Photo: FOX
Finding Love on Craigslist
THE SHOW: New Girl
THE PAIRING: Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and Nick (Jake Johnson)
THE EPISODE: Season Three Premiere (Paradise by the Dashboard)
THE MOMENT: Jess’s speech.
This week’s Romantic Moment comes to you from the season three premiere of New Girl. As we all know by now, Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess (Zooey Deschanel) are finally together! The moment I’ve picked is when the group is trying to get Nick to return with them to the U.S. and Jess convinces Nick that they will make it as a couple back at the apartment and in the “real world.”
The scene includes sentiment towards the entire apartment as well, but I think really centers on Jess’s feelings for Nick. It begins when Nick asks Jess if she wants to wake up to the craziness of their roommates and she replies that “it doesn’t matter as long as I wake up next to you.” How sweet is that?! I have to admit I gushed a little at that statement. What can I say, I’ve been waiting for two years for the two to finally become a couple.
The scene culminates in Jess giving a speech on how she found her roommates and love on Craigslist. When Jess states that she “got a really great deal on Craigslist” she expresses her love not only for Nick, but also for the rest of the group, and their “family” as a whole. This was definitely my favorite scene of the night and my inspiration for this week’s column.
With their usual declarations of love spanning from “I really like you” to “I’m really fighting the urge to buy you a lobster dinner,” this one comes across as a little more dear to the heart. While still holding true to the fun and witty style of the show, the writers were able to convey a more serious and genuine feeling to Jess’s monologue. I also like that the scene holds romantic gestures towards Nick and Jess’s relationship, as well as heartwarming sentiment about the whole comically matched up group.
Zooey Deschanel is skilled at bringing together humor and heartfelt feeling. She is really one of the few actresses who could bring together both and make it work as well as she does. It’s her amazing acting that lifts this moment up from being simply comical to sweet and worthy of Romantic Moment of the Week. She demonstrates Jess’s trust in her and Nick’s relationship in a sweetly comical way. We also get to see how Jess really is the glue in the group. She is the one person able to calm the other’s craziness when it starts to get out of control.
Photo: FOX
In a way, Jess’ statement sums up the love that is shown throughout the episode. If driving all the way to Mexico with your friend’s passport to get him out of jail isn’t love, then I don’t know what is. Jess is the one who pulls them all together, though, and I think that is important to remember.
She does the same thing with Nick, able to tame and calm his sometimes out of control tendencies. I mean, the guy was so afraid they wouldn’t work out in the “real world” that he was willing to shred his passport so they would stay in Mexico. That’s a little…ok, maybe very extreme. Jess is able to bring him back from the brink, though. Jess is really the centerpiece of the whole show, the eye in the middle of the storm, shall we say. She is the reason that she and Nick will work as a couple. I guarantee it.
Did you enjoy this scene? Are there any other romantic moments this week that you think should be highlighted? Sound off below…
I have never watched New girl but enjoyed reading your review of the show’s romantic moment. I may just have to check it out.