Looking back at season two of New Girl (a season that ranks up there with the all-time best in TV, in my opinion), one can clearly see the moment where New Girl went from being a really, really good show to a great show, and that happened in “Cooler,” when Nick and Jess finally kissed and the two of them had to figure out “What the hell do we do about this now?” With Nick and Jess’s evolving relationship, New Girl finally found a clear focus for itself. New Girl still remained a show about friendship and the struggles of one’s early thirties, but it became less about watching five people just hang out and make jokes and more about the hopes and fears of two people that really care about each other and want to make it work but aren’t sure if that’s possible. By being really authentic with its two main characters, New Girl ensured that Nick and Jess’s relationship was not only the focus of the show but also its heart.
In “Elaine’s Big Day,” New Girl‘s season two finale, the show’s heart was fully on display at Cece’s wedding, as Nick and Jess continued to deal with the romantic tension between them and lay out the issues and trepidations that they had moving forward. Jess admitted that a small part of her was scared that Nick may be too immature for a relationship; Nick stated how he didn’t want to disappoint Jess and let her father be right about him. It really looked like New Girl was going to take the easy, less interesting route and have the two of them break up before they even got “officially” together, giving us a season three that was sure to be filled with longing glances and a lot of pining. After all the buildup of the relationship between Jess and Nick, I was disappointed, thinking New Girl was simply going to press the reset button and have us continue to watch the two of them dance around each other for another whole season.
Thankfully, however, at episode’s end (in another truly great romantic scene between Jake Johnson and Zooey Deshcanel), Nick and Jess both declare how much they want this thing to work out between them (as Nick gets the inspiration to talk to Jess after a pep talk from Winston) and hop in the car together to drive to who knows where. This scene is a great final moment for a season of television that truly examined the character of Nick Miller (from his family life to his insecurities and everything else in between) and the connection between him and Jess. Deschanel and Johnson nail every second of it, and I could not feel more fulfilled with a conclusion to this season, which provides some good closure to various storylines while also leading us into an even more exciting season three. How will Nick and Jess work together in a relationship? Will Jess’s optimism and perkiness continue to clash even more with Nick’s grumpy cynicism? I cannot wait to find out, and that’s the point of a good season finale: to leave you wanting more. A great finale to an amazing season of New Girl.
Other thoughts:
– So my review sort of became a piece all about Jess and Nick, but I did love other things in this episode as well. For example, having Winston’s poor ability at pranking come back and play a main role in the finale was a great choice by the New Girl writers. It was really funny and was a great showcase for Lamorne Morris. Also, his delivery of this line after getting bit by the badger was comedy gold: “Hey bartender. Can you call an ambulance? I’m about to bleed out.”
– So the big cliffhanger that had been teased is whether Schmidt will pick Elizabeth or Cece, now that she has admitted that she’s still in love with him. I’m conflicted. I know I might be in the minority, but I really like Elizabeth and would like to see her stay around. However, I’ve also wanted Schmidt and Cece together all season long, so I’m not really sure. I think it would be fun though to see Cece pining for Schmidt next year, at least to start season three.
– The overall broadness of pranking Cece’s wedding really worked because it came from a source of authentic emotion. The New Girl writers did a great job at making us really believe that Schmidt only wanted to help Cece as a friend, and in the end, he was right. She didn’t wanna go through with the wedding.
– Max Greenfield had a lot of great moments in this episode, but for some reason, I could not stop laughing when Schmidt said “Jess, he’s in the ducts. The ducts!” Greenfield’s delivery and Schmidt’s repeated use of “the ducts” almost had me crying.
– Nick thinks he looks like he’s on Miami Vice in his tan suit. Never change, Nick Miller. Never change.
– The much anticipated guest appearance by Taylor Swift only lasts a minute, but I thought she was pretty funny as Elaine, Shivrang’s true love, who he runs away to be with after his and Cece’s wedding gets ruined, thus giving the episode its unusual title: “Elaine’s Big Day.”
– “I don’t think the badger is actually rabid. He’s just kind of a dick, so…” – Jess.
– “Before you say no, don’t say no” – Jess to Nick. I cannot get over how well that final scene between them was done. So real, believable, and satisfying.
– And with that, New Girl‘s second season is officially finished. Thank you to everyone who has read these reviews and commented on them. It really means a lot. I’ve had a great time reviewing this whole season, watching New Girl evolve and improve from week to week, and I hope you enjoyed it as well. Until the fall, have a great summer everyone!
What did everyone else think of the finale?
