Adam Brody Rocked 'New Girl,' As Did Nick & Jess

We've talked a whole lot about New Girl 's Nick and Jess. That makes sense, since, you know, they're kind of the most interesting thing this show's got going for it, and I don't mean that as shade: I'm genuinely intrigued by what the writers have done with them in the past and where they might be going next. Luckily, the show's also pretty intrigued by the myriad of possibilities that exist therein.

Liz Meriwether said in a recent interview with TV Guide that we can expect some bumps in the road for Nick and Jess in this second half of the season, as they leave the honeymoon period and embark on what it's clear the characters hope will be long-lasting romantic intimacy.

Their relationship continues to get deeper and more complicated, and they definitely are going to face some challenges towards the end of the year. That was the arc we wanted for them this year: We wanted them to be in the honeymoon, amazing place at the beginning of the year, and then their relationship will hit real obstacles as the season kept going. So we’re going to keep on that path.

Nick and Jess' problems have never been about whether or not they care deeply for each other — it's part of why the Super Bowl episode's conflict lying in whether Jess can properly respond to Nick's "I love you" didn't really feel all that high-tension: Of course Jess loves Nick. It's obvious that these two are crazy about each other. They're practically that frolicking young love montage from The Notebook but with more zombie novellas and polka dots.

Care as they might, though, these two are still very much human, and very much flawed, and the climax of tonight's "Exes" highlighted that in Caroline's speech to Jess stating that eventually Nick will pull away from Jess just like he did with her. And there's a reason that speech hit Jess as hard as it did: If there's a way to write these two out of this relationship and have it be believable given the character traits we already have established, this is it. If the writers are going for a breakup come sweeps or finale, there's no doubt in my mind it will echo some of the possibilities exposed here.

Nick Miller, of course, is a tried and true romantic lead in this show these days even more often than he is a failed zombie novelist, and he tells Caroline that the reason he and her ended was, of course, because his feelings for Jess have been an underlying thing since the first season. This is true, of course: The chemistry between Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson was established and milked from early on, and if you rewatch the Season 1 finale (in which Nick decides to move in with Caroline), it's pretty much all about that connection those two had built.

So really, if the show decided to keep these two together for good at this point, I'd be ok with that; it might actually even be believable? Not to mention that, in my opinion, watching these two navigate commitment seems like a situation genuinely rife for comedy mining. Alas, they live in a TV show, so the chances of an immediate and/or continued happy ending seem nil. We might as well enjoy it while it lasts, because as this episode's more dramatic moments proved it's gonna kill when these two break out the big emotional guns come break-up time.

Another thing: If these two break up, maybe these recaps will return to something other than "Nick and Jess Watch." Then again, there's a very good chance that might just make it worse.

Side notes:

• Sticking Schmidt, Winston, and Coach in a storyline together seems like a tried and true recipe for hilarity, which is cool and weird considering Coach is still so new to the new dynamic that nothing is technically tried yet, y'know?
• Schmidt becomes a little frightening when he hasn't had enough human contact in his life. Then again who wouldn't stroke those arms?
• "This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me! I've lived a very fortunate life!"'
• Adam Brody, how I missed you so. His Berkeley was pitch perfect in every way, the perfect emotionally available hippy counterpoint to Nick's blocked-off curmudgeon. Also his flirting techniques are flawless and fucked up and I loved every second of it, but that may be the residual Seth Cohen love talking.

Image: FOX