Mindy Kaling is at her best in the best The Mindy Project episodes. Obstetrician/gynecologist Mindy Lahiri found herself often unlucky in love, and a good part of the series chronicled her efforts in various relationships, with the will-they-or-wont-they dynamic between her and co-worker Danny Castellano being a main plot thread. It was also often at the center of the show's best installments.

Previously known for her work on The Office, Kaling has admitted that the main character was inspired by her own mother, who was an OB/GYN. The Mindy Project finds its strength in its ensemble cast at Shulman & Associates, which sees an eclectic group of people. The Mindy Project is unique in its wit, mostly thanks to Kaling's direction, while simultaneously containing, and occasionally subverting, all the fan-favorite tropes of a rom-com. Kaling makes it clear from the get-go that love is a big part of the show, and it doesn't shy away from heartwarming storylines for the sake of comedy. Those aspects all make up the best Mindy Project episodes.

10 "When Mindy Met Danny"

Season 4, Episode 13

Despite being one of the sadder installments, "When Mindy Met Danny" is one of the best Mindy Project episodes. This heartbreaking installment, which came in the middle of season 4, has Mindy thinking back to her first day at the practice. As she reflects on the past, she sees how much her relationship with Danny has changed, which leads her to decide she has to move out of his apartment despite having a child together and being engaged. Mindy as a main character is hilarious but dramatic, so it was incredible to see the emotional weight added to her character during this episode.

9 "Triathlon"

Season 1, Episode 22

Mindy Kaling herself has cited "Triathlon" as one of her favorite episodes in an interview with TVInsider, and it's subsequently one of the best Mindy Project episodes. "Triathlon" sees Danny finally fire Morgan, which leaves their company team one member short for an upcoming triathlon. Mindy agrees to take his place but regrets this decision almost immediately. In turn, Morgan ends up joining the competition when he is recruited by a team of midwives. It's a particularly hysterical episode full of physical comedy, plenty of drama thanks to the arrival of Danny's ex, and incontrovertible proof that Ike Barinholtz's Morgan is one of the best characters on The Mindy Project.

8 "Mindy Lahiri Is A White Man"

Season 5, Episode 12

The Mindy Project decided to tackle white privilege and sexism all in one with one of the best Mindy Project episodes, "Mindy Lahiri is a White Man." The installment of The Mindy Project sees Mindy unfairly passed up for a promotion at the hospital as the head of obstetrics, so she goes to bed wishing she could wake up a white man. Of course, that's exactly what happens, and the now white man Mindy, named Michael Lancaster walks into work and is immediately treated like a god. Kaling is somehow able to take a serious and topical subject and make it pointedly comical, without feeling forced or preachy.

7 "It Had To Be You"

Season 6, Episode 10

This was the series finale of The Mindy Project and it's one of the best Mindy Project episodes. The series finale sees plenty of both heartwarming and heart-wrenching moments, and of course, showcases Mindy Kaling's incomparable wit one final time. The episode tackles three storylines that eventually become intertwined: Tamara and Morgan finally get married, Annette goes into surgery for her double mastectomy, and Mindy struggles to find funding for her practice. The series finale perfectly wrapped up Mindy Lahiri's story in a satisfying way, making various callbacks to the pilot episode, and did a stellar job bringing Mindy's character arc to a close.

6 "Homewrecker"

Season 4, Episode 26

“Homewrecker” was an emotional roller coaster that ended on a cliffhanger, and is one of the best Mindy Project episodes. The finale of season 4 saw Mindy and Danny getting stuck in an elevator together while at Leo’s school. Jody meanwhile attempts to apologize to Mindy via a giant plan that involves sneaking into her apartment. Jody tells Mindy he loves her moments after she’s hooked up with Danny, who is unfortunately still engaged to someone else. It's one of the few higher-stakes Mindy Project episodes, with Kaling relatably portraying Mindy's guilt over the subject and her indecision. In addition, Mindy and Danny's chemistry in the installment is on point.

5 "Christmas Party Sex Trap"

Season 2, Episode 11

"Christmas Party Sex Trap" is one of the funniest, and best Mindy Project episodes. In the installment, Mindy wants to catch the eye of her love interest, Cliff (Glenn Howerton, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). To do this, she throws a holiday party that backfires when Brendan's date, who is Maria Menounos playing herself, swoops in to perform a sultry version of "Santa Baby." This episode also happened to act as a turning point for Mindy and Danny, as it becomes evident that she has some deep-seated feelings for him. The rom-com elements of the series are strong in this episode but with Kaling's own unique spin, making it a truly hysterical installment.

4 "Wiener Night"

Season 2, Episode 5

Mindy’s boyfriend here is Jason, a successful arts and culture writer. The conflict comes when he believes her mainstream pop-cultured taste is far too different from his highbrow preferences. This leads Mindy to bring him as her date to Christina’s art show. Unfortunately for Danny, his nude photos are the star of the exhibit, and he spends most of the episode trying to find a way to take the exhibit down. This season 2 episode is one of the best Mindy Project episodes because the story plays off of each of the character’s weaknesses, with Mindy’s being her basic-ness and Danny’s being his fragile ego.

3 "You’ve Got Sext"

Season 2, Episode 8

This much more lighthearted episode is one of The Office's Mindy Kaling's favorite episodes, as well as one of the best Mindy Project episodes. The installment is a perfect example of a hilarious comedy of errors. Mindy reveals to Danny that she has feelings for someone, and he completely misunderstands her. While Mindy is crushing hard on Cliff, Danny mistakenly believes he is the subject of her affection. Morgan and Peter meanwhile get ahold of Mindy's phone and start communicating with Cliff on her behalf. However, it goes too far, and they're forced to figure their way out of it. The hilarity and romantic tension made it one to remember.

2 "Danny Castellano Is My Personal Trainer"

Season 2, Episode 12

The best Mindy Project episodes nearly always contain the contentious dynamic between Mindy and Danny, and "Danny Castellano is My Person Trainer" didn't disappoint. Mindy wants to get in shape for her winter vacation, so she enlists Danny to help her out. Meanwhile, Jeremy decides to take advantage of his extra sick days and puts Peter in power while he is gone. The love-hate chemistry between Danny and Mindy is electric in this one, as is Mindy’s competing desires for food and looking hot being wholly relatable. This, combined with Peter slowly losing control of the office, leads to some hilarious scenarios in this much-loved season 2 episode.

1 "Danny And Mindy"

Season 2, Episode 22

The best Mindy Project episode came in the form of the season 2 finale, as it finally paid off Danny and Mindy's infuriating Sam and Diane dynamic. In "Danny and Mindy," Mindy gets herself a secret admirer who turns out to be Danny. The episode gave everyone in the cast a shining moment. Meanwhile, Mindy and Danny's romance went through a series of ups and downs that referenced some of history's greatest rom-coms including You've Got Mail, An Affair to Remember, and When Harry Met Sally. It's sweet, it's romantic, and audiences were all very excited when Danny and Mindy finally got together, making this episode the definitive fan favorite.