Pilot Thoughts: New Girl

I had actually planned on posting my thoughts on the new FOX comedy New Girl starring Zooey Deschanel last night, but since I didn't fall in love with it or her the way everybody seemed to have, I felt I needed to sleep on my thoughts a bit. Unfortunately, I still felt the same way. There was just something off about the show that I can't exactly pinpoint. It's not the cast certainly since I am a fan of Deschanel and her quirky persona and all of the guys seem to have great chemistry with each other and with her. I think my feelings can be summed up with this: I've seen better.

Maybe if I saw the show last year it'd be something new and great, but the quirky mix of guy-girl friends was done better in ABC's mid-season offering Happy Endings* last year and the whole quirky girl thing was done a little better by 2 Broke Girls earlier this week. And while I'm ready to proclaim Deschanel as being the epitome of the oft-marketed word "adorkable," I think they could've toned it down just a tad in the premiere. I read somewhere that Deschanel's adorkableness works because there's something deeper, something with an edge, at the core of it and her New Girl character didn't have this.

*It's funny since the actor who played Coach in the Pilot won't be in the second episode since he's on Happy Endings which I don't think is a huge loss since his character in the ABC show is better suited for him.

I am quite optimistic though since the cast is good and Deschanel is a pro. Plus the pilot was all about her being too emotionally heartbroken and vulnerable and when the show focuses less on that and more on her interactions and relationship with her guy roommates, I have a feeling that the edge that was sorely missing in the premiere will come. I also want to know more about all of these characters and that's always a good thing when it comes to new shows. With all of this said, the Douchebag Jar is simply inspired. B-