Ugh. I hate how the writers made Nick so willing to help Jess get laid. I donāt think the Real Nick Millerā¢ would behave this way. I guess thereās an argument that he knows heās sleeping with other people, and he wants her to be happy, but still. It doesnāt sit well with me.Ā
Itās not the first time Nick has helped Jess get laid, or helped her in her relationships; e.g. in Fluffer, in Helmet when he breaks said Helmet.Ā
I think here he especially makes an effort for several reasons: yes for her happiness, but also out of guilt that Jess has to tolerate all hisĀ āUh-Ohsā (AKA Pork Pals, Bony Cronies, C-Plussy Hussies), and in a bid to try and prove to himself and everyone else that he is over Jess and has no problem with her being with someone else.
Best Nick Line/Scene: āIām terrible at lying; Iām terrific at make-believeā For Nick Miller, this paradox actually makes complete sense.
Oh, and I forgot another reason. Make-believe is super fun.
Nickās solemn nod when Jess asks if heās blaming autumn and also how quickly his laugh turns serious when Ian walks by are two moments that always make me laugh no matter how many times Iāve seen it.
ā...Are you blaming autumn?ā and the following solemn, slightly ashamed nod is one of my favourite moments in this episode in addition to the Schmidt Boob Miscommunication. Coach and Winston slowly bouncing at the end gets me every time.
Best Jess Line/Scene: Her one woman production of A Christmas Carol (also I love how much Nick loves it. Ā Iāve always wondered if heās saying itās perfect for driving Tina away, or itās perfect like itās actually good. Ā Which way do you all interpret it?)
Iāve always interpreted it as Nick saying itās amazing. Do you not think Jessā one-woman production is Oscar-worthy? In all seriousness, itās just the kind of quirky thing Jess does, and the weird thing Nick loves as a result. Since theyāre in love. #Ness.
I guess this is the episode for hilarious misunderstandings because Schmidt being himself but believably passing as Nickās gay lover is also so great. This is one of the many episodes that shows that Nick/Schmidt should be considered for Best Platonic Pairing.
I absolutely love that Schmidt had no idea whatsoever about the Gay Nick thing, and unwittingly plays the lover role perfectly, and itās not out of character at all. It must have really meant a lot to him that Nick Fredo-kissed him. (I wouldnāt put it past Nick to never tell him it was for the Gay Nick act). It would have been so easy for the writers to have Schmidt in on it, but having him simply obliviously being himself adds a whole new level of hilarity to it all. And then the whole exchange is rendered futile by Tina, hahaha.
This is a super interesting episode because honestly, all 3 storylines could be considered offensive/problematic. I think Coach and Winstonās is the worst; I hate that Winston has been doing all those things for the girls just to get to sleep with them, and also Coach for thinking the same thing. I didnāt find the rock-paper-scissors thing for who has to sleep with Winston to be funny at all. No one should feel obligated to have sex with anyone.
Iām not really a fan of this storyline either, for the reasons you said. I will say that that the rock-paper-scissors thing was of the girlsā own volition. They decided of their own accord that one of them would sleep with Winston. They called him back. If Winston had straight up said,Ā āyou have to sleep with me or I wonāt do stuff for you anymoreā, and they clearly didnāt want to sleep with him, then I would find it problematic. But I didnāt think either of them had a particular aversion to the idea, and they specifically called him back for him to sleep with one of them when he was about to walk off.
Then Schmidt has no right to have an opinion on Ceceās boob reduction, and I found him talking to her boobs while requiring her to not listen to actually be kinda gross.
I mean, we all have a right to an opinion on everything, so of course Schmidt has a right to an opinion that he can voice. However, in the end, Ceceās opinion is the one that matters most and is the one to decide because itās her body, which she does. Schmidt doesnāt decide for her and prohibit her by force. He just makes his opinion known (tactless as it is) and acknowledges that he needs to get over it. By the end of the episode, he does accept it -- which is the important thing.
As for him requiring Cece not to listen to his farewell to Harold and Kumar, I found that more funny than gross. The humour in the storyline is that Schmidt is being overdramatic, and that extends to this scene where he treats Harold and Kumar as totally separate entities from Cece. His motivation is ultimately sweet and I think thatās what distinguishes it from being gross. Schmidt is genuinely just wanting to say goodbye to two dear friends, not simply jumping at an opportunity to stare at Ceceās boobs.
Nick pretending to be gay might be seen as making fun of gay stereotypes, but I guess overall that oneās not too bad. Ā What do you all think, does anyone agree, or am I being too oversensitive about this?
See, I would think that, except that the show didnāt portray Nick in a flashy, stereotypical way (e.g. tight shirts, although I donāt think the fanbase would oppose Jake wearing those) and even addressed the stereotype, which I love:
Jess: I just can't get my mind off, like, why you dress this way. Why aren't you in better shape?
Nick: Don't put me in a box! There's nothing we gay men hate more than being put in a box. Look, maybe I'm a bear, maybe I'm a twinkler.
āMaybe Iām a bear.āĀ
Yes, the fact that Gay Nickās sexuality was mentioned to the point of overkill, but thatās because Gay Nick is not actually, you know, gay. Nick Miller Make-Believe Skills for the win.
