Good news for “The Cult of Mindy Kaling”: Fox has committed to a full, 22-episode season of The Mindy Project. Fans of the network’s perfectly solid Ben and Kate also have reason to celebrate, as the suits have ordered another six episodes of that sitcom, for a nearly full season of 19 episodes. (It seems that the number is slightly low due, at least in part, to creator Dana Fox’s pregnancy.)
Neither The Mindy Project nor Ben and Kate has been an unqualified ratings success. After a premiere night that had TV reporters split over whether Kaling’s show was a hit, both series lost over 20 percent of the previous week’s viewers. But Fox chairman Kevin Reilly gives a hint as to why the network has decided to keep the shows around for at least a while longer: “Ben And Kate and The Mindy Project have everything we want to stand for in comedy: smart writing, hugely appealing casts and comedy that feels contemporary and real – which is why we’re confident they will continue to build on what is already an appointment comedy night for young, influential audiences on Tuesdays.” Whether you focus on the “smart writing” part or the “young, influential audiences” bit, it seems clear Fox has a major stake in making the Tuesday-night comedy block work. [via Deadline, TVLine]