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NEW GIRL has become my favorite show on tv right now. It’s been nothing but one hilarious and fantastic episode after another this season. And the finale was no exception! Schmidt’s and Winston’s attempts to sabotage the wedding were hilarious, as was Winston’s excitement at finally being able to go crazy with his prank schemes. I found it refreshing to see that Schmidt was sabotaging the wedding as more of a “friend rescuing another friend” type of thing than over jealousy. And I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m pretty certain that the writers had probably initially intended for Schmidt and Ceci to have a big reunion in the finale. But then Elizabeth came along and it seems that most of NG’s fans on Facebook and the show’s comments section are rooting for Elizabeth now, as am I. So I see Schmidt’s indecision in the end as the writers’ way of giving themselves time to test the waters and see what will be better received next season, an Elizabeth and Schmidt romance or Ceci and Schmidt.
(continued) I also wonder if perhaps they have to negotiate a way for the actress who plays Elizabeth to stay on the show since she also appears in another show. I don’t think the writers were expecting the fans to love Elizabeth so much, and so now they might be debating which way they’ll go with her. I would love to see Schmidt pick her over Ceci at this point. It’s too convenient that Ceci drops Shivrang and then hopes to reunite with Schmidt again after the way she’s treated him this season. After all, it was Schmidt who declared his love for her before she decided to seek someone else for her future. So I think the writers have realized that they made Elizabeth and Schmidt just too damn great and fun to watch, and so now they’re left wondering where the hell to go with Schmidt. I’m personally rooting for Elizabeth. It’s nothing against Ceci, but it’s just that with Elizabeth, Schmidt looks a lot happier and looks to be having a great time with her, never hesitating to kiss the hell out of her. Go Elizabeth!!!!
(continued) As for Nick and Jess, I loved how considerate Nick was throughout the entire episode to Jess and how he wouldn’t do something that would hurt her at her best friend’s wedding. I didn’t agree with Schmidt when he said that Nick was changing himself to appease Jess. I thought Nick’s little gestures of wearing the nicer suit and being sensitive to Jess were just examples of Nick’s natural reactions to being with a girl he “really cares about” (as he said to Bob in the last episode). I think this is the REAL Nick Miller, the one who all his life has been responsible for his family and who is just now starting to realize that that side of him is a good thing, and not one that he has to continue to fight or deny. Nick WANTS to be good for Jess. As he said in “First Date”, he WANTS to do grown-up things. And the sweet and romantic side that comes out when he’s with Jess is just another side of his real self. For deep down, he’s still the guy who lost his virginity as he described, sweetly and thoughtfully.
(continued) Yes, since college Nick has tried to rebel against that side of him by being aloof and with no real achievements in his life. But I think it’s his real fear and refusal to end up like his father that is now propelling Nick to hold onto what he knows is good in his life, and who appreciates HIM. And that’s Jess. What I really loved about N&J’s last scene was that this time it was Jess who took that step to show Nick how invested she was in their relationship (no matter what that might be), as she wasn’t afraid to show him how emotional she was over the idea of losing what had barely begun between them.
(continued) Ever since “Cooler”, it’s been Nick who’s been the one to take those important steps with Jess: first grabbing her in a heated kiss, then chasing her home after Jess learning of his being with his boss and egging her on to kiss him, then kind of asking her on a date (even though in the end Jess was the one to actually officially ask, but Nick was still the one to plan the date and be all adorable and wear that suit), and then literally sweeping her off her feet and sleeping with her for the first time, then getting up the next morning to make her breakfast in bed, while later romantically preparing the same breakfast on the roof for a midnight rendezvous. But in the final moments of the finale, it was JESS who put her feelings on the line and proved to Nick that what they had actually meant something special to her. She was fighting for their chance to see what they could become to one another, and the look of shock and utter relief on Nick’s face as he saw that she had not left and that she was not going to let him go was very exciting. Because even though Nick had just minutes before said that they weren’t in love, the looks on their faces at that very moment spoke of how deep down they wondered if in fact that might not be true at all.
(continued) And man oh man, do these two know how to kiss or what?! These two have amazing chemistry together, giving us these heated kisses that are all-consuming and so incredibly passionate. The finale has given us great hope that next season will be a lot of fun to watch. I’m sure N&J’s relationship, and even Schmidt’s possible relationship with Elizabeth, will have great moments and even bigger hiccups, but I’m pretty damn sure they’re going to be amazing in any case. I’m gonna be re-watching this whole season this summer, prepping myself up for what looks to be another amazing season in September. Woo-Hoo!