The Mindy Project and the Rom-Com Narrative Part 2

23 Jan

Back in September when The Mindy Project returned for season 2 we discussed our complicated and conflicting “will they/won’t they” feelings in relation to Danny and Mindy. The first season ended with a moment that strongly hinted at this move from friends to something more and the flirty bickering has been a feature of this show since the pilot.

The Mindy Project is a love letter to rom-coms and the work of Nora Ephron runs through its veins in both theme and specific references. The difference of course between a movie “will they/won’t they” and one on TV is that a TV show has to deal with the “what’s next?” question that normally punctuates a movie and The Mindy Project has to figure out what’s going to happen now that Mindy and Danny have kissed.

The Mindy ProjectAh yes the big kiss and I will gladly admit that I have jumped aboard this mighty ship; totally blaming the Aaliyah dance for this leap from friendship shipping to Mindy and Danny 4EVA. This isn’t the only reason as they’ve done a very good job of building from friendship to feelings and the Christmas episode cemented this notion.

Danny is probably Mindy’s best friend on the show, especially as Gwen has been a no show all season – where are all of Mindy’s lady friends? – they already know pretty much everything about each other and I definitely cry BS that Mindy would choose getting back to Cliff over being there for Danny is his time of personal crisis. Drama is required and it is often the case with sitcoms that disbelief should be suspended when it comes to the set up of these emotional highs (see Nick’s movie theater birthday party surprise on New Girl for a prime example of ignoring logistics).

New Girl has probably ruined me for first kisses; this was a great smooch and yet it doesn’t quite hit the wow heights of the Nick and Jess’ “Cooler” embrace. That’s not to say I haven’t watched it several times and will be watching it a few more as the video is below. In the same way New Girl has had to navigate the post-first kiss waters and has gone all in on Nick and Jess as a couple, The Mindy Project has to figure out where to go next. Getting to this point is the easy part; it’s the aftermath that is complicated.

First there is the whole narrative of the show to be considered as Mindy’s romantic quest is the core thesis; if Mindy has now found love where does this leave the dating aspect. Well Mindy has been in a couple of long term relationships before so it’s not an entirely new concept, but it’s never been with one of the regular characters and one that she works with. I’m actually jumping way ahead as one kiss does not a boyfriend make and Mindy has just sent Cliff a heartfelt letter trying to win him back. It’s just got a lot more complicated for Mindy and who knows what will happen on the rest of their flight home. The Danny/Mindy feelings barometer swings heavily towards Danny and even though Mindy reciprocated the kiss it’s unclear how strongly she feels about him in this way; is Danny going to get his heartbroken all over again?

The “will they/won’t they” is different for every show (in part this is why the so-called Moonlighting curse is ridiculous) and if I was writing my MA thesis now I would definitely ditch auteur theory for “will they/won’t they” as frankly I’ve written almost a dissertation amount on this subject since the start of TV Ate My Wardrobe. With The Mindy Project my anticipation levels are high because of how it uses rom-coms as the foundation for Mindy’s romantic interactions and as I mentioned earlier the after is one quandary movies don’t really have to deal with. They could have painted themselves into a corner or it could be the best thing to happen to the show. The next episode doesn’t air until April so they’ve got plenty of time to figure out whether this is Mindy’s Happily Ever After or not.

In the meantime here is the big moment from The Mindy Project’s winter finale.

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New Girl 3.13 “Birthday” Review: Great Expectations

22 Jan

The first birthday as a couple can lead to all kinds of anxiety; in fact birthdays in general can lead to this state. For some the idea of a huge party is enough to cause nightmares, whereas some revel in this day of celebration and want the works. Jess falls into the latter camp and after years of disappointment – this is the first time New Girl has shown her birthday – she has a new routine of going to the movies by herself to temper these feelings. This year is going to be different because Nick has a whole surprise planned; except he forgot to plan anything for before the party and now he has a whole day to improvise.

NG_ep312_sc40pt_0242 (1)This birthday party is a sign of Nick’s growth even if he still fucks up by forgetting the pre-party distractions and his stalling tactics include a free diabetes test and a really long uphill walk. Sex as a distraction doesn’t help either, as much to Nick’s chagrin it’s the quickest he’s ever been with her. Awkward. The no expectation thing takes a turn for the worse when they stumble upon a birthday party set up in the park and Jess is so taken aback by ‘her surprise’ that Nick just lets the horrorshow play out in front of him.

