'New Girl' Review/Recap: "Micro" Doesn't Completely Satisfy

Raina Deerwater ’16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

New Girl is one of the many single camera sitcoms on network TV that has really progressed from its first season. Though most of the episodes are self contained and include many hijinks, the characters and narrative have changed over the course of the series. The beginning of the show focused on the idea of a girl living with three guys, but the characters developed through that situation, and it became something else entirely. The second season is referred to as the best season of New Girl for that exact reason. It became much more character driven than situation driven, which is a better fit for the show at large.

“Micro” seemed to be more fitting of the first season than of the current fourth season. It was an overall fine episode with some good moments. However, it didn’t seem to fit into the overall New Girl narrative. It starts with Jess (Zooey Deschanel) having to prove that she is less shallow than the boys as they have an intense debate about boobs. Jess then proves how she isn’t shallow by dating a guy with a literal micro. He turns out to be a jerk in the end, blaming his micro for all his faults. It is pretty funny, but it seems to be a mimicry of the many boy versus girl plots that were done in 2011.

Meanwhile some classic “Winston and CeCe Hijinks” are happening, despite CeCe (Hannah Simone) insistence that they are not. The two get tired of Schmidt (Max Greenfield) and Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) telling themselves and each other how attractive they are, so Winston (Lamorne Morris) convinces them to take up modeling. It was actually great to see Winston and CeCe conniving together, since they are the two most underused characters on the show. It’s always entertaining when the two of them interact, even though it is very rare. It’s wonderful to see Winston’s prankster disposition bouncing off CeCe’s apathy as they try to expose Schmidt’s and Coach’s jerky behavior.
 
The episode boils down to everyone in the loft admitting that they have flaws; their own “micro.” It’s a nice way for the roommates to bond, but that is, again, something that had already been established a few years ago. Of course, Schmidt’s way of accepting his personal “micro” hinges on the self-esteem he gained from modeling. Winston and CeCe have to put up a billboard of Schmidt in Koreatown for him to feel good about himself, which apparently promotes love between Jews and Koreans. So maybe, after all, Schmidt’s ego has done some good. Probably not, though.
All in all “Micro” was decent, but much like the title, it left the audience wanting more. Hopefully New Girl can be like the members of the loft and overcome its own flaws, once again becoming the more vibrant show it was in the past and can be again. Until then, the fans will have to make do with cherishing every moment of Winston they can and trying not to laugh the tenth time they use the word “micro.”
Overall Grade: B-