NEW GIRL Recap: Double Date

This episode of New Girl was more of an ensemble show then the separate stories of the previous episodes so let’s just take this in order shall we? Well that’s not true. We are going to take it in order except for Winston who still has a small side story.

Jess thinks Schmidt and Cece should join them for a double date which would be fine except he has plans to watch Dexter and eat pie with Elizabeth. Cece is over at the apartment though so he has to agree to go and agree with some enthusiasm he does.
Cece is actually concerned about Schmidt’s enthusiasm. She is worried Schmidt is on drugs. He is crazy all the time (unlike before?) and has completely stopped blinking. Jess gets Nick to go talk to Schmidt.

Nick confronts Schmidt about being on drugs and Schmidt pulls him into his room to instead admit to being over his head. Schmidt doesn’t want Nick to get mad. Something Nick is sure won’t happen – he’s Schmidt’s best friend. Schmidt tells him the truth about the two timing and Nick gets mad. Well he gets mad after he figures out exactly what Schmidt means. Nick has a hard time processing, “I’m dating both of them.”

Nick doesn’t want to lie to Jess about Schmidt two timing her best friend but the thought of lying to her makes him so uncomfortable he puts on a motorcycle helmet to cover his face. Jess thinks this means no kissing sex and she is excited. Crisis averted for about as long as it took them to have sex, that for some reason, makes Nick comment on how many Space Ball quotes Jess knows. That is as long as the secret last though. Jess marches out into the living room to confront Schmidt. Jess, “You Long Island street trash.” Jess says Schmidt will tell Cece or she will. Wouldn’t you know Cece shows up just then but Schmidt chickens out (of course) grabs Cece and runs with her out of the loft.

In the car Schmidt tells Cece he found out Nick is cheating on Jess. That is why he has been acting so weird. He’s been keeping this secret. Cece thinks the best course of action is to junk punch Nick. She wants Schmidt to turn around right now so she can confront Nick. Cece, “Cheating is selfish and it is cowardly and there is no excuse for it.” Schmidt tries to talk Cece out of this course of action but Cece is not having any of this.

Nick and Jess give chase and argue the whole way about getting involved with each other’s best friends business.

Now let’s talk about Winston for a moment. Winston is practically dating his cat. They are going to have pasta and coffee together. Poor Winston he wants to be part of the couple crowd so he invites himself along on the evening’s double date. He thinks they should go to Picca the new hot spot. Schmidt, “Day of resi at Picca?” His skepticism gives Winston purpose. He is going to get them a table for dinner.

Winston heads over to Picca mid afternoon to get a reservation. They have one seven weeks from now but he can try his luck at the community table. Winston does just that, he systematically upsets people at the table so they will leave and then he puts an article of clothing or a napkin where they were sitting so he can save the seat.

Two hours later and Winston is still at Picca holding down the community table, barely, so when Cece storms into the restaurant he is glad to see her. He won’t be for long. Nick finds Schmidt still out in the car and talks to him for a moment while Jess goes into the restaurant after Cece. Schmidt says he didn’t mean for any of this to happen. He can’t go in that restaurant. He just can’t face Cece.

Nick goes in after talking with Schmidt where Cece immediately junk punches him – twice. Schmidt finally makes it into the restaurant and admits to Cece that he is still dating Elizabeth. He apologizes and you actually feel sorry for him. I think it is because he has been genuinely torn up about this for weeks. He didn’t seem to be enjoying himself and that is the only reason I don’t want to junk punch him.
Cece is less forgiving than I am. She starts to cry and tells Schmidt goodbye before walking out.
That night Elizabeth shows up at the loft. Cece had her number. So that relationship is over as well.

Oh and Schmidt blames Nick and Jess for this whole thing – he is going to devote the rest of his life to breaking them up. Schmidt, “I am coming for you.”

What did you think of tonight’s episode? Do you feel at all sorry for Schmidt?

New Girl airs Tuesday 9/8c on Fox.