13 hours ago | Vulture | See recent Vulture news »
Sometimes, you have to go backwards to go forwards. After a few weeks of stalled momentum, last night’s New Girl managed to push the Nick-Jess plot along using flashbacks to everyone’s embarrassing first sexual encounters. With five different stories to tell, the episode moved swiftly and easily, barely brushing over Nick and Jess’s sexual tension until the very end — which is why that conclusion felt so satisfying. Despite their light touch, the writers still brought in some major seasonal themes and backstory, making this one of the better-constructed episodes we’ve had in a while. New Girl’s flashbacks can be hit or miss, but they’re best when the production designers really embrace period details. This isn’t Mad Men, of course, but it’s fun to see the show’s interpretation of our shared recent past via music and clothing cues. If Lisa Loeb and »
- Izzy Grinspan
company.