Nick, The Old Man, And The Pool

New Girl, S02E07

Schmidt turned off the gas in order to motivate Jess to get a job, but she bombed an interview due to what she thought was just PMS.  Nick started to find inner peace when he met a stranger in the park who took him to a relaxation pool.  Schmidt was offered to have kinky sex with a coworker and also consulted with Cece about whether she was a nice girl.  Winston felt like he was having sympathy PMS from Jess.

I didn't agree with Schmidt's methods of motivating Jess, but I guess it's not out of his character to be a jerk (in fact, we expect it out of him).  However, I was more inclined to agree with Schmidt that she needed to get a job when she was playing the period card as excuse why she couldn't get hired.  I don't believe women should so easily use things like PMS to excuse why they're acting amiss.  It's a difficult card to play and should only be used when extremely appropriate and Jess was basically trying to hide her depression and lowered self-value (and lashing out at her roommates unjustly).  I'm glad that Nick opened her eyes to this fact and after her pretty funny failure of an interview (where she was sobbing over a cat in a cup that had died), he encouraged her to try again.  The "new" Nick was really the one to credit in her being employed again.

The best thing about this episode was no question Nick meeting an old man in the park and having this sort of deep conversation with him while the man said nothing.  Simply writing down what Nick said doesn't even begin to do justice to how hilarious this scene was, so I included a clip:

It was almost like he had an imaginary friend he was talking with because the old man didn't say a word to him until much, much later (and then nothing after that again).  Nick really brought his A game to this story when the rest weren't really doing anything for me comedy-wise.  I also loved when Nick and his new best friend went to the pool and he gave him this really awkward massage in the water or something.  That was really good.  I'm not sure why Nick thought that after only one experience in the pool he was capable of performing that technique on Jess (which was even more awkward), but I loved it because it was a disaster.  Nick got another chance to perform the massage on Winston and it was no more successful or less clumsy.  I'm glad they ended the episode with them all at the pool again because it was the heart of the episode for me.

It was a little weird that Winston thought he was having PMS too, but I wish it hadn't been because he missed Shelby.  I guess technically he should be distraught, but from my perspective I couldn't imagine thinking about her crazy ass again.  Like, the relationship needed to be gone.  But I guess being single just doesn't sit well with Winston, regardless of how appropriate his breakup was.

The only thing I can say about Schmidt's story was how proud I was that Cece didn't just slip back into the twisted world of Schmidt again.  They will always have this connection, but I just think she could do better than him.  Also, I just don't want to hear them being nasty again because it's just a little too much to stomach.  However, it does let me know that Cece probably isn't going to be with Robby much longer if she can kiss Schmidt again for even a second.  She's gonna be tempted because whether she thinks so or not, she's not a nice girl.

I'm not sure if I'm too excited about Jess' new job.  I hope that she does have some kind of interesting tales from it or meets someone from having it.  Otherwise, it just prevents her from moping around the house from now on.  Nick, as usual, is continuing on his crazy journey to bettering himself that I am loving intensely.  Just when I think he can't be any weirder, he finds a new outlet and I'm rolling.  Can't imagine what else Nick has in store for this show.

A Toilet, A Pothole, And A Road Trip

Parks and Recreation, S05E03

Leslie tried to get a bill passed by doing things her own way, but saw that sometimes she has to do things the "easier" way.  Ron and Andy went to fix a lady's pothole after being unable to solve the woman's problem over the phone.  April and Ben tried to drive to Pawnee to see their loved ones, but got stopped in the parking lot for several reason until it was too late for them.

I think the best thing about the Leslie story is that all she had to do to get her bill to pass was to pacify her fellow councilman by giving her his office, which he only wanted so he could have his own toilet.  To think that decisions are made over something as simple as a toilet is pretty funny.  But I like that Leslie resisted giving into Jamm's demands, until the very end after winning over Milton had failed.  I can't be mad at her for making some concessions when it came to her own policies, especially when it made a bunch of kids happy.  Plus, she got to shove Jamm into a pool before he told everyone how she got the bill passed.  So all, in all, a victory for her.

There were also some good lines in that story.  My favorite was when Milton was offering Leslie and Tom the salad and Tom didn't want to eat it because Milton had already said some offensive things to him:

[Leslie] Tom, eat some.
[Tom] I’m not eating racist salad.
[Leslie] The more we eat, the faster we talk.
[Tom] You can really taste the ignorance.
[Milton] It’s pronounced “anchovies.”

I'm really glad that Tom is by Leslie's side not just for the support, but for the much needed laughs.

I also thought April and Ben's story was really good just because it involved the "Odd Couple" stranded together in a car.  It's too bad that we didn't get to see more because I think the tension would have been crazy funny.  I especially liked how April made fun of his choice in music and gave him a look when she heard what he had on his "summer jam" CD.  Ben is such a dork, which makes him the best person to showcase April's coolness.  They could make a spin-off of them working in D.C., for real.

What I liked best about the Ron story was, of course, that Ron began to like a woman named Diane, who was played by Lucy Lawless.  That seems like a great match!  It was really sweet how Andy made sure that Diane came to see him by writing a note for her on the fixed pothole.  Otherwise, I think Ron would have been too embarrassed to ever show his face again.  It will be nice to see Ron dating someone who can match him on his powerful level, yet not be crazy like all of his evil ex-wives.

Also, at the beginning of that story when Chris was explaining about starting therapy, I loved how he wouldn't let Jerry share anything about his own therapy, suggesting that it was too much.  But I think I liked best when Chris was sort of talking to himself in an attempt to thank himself and admitted that he sounded insane.  I knew that him starting therapy would make him more insane!  I'm glad that Chris just doesn't disappoint.  And if he has any other crazy ideas like the 311 line, I can continue to be pleased by his new path for mental health.

Great episode.  It could only be better if April and Ben's story were extended, but we simply didn't have enough time.  I'm pretty excited to see how Diane and Ron's relationship goes, especially since it seems like Diane is about his equal.  Looking forward to seeing more of Lucy Lawless next time!