Laughs return to Tuesdays


Danny: I would never let my woman plan a charity event with some guy. I would never do it.
Mindy: And I would never want to plan a charity event
- "The Mindy Project"

The Fall TV Season is just starting, but already people are bracing for the worst. According to a number of critics, this is the worst set of new shows in quite some time. And the shows that have premiered thus far haven't been killing it in the ratings.

Getting a jump on the new fall season was FOX's Tuesday night comedies — "New Girl" and "The Mindy Project" — which premiered a week ahead of most of the rest last night. When last we left them, "New Girl" — a once incredibly promising show — was mired in an uneven, and often unfunny, third season that saw its ratings crater.

"The Mindy Project" — a promising show that struggled to find the right combination of cast and tone out of the gate — bounced back from being benched during the early part of the winter to deliver an incredible final eight episodes for its second season, improving slightly in the ratings, pairing up its leads, and earning a third season.

The renewal of "New Girl" wasn't a surprise. Though it had flagged in ratings and quality, FOX was heavily invested in the show as part of their brand, particularly in comedy. The renewal of "The Mindy Project," which languished in the ratings despite critical applause, was more of a surprise. But now both comedies enter this season under pressure. The man running FOX who was a fan of both shows, and gave both shows new life this season, is no longer there. Both will have to stand on their own.

Tuesday night didn't deliver high ratings, but it did deliver a better product. After an off year, "New Girl" marked its fourth season opener with a return to form. Jokes were crisp. Lines were well delivered. And the rapport between actors was reminiscent of the first season, which made the show a modest hit for FOX.

On "The Mindy Project," the third season opener saw that just because Mindy (Mindy Kalling) and Danny (Chris Messina) are coupled doesn't mean the show's run out of steam. It hasn't. The episode was hilarious, well paced, and everything we've come to love about "The Mindy Project."

FOX is doing these sitcoms no favors by giving them the poorly rated — and poorly conceived — "Utopia" as a lead-in, but if last night's episodes are any indication, it's going to be a fun and funny season.

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