New Girl - Season 4 Premiere - Advance Preview: "The Last Wedding"

New Girl kicks off Season 4 on FOX Tuesday, September 16th at 9PM. I was happy to hear that after Season 3's heavy focus on the complicated relationships of Jess & Nick and Schmidt & Cece, Season 4 would be more reminiscent of earlier—funnier—seasons. Speaking with Vulture, Executive Producer Elizabeth Meriwether said that they now have “a chance to get back to basics and sort of reset the show, and kind of go back to the dynamics of the first season and the pilot, where it’s just this group of friends who are having fun." With that interesting statement in mind, let's dive into Season 4 of New Girl.

The episode opens at the end of a summer full of weddings. Schmidt, determined to get over his break-up with Cece, has been on the prowl, ala Wedding Crashers, hooking up with as many bridesmaids as possible. Winston, once again given the third string plot of the episode, is recovering from training with the police academy. Jess is on the fence about attending yet another wedding, which segues into an opening gag about a refrigerator door full of wedding invitations that plays on everyone's fears that they'll be the last ones to get married.

With a little encouragement from Schmidt, Nick, and Coach, Jess agrees to "go out with one last bang" as they close out the summer. At their final wedding, things get complicated when Jess vies for the attention of the best man (guest star Reid Scott) with Kat (guest star Jessica Biel), Coach gets more than he bargained for after a summer of random wedding hookups, and Nick agrees to be Schmidt's wedding wingman when Cece's arrival to the nuptials throws him for a loop.

Overall, the premiere is reminiscent of an episode from Season 1 or 2, focusing equally on the gang's rambunctious behavior as well as their emotional dynamics. It may be too early to tell, but I'm cautiously optimistic about where the show will go from here. Fingers crossed that we're in for a season of feel good comedy, and not romantic dramedy. Remember to tune into FOX on Tuesday, September 16th at 9PM for the season premiere of New Girl and check back here for my review.

Favorite Quotes of the Episode:

"I cringe every time I hear the phrase, 'and the Academy Award winner is…Anna Paquin'."

Schmidt

"You can't pick anyone up during Winter. You can't expect me to gamble on the bulky contents of an unknown sweater."

Schmidt

"I can't close my ass!"

Winston (after falling off the couch)

About the Author - Edward Slothus

Edward Slothus is a young professional working in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. An avid pop-culture, film, and television fan, his favorite shows include LOST, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, New Girl, and (for inexplicable reasons that go against all sanity) The Leftovers.