Will a Nick & Jess Romance Curse 'New Girl'?

New Girl, the show that converted me to a Zooey Deschanel fan, returns tonight on FOX. And, obviously, with the Season 3 premiere, everybody's itching to see what happens with Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess. At the end of Season 2, we saw them drive off into the night, literally, to the dulcet tones of "Cotton-Eyed Joe." So poignant and fitting for their weird, messy relationship.

But Will-They-Won't-They is hard waters to navigate! It's easy to cross your fingers for Nick and Jess (who doesn't adore them as a couple?), but could the coupling cause the series to tank after just two seasons? After all, all TV fans have heard of the famous Moonlighting curse that befell series like The Office, Bones, and more. Below, why Nick and Jess as a couple will work... and why it won't.

Why Nick and Jess Will Work

It was clear in Season 2 that Nick and Jess were crazy dysfunctional, which only adds to their chemistry. But it also adds a touch of reality to their TV relationship. Like when they got into a screaming match that culminated in them shaking their butts at each other. So weird! So real! I think that their relationship will have a lot of kinks to work out, and that could make for really good episodes. Also, Nick Miller is clearly no Fancy Man Russell — he's broke, he doesn't have health insurance, and he likes to dance naked to reggae in his room. Jess has a lot of issues of her own: The show started with her watching Dirty Dancing for a week straight and sobbing on the couch after finding her ex with another girl. Who doesn't want to see them work out their issues together?

Also, Nick and Jess are goddamn adorable together and they have had a spark since the very first episode! Sure, they implemented the no-nail rule in the loft, but how long was that going to last? Also, Schmidt is going to try to break them up throughout the first half of the season, according to writer Liz Meriwether. The added element of Nick and Jess' relationship threatening Schmidt and Nick's bromance is going to be amazing. Schmidt is the man who threw a Tinfinity anniversary party for his friendship with Nick, so he is obviously very protective over him. This could mean good things for New Girl's plot development.

Why Nick and Jess Won't Work

Shows that suffer from the decline after the will-they-won't-they tension are so common so New Girl could very well go down the same dark, boring path. Jim and Pam, Brennan and Booth — if Jess and Nick joins their ranks, what is that going to do for their roommates? Is the couple going to be on-again, off-again? How long can that last before it gets irritating? And as much as I love Nick and Jess, they can't be the sole stars of the show — nobody puts Schmidt in the corner. He left off on Season 2 with a big decision of his own — choosing between his first love, Elizabeth, who loved Big Guy Schmidt, and Cece, Jess' gorgeous, model best friend who just called off her arranged marriage. There's just as much to invest in with Schmidt than the titular character and her new love.

Of course, nobody cares about Winston, though. He got bit by a badger at the end of Season 2, and I almost forgot about that anyway.

New Girl premieres tonight at 9/8 C on Fox.

Image: Fox