New Girl season 1

Well, here's a pleasant surprise. Like most people, I was turned off by the "Simply Adorkable" marketing campaign, but after a shaky few episodes, that aspect of the show quits being an issue. At first, I was worried that Zooey Deschaniel, who was basically playing "wacky neighbor" character and yet was also the viewpoint character, would be like having a steak served inside a bowl of barbecue sauce--just too much of something. But as the season progresses, they tone her down from (as xkcd would put it) "silly and entertaining on command" to someone who might potentially exist on planet Earth. But yeah, that pilot where she sings at random and dances for no reason? Fucking grueling.

Although there is a weird subplot where they try to make A Point by comparing Quirky! Cutie-pie! Zooey Deschaniel to 'humorless feminist' Lizzy Caplan. Look, I like Taylor Swift and everything, but there's nothing to be proud of in (for instance) not being able to say penis in your twenties. And I realize that's an over-the-top example, but as an instance of the mindset they're glorifying (vs. 'stuck-up, serious lawyer person who works for a living'), I'm like "that shit ain't cute."

I mean, I'm down with a woman saying "it's okay to be girly," but by having the issue be that Caplan accuses Jess of doing an act, the metafictional take-away is that Jess is an honest reflection of who Zooey Deschaniel really is and--c'mon. I refuse to believe that there are really people who ask their Smartphones if it's raining. And I'm sure Lizzy Caplan isn't cool and snarky and beautiful and just a little bit tender underneath her tough exterior all the time either, but don't tell me Zooey Deschaniel isn't doing "Zooey Deschaniel" to some extent because it's commercial. For God's sake, she was born Nora Taylor (not really, but were you surprised just then?)

Also, for some reason it takes them a while to break from the formula of "Jess is annoying, the guys are annoyed by her, then they sacrifice doing something they really wanted to do to show her they really do care. Heart warmage!" I think that's pretty much the entire first disc.

But damn, they've got some sharp performers on this. During the credits, they tend to show deleted improv bits, and one of Nick goofing around behind a rich guy desk isn't just comedy gold, it's comedy platinum. I can't really think of a weak link in the cast, although just a personal impression, but it seems like Winston doesn't get as much business as anyone else? Maybe it's just that his character of "hotshot sports pro in a small foreign country who comes back to America in disgrace" seems less universal than "professional dumpee" or "douchebag".

Funnily enough, the douchebag character pretty quickly moves from being a Lothario into a rather sweet committed relationship instead of, I don't know, wallowing in one-episode hook-ups. I know every sitcom that runs long enough sorts even the most devoted poonhound into a real relationship, but I can't off-hand think of one that strikes when the iron is this hot. Although, the resolution to the plot, as of the season finale, smirks of unasked-for drama.

Oh, and between this, Happy Endings, The Mindy Project, 30 Rock, Parks & Rec, and probably a few other sitcoms I'm not watching, can we put a stopper on any projects with a female character who was raised on rom-coms and believes that's how the world really works and then her expectations clash humorously with reality? I gotta think most women have realized by now that rom-coms are basically porn for women. Ryan Gosling is not going to fill a swimming pool with your favorite flavor of Jell-O to apologize for a misunderstanding anymore than two double-D blondes are going to pay for pizza with a thirty-minute threesome and situational bisexuality.

"I never knew that Italy was so much more than pizza, Schmitty! It's so much more!"