It’s a case of Jess underestimating Nick, she’s not doing this in a cruel manner and she totally appreciates everything he does for her (including picking up rubber bands for her ponytail, oh Nick), it’s just that she can’t help but run off and cry. She’s not chill and really the more someone repeats that they are, the less this is true. Jess mentions the cool girlfriend trope from movies, which is much like the MPDG and is completely unrealistic. Pretty sure this is a nod to the criticisms that have been leveled at both New Girl and Zooey Deschanel in the past. Regardless, this isn’t who Jess is as she does care about things and she spends a significant portion of this episode crying for one reason or another.

Jess’ sofa sobbing is particularly funny as New Girl enters farce territory with Winston and Coach hiding the crazy amount of decorations with Jess in the room. Coach’s superfluous cartwheel is a nice touch, as is his response to Jess’ baking question “Bakery downtown exploded. Don’t look into it, it’s not on the internet.” All while he has flour smudged on his face. This takes place as she is spilling her soul to them about how she’s disappointed in herself for being disappointed in Nick. Jess knows that she needs to temper her anticipation, if only she could see what was going on behind her in this scene as Winston clutches onto a bunch of surprise balloons.

Despite the rocky start to the day, Nick manages to pull it all together in the end (let’s not look too closely into the logistics) and it leads more tears from Jess. These are the happier kind as it’s the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for her and Jess apologizes for her earlier reaction. It’s a really heartwarming conclusion and circles back to the “real shit and some stupid shit” core of what New Girl is. The video testimonials feature who you would expect and some faces from the past (Tran! Sadie!), so happy to see both Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob Reiner popping up “When you were born I got a deli sandwich at the hospital cafeteria and then there was a baby.” It’s Nick’s message that sends me over the feelings cliff as he reveals he still carries the coin that was in his pocket the first time they kissed. Ol’ Nick Miller is definitely a romantic at heart. Oh and Schmidt blows up a car and runs away from dinosaurs in his message, because of course.

It’s an episode that is bookended with the ensemble and shows the writers have got a handle on the different pairings that make up the three individual stories. Jess and Nick are pretty solid at this point and while it doesn’t have the same intensity as this time last year, as a couple they are working for me. This is the first episode to feature prominent Cece and Schmidt interactions since their breakup and further adds to my theory that Nick and Cece are rather alike. Not the bartending skills as Cece is far from being a natural – her version of an old fashioned is gin in a mug with a peanut in it and she somehow set fire to soda water – but with the lack of self-belief. Strength and confidence are skills and Schmidt tells Cece that she should use them, she could also be a little meaner. The plan works and in return Cece refers to Schmidt as her friend; I’m not going to be too thrilled if the Cece/Schmidt romance starts up anytime soon, however this plot is a good reminder of how these characters can bounce off each other.

Ben Falcone is pretty great as Mike, another crotchety employee of this bar who isn’t too thrilled that Nick has traded shifts with Cece, more of him please.

The Coach/Winston rivalry is revisited first as decorations vs. cake (cake always wins) and then as cake vs. cake after Winston gets the wrong (and very scary looking) one from the bakery. It finally feels like all the pieces of New Girl’s third season are falling into place and this is probably the funniest of the three storylines in “Birthday” and one that takes an unexpectedly sweet turn with oven glove handshakes and hugs when the two cakes become one (cue Spice Girls). Coach invoking the word moist is both hilarious and horrifying, though nothing beats a moist sponge – let it be known that writing moist this much has given me a very icky feeling.

New Girl might be the name of the show, yet it’s been clear for a long time that it’s not one individual that holds everything together and this episode has a pay it forward way of showing this; Winston and Coach’s bake off results in one cake, Winston reminds Nick that everyone’s here to help and he can still pull off the birthday surprise, Schmidt gives Cece the boost she needs and Jess ends up with the best birthday surprise. It’s not about what one person can do and these ever changing dynamics reveal that no one person on this show is the level headed one and the guy who is terrible at organizing might just deliver the best present when least expected.

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Sleepy Hollow Finale Review: Whaaaaaaaat?

