Female-dominated comedies are taking over primetime. The recent premiere returns of both “New Girl” and “The Mindy Project” on Fox meant the return of my former Tuesday nights’ glory. While the problems both Jess and Mindy face can be trivial at times – with a laser focus on their love lives – they can also bring a smile to the most unlikely of people.
Liz Meriwether, creator of “New Girl,” brings to life the character of Jessica Day, the mid-20-something, quirky “adorkable” girl we all have had within our circle of friends at some point. Her roommates Nick, Schmidt and Winston take her in like a lost puppy dog during the first season due to her then-recent bad breakup. As the first season progresses, Jess and Nick keep building up this sexual tension that is sure to hit a breaking point but never actually does.
Last year, in Season 2, Jess and Nick finally confront one another about their feelings and decide to go forth with their relationship despite their roommates’ wishes. Now, if you’re thinking this is just another female rom-com TV show, you are mistaken. “New Girl” fills the void where “Friends” left off.
With Meriwether’s one liners such as, “My boobs are loving unemployment. They don’t have to go to boob jail everyday,” or “Your life is like ‘Gossip Girl.’ Only everyone is old and poor,” it’s easy to see how this show has built such a cult following and garnered multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. The path Meriwether has paved has opened the door for writer Mindy Kaling.
Kaling’s show “The Mindy Project” is loosely based off her book “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns).” Her sitcom premiered last year, the same night as Season 2 of “New Girl,” with a rating of 4.7 million viewers, not nearly the 7.3 million viewers “New Girl” was receiving but still a strong start. I wasn’t sure if I would like “The Mindy Project” during its first few episodes. I found Mindy to be too desperate for a man and to fall in love.
My opinion of her did a complete 180 this summer when I read her book. She pointed out all the ways women fantasize about how they wish their lives were like a Meg Ryan movie. Stories of her childhood and not always being the skinny kid made me relate to her, and even more so when she discussed going to a fitting for People magazine’s “Most Beautiful” issue. Every other actress got to wear the beautiful sample-size dresses, and Kaling was only allowed to wear the larger, more shapeless and boring alternatives. During the photo shoot, she takes the navy shift dress, tosses it to the side and decides that she is going to choose the gown for this picture. They had to cut open the dress and pin it in the back, but Kaling won.
Other networks are just now catching up to this new wave of female comedians. ABC is premiering the new show “Super Fun Night” starring Rebel Wilson of “Bridesmaids” and “Pitch Perfect” fame. The show’s premise is three friends who always stay in every night together who now have decided to go out every night instead. Shenanigans and hilarity ensue as only Wilson and the show’s executive producer, Conan O’Brien, can do.
While these female wonders have been making audiences and viewers at home buckle over in laughter, the stigma still remains about female comedians. Women aren’t funny. No matter what the ratings are and no matter how many nominations they may receive, the same question is continually asked: Is it hard being a female in comedy?
And to them I leave the great Joan Rivers to answer: “Our natures are a lot like oil, mix us with anything else, and we strive to swim on top.” So here’s to all the female comedians on TV, and may you always land on top.
