Post by jakob on Apr 30, 2017 6:21:02 GMT
jakobstvbinge.blogspot.com/2017/04/new-girl.html?view=flipcard
New Girl has been comfort food for me since I first started Season One. Instantly, it grabbed me with its amazing ensemble of actors Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Hannah Simone, and Lamorne Morris and their stunning chemistry. There is a synergy you rarely see with comedies in their first few episodes, when it usually takes about half a season before everyone (including the viewer) feels comfortable. Six seasons later, and everyone has made significant process in their lives: Cece and Schmidt are married and are now new homeowners, Winston and his new girlfriend Aly (Nasim Pedrad) are building a sturdy relationship, and Nick is publishing his novel while also pursuing a complicated relationship with Reagan (Megan Fox). Did I forget Jess? She's now Principal Jess at her school, but beyond that, no progress whatsoever. But she's trying.
We all know Nick and Jess will end up together, it's written in the stars-- I mean, we could tell in Season One. So to have them get together, break up, fawn over each other, get together, and break up again can be a bit frustrating. It's to the point where I almost wanted Nick and Reagan to be official and Jess to just move on, but that's not how sitcoms work. It's all about satisfying the audience and do we have an answer here, finally? Yes. And with no cliffhangers, the series could honestly end here, but it won't, so maybe we're in for more on-again-off-again between Nick and Jess, that or we finally get what we've been waiting for: Jess progress.
Deschanel has always been reliable as the adorkable lead and her charm usually leads to some very funny line readings, but shockingly, the show doesn't need her to survive. When Megan Fox was introduced as a new recurring character (or as the media labeled it originally "Deschanel's Replacement") I was horrified. The previous season didn't do much for me beyond a few chuckles and I felt like the show was headed toward shark-jumping territory. So bless her heart when I realized Megan Fox was the MVP of Season 5. Of course, she's not going to take over the show, but she proved that New Girl can rely on any of our lead characters to keep the ship sailing and that's either a strength to the show's legacy or a knock on Jess' character. I still love Jess, though, despite the fact at she's beginning to fall behind everyone else. She at least invests her time in a new relationship, although of course, did we actually think she and Robby (Nelson Franklin) would last?
In terms of the cast, Jake Johnson (my season one and two MVP) and Max Greenfield (my season three and four MVP) shockingly fall short of Lamorne Morris. Morris started out as a "black friend replacement" of Damon Wayons, Jr.'s Coach, but grew to be an integral part of the group and worth plenty of belly laughs. Here, he gets more to do than ever, and he takes advantage of it. It helps he gets to balance off of Saturday Night Live-alum Nasim Pedrad as Aly, providing the series with not only a great new relationship, but a great new member of my favorite friend group on television.
There are a few new surprises including proposals, the amazing reveal of Schmidt's first name, and a cute (although slightly forgettable) crossover with Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The cast excels (although at times Johnson seems more on autopilot, but he's been busy lately, it's understandable) and the show remains comfort food television. It'll have to end sometime soon as we're starting to feel the finishing touches of this show already, but if it remains just as funny and enjoyable, I'll take another season.
8.5/10
New Girl has been comfort food for me since I first started Season One. Instantly, it grabbed me with its amazing ensemble of actors Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Hannah Simone, and Lamorne Morris and their stunning chemistry. There is a synergy you rarely see with comedies in their first few episodes, when it usually takes about half a season before everyone (including the viewer) feels comfortable. Six seasons later, and everyone has made significant process in their lives: Cece and Schmidt are married and are now new homeowners, Winston and his new girlfriend Aly (Nasim Pedrad) are building a sturdy relationship, and Nick is publishing his novel while also pursuing a complicated relationship with Reagan (Megan Fox). Did I forget Jess? She's now Principal Jess at her school, but beyond that, no progress whatsoever. But she's trying.
We all know Nick and Jess will end up together, it's written in the stars-- I mean, we could tell in Season One. So to have them get together, break up, fawn over each other, get together, and break up again can be a bit frustrating. It's to the point where I almost wanted Nick and Reagan to be official and Jess to just move on, but that's not how sitcoms work. It's all about satisfying the audience and do we have an answer here, finally? Yes. And with no cliffhangers, the series could honestly end here, but it won't, so maybe we're in for more on-again-off-again between Nick and Jess, that or we finally get what we've been waiting for: Jess progress.
Deschanel has always been reliable as the adorkable lead and her charm usually leads to some very funny line readings, but shockingly, the show doesn't need her to survive. When Megan Fox was introduced as a new recurring character (or as the media labeled it originally "Deschanel's Replacement") I was horrified. The previous season didn't do much for me beyond a few chuckles and I felt like the show was headed toward shark-jumping territory. So bless her heart when I realized Megan Fox was the MVP of Season 5. Of course, she's not going to take over the show, but she proved that New Girl can rely on any of our lead characters to keep the ship sailing and that's either a strength to the show's legacy or a knock on Jess' character. I still love Jess, though, despite the fact at she's beginning to fall behind everyone else. She at least invests her time in a new relationship, although of course, did we actually think she and Robby (Nelson Franklin) would last?
In terms of the cast, Jake Johnson (my season one and two MVP) and Max Greenfield (my season three and four MVP) shockingly fall short of Lamorne Morris. Morris started out as a "black friend replacement" of Damon Wayons, Jr.'s Coach, but grew to be an integral part of the group and worth plenty of belly laughs. Here, he gets more to do than ever, and he takes advantage of it. It helps he gets to balance off of Saturday Night Live-alum Nasim Pedrad as Aly, providing the series with not only a great new relationship, but a great new member of my favorite friend group on television.
There are a few new surprises including proposals, the amazing reveal of Schmidt's first name, and a cute (although slightly forgettable) crossover with Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The cast excels (although at times Johnson seems more on autopilot, but he's been busy lately, it's understandable) and the show remains comfort food television. It'll have to end sometime soon as we're starting to feel the finishing touches of this show already, but if it remains just as funny and enjoyable, I'll take another season.
8.5/10
