‘New Girl’ Ends With a Wedding, Birth, and an Epic Prank in Two-Part Series Finale

Sandra Miska

After a short but sweet seventh season that saw its colorful cast of characters experience some of life’s biggest milestones, “New Girl” ended its run with back-to-back episodes. The first, “The Curse of the Pirate Bride,” which revolved around the wedding of Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and Nick (Jake Johnson), seemed like the climax of the series, while the final episode, “Engram Pattersky,” felt more like the resolution. Despite Jess and her pals becoming bona fide adults this season, “New Girl” stayed true to itself to the very end, using its signature “adorkable,” off-beat brand of humor to end on a high note.

After a season that included a cat funeral, a preschool evaluation that ended in a kid riot,  and J.B. Smoove being mistaken for Winston’s (Lamorne Morris) long-lost father, the sixth (third to last) episode finally saw Nick asking Jess to be his wife. In true sitcom fashion, Nick’s fancy proposal plans fell through, but he realized that none of that mattered when he got down on one knee to pop the question in front of their friends, including Schmidt (Max Greenfield) and CeCe (Hannah Simone), who themselves had just decided to try for a second child.

Just one episode after the proposal, Jess and Nick prepare to wed, and save for an unfortunate toast from Schmidt and Winston at the rehearsal dinner, the wedding is set to go off without a hitch, that it, until the bride and groom decide to spend the night before the nuptials together. The next morning, Jess’ mother, Joan (Jamie Lee Curtis), chastises the couple for bucking tradition and inviting bad luck. After initially writing off what they see as a silly superstition, Jess and Nick come to believe that they are truly cursed after a series of unfortunate incidents, including Jess falling and hurting her eye in the shower, forcing her to wear an eyepatch on her wedding day, hence the pirate part of the episode title. If that wasn’t enough, Russell (Dermot Mulroney), Jess’ womanizing ex-boyfriend who became her boss this season, confesses his love to her right before the ceremony. With his boys backing him up, Nick goes to fight his rival, but the skirmish is quickly and mercifully squashed after Winston’s wife Aly (Nasmin Pedrad) goes into labor. Russell redeems himself by giving her a ride to the hospital, and the episode ends with a heartfelt little wedding outside the delivery room, as Jess and Nick couldn’t bare for Winston and Aly to miss out. After, Aly gives birth to a boy that Winston names Dan Bill (not Daniel William).

While the penultimate episode was universal, the final episode of “New Girl” was more of a treat for loyal watchers, with callbacks to memorable moments and jokes from throughout the series. This last episode finally dealt with something that was planted in the season premiere, the eviction notice that was slid underneath the door of the loft, once home to the whole gang, now just Jess’ place with hubby Nick. One month after their wedding, the time has come to move, but not before they break the news to the rest of the group. After calling an emergency meeting, Jess is shocked and even saddened to discover that Schmidt, CeCe and Wilson are nonchalant about the whole thing. After some pushing from Nick, the friends fake it until they for real feel sentimental emotions wash over them. Everyone end up playing one last round of True American, the silly and elaborate drinking game they have played since season one. The episode ends with a twist, as it is revealed that the whole eviction was one last elaborate trick set up by Winston, a.k.a. Prank Sinatra.

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the finale came before Winston’s big reveal. A flashforward montage shows the three main couples and their children, who themselves seem to have  become close pals, playing True American (substituting soda for booze, of course). While more cynical shows would have had the friends growing apart as the responsibilities of adulthood piled on, “New Girl,” a comedy that eschews cynicism, sees no reason why true friendship cannot last a lifetime.

“New Girl” concluded with a two-part series finale on May 15.