“New Girl” fans knew it had to happen sooner or later, but this week Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and Nick (Jake Johnson) finally kissed. But what happens now that the friend barrier has been crossed? Show creator Liz Meriwether talked to journalists in a conference call yesterday to discuss the future of the new “Ross and Rachel” and why Nick and Jess, despite the kiss, “are definitely not ready to be a couple.”
Though fans may have been happy to see Jess and Nick give in to their natural attraction, don”t expect happiness and bliss. Don”t forget; Jess is involved with another man. “Next”s week episode is obviously dealing with the fact that Jess is dating Sam (David Walton).”
Even if Jess does toss over Sam (which is by no means a given), she won”t be running into Nick”s arms, either. “They are definitely not ready to be a couple. I think they”re really sort of struggling with their feelings for each other. I think this came out of the blue and surprised both of them and I think they”re like struggling to deal with if they want to be a couple and how each one of them feels…. [the kiss] doesn”t solve a lot of the problems that they have of just, like, Nick never showering and Jess is like effervescence and optimism in the face of Nick”s like hatred of the world and people.”
The action next week picks up where the kiss left off, and it”s hardly fireworks – at least, not of the romantic kid. “It just obviously rocks Jess”s world and Nick starts freaking out about what he”s done and they both are just grappling with how they continue as friends the way they were.”
Of course, the kiss also changes the dynamic among all of the roommates, not just Jess and Nick. “That”s also a big part of the episode after-not next week, but the week after is sort of a big, like, the loft just dealing with all of it. Schmidt digs up a ‘no nail” oath that they all took when she moved into the loft where they all agreed not to nail her… Obviously Jess is mad about it and Schmidt is just like dealing with the fact that the loft dynamics have changed in his view.”
If this kiss seems unexpected, it was to the show”s writers as well. “The original draft of last night”s episode didn”t have them kissing and then we, you know, it was a really good script and we went to table as a draft of the script without them kissing and then we just all sort of looked at each other and felt like it sort of felt right. It also felt like if we didn”t have them kiss, it was kind of like pulling our punches.”
If the big moment on “New Girl” reminds you of a certain ’90s sitcom, Meriwether doesn”t mind at all. “I love Ross and Rachel and obviously I still remember when he showed up at the coffee house in the rain or something and like she opened the door and they kissed. I remember that it was like branded into my brain. If they”d had DVR then I would have watched that seven million times over and over again.”
The kiss between Jess and Nick wasn”t the only one in this week”s episode, though. Brenda Song became a love interest for Lamorne Morris, who plays Winston. “We had such a great time with her on the show and she is definitely sticking around and she is in not next week”s episode but the episode after.” Also look for Steve Howey (“Shameless”) in a future episode. “He”s hilariously funny on the show and he plays a football player who Winston is trying to basically become best friends with and Jess is also interested in.”