On New Girl this season Jess’ work and personal life are entwined as a result of her relationship with Ryan, but since they started dating in secret we haven’t seen their attempts at covering this up at school. Now they don’t need to because Coach did his research and found a previous case allowing them to confess all to their peers. Sneaking around romance stories are a sitcom staple but as this show has had at least two of them it makes more sense to get straight to the reactions to their relationship. Plus as we have seen in the past the teachers at Jess’ school aren’t the most stable so of course they react with suspicion and chaos follows.
Jess just wants people to like her and this is one of those lesson episodes where characters realize that doing the right thing isn’t always the easiest or most popular. And you might end up with a face full of wasps.
Elsewhere Schmidt has a medical issue which is stopping him from going into work (an ulcer caused by work) and despite Schmidt’s very vocal protests Nick is going to show him how to do nothing for a day. Schmidt is desperate to become Don Draper, but he’s destined for mid-level if his boss has anything to do with it and this is far from the character his office is trying to emulate. The only person who doesn’t really have a work story going on this week is Winston as he spends the episode talking up the crystal he has been given by his colleagues (in a way this is a work story I guess) in a creepy but all-knowing way.
Coach reacts to no longer being the hot new guy in the teacher’s lounge by convincing Jess and Ryan to reveal their relationship. When this doesn’t have the desired effect he attempts a Ryan like sensitive nature and cardigan styling, which instead gives off a whole murderer vibe. What “Coming Out” reinforces with all the characters is that it is better to be yourself and Coach gets his hot status back when he leaps to save the kids from the nest full of wasps which has been unleashed. It’s painful, but he seems into it.
The same goes for Jess and while she is still concerned about people liking her because this is her standard position, Cece points out – this episode needs more Cece – she has to go in and be herself while owning it at the same time. And own it she does while also telling Ryan that she loves him in front of all the other teachers. And that goes well too as he responds in the same way. So far the whole Ryan relationship has been relatively drama free and as I mentioned last week I am glad he has become more than just a three-episode thing. Now the “I love you” moment has occurred I’d like to see more of Ryan beyond dreamy perfection, not that I need angst but there is only so far that dreamy perfection can take you. Even with a butt like that.
Schmidt has always wanted big things so to be told he is nothing more than an amazing mid-level employee is the push he needs to look beyond his current job. After a day of mooching in a Nick fashion he points out that Nick used to have grand ideas (cue college flashback) and now he just spends his days doing nothing. On one end you have Schmidt working too hard in a job that isn’t going anywhere and Nick is at the other standing still (or lying down). Put the opposing positions next to each and what you end up with is a desire to work together. This has disaster written all over it, but maybe it might produce something amazing like computers for babies. Back in season 1 they came up with Real-Apps and while this ended up cutting Jess’ boyfriend Russell there is also potential here.
Taking the leap, doing what you’re scared of and breaking out of a routine are all addressed in “Coming Out” and Winston’s crystal might be nonsense, but it also helps some of these characters confront personal roadblocks. Also all-knowing and wise Winston is hilarious. And it leads to one of the funniest tags this show has ever delivered. Much like Schmidt’s job prospects this is a mid-level episode; however it has the potential for more especially if it goes into business with Nick Miller.
New Girl Style Watch
Jess wears two very cute dresses this week with this ‘Jenny’ houndstooth dress from Shoshanna and later an umbrella print ModCloth frock. The blazer in the photo above is the same one Jess wore from J. Crew in last week’s episode. Also from J. Crew is the quilted red jacket in the picture at the top of this review. All are on my wish list.
TV Ate My Wardrobe 
I need to know where Winston got that crystal. I’m in love with it!