21 Jan

A good twist brings out my Macaulay Culkin Home Alone impression and the last 15 minutes of the Sleepy Hollow double bill was all hands on cheeks, mouth agape. Nicely played, Sleepy Hollow. This first season has raised the bar for fast paced storytelling with an emotional core; it can be both incredibly creepy and heartwarming. It’s safe to say that the old misty eyes were induced several times over this double bill. Ichabod’s costuming has been a big discussion point here at TV Ate My Wardrobe and after last week’s brief foray into modern attire; he finally found a solution to his clothing dilemma.

Sleepy Hollow finaleThe second of the two episodes opened with what seemed to be a Katrina infused dream, nothing new here. Instead the scene subverted expectations and Ichabod was very much awake and in the real world, except the real world was masking as his old world with a re-enactment. Balancing the end of world doom with moments of brevity like this one is what makes this show such a fun watching experience and even though Ichabod can’t get his head around aspects of modernity, like why would you want to re-enact something as brutal as war, it provides a new clothing outlet for him. Yes the outfit Ichabod is wearing in Purgatory isn’t the same one we have seen him in throughout the year, but his new threads and they look a lot like his old ones.

Jenny makes a joke about getting rid of his “ratty coat” and this is not on Ichabod’s list of things to do “Please, and risk it be worn ironically by purveyors of artisanal marmalade who discovered it at the local thrift shop, I thank you no. For judge a man not by the wear of what he wears, but by the where and how he wears it.” Like most people Ichabod feels attachment to certain items of clothing, this is pretty much how I get every time I have to stop wearing a pair of hole ridden Cons and Ichabod has had that coat for two centuries. Bonds are formed.

Talking of bonds, the link between Abbie and Ichabod is strong and the strength of Sleepy Hollow lies in this relationship. Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie have this amazing ability to sell any of the bananas plot points; zombie George Washington? Sure! A trip to Purgatory? Why not! The banter and the more tender moments slightly diminish the joy of Crane getting Katrina out of purgatory – especially as she is quickly whisked away by the headless horseman – the hugs and declarations of loyalty between Ichabod and Abbie are a sure fire way to invoke all the feelings.

Now Abbie is trapped in a garish pink dollhouse, when Abbie and Jenny first discussed this place of sanction I imagined a traditional Victorian version. There’s actually something creepier about the one we get as it looks so out of place in the world between worlds and the bright color does little to comfort as it’s incredibly disorientating in this realm of darkness.

The big twist is that Henry Parish, the sin eater is actually both War and Jeremy Crane, son of Ichabod and Katrina. From the moment his hand healed of its own accord I figured there was something up with Henry, but in no way did I see this big reveal coming. John Noble is so good at portraying a sweet, put upon character (see Walter Bishop), I forgot that he can also play malevolent and bitter (see Walternate and Denethor). This is some huge child abandonment issues on show here, though on this occasion he should really cut his parents some slack.

Other finale highlights include reactions to emoticons, Ichabod realizing that flip phones are so last decade, Yolanda, fist bumps, Spy Daddy and zombie George Washington.

So Abbie’s stuck in a dollhouse, Katrina’s been taken, Ichabod’s been put in hole in the ground bound by roots and Jenny lies unconscious in her upturned truck. Oh and Irving is in jail. That’s not a good place for any of these characters to end the season. For us the audience we now have the agonizing wait until season 2 and until then you should check out this incredibly detailed conversation with costume designer Kristin Burke over at Go Fug Yourself, including a glimpse at the modern wardrobe that has been acquired for Ichabod even though he is unlikely to wear it ever.

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Music Monday: Girls and Dancing to New Order’s “Age of Consent”

20 Jan

Apparently today is another Blue Monday, but the New Order song we’re listening to here at TV Ate My Wardrobe is “Age of Consent.” So it’s been a little while since our last Music Monday post and the Girls soundtrack is a good place to revive this feature as it tends to be a blend of old and new songs.

There are a couple of super cringe Marnie moments in “She Said OK” and I fear that I’m going to have “What I Know” stuck in my head all day. In fact it took me the whole episode to pinpoint which version I knew before this one (Emma Bunton) and I’m kinda disappointed that HBO has put up Marnie’s autotuned version even if it made me want to crawl beneath my desk. The rendition of Rent’s “Take Me or Leave Me” later in this episode also had the same curl into a ball reaction. Step away from the microphone Marnie.

