Marissa: How will they take Kelly off The Office since Mindy Kaling has her own show on Fox now? They are going to put her on a plane that crashes on an island, but the island is actually purgatory and…wait, never mind. That was something else. We don’t think The Office will do anything that drastic, because, as Kaling noted to us, “There’s lots of reasons why people leave an office and go somewhere else.” A transfer? Quits her job to run for city council? Nobody ever mentions that Kelly has disappeared? The possibilities are endless. The only thing Kaling is sure of is that her send-off (if there is one) will be funny. She also says she can’t imagine she won’t continue to be involved in NBC’s The Office in some way next season, even though her Fox show is a go.
THE MINDY PROJECT is a new single-camera comedy from Emmy Award-nominated writer/producerand New York Times best-selling authorMindy Kaling (“The Office”) that follows a woman who, despite having a successful career, desperately needs to break bad habits in her personal life. After all, how many doctors make inappropriate toasts at their ex-boyfriend’s wedding, nearly drown at the bottom of a stranger’s pool and get arrested for disorderly conduct just moments before having to deliver a baby?
Funny, impatient and politically incorrect, MINDY LAHIRI (Kaling) can quote every romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan that exists. She loves the good ones and the bad ones, because the girl always gets the guy. Mindy is determined to be more punctual, spend less money, lose weight and read more books – all in pursuit of becoming a well-rounded perfect woman…who can meet and date the perfect guy. Mindy is a skilled OB/GYN and shares a practice with a few other doctors, none of whom make life any easier for her. JEREMY REED (British writer/comedian Ed Weeks) is the walking definition of total bad news. He not only shares a practice with Mindy, but sometimes her bed as well – despite her best efforts to resist. He is funny, self-absorbed and super sexy. In contrast, DANNY CASTELLANO (Chris Messina, “Damages”) is a hothead and guys’ guy who has a habit of stealing Mindy’s patients. Danny criticizes her for everything, including her struggling love life and her lack of professionalism – even though it’s obvious to everyone except Mindy that he secretly admires her work. His blue-collar childhood gives him a big chip on his shoulder, but he is a dedicated physician, which Mindy can’t stand to admit because he’s always getting on her case. Rounding out the office staff are the receptionists – BETSY PUTCH (Zoe Jarman, “Huge”), young, earnest and easily excitable, who thinks the world of Mindy and is always trying to impress her; and SHAUNA DICANIO (newcomer Dana DeLorenzo), a self-assured Jersey Girl who is indifferent to Mindy, always knows where the cool party is and carries a poorly concealed torch for Danny. Mindy is in constant communication with her beloved best friend from college, GWEN GRANDY (Anna Camp, “The Good Wife”), who also happens to be the governor’s daughter. Gwen is a hilarious, sometimes too-blunt friend, and secretly a former carefree party girl (which only Mindy seems to remember). Although Gwen is now happily married to a financial analyst, with a six-year-old daughter, this lawyer-turned-Pilates mom remains squarely in Mindy’s corner. As Mindy attempts to get her career off the ground and meet a guy who passes her red flag test (no drug habits, no skinny jeans and no secret families, among others), only time will tell if she gets her romantic comedy ending.
‘The Office’ Stars Ed Helms, John Krasinski & Jenna Fischer To Return
All is well when it ends well. I’ve learned that after lengthy negotiations,The Office stars Ed Helms, John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer have reached an agreement in principal to return to the veteran NBC series next season and are inches away from signing on the dotted line. I hear the fourth original Office cast member whose deal is up, B.J. Novak, has not started discussions, but he has a dual role on the series as an actor and writer/executive producer.
Keeping Helms, Krasinski and Fischer has been crucial for The Office, which lost its star Steve Carell last season and is facing the pending departures of Rainn Wilson, who is preparing to segue to his Office spinoff midway through next season, and Mindy Kaling, who got her pilot picked up to series at Fox. Getting Helms and Krasinski to return was not easy because of their busy feature schedules, and The Office is expected to accommodate that. Helms for once has the Hangover threequel to do. With the trio in place, the renewal of the veteran series, which remains NBC’s highest-rated comedy, is considered a formality. Remaining open is the question who will run The Office next season. I hear NBC is not close to naming a replacement for Paul Lieberstein, who will be leavingto focus on the spinoff, which he co-created with Wilson.
NBC is the first broadcast network to unveil its official game plan for the 2011-12 TV season, and the biggest news regarding returning shows is that Community is relocating to Fridays at 8:30/7:30c where it will follow Whitney. Also of note: Smash is being benched until midseason and The Office has formally been renewed for a ninth season.
THURSDAY
8 pm 30 Rock
8:30 pm Up All Night 9 pm The Office
9:30 pm Parks and Recreation
10 pm Rock Center with Brian Williams
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