I used to love Fox’s “New Girl.”Zooey Deschanel played quirky perfectly and I enjoyed Tuesday nights in front of the TV. Somewhere along the line, though, it started getting a little less funny, a little less cute and original until “quirky” was interchangeable with “annoying.”

And while I was losing interest, a beacon of light came along just one commercial break later: “The Mindy Project.” TMP was 10 times more relatable in comparison, funny on fire, and soon I would only grudgingly watch “New Girl” with my family so that I could get to the real fun that came after.

Written and starring Mindy Kaling, known for her acting and writing stint on “The Office,” TMP follows Mindy (that’s also her character’s name) as she navigates the trials and tribulations of love in an OB/GYN office in New York City.

Even though we’re all waiting for her to get together with curmudgeon-y but sweet fellow doctor Danny (Chris Messina), the first season ended with Mindy on her way to build houses and be charitable in Haiti with her pastor boyfriend Casey (Andrew Holms).

The second season, which began Sept. 17, finds Mindy in Haiti with her boyfriend, her still-unfamiliar pixie haircut, and a big surprise (spoiler alert: engagement ring- it happens within the first minute) that ends with her falling out of a tree and onto a plane back to New York, which will continue to be the main setting of the show.

You get to see Mindy and Casey make wedding plans, as well as the decline of Danny’s marriage and sex life, but the main highlight is a guest star appearance from James Franco as Paul Leotard, Mindy’s replacement/new doctor/nutritionist/sex therapist.