Who's that girl? It's Jess!

Fresh tv show New Girl, starring Zooey Deschanel, is a nice 'n light slice of sitcom fun.

Decent sitcoms are currently few and far between. Remember the good old days, when sitcoms weren't just about ugly chubby men with hot wives? Laughing along with Will & Grace, wincing at the embarrassing antics of the Seinfeld crew, shaking your head at Frasier's pomposity. And let's not forget Friends, the Holy Grail of hang out television.

Ensemble chemistry is key to any program's success, and New Girl offers a nicely balanced cast. The whole show revolves around indie darling Zooey Deschanel in the lead role of recent singleton Jess. Luckily, Deschanel is a dab hand at playing kooky and adorable, without the performance tipping over into saccharine.

Jess isn't chubby and plain but she is- weird. That's what makes her so loveable to viewers, but potentially unattractive to today's (tv) males, who prefer simpler sexual fare. Any girl with strange collecting habits, a penchant for fantasy or even a love of nanna-esque fashion will relate to Jess on some level.

Jess: A rebound? I don't know if I'm ready or not.
Schmidt: You're totally ready for it, I'll take you through the whole thing, I'll be like your guide.
Jess: Like Gandalf through Middle Earth?
Schmidt: Probably not like- okay, first of all, let's take the Lord Of The Ring references, lets put 'em in a deep, dark cave, where noone's gonna find them, ever.
Jess: Except Smeagol (whispers) He lives in a cave.
New Girl, Season 1, Episode 1.

Another loveable factor is Jess's obviously less-than-savvy sexual persona.

Jess: Woah, cute guy alert!
Schmidt: Okay Jess, game time, let's do this- you wanna forget about Spencer, you're gonna have to do some very, very bad things to that man right over there.
Jess: How bad??
Schidt: Real bad Jess. REAL BAD.
Jess: (pause) Like a makeout session, no tops?

New Girl, Season 1, Episode 1.

Sure, some writing moments are a tad mediocre, but there's also a lot of lighthearted laughs. Already, it's obvious the show's strength will be the closeknit bond shared by the four flatmates.

And let's be honest- sometimes you just want to mellow out on the couch and laugh. You don't want to think anymore, you don't want to worry about following intense, convoluted storylines, you don't want to be challenged... you just want to chillax. (Yes, I already feel bad about using that word).

So, say hello to Jess and her homies.

Just like in Friends, this crew care about each other right off the bat. Sometimes modern sitcoms overlook this vital element. In trying to be funny, the characters often become cruel and sarcastic. A sitcom without empathy can 'taste' like pizza base without yeast; flat and lifeless. New Girl looks like a return to an old fashioned but winning formula... in that, it has heart.

Similar to runaway bride Rachel in the first episode of Friends, Jess is desperate for a fresh start following a disastrous break up. But in a post-millenium twist, instead of crossing paths with the new crew at a coffee shop, Jess finds her soon-to-be clique on craigslist.

When I saw the trailer for New Girl, I wasn't sure about the male characters. They seemed like walking cliches. However, after catching the first episode, I have to admit I now adore each and every one of them!

Schmidt, played by Max Greenfield (yes, that's Veronica Mars' cop boyfriend), is desperate to be perceived as cool, dying to hook up with hot chicks and totally obsessed with the idea of Jess having model friends. As a result, he's constantly putting money in the apartment Douchebag Jar.

The scene where he high fives and yells street-esque lingo back and forward with another bunch of office workers at the local pub is such a sad attempt at white collar hipness, it's hilarious.

The softest personality in the group is Nick, played by Jake M. Johnson, whom I love already. The flashbacks of drunken phone calls to his ex, where he adopts international accents, are so CUTE. He's the softhearted, suffering type, and a bit of a scene stealer.

The final guy in the roommate trio, a fitness instructor/personal trainer played by Damon Wayans Jr, is a comedic gem. Nicknamed Coach, his inability to communicate with women is sure to pull a lot of laughs over the season. (Pull? Get it?).

Each of these characters gets some one-on-one time with Jess in the pilot (and no, not in THAT way). Deschanel offers fantastic onscreen efforts in every one of these scenes. Nick, Coach and Schmidt all click with Jess, in their own unique ways, boding well for the show.

There's also the inference of an established dynamic between the three men. For example, I love how Nick, when placed in the middle of a conflict between the other two more forceful personalities, regularly raises his hood and hides.

The most ANNOYING aspect of the first episode is actually the sloppy continuity. If continuity is your thing, this episode will probably drive you up the wall. Jess's hair has a life of its own. Her glasses move on and off her face between edits. Worse, once you pick up on it, you can't stop registering the constant visual glitches.

Like any new show, it's hard to tell if the humour will hang in there (in terms of quality). Sometimes tv writing can go haywire, especially in a sitcom. Trying for laughs can override storyline considerations, giving the material a forced feel.

Overall, New Girl isn't for cynics, or for lovers of hard-hitting television. The show will appeal to those who think being awkward is okay, who are happy to laugh at the lighthearted moments in life, and like the idea that a you can get through everyday dramas with the help of kindhearted friends.

Not to mention fans of Zooey Deschanel. (They're going to have a field day). However, if you can't stand the actress, maybe give the show a miss, because New Girl is definitely her vehicle.