TV Review: “New Girl”

Deschanel shines as geeky oddball in new Fox comedy

By Nicole Begley

Posted on Sept. 25, 2011, at 10:17 p.m.

Roommates can be hit-or-miss, even if the two are the same sex.

But imagine having three guys living together who are all set in their macho ways, then throwing in a girl into the mix.

Not just any girl, but Zooey Deschanel.

Deschanel plays the upbeat, dorky, honest and vulnerable Jess. Jess is in her late 20’s and has just been dumped by her boyfriend. Having nowhere else to go, she moves in with three guys.

Nick, played by Jake Johnson, is the smartest of the three. He had big life plans but lacked the ambition to follow through on them and is now a bartender. He also has emotional issues — he can’t get over a girlfriend who dumped him five months ago.

Schmidt, played by Max Greenfield, is a young corporate professional trying to climb his way up the social ladder, but his immature, partying personality scares the women away. He is the one who convinced the other guys to let Jess stay, but not necessarily for altruistic reasons.

Completing the trifecta is Coach, played by Damon Wayans, Jr. He is a former high school stud athlete turned personal trainer. He’s not particularly at ease around Jess, or women in general for that matter, and is most comfortable at the gym, beating his clients into shape.

Jess’ best friend Cece, played by Hannah Simone, is another key supporting character. Cece is a model, which is the probably main reason Schmidt let Jess stay in the apartment. Cece is a little cynical but has a good heart and is looking out for Jess with her down-to-earth, no-nonsense advice.

This show is mostly original. Although this formula may have been seen before, the characters make it special. Deschanel shines on the silver screen and has carried her stardom to the small screen. She plays Jess with her usual amount of quirky beauty and is the source of most chuckles the show elicits.

The guys have their moments as well. Wayans charmingly portrays Coach’s awkwardness while Greenfield gives Schmidt a good heart underneath his player persona.

Johnson is actually a tad disappointing, as his inability to get over his past relationship and live up to his potential holds him back. However, he is the most loyal and kindhearted of the three and that makes up for weaknesses.

The only downfall of the show so far is the pacing. It felt like things happened too fast. The awkwardness of having a girl in a man cave was resolved 20 minutes into the half-hour show when the guys unrealistically all ditched a party for Jess.

If that’s all that was wrong with the first episode, then “New Girl” has all the promise in the world.

While the show has elements of slapstick, it is deeper than goofy physical comedy. Most humor comes from the physical actions of the characters; however, the spoken humor is more refined than a lot of what we’re used to on modern television.

The cast is charming and has great chemistry. The script is well written, witty and chuckle-inducing. Although the pacing is a little too quick, the show is still clever and easily relatable. Girls and guys alike will love Jess for her quirkiness and her roommates for their loyalty.

The series has only aired one episode, but it has the potential to be a comedic tour de force.

Grade: B+

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 25th, 2011, 10:17 pm. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.