New Girl
Episode 21: First Date
By: Carlos Uribe
New Girl is a show about Jess and her three best friends (Winston,
Nick, and Schmidt)
Spoilers
Ahoy!
Cooler
was an episode that marked a huge shift for New Girl as Jess and Nick
kissed. The episodes after that dealt with the consequences but First
Date takes it a step farther. Nick likes Jess. He can't deny it. It
gets so bad that he actually touches her boobs. He decides to take it
to the next level after talking to his wise Asian friend. He's going
to ask Jess out on a date. Only when he asks her, it's right after
she's taken a shower. She's wearing nothing but a towel. He does get
her to agree to have dinner with him but he forgets to make it clear
he was asking her out. He wears a nice suit and makes a reservation
at a nice restaurant. When he shows up, he's confused at why Jess is
at a nearby taco stand. It becomes clear to him when they sit down
and Jess asks if this is a date. Nick instantly backs down because he
doesn't want to admit that they were on a separate page. It doesn't
help that Russell shows up the restaurant. He seems to give his
blessing to the idea of them getting together but the two aren't on a
proper date anymore. The two decide that they're just going to drink
which basically becomes their second first date. The two get drunk
and decide that they are going to have dinner together. This time the
two decide it's going to be a date. They get their table back and
order food only to have Russell say something that they don't know
what he means. They try to get him to explain himself so he decides
to try and exercise. He has them right down what they think they are.
Are they in love? Are they going to be dating now? Is this just a
one-night stand for them? He's asking them to deny who they are to
see if they're on the same page. Only when he gets the answers,
Russell decides that he's not going to reveal them. He leaves with
them which forces Nick and Jess to actually communicate what they
feel for each other. This is difficult to do so the episode ends with
the two of them going into their rooms even as their unresolved
sexual tension threatens to overwhelm them.
It's
a pretty good question to ask what exactly they are. Cooler set off a
string of episodes where their kiss permanently affected their group
dynamic. They couldn't forget about it and it's been dominating their
scenes together. There was a brief break when Nick's father died but
there's no doubt that the events of Cooler led directly to this
episode. That was an episode that dealt with the question of
“will-they-won't-they” but First Date shifts the question to what
exactly they are. I have a feeling that this is a question that's
going to carry on over the last three episodes-an arc to close out a
spectacular second season. The way that the question is executed is
very good as well. Nick happens to ask Jess just at the wrong
time-when she's in her bathrobe. Just about everything at the
restaurant scene is executed perfectly. The two of them aren't on the
same page on the date at first. The way the two of them are able to
connect even as they relay to confront their feelings for each other
is some skillful writing. It helps that the chemistry between Zoey
Deschanel and Jakes Johnson is superb. If there was an award for
chemistry between two actors then they would deserve it. I really
want them to have sex with other already, damn it! The way the show
used the character of Russell was pretty smart. He starts out as an
observer before becoming an active participant. He holds the answers
that could bring them together or keep them apart but he picks to
force them to communicate with each other. First Date decides to ask
just what exactly they are in the best possible manner.
Jess
and Nick might be trying to figure out what they are but Schmidt and
Winston also have to deal with the possibility they might lose him to
Jess. They panic because they think that he's the glue that holds
them together. This is because all of their stories begin and end
with Nick. It even hammers this point home. When the two of them
first meet, Schmidt can't help but call out for Nick when he steps
out of the room. They might be best friends now but they think they
need Nick. So they decide to sabotage Nick's date with Jess. They
settle on using a homeless guy to take off his shirt and sing for
them. The idea is that this would gross the two out so they would
never see the other as sexually appealing. It makes sense but it
falls apart when the homeless guy decides to abuse his access to
their bathroom. The two have to find a way to kick him out without
calling on Nick. When they manage to do this, the two are happy that
they finally have a story that doesn't end with Nick. They manage to
prove that they don't need Nick to have goofy adventures or be best
friends. It's a bit ironic that in setting out to prove that they
need Nick to remain friends they end up proving that they actually
don't. This is crucial so that they could eventually accept them as a
couple. They might act as an obstacle at first but at least they can
be won over since their friendship with each other isn't going to be perceived
at stake anymore.
First
Date is a pretty great episode of New Girl. Jess and Nick go on their
first date only it confuses the situation because they don't know
what they are. They don't even know how they feel for each other.
They might not have any answer at the end of the episode but I still
think it was a step forward in their relationship. For one thing, the
question has now been asked. It's also a step forward in a way that
doesn't relate to them. Schmidt and Winston come to realize that they
don't need Nick to stay friends. This will plant a seed for them to
accept when Jess and Nick to finally move to the stage where they're
actually dating.
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