Jess pounces.
Explaining my joke in blog post titles kind of kills the humor, doesn’t it? I should really let people get there on their own – I have this problem in life, too.
Anyway, I enjoyed last night’s episode of New Girl very much, and not just because of the angry Jess and Nick chemistry. It was an episode of changes, setting the course for the last part of what’s been a great first season.
New Romance
Schmidt and CeCe are officially a thing! I’m totally on board with the idea of this relationship, and I like how the show allowed it to slowly develop. Thinking that her feelings with Schmidt were unrequited, CeCe encouraged him to go out with her skanky Russian model roommate Nadia. Of course, she didn’t actually want this to happen – but Schmidt was so hurt that CeCe wanted to put an end to their friends-with-benefits-but-kind-of-something-more relationship that he went through with it.
Nadia was a ridiculous, over the top character, but one that I thought totally worked. And the payoff was great – she actually broke Schmidt’s penis.
In the hospital, CeCe angrily confessed her true feelings for Schmidt. Those two have the kind of passion that Jess was looking for with Russell. They’re officially together now, except that Schmidt can’t be around his ultra-hot model girlfriend until he has, er, healed.
End of a Romance
Meanwhile, this episode marked the end of Jess’s relationship with Russell. We all knew it wouldn’t last forever and while I think there was still material to be found in their unlikely pairing, I’m happy with how the relationship played out.
After having dinner with Russell and his ex Ouli, Jess realized that even though they hated each other, there was still a lot of heat between them. Heat that she wanted for herself, and didn’t have with Russell.
It was an interesting idea. Now, I’m not saying that couples who constantly argue are couples we should all admire. Or that I think the show was trying to suggest that Russell and Ouli belong together – I think the show did a good job of making it clear that they do hate each other and will not get back together. But there’s some merit to the idea of “opposites attract” and a certain spark that can arise from two people who know how to keep one another on their toes.
Jess was having a perfectly pleasant time with Russell, but the passion wasn’t there. The feelings were all muted, and that was OK for him but it wasn’t for Jess. So she had to end it.
Romance Remix
And then, fresh from breaking things off from Russell, Jess returned home to find out that Nick had gotten back together with his ex Caroline. They had a big, explosive fight – one that actually, once again, reminded me of Luke and Lorelai from Gilmore Girls. (I should clarify, it’s not that I think the personalities match up here. They don’t. It’s just that there’s a certain free spirit + curmudgeon = fun banter and sexual chemistry equation that both shows have employed.) Nick and Jess wanted to kill each other, and it was hot.
I’ve said in the past that I wanted Nick to get his life together, but I take that back now. He’s much funnier when he’s floundering – not moping. The tomato growing gag was hilarious.
I liked the idea that Nick was struggling with the idea that Winston, who used to be a fellow screw-up, now has it all. A real job and a girlfriend he won’t shut up about. That’s definitely enough to inspire a guy to call his ex, even though it’s a horrifically bad idea.
Liz Meriwether, the showrunner on New Girl has said that Nick and Jess won’t be hooking up this season. And I don’t really want them to, especially now that Schmidt and CeCe are making a real go of things. I think there’s more conflict and sexual tension to be played out there, so I’m happy with the idea that Nick has taken the unfortunate detour of Caroline before getting his life on track.
What did you guys think of “Tomatoes”?
Favorite quotes & moments:
- Nick watered his plants the way Alicia Silverstone feeds her baby.
- Schmidt: “So…how do you like America?”
Nadia: “I like…salad bar. I like Despicable Me…Tosh 2.0. I like Connect 4…freedom of speech…David Fincher…uh…sidewalk….I like 1-800-SLIM…”Yo’ mama” jokes…strawberries… Wilmer Valmerama…Leon J. Panetta…ice skating for fun, not to save life…” - “Yeah, um… this is embarrassing… I broke my penis. Things got out of control with Nadia last night. There was, like, this one moment where it was just blinding pain. And there was another moment when I was, like, watching myself — watching myself. I think I finally understand what The Tree of Life was about. And I can’t be certain of this, but I am almost positive that Nadia’s vagina contains a right angle.”- Schmidt
- Schmidt: “You like me? You like my personality?”
CeCe: “I was surprised too.” - “Russell, put away the passion and show me a moderately good time.” – Jess
- Winston has a new way to mess with Schmidt – reminding him of things that arouse him. That includes: boobies, girls with clean hair, models eating sliders, Bernadette Peters on a high beam and freshly baked bread.
