What I’m Watching: New Girl

New Girl: Season 4, Episode 11 “LAXmas” (D+)

Now this was just an annoying episode. This show has been formulaic and uncreative before without resorting to parading around an airport where Jess inexplicably is in charge of everyone’s travel arrangements and our once-beloved characters somehow manage to get on and off flights on one of the busiest travel days of the year with remarkable ease. Ryan being really rich is a very contrived plotline since he’s already charming and too perfect in most ways, so adding that complicating layer feels forced, especially if he’s so humble that he uses his money to fly back to the U.S. to surprise Jess after he thought that her flight was cancelled. An extravagantly priced ticket is the only explanation for him landing at the same time as her, and therefore it’s hard to understand how she managed to get on a flight too. Nick and Winston ending up in first class was mildly enjoyable, but I don’t believe that they’d really get up and then end up in the seat right next to the bathroom squished into the aisle by a very large man in the window seat. I was disappointed by Billy Eichner’s guest spot as the flight attendant who befriended Jess since he toned down his crazy too much, something I thought I’d never say, to just seem vindictive and cruel. The other notable guest star was also a bit too one-note, and that was Barry Bostwick of “Spin City” as the rich man who prompted Schmidt to start calling him a bitch in the first class lounge. I’m glad Schmidt and Cece are friends but I’d love to see it play out in a less immature and embarrassing way. I’m also always thrilled about seeing Jewish characters forgetting that they don’t celebrate Christmas.