"New Girl": Zooey Deschanel shines in smart, funny new sitcom
That girl is Zooey Deschanel, who plays the "adorkable" (as Fox calls her) Jess on the new sitcom, which the network debuted in the coveted post-"Glee" Tuesday night spot. And based on the pilot, she's welcome to stick around.
Jess is a quirky, sunny gal who makes up her own theme songs and knows her way around a "Lord of the Rings" reference. She gets a major reality check when her boyfriend cheats on her, and moves in with three guys (Max Greenfield, Jake M. Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr., who will be replaced in the next episode) while still reeling from the split. That means she does a lot of sobbing and watching "Dirty Dancing" in the pilot, as the dudes look on in abject horror.
Deschanel is perfect for this role. She channels her big, blue-eyed charm into Jess, who is both unbelievably socially awkward and completely endearing. Her new roommates are less compelling - Nick (Johsnon), who is working through a bad breakup of his own, Coach (Wayans), a personal trainer who has no idea how to talk to women, and Schmidt (Greenfield), a ladies man in his own mind. Hopefully, these characters will develop as the show goes on, along with Jess' model friend Cece (Hannah Simone).
Schmidt has a "douchebag jar" that he has to put a dollar in every time he acts like one (which is often). If this becomes a running gag, it won't be a funny one. But overall, the writing is smart and jokes worked.
This fresh and funny new sitcom definitely has the potential to be one of the most promising new shows this season. We're eager to see where it goes.
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