Hannah tells Adam that her birthday is always terrible and this New Order song provides one of the few truly happy moments for Hannah this week as Adam picks her up to dance. Sadly we don’t get to hear much of the song as Ray angst (I love you Ray) takes over and the song fades into the background.

Time to dance.

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Best of the 2014 SAG Awards Red Carpet

19 Jan

The SAG red carpet is a fun one, even if Giuliana Rancic was trying to make “radiant orchid” happen, no G that’s just dark purple. Bold color and so many sparkles feature in our best dressed list of movie and TV stars; with only one person making both of our best dressed rundowns from the Golden Globes and SAG Awards.

Anna Gunn SAGBreaking Bad took home Best Ensemble in a Drama and Anna Gunn has the perfect accessory with this Breaking Bad logo emblazoned Edie Parker clutch. The midnight blue shimmery Monique Lhuillier Resort 2014 gown is stunning and fits Gunn perfectly. Dramatic earrings and tousled hair are the perfect way to finish off this look.

Lupita SAGLupita Nyong’o has been the breakout star of this awards season and she deservedly won for her performance in 12 Years a Slave last night. As we saw with the Ralph Lauren caped dress, Nyong’o can pull off single block color with a twist and this turquoise Gucci affair has incredible floral embroidered straps with a hint of gold. This is a spectacular and I can’t wait to see what she wears to the Oscars.

20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - ArrivalsMaking a dramatic impact in blue was the big trend on the SAG Awards red carpet and Amy Adams does just this in an Antonio Berardi frock. Old Hollywood glamour is subverted thanks to the unusual bodice/asymmetric shapes and I love the embroidered crystals around the waist. Sparkles and blue ruled this event.

Sofía VergaraThis is some serious shimmer from Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara (winners of Best Ensemble in a Comedy) in beaded Donna Karan Atelier. While the necklace is a statement too much for a gown like this, Vergara does look incredible and she totally knows how to work the red carpet.

Jennnifer Lawrence SAGJennifer Lawrence was worried about her “armpit vagina” and we can categorically say this isn’t a problem as Dior finally got it right after months of missteps for the American Hustle star. The many different color sequins that make up this dress create a visual treat and it’s one of the most interesting looks from this red carpet.

Emilia ClarkeOn the other end of the shimmer scale is Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke in a custom Calvin Klein Collection liquid rose gold and she is radiant. Clarke also got to share a flirty and super awkward encounter on E! with Jared Leto; it was hard to look away from the Giuliana induced cringe even if they would look really good together (even if I kinda want the Leto/Taylor Swift thing to happen thanks to all the references to Red in My So-Called Life, readers of my This Was TV recaps with Julie Hammerle will know what I’m talking about).

Jared Leto SAG 2014Speaking of Jared Leto, he’s been working it this awards season (he won again last night, could Jordan Catalano win an Oscar?) and he ditched the man bun and let his locks run free. While my love for Jordan Catalano is no more (see the This Was TV discussions for why), I’m suddenly remembering why at 15 he was my number one crush (well joint with Pacey), see the ’90s really have made a comeback. The white bow tie is a nice twist on the standard black tux.

Jennifer Garner SAGLeto’s Dallas Buyers Club co-star Jennifer Garner opted for a simple navy blue Max Mara dress and it’s a classic look. Now if only someone could lure Garner back to TV with an excellent project as I’d quite like some more Sydney Bristow in my life (and no it doesn’t have to be spy related, even if a guest spot on The Americans would be perfection).

Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy SAGI’ve yet to see a photo with the MSCL reunion this event should bring (I will be keeping my eyes peeled), so in the meantime here is Claire Danes (with Hugh Dancy) in a Vionnet VIP collection dress made up of several intricate components. It could have been a mess, especially when sheer is one of the factors and yet Claire Danes looks fantastic. The slightly darker hair and makeup add to the dramatic effect.

20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - ArrivalsNew Girl’s Hannah Simone has stuck to a more classic approach in a pale lavender Marchesa frock and she looks beautiful. A simple ’60s-esque updo and a fresh faced approach add to this ethereal look.

Who was your best dressed?

