(Ray Mickshaw/FOX)
After Jess’ relationship with Robby came to an embarrassing end in “The Hike,” Jess has to start from scratch in her never-ending search for a boyfriend on New Girl. However, the new episode of the series focuses more on Nick’s relationship with Reagan. “Glue” aired on Fox on February 7, so let’s jump right into the action.
SPOILERS FOLLOW
Oh No, Nick Wants to Go for a Run
(Ray Mickshaw/FOX)
The episode kicks off with Jess informing everyone else in the loft that Robby was her cousin – third cousin. (“Sill ewww.”) She decides to rearrange her room so it doesn’t look like the same place she made out with her cousin in.
The group gets distracted by this problem when Nick comes out, dressed like he’s ready to run. This leads everyone to wonder what’s wrong with him. Reagan is stunned, because she thinks the real question should be “What’s right with Nick.”
“He only goes running if he’s upset and he’s wearing his sad hoodie,” Jess explains. “And by the looks of it, it’s been washed, which is bone chilling.”
Winston then comes in, completely surprised. He rushes to the window to yell at Nick. “Nick, are you OK. I see you and I love you!”
“In my defense, no one here emotes in a normal way,” Reagan says.
Winston’s Elaborate Proposal Plan Begins
(Ray Mickshaw/FOX)
After the title, Winston tells Schmidt and Cece that he’s going to ask Ally to marry him. He needs their help and he doesn’t wan them to tell anyone else about his plans. They have to meet him at the bar and “look fresh” so they can talk it out. When Cece tells Winston that he can be a father, he says he already is because of Ferguson the cat. “He’s a cat, Winston,” Schmidt says. “He’s my BLOOD!” Winston snaps back.
In Jess’ room, Reagan admits that she doesn’t understand Nick. Jess is going to help her with this problem because she’s experienced. It turns out that he’s disappointed because he got a rejection letter from a publisher. He thinks his career is over and he can’t tell Reagan. Jess tells him that he has to let his girlfriend in and talk about it with her. “All right, but I’m not letting her anywhere near my crawlspace.”
Jess rushes over to Reagan to tell her the bad news and to pass her the baton. Yes, she owns a real baton. (It was Robby’s because he was really into male twirling.)
Back at the bar, Winston reveals his draft for a plan. When Ally arrives at the bar, he will come up with an excuse to leave. Schmidt and Cece have to distract Ally. During that time, he’ll place a call to get her to pick him up somewhere. Then, he’ll pop the question right next to her favorite plant – the comic cactus.
Ally arrives, and Cece and Schmidt are acting really weird. Winston says they want Ally and him to paint their new house (even though it’s already painted). Winston follows through with his plan, telling them that he can’t make it.
Back at the loft, Reagan saves the day. She called up a bookstore to set up a reading, but they need 30 copies of the book… which hasn’t even been published yet. Nick has to read the book in front of people, which makes him really nervous. Jess thinks they can self-publish it. But the hard part is getting Nick to read in front of people.
Marital Problems?
(Ray Mickshaw/FOX)
“You want me to read in front of living people who are there to hear me read. How will I even know what to read?” Nick is freaking out. He can’t do it. Jess then bursts in with a prototype copy of his book. Nick is completely surprised to see that he has made a book. Jess decides to distract Nick from his problems by having him and Reagan make copies of his book.
Winston pops in to ask Jess for her cactus gloves and is impressed by Jess’ distraction for Nick. They start singing the “Reading Rainbow” theme.
Meanwhile, Ally is completely terrible at painting Cece and Schmid’s house. Even though she’s bad, she finds it relaxing and wants to keep painting. Schmidt and Cece are whisper-arguing, so Ally agrees to leave. They won’t let her leave because and come up with a lie – they can’t be in the same room alone because they have marital problems. Ally doesn’t get that it’s not true. “See, I knew something was up. Everyone was like, ‘They’re so perfect’ and I was like, ‘No, something in that relationship is very, very broken.’”
Back at the loft, there’s only three hours left before the reading and Nick has only completed one copy of the book and Reagan has left to buy glue. Jess agrees to help. They get to work and somehow get the job done… all while smelling glue. Oh, and now they’re high on sniffing glue.
Reagan finally comes back and breaks the news – they are high. They were supposed to use that glue outside. Reagan thinks she needs to cancel the reading, but Jess and Nick tell her not to. Jess puts all the books in one bag and is ready to leave the loft. She falls on her back.
Reading Time
(Ray Mickshaw/FOX)
Later, Winston is in a costume shop and really annoying Cece over the phone. Winston tells her that if they ruin the plan, they ruin her life forever. After the phone call, Cece and Schmidt come up with elaborate lies in a “marriage counseling” session with Ally. They don’t want her to leave, but (since she is a police officer after all) Ally has figured it out. She knows they are distracting her for something Winston is planning. She’s convinced it’s a prank and then receives a text from him. She leaves to go meet him.
At the book store, Jess and Nick are still high. Reagan tries to keep him on task and pushes him to the lectern. He keeps stalling before starting to read. He even asks his audience to close their eyes… and then leaves to high in a kids’ book house. It’s not going well.
Jess suggests that Reagan feed him. More seriously though, she suggests that Reagan needs to talk to him. Reagan isn’t good at that, so Jess supplies her with a speech to help prop him up.
“I would say, ‘Nick, you’re one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Everyone here is lucky to hear your book because it’s a part of you and if you fail, it doesn’t change how special you are. No matter what happens here, I’ll always love you,’” Jess says. “Or something like that.”
Reagan tries to recreate that speech as best she can and tells him, “I believe in you.”
Then, a little girl (Gianna Gomez) tells Jess that she likes Nick’s book. Nick then goes to the lectern and begins reading. “He is so dreamy,” says the little girl.
Meanwhile, Schmidt and Cece drive Winston to a spot where he’s set up the perfect picnic. Winston keeps dragging out the proposal while Cece and Schmidt watch. Winston then runs over to the two and reveals that this wasn’t a proposal! It’s just phase one of 20 before he finally proposes to Ally. He only wants Schmidt and Cece to help with the odd-numbered phases.
Back at the book store, the little girl is the only one who wants to buy Nick’s book. Even though she only has a dollar bill, Nick signs the book. Even though he knows that he still needs to work on an incredibly sexual, graphic scene, he’s still excited to sell at least one copy.
The next episode of New Girl is “Operation: Bobcat,” which airs on Valentine’s Day, February 14. Overall, “Glue” was a funny little episode, playing on Winston’s efforts to always find ways to prank people. Nick’s insecurities continue to play a big role in the series, and it’s nice to see Jess help out Reagan more, even if she does clearly still have feelings for Nick.