just love Mindy and haven’t we all felt this way at some point LOL?)
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