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

17 Jan

Monochrome has been back in favor for a while now and so many of the best red carpet looks at various events this week have embraced this trend. This also applies to some on point looks on TV this week and so Out of the Box is focusing on the best in black and white. It’s also been a huge week for TV Ate My Wardrobe favorite Diane von Furstenberg as she celebrates 40 years of her iconic wrap dress with the launch of the Journey of a Dress exhibition as well as getting a name check on American Horror Story: Coven.

Allison Williams DVFAllison Williams went for retro glamour while celebrating Diane von Furstenberg as she ditches the classic all American look she tends to favor on the red carpet. The new season of Girls premiered last weekend and this coupled with the Golden Globes means that the Girls cast have been doing the rounds. This is my style highlight of all the many different outfits Williams has worn and I’m digging the faux bob and red lipstick.

Diane Kruger ChanelDiane Kruger in Chanel is a recipe for success and she pulls off this super cute mini bow accented ensemble like a Chanel wearing pro (she is a face of their skin care range after all). Here’s another version of the ‘Lego’ Chanel clutch and I’m having all the bag envy right now. This is a luncheon event for W magazine and the fresh faced look works perfectly; no one wants to go all out for a daytime shindig.

Keri Russell Fox all starIt’s the TCA winter tour and a whole host of parties and panels have taken place including the Fox All-Star event. Keri Russell switched up this outfit for the Americans panel but kept the leather jacket and monochrome palette. I’ve been watching a lot Felicity recently so it’s been a whole lot of knitwear, Russell can totally pull of the leather badass style and this is a stunning look even if I tend to dislike white pumps. As always her hair looks beyond incredible and The Americans is high on my most anticipated list.

Gillian JacobsGilliam Jacobs attended a Chanel hosted event launching Drew Barrymore’s new book of photography and I’m mesmerized by this hypnotic frock. It reminds me of those 60s art prints and of the dress I wore on New Year’s Eve; I love the different textures and patterns and it makes it hard to look away.

Golden Globes PromoTina Fey and Amy Poehler’s Golden Globes style has already been covered and yet somehow this promo shot slipped under our radar; it’s too damn good to leave out and totally fits in with this week’s “Out of the Box” theme.

American Horror StoryIt’s hard to believe that we haven’t discussed how incredible Frances Conroy is on AHS: Coven and while I still can’t work out if I actually enjoy the show – it’s definitely a hot mess – I’m super into Conroy’s Myrtle as a Grace Coddington/Vivienne Westwood inspired hybrid. The black and white polka dots combined with the leather yellow gloves is perfection and Myrtle has quite the thing for fashion as she refers to the DVF wrap dress as the greatest invention of our time.

Zooey Deschanel Kate SpadeFrom this shot it looks like your average polka dot dress (which you know we would love), instead those dots are actually apples and this is the second week in a row for Kate Spade and New Girl on this list. Paired with a red cardigan and bowed belted this is an excellent daytime take on monochrome. You can buy this Kate Spade New York Domino dress here (and it’s almost half off).

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The Wish List: Wear Your Heart on Your Sweater

16 Jan

Valentine’s Day is upon us and while I’m not all that into flowers and dinner that come with inflated prices, I am partial to clothes with hearts on. Burberry has run with this trend over the past six months with both their men and women’s lines – yes Harry Styles is a fan – now it’s time to see what shows in the past week have been offering up some more affordable heart adorned alternatives.

The Carrie Diaries heart sweaterThe Carrie Diaries celebrated Valentine’s Day last week (the season finale is January 31 hence why it’s this early) in an episode that broke several hearts. Carrie had a terrible night out after getting into a fight with Sebastian and this was followed by a revelation that devastated her BFF Walt. While it didn’t end in a good place for Walt, Carrie and Sebastian made up and it’s a good job considering Carrie is wearing a super cute sweater covered in hearts from Oasis. This wouldn’t be a good break up look, well unless Carrie wants to go DIY again with some nail polish and this is too adorable to ruin.

The Carrie Diaries Heart blouseMeanwhile the other less cutesy Bradshaw sister is also trying out the hearts trend, in black of course and paired with tartan pants in an attempt to make it a tad punk. There are several variations of this shirt available from the Harry Styles favored Burberry, Marc by Marc Jacobs with contrasting white collar or this one from New Look which is a fraction of the cost. For the reverse here’s the C. Wonder blouse that Mindy wore on the most recent Mindy Project. While not as ubiquitous as polka dots, there is a lot of variety when it comes to the symbol of love.

Trophy Wife Heart SweaterIt’s not just shows set in the ’80s with a penchant for hearts and on this week’s Trophy Wife Hillary is wearing a grey sweater with mint green and light grey hearts from Keds. And it’s not even Valentine’s Day. Unlike certain festive themed sweaters, hearts can be worn all year without looking out of place; both alternative kids like Dorrit and more girly girls like Carrie and Hillary can embrace this trend.

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Lena Dunham’s Vogue Cover

15 Jan

There’s a reason why Allison Williams represented Girls on the cover of Elle’s Women in TV issue and that’s because creator and star Lena Dunham has scored the February issue of Vogue. And it’s an excellent shot that looks completely different to everything this magazine has produced recently. Some might say that’s because Dunham doesn’t cut a similar figure to the models, actresses and singers that tend to feature on the cover, but it is better this than some awkward posing in a floral dress.

Lena Dunham Vogue CoverIt’s a fun image with the collar tug and polka dot shirt (yes I’m in love)* and both her hair and makeup look splendid. Dunham’s doing the slightly open mouth thing and it works this time, her previous attempt for Marie Claire was less successful. It’s a really great cover image and I hope Vogue mixes it up like this in the future. Somehow I have a feeling that Kanye thinks Kim is more deserving of a cover, but I say whatever as this is a terrific shot.

Adam Driver and Lena Dunham’s dog Lamby are also featured in this editorial.

Lena Dunham Adam Driver

For more photos and the full profile head here.

*Update! The polka dot blouse is from Burberry Prorsum’s Spring 2014 collection which we covered here. 

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New Girl 3.12 “Basketsball” Review: Nick’s Girlfriend

15 Jan

Watching sports can bring people together; this is the tactic Jess uses to ensure that Coach sees her as a friend rather than just Nick’s girlfriend to Coach. This creates a rift elsewhere due to the rivalry between the Pistons (who Coach supports) and the Bulls (Nick’s team) and Wikipedia (sorry my basketball knowledge is severely lacking) tells me that “The rivalry began in the late 1980s and was one of the most intense in NBA history for a couple of years.” So pretty much when Coach and Nick would have been getting into these teams. A sex ban is introduced and New Girl excels at the sweet mixed with the smut and “Basketsball” has both.

New Girl Jess and CoachIt’s been two months since Coach moved back in and Jess hasn’t managed to crack him in that time and when he refers to her as his “buddy’s girlfriend” it sends Jess into friendship project mode. Jess’ way in is basketball and this is something she admits she doesn’t know a whole lot about; the lack of knowledge about rivalries and what wearing a Pistons shirt to bed means is a clear indicator of this. Now when it comes to sports it is a personal matter and to Nick the Bulls aren’t just a basketball team; they represent the city he is from, most of his relationship with his dad and the first time he realized he could love a man. To Jess it’s as simple as switching teams to help aid friendship building, but Nick views this as a kind of betrayal. This notion comes across as ridiculous to Jess and she understandably doesn’t want to be told who she can and can’t support.

Being Nick’s girlfriend is part of the problem as that’s all Coach views her as; aside from that brief spell in the pilot episode Coach has only known Jess since she started dating Nick and so this is how he identifies her. This isn’t good enough as they live together and it makes sense why Jess wants to be defined in her own right, not as part of who Nick is. The sex standoff allows Jess and Nick to be at their weirdest and it’s reminiscent of their previous fights that have included shaking their butts at each other and having a weird off. This is one of the many reasons why they work together and I don’t mind them fighting in this manner – it’s much better than the strip club episode earlier this season – and Nick’s attempts to turn Jess on with his Scotty Pippens ends up making himself horny.  Hey those really are some short shorts. There’s a touch of the “Quick Hardening Caulk” about the innuendos and I’m not sure if this show has done a dirtier joke than “I need my Vitamin D.” Any inventive way to get around Standards and Practices (a part of TV that I find fascinating) is good with me.

Jess gains the upper hand and in the end they both cave in; Nick puts on the Pistons shirt he despises so much and Jess wears the Bulls jersey. Jess is of course disappointed that her plan with Coach didn’t work after he refers to her again as Nick’s girlfriend. It’s not like Coach doesn’t want to be Jess’ friend and he reveals in the final scene that as he moved around a lot when he was a kid he doesn’t like to get too attached to people. Nick plays friendship coach to Coach by letting him on the secret to becoming Jess’ friend; tell her those random sweet/emotional thoughts like “if you combed a gorilla’s hair would it like it?” And no Coach I have never seen a baby pigeon either and now I really want to.

This storyline isn’t just about Jess and Nick, the Coach aspect is important too as like Jess we don’t know a whole lot about him yet either. The chemistry is there and Damon Wayans Jr. is very funny – his special laugh for Nick is pretty incredible – and yet I still feel like there’s ways to go, which of course makes complete sense. Coach feels like he is meant to be part of this group and it has opened up the story possibilities by extending the group dynamic.

Last week Winston quit his job and he turns to Schmidt for career advice. This is a case where the B story is just as much fun as the main plot and also propels both Winston and Schmidt forward (with help from Cece). Winston figures out that marketing (the backbone of capitalism) isn’t for him and after he shows such good observational skills Cece suggests he becomes a cop. This is perfect as he already has “high cholesterol and weird people skills” and his favorite movie happens to be Training Day.

Cece takes the place of Nick in the bar scenes and I’m all for Cece working at the bar if this means more screen time; she’s always been one of the more level headed characters and so becoming the wise bartender isn’t a stretch. She also has the Nick Miller-like drinking on the job thing down too. There was a joke in last season’s “Table 34” where Cece and Nick ended up in the same grouping and the pair has a surprising amount in common. It’s also worth noting that all Cece/Schmidt animosity has come to an end and if we can move as far away from that love triangle story then everybody wins.

In the midst of the two overall plots there is also a terrific Nick/Schmidt/Winston scene as Nick is just the cranky guy they need to solve Schmidt’s old man Ed problem. Nick wants to know where he can process his “beefcake selfies” which includes Nick’s interpretation of “a sexy mayor, looking out the window, deciding the future of my city.” Schmidt is disappointed Nick didn’t come to him for posing advice including “The Half Nelson.” I’m pretty sure I could watch Nick explaining why he doesn’t want to use his phone like everyone else does for private photos for an entire episode; no one does crazy lists that don’t make any sense like Jake Johnson and now I want to know what’s going on in Japan with all those robots. The same goes for Schmidt and his terrible minnow/toast metaphor.

Another strong episode and it looks like the New Girl rut could be over as it is no longer suffering from the disconnected feeling from earlier this season. As I mentioned in the intro the writing is at its best when it revels in both smut and sweetness or what Liz Meriwether has called “real shit and some stupid shit.” Laughter is important, so is connecting with the characters and the conflict between Jess’ desire to be defined by her own merit and Nick’s passion for his team are both relatable notions.

A brief note on the amazing pony sweater Jess is wearing as this isn’t the first Fox show to use this French Connection item as Gina from Brooklyn Nine-Nine wore it earlier this season and it featured on our wish list. Over the summer hiatus we did some fantasy costuming using the French Connection A/W 13 collection and we chose the pony dress for Jess, a close call.

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The Alternate Zooey Deschanel Elle Cover

14 Jan

The Women in TV issue of Elle hits newsstands today and last week we grumbled about the four different covers; from composition to the styling choices. One complaint leveled at the Zooey Deschanel cover was that they stuck with the super twee image of the New Girl star rather than using this opportunity as Marie Claire had done to show a different side of Deschanel.

It turns out that Deschanel alone gets an alternate cover (most likely the subscriber issue, though the iPad version has the benefit of featuring all the cover shots) and it’s everything the first cover isn’t. Plus it isn’t awkwardly cropped and her hair isn’t threatening to take over her whole face.

photo (1)Capturing the American Hustle plunge aesthetic this Proenza Schouler silver and black silk knit gown from the Spring 2014 collection is far from playing it safe. Deschanel tends to stick to ’50s and ’60s silhouettes (as seen on the other cover) and yet I actually think there’s a whole lot about the decade of glam rock that suits her. This dress is still incredibly feminine and sparkly, it’s also pretty alluring.

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