Season 3, Episode 9: How to Lose a Mom in Ten Days
Posted by Sage
I expected dozens more Clueless references in a episode that saw Mindy setting someone up for her own personal benefit. Annette is Mindy’s Mr. Hall. And her problem isn’t a C in Debate, it’s not being able to take an erotic bath with her “beloved sex partner” without his mother barging in to drop casual hints of eternal damnation. How are Danny and Mindy supposed to have a horny autumn when they have no privacy?
The only way to get Annette off of her back is to get her on hers, Mindy decides. So she goes about setting her future mother-in-law up with sweet, boring old Dr. Ladro. (GOPHER FROM THE LOVE BOAT, Y’ALL.) Up until that point, the only action Ladro was getting was from Grade A suck-up Jeremy, who’s on a mission to charm a hefty list of patient referrals out of him. Unfortunately for him, we know from experience that a Mindy scheme trumps a Jeremy scheme every time.
It’s sweet to see a battleaxe like Annette all girlish and giddy about her first date since 1974. After Danny’s dad left, she sealed herself away into her life with her boys and stayed there so long. It’s clear that she doesn’t regret her choice. But now she’s relieved and exhilarated to realize that she still has options ahead of her. Just like Cher Horowitz, Mindy can accidentally spread joy by doing something “90% selfish.” Mindy’s addressing Annette’s loneliness because it’s a thorn in her side, but at least she’s noticing it.

Of course, Mindy neglects to tell Danny that she’s distracting his mother from their sex life by getting her her own. Not the most well-thought-out plan, but I’m Team Mindy here. Yes, I’ve zoned out in meetings and daydreamed about coming home to Chris Messina sitting on my kitchen counter wielding flowers and a perfectly roguish smile, but his apology is a bandaid on a gaping wound. Mindy can’t ask him not to see his mother as often as he does – she knows that whole story better than anyone in his life outside of the Castellano tribe – nor can she keep on living in a world where her sexts are always intercepted by Annette.



This turn of events seriously bums me out. The show pulled the plug on Morgan/Tamra a little too quickly for my taste. What of Morgan’s long-standing crush on her? Did we lose Ray Ron for this? I know Julia Stiles is coming on board for a few episodes as another Tookers love interest, but I hope that Tamra’s regret (“I feel Bell Jar as hell right now.”) means that we haven’t seen the end of Shulman & Associates’ other star couple. We’ve barely scratched the service of their individual weirdness, let alone the full strength of their weirdness combined.


Random Thoughts/B-Stories
- Mindy uses a Scarface reference to get Danny into the tub because he’s an Italian-American male between the ages of 15-50.
- I too don’t understand the lasting appeal of Sophia Grace and Rosie.
- “You’re like a Navy Seal, babe.”
- I hope there’s a list somewhere in the writers room of bizarre things Beverly can do at her desk.
- “Who’s this Kate Uptown?”
- Morgan’s dog photo gallery.
- “No, the Safari Vixen collection. Can white women wear that too?” Dot for President.
- “Tell your arches it’s Judgement Day.”
- Shameless plug to go vote for the Head Over Feels Most Handsome Young Man of 2014 before polls close on Sunday. Perhaps for this guy? I don’t know. He’s alright.
Would you let Morgan date your mom, readers? Sure, he’d be outwardly sexual with her in front of you but – on the bright side – he’d always be up to have a catch. Let me know in the comments.
Ladies, I hate to say this, but I’m growing more bothered (and not in a good way) with Danny’s character.He’s a divorced Catholic, former stripper, and posed for a bunch of nude photos for his ex-wife. So when he starts acting all high-and-mighty toward women like my 90 year old Italian great-uncle, it irritates me. And I keep waiting for Mindy to call him on all of that.
In morning’s light, I wanted to clarify that I’m not slut-shaming him. But telling your GF to cool it with texting nudies when your nudies were LITERALLY shown in an art gallery is a bit hypocritical.
As someone who grew up Catholic, I can testify that hypocrisy is basically the theme. I just hope Mindy keeps calling him on it. –S