Air Date: Tuesday, December 13, 2011, 9/8c on Fox
RATING:
Schmidt as Sexy Santa. I wonder how his case of "Santa lap" is doing.
“The 23rd” didn’t get funny until Cece (Hannah Simone) smells the perfume Schmidt (Max Greenfield) gets her as a gift. And that’s about where the laughs begin and end. Yeah, there are some crazy antics with the guys rolling around on roller skates, but the typical New Girl spark seems to have fizzled where “The 23rd” is concerned. I am seriously disappointed with this one, but it does have its good points. Seeing the gang together on Christmas, sexy Santa, candy cane lane—all creates an ambiance for humorous antics. I find myself chuckling when I think about “Cecelia No. 5.” Why in the world did Schmidt think mixing coco and sandalwood together was a good idea?
Observations and thoughts:
The way the episode is shot isn’t like anything they’ve done before and it looks as if the editing process took a dive in order to save money or something. The trip to the mall is trippy, as the camera angles seem odd and disorienting. I get that the director was going for a different feel, but it doesn’t work. Even Jess (Zooey Deschanel) isn’t her usual off the wall self. It could be Deschanel’s portrayal, but I’d like to think otherwise.
You just know these two have a special connection...
I may be stating the obvious here, but Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess are definitely into each other. You have to wonder why she confides in him more than any of the other guys. She runs to Nick for every little thing. I mean, Jess doesn’t love Paul (Justin Long) because she has feelings for Nick! Just look at the Christmas gift she gets Paul—a plush beating heart. I have no idea why she thinks that’s romantic, but I’m sure her heart (pun intended) is in the right place. Now the gift Nick plans for Jess is just the kind of thing she loves. Too bad “candy cane lane” isn’t in on the surprise.
I about died seeing Nick’s panicking face when he realizes he’s trapped outside with Jess and Paul. “This is my nightmare!” I can’t think of a better way to get him back for blabbing to Paul when he should have just kept his mouth shut. Way to go Karma! Then again, I think Nick may have accidentally on purpose did what he could to separate Jess and Paul.
The guys wearing Jess' Christmas gifts. How cute!
“I’ll tell you what; one of us is walking out of here with a job.” How prophetic of him because Winston (Lamorne Morris) is going to end up as a babysitter. I’m calling it now and I’ll save my ‘I told you so’s’ for later. Granted, he’ll be a paid out the ying-yang babysitter, but I don’t think it’s his dream job. A job is a job though, right?
Cece is always looking for Mr. Right but usually ends up with Mr. Wrong. I’m surprised she doesn’t see the right one is in front of her face. I think she’d be happy with Schmidt. It’s obvious he’ll do whatever he can to make her happy by all the effort he puts into making sure she likes him. The perfume he gifts her is sweet, though deadly. I probably laughed the hardest watching Cece choke after inhaling the noxious scent. At least Schmidt tried.
Funny lines:
Schmidt in response to Winston’s noticing a menorah on their car ride: “Oh, a menorah? *said in a gangsta voice* Judaism, son.”
**
Cece to Jess: “Remember when Christmas used to be fun and all I had to do was worry about my drunk uncle asking me out?”
**
Schmidt to Cece: “What’s that smell?”
Cece: “That’s your perfume… It smells terrible.”
Schmidt: “It does smell like terrible. Like a dirty dishtowel.”
**
While it’s nice to see a cameo from Stephen Amell (Hung), it isn’t enough to bring this episode back to life. Even his obnoxious behavior as Cece’s current boyfriend is almost nonexistent. The writers should have gone around yelling “Turn on your lights!” like the characters do to the homeowners on “candy cane lane” to rouse some of the hilarity that’s missing from this episode. The funny just isn’t funny enough and I wish there were more silly office party antics. Now the baby shower in last week’s “Bad in Bed” was hilarious. We need more of that.
Tune in to New Girl, Tuesdays at 9/8c on Fox. For more on the show, visit http://www.fox.com/new-girl/.
All photos © 2011 Fox Broadcasting, LLC. All rights reserved.
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