New Girl – Weddings make you, break you

News Flash: I actually guffawed — twice — during this New Girl episode.

The first time was during Jess’ exchange with Nick’s old flame Caroline at the wedding. (Video segment below) Loved the way she verbally blew her off with the “I give up” and a toss of her hand while giggling. I’ve watched that segment several (okay … too many) times and cracked up at each viewing.

The second guffaw occurred specifically during one of Nick’s drunken rants at the wedding photo booth. (“You want to see a grown man cry? No? Then get ooooouuuuuuuttttt … !!!”) I’m still chuckling over that one.

New Girl keeps getting thumbs up from me. At some point, I figured Jess’ voice would get on my nerves, but it hasn’t yet. She has an underlying intelligence and a wily way about her that transcends her goofy demeanor. It surprises me. And, in turn, it cancels out any thought of shoving my fingers in my ears or changing the channel. It’s one of the biggest attractions of the series for me. Add the facts that the ratings aren’t bad plus it’s been picked up for an entire 24 episode first run and things are pretty golden.

There’s one particularly endearing thing that stands out for me about Zoey Deschanel’s Jess: She’s not afraid to get goofy. Case in point? Those hillbilly teeth she wanted to sport.

You see, I used to own a rubber chicken. (Several, matter of fact.) It brought me a lot of joy. It was a great source of comedy. (Feeling down? Just bring out the rubber chicken. The party you’re throwing not what you expected, crowd a bit slothy? Let the chicken make an appearance and watch things perk up. Grumpy grocery checkout person? Turn his or her frown upside down once they see Mr. Bock Bock.) So … is it any stretch of the imagination Jess has got the kind of personality I enjoy? No. It is not. Pull out them hillbilly teeth, I say, and let fly.

The naysayers out there will pooh-pooh the show for the dorky style Deschanel might feign with her character. But I’m here to tell you every once in awhile it’s good to get out of your comfort zone and explore a little bit. Heck … I’ve done it a time or two with an open mind. (Granted … it didn’t work, but at least I gave it the ‘ole college try.)

And let me tell you something: That endearing factor? It kinda leaps up the scale when Jess does something like coax Nick out of his depression, out of the photo booth and onto the dance floor and into an unconventional chicken dance. (The chickens … I’m tellin’ ya … just like Elvis, they’re everywhere.)

This is a nice little departure from a lot of the doom and gloom and procedurals and dippy dramas out there in TV Land. So take your blinders off and give it a go. You might be surprised.

I know I was.

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Oct 05, 2011 @ 02:56 EST5EDT