New Girl: A Father's Love

     It is really starting to feel like this show has shifted from all about quirky Jess to all about angry Nick.  It's still very much a ensemble show, but even in an ensemble there is the central character that story lines seem to revolve around, Friends was almost always about Ross and or Rachel, Seinfeld was about Jerry, Cheers was about Sam.  New Girl, as the title suggests, started out all about Jess.  Her quirkiness and the world's response to it was the central focus of almost every episode.  But now, half way into the second season, there seems to have been a shift.  I may be a little biased because he is one of my favorite characters on TV, but this season seems to be all about Nick.  A Father's Love is yet another episode that dealt almost exclusively with Nick and the many issues that make up his angry hilarious character.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I love every minute Nick is on screen, it's just interesting to see a young show switch it's focus so early. 
     In all honesty I don't know if they had much of a choice.  As much as they have finally allowed Winston to be funny over the last few episodes, they still don't seem to know what to do with him on a grander scale.  As adorable as Jess is and as funny as her quirkiness can be, they do seem to be traits that ware thin rather quickly.  I'm not sure that the show would have stayed fun if Jess remained the central focus. Schmidt was obviously the break out character, but much like Kramer and Joey, the break out character is never really one that can carry a show.  When you're that big and broad a character it just works better in small doses on the side.  That left Nick, the most down to earth personality with deep complications to explore, who can stay funny and emotionally interesting at the same time.
     This wasn't the funniest Nick episode, but it was still entertaining.  Dennis Farina was wonderful as Nick's con artist father, even though it is a pretty cliche story line.  Schmidt and Robbie were cute, yet a little dull.  As a whole, this episode was more about what the show has become and what it can offer.
     Nick quote of the week: "I am not a successful adult.  I don't eat vegetables and/or take care of myself."