Mindy Project Season 3 finale
"The Mindy Project" Season 3 finale will not be a fulfilling if it has to serve as a series finale, according to Mindy Kaling. Fox/John P. Fleenor

“The Mindy Project” Season 3 finale might have to be a series finale if Fox doesn’t renew the show. The comedy’s future on Fox has yet to be determined and even the star and creator Mindy Kaling doesn’t know what will happen.

“We’ve never been a show… where anyone has ever said, ‘Yes, we’re for sure going to keep going,’” Kaling told TV Line. Yet much like the fictional Dr. Lahiri, Kaling is staying optimistic.

“I still have my personality, which is hopeful and cheerful,” she said. “I’m so proud of the show, so I feel good about it. I feel good about seeing more of Jeremy, Mindy, Morgan and all the rest of them having adventures.”

Critics and fans have praised “The Mindy Project,” but the real problem has always been the number of viewers. The series was even given a short Season 3 episode order last spring. The season was originally supposed to be 15 episodes, but steady ratings gave the show six more installments, making it a 21-episode season.

The show started off this season with a modest 2.6 million viewers and fell to 1.7 million on March 10. Though the show’s rating came up slightly for the penultimate episode of the season with 2 million, “The Mindy Project” could really use some more fans tuning for the Season 3 finale.

The show has had several celebrities guest star in an effort to draw bigger audiences. Stephen Colbert, Shonda Rhimes, Cristin Milioti, Lee Pace and Laverne Cox have all dropped by the show this season, yet rating have still gone down. The show will attempt one more stunt casting effort when Oscar nominee Laura Dern plays Mindy’s OB/GYN in the finale.

If “The Mindy Project” Season 3 finale has to serve as a series finale, Kaling said fans wouldn’t be happy. There is going to be a major cliffhanger at the end of the episode. “Listen, I loved our season and I think it is a good finale, but it is a cliffhanger and the people who watch will want to know what happens to these characters,” she told Yahoo. Fans will have to hope that enough viewers tune in to make Fox renew the series.

“The Mindy Project” Season 3 finale airs Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. EDT on Fox. Do you want to see the show renewed? Sound off in the comments section below!

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