'New Girl' Season Finale: A Messy 'Clean Break'

New Girl wrapped up its season on Tuesday night with an episode that demonstrated how scattered this sometimes-funny, sometimes-frustrating show can be. Titled “Clean Break” and positioned as a farewell-to-Coach half-hour for Damon Wayans, Jr., it actually got whatever emotional power it had from two couples: Jess and Schmidt; Nick and Cece.

Notice I didn’t mention laugh power. This was a pretty guffaw-free episode of New Girl; the only sequence that came close to provoking chuckles was the slapstick involved in Schmidt trying to get back a box of Cece mementos he’d donated to a charity overseen by brief-guest-cameo Jack McBrayer. 

Jess and Nick went through another variation on their old romantic dance, something involving a “sex mug” — a coffee cup that signaled a willingness to hook up. Meanwhile, Schmidt was steeling himself — as much as the sweetly jellyfish-spined Schmidt can steel himself — to get over Cece. But Jess and Nick knew that Cece still loves Schmidt, so… you know, it’s a sitcom: misunderstandings ensued.

Which left Coach kinda stranded. He was packing up to leave, throwing out anything that reminded him of his pals — hence the “Clean Break” of the title. Coach had very few laugh lines, and his final goodbyes carried no emotional resonance. It suggested just how superficially involved in the show this character ultimately was.

It should also be noted that Winston had an even lamer subplot — actually no subplot, just a short running joke about him taking selfies with his cat.
The “clean break” of the episode title actually applied more meaningfully to Schmidt and Cece. It requires a SPOILER ALERT FROM THIS POINT ON if you are engaged with this series.

Related: Hannah Simone on Cece and Schmidt’s Big Moment

To prevent Schmidt from making that break, Jess blurts that Cece loves him, Cece magically knocks on the door, and Schmidt — spontaneously but sincerely — proposes. Watch next season for the wedding.

One thing that was curious and clear from this season finale: Zooey Deschanel has become pretty marginal in her own show. I understand that New Girl has expended a lot of effort to make the series an ensemble show, but if this sitcom didn’t have the title it has, and you’d missed the first season, I doubt you’d know that Jess was its central character.

Oh well. Congrats, Schmidt